High Efficiency Speaker Asylum: Re: Define High Efficiency by Romy

There is no definition of what high efficiency speaker are. It is like â€maturityâ€: it has properties but has no well-defined threshold.
I personally consider that a speaker just enter the realm of â€œhigh efficiencyâ€ when their sensitively jump over 97 dB, thought there is a LOT of more to consider. In practice I think it has to do with the capacity of commonly used topologies of SE amplification (as the most advanced/capable amplification available). Most of the SETs operate in sub a 30W zone and therefore in the â€œstandartâ€ rooms they would need over 97 dB of loadâ€™s sensitivity.

It is hard to connect the high efficiency with high quality. Yes, the high efficiency speaker are a pinnacle of any acoustic systems, however the worst sound I experienced in audio was form high efficiency speakers. I have to note also that best sound in audio I experienced from the high efficiency systems. Therefore the specific implementation and the attention to details in high efficiency world is super important. It is not secret that generally there are not a lot of people alive who possess the know-how about building the high-quality-high-efficiency acoustic systems (similarly to the full range SET amplification).

Nop, it is not only about the dynamic range, which is mostly misunderstood and wrongly used by listeners and by designers. Also be advised that the Acoustic Pressure (and consequentially the sensitivity) has a logarithmic scale and therefore the difference between 89 and 92 db is not the same as the different between the 107 and 110 dB. Should you experience an influence of full range 120dB sensitive system you would burn your Wilson Grand Slamm and will have more fun form that â€œnice summer evening fire on your backyardâ€ then form the sound that those 94 dB-sensitive impotents are capable of.

Despite the fact that recently the â€œfashionâ€ for high efficiency and low amplification is slowly coming back but still there are practically no â€œready to goâ€ serious amplification or acoustic systems that could delivery a climax of "high efficiency" audio result. Too many variables should be taken under consideration and some solutions are too expansive to be able to be compiled into a marketable product.

There is a lot of BS within audio about high efficiency and some of that BS actually speared intentionally or by ignorance. There are well-structured industry efforts to delivers a fierily unfortunate audio result but hide it under an umbrella of high efficiency. Interestingly that their poor result is exactly because of their exposure at high efficiency domain due to the high efficiency is much more demanding and requires a different level of seriousness and therefore the bead result could not be equalized by the marketing BS (as usually it done in audio).

Properly implemented (in your room) and properly powered high efficiency system would delivery to you something that would never let you to even look back. I doubt that a serious high efficiency and high quality result be reached under $500 for a pair. But once again: how serious is your serious?

Rgs,
Romy The Cat