For lower level listening, is it better to have inefficient speakers at higher volume or efficient speakers at lower volume?
Ideally your speaker should sound the same at low levels as high. As a different spin on the way you're looking at this, I'd be interested in finding out why not if it doesn't.
In my experience efficient speakers sound better at low volumes than inefficient ones, which sounded more flat. I suspect the lighter membranes of efficient speakers allow for more dynamics at low volumes. But I have a bias towards more efficient speakers anyway. Amps also seem to matter here, but I don’t know why some amps would sound better at low output than others.
This is all hypothetical. I‘m just thinking, all else being equal, is there a big difference between a speaker rated at 85db and one rated at 99db playing at the same level and being powered by the same amp. Is it better to push the amp a little more for the less efficient speaker?
For low level listening it is best not having a system that can play excessively loud. If you do the noise floor will start to encroach. So if you have efficient speakers don't team them up with high power amplifiers, find a good low power/low gain amplifier instead. A 100dB/W/M speaker only needs a buffer for moderate playback levels. A highly efficient loudspeaker is not the problem, it's the amplifier that feeds it that will cause problems.
Maybe more related to preferred amplifier topology.
High efficiency speakers preferred or often needed with
lower wattage amplifiers.
But has been noted with various setups/systems/ and overall combined system gain structure.
Extreme high efficiency speakers, and users preferring low volume listening.
Might have a harder time dialing in low volume settings. Volume might be " jumpy"
when trying to dial in low settings.
Otherwise in a very very generalized manner.
Many people want good bass. But have size restrictions.
And high efficiency speakers tend to require rather large volumes
for bass performance.
So if good bass, and low levels is the goal.
Then low efficiency speakers with somewhat smaller box requirments
would be ideal. Added bonus is more power is needed. And dialing in
low level volumes likely hardly a issue since more power is needed.
Less likely for " jumpy" volume.
High efficiency speakers preferred or often needed with
lower wattage amplifiers.
But has been noted with various setups/systems/ and overall combined system gain structure.
Extreme high efficiency speakers, and users preferring low volume listening.
Might have a harder time dialing in low volume settings. Volume might be " jumpy"
when trying to dial in low settings.
Otherwise in a very very generalized manner.
Many people want good bass. But have size restrictions.
And high efficiency speakers tend to require rather large volumes
for bass performance.
So if good bass, and low levels is the goal.
Then low efficiency speakers with somewhat smaller box requirments
would be ideal. Added bonus is more power is needed. And dialing in
low level volumes likely hardly a issue since more power is needed.
Less likely for " jumpy" volume.
;-)
Ideal: The more efficient the speakers, the smaller the amplifier: fewer amplifying stages, fewer components; all of which modulate the sound with their noises.
Ideal: The more efficient the speakers, the smaller the amplifier: fewer amplifying stages, fewer components; all of which modulate the sound with their noises.
Its weird but low efficiency speakers often seem to need higher volume with high current amps to come alive. Once they are driven hard, they can open up and sound superb. But at low volumes, they often seem reserved and kind of closed in.
On the other hand, high efficiency speakers with a flea power DHT SET tend to still sing at modest SPL as well as higher SPL.
ESLs seem to sing at low volume despite published low sensitivity figures but that's likely cause trying to apply dynamic driver efficiencies to them is invalid.
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