What is your take on high efficient speakers vs. low efficient speakers?


Consider both designs are done right and your other equipment is well matched with the speakers.  Do you have any preference when it comes to sound quality?  Is it matter of economic decision when it comes to price? - power amps can become very expensive when power goes up, on the other hand large,  efficient speakers are expensive as well.  Is your decision based on room size?  I'd love to hear from you on the subject. 

128x128tannoy56

jmolsberg's avatar

jmolsberg Welcome to the  "neighborhood " - same with me - low power amp and high efficient speakers. 

In my opinion, there is too much hype around what most have not seen)) ... In fact - it is difficult to list a few really good and at the same time well-known high-performance speakers (over 100 dB watts meter) ... Such speakers have a short stroke - they can't scoop up and throw a lot of air at you - that's bass limitation... A mouthpiece or a big cabinet is an extremely tricky thing - manufacturers prefer not to get involved.

My idol is Aries Cerat Symphonia ...Lowther tp1... possibly the top Oma models (I didn't hear them in a nice quiet large room)...

Voxativ, Auditorium 23 - hypertrophied and at the same time skinny sound...

Of course, the size of the room and its coverage are fundamental here ... (as well as the type of music you prefer).

The very formulation of the question is not entirely correct)) ... it is obvious that "shoes" need to be bought according to their size.

High sensitivity - this is for experienced gourmets - they will figure it out themselves. If the choice is before a beginner - choose everything in the middle - you will not be mistaken. (previously, the system you want to buy should be listened to in a similar room to your favorite music ... find an audio veteran and copy his system) ...

I’ve tried some relatively high end speakers (in my world) with low sensitivity …

B741 SS……then floor to ceiling line arrays …then others I can’t remember them all.

 

While some had their attributes …(actually only the line arrays) none had the startling dynamics and realism of high my sensitivity horn speakers.

We all like different things. My freind (and neighbor) loved my low sensitivity speakers, he would comment on how “smooth” they sounded.

To me that’s code for “unexciting” lol 

 

I agree with audiokinesis. Although a speaker's sensitivity should be considered when matching them to an amplifier, it would be wrong to use the sensitivity rating as an indicator of quality. Many speaker designers opt to trade high sensitivity for deeper base production, especially in smaller enclosures. Remember also that generally a tube-powered amplifier will seem more powerful and play louder than a solid state amplifier of the same or similar power rating.