Guys, thank you for all the Info. I think the Amator's are going back in the bedroom :)
Speaker Efficiency
I have been listening to my Decware 300b tube amp for a few months now. At 8 watts, I have them paired with Klipsch Forte IV at 99db efficiency, and this set up has been sounding great. This morning I connected a pair of Sonus Faber Electa Amator speakers, 6ohms at 88db of efficiency. They sound fantastic, with more weight and depth. I understand there is a huge price difference in the two speakers, but aside from that, if I am getting 80db of volume at my chair, 8' away, what is the draw back of using lower efficiency speakers with SET amps, so long as the volume is sufficient? I did notice turn the Pre amp, the tube amp and the Roon volume towards the highest setting, it starts sounding terrible....
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what are you gaining? and what are you losing? when you put a low powered mismatched amp to a hard to drive speaker???? how large is your room? how loud do you listen? how close do you sit? how important is space and scale and the lowest octave? how flat is the impedance curve of the speaker? here is a very concise article "Lies, Damn Lies, and Speaker Sensitivity Specs" written by Robert Harley in the Feb 23’ Issue of Absolute Sound regarding speaker efficiency. how specs can be misleading, and how it affects amplifier<->speaker matching. it’s a good place to start this conversation...... https://www.enjoythemusic.com/The_Absolute_Sound/02_2023/editorial.htm i’m not always the biggest Harley fan with his tendency toward hyperbole.....but in this case he nailes it. a quick read worth your time. |
@mikelavigne hmm, sounds like impedance curve has a an equal of greater effect than just speaker sensitivity. @mapman had mentioned Fritz Speakers (thank you mapman). Looking at the Fritz Carrera, with a sensitivity rating of 87db, but recommended watts is 5 to 200. Thanks for the Harley article, I'll read it this weekend. |
People who believe everything they read will tell you it won’t work. Of course they love to read manufacturers literature where the OEMs have to satisfy every customer including the teenager who wants to play at 130dB. If you listen at 80 dB, you’ll be fine. Realize you won’t be able to turn it up to 100dB when others come over, and I’m fine with that. That said, I much prefer the higher sensitivity (not efficiency, sorry to have to correct you) speakers. I have 96 dB sensitiveity non-horn speakers with very linear response and I think that’s about as good as it gets... ...sitting here listening to my 2 wpc decware amp. I will add that before you invest in this speaker listen carefully to make sure you aren't missing something. For example, sometimes people hear a wonderful midrange and forget to check for bass and dynamics, the first two things to suffer at lack of power, lack of current, lack of power supply, bad power cord, etc. Jerry |
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