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A change in efficiency to the final sound

I have a p/p tube amp running a pair of 6Ca7's for about 30 watts per channel .
I have read here that p/p tube amps sound their best when they have to work a bit harder , as opposed to a SET amp that sounds best near idle .
My present speakers are claimed to be 92 db. eff.
If this amp is driving a pair of speakers rated at 85 db. efficiency , should it sound a bit better due to working a little harder or closer to its optimum level ?
Conversely , would the same amp sound a bit worse driving a more efficient speaker of 99 db. due to it working less hard or further away from its optimum level ?


Thank you

saki70

Showing 2 responses by bdp24

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,412 posts
 
@lowrider57's repost of my quote has made me realize that I should clarify: when I said "the higher the speaker impedance, the lower the distortion", the distortion I was speaking of is that produced by the amplifier, not the loudspeaker.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,412 posts
 

It is my understanding (correct me if I’m mistaken ;-) that ALL tubes produce less distortion as power output decreases (at least, above say a watt). What IS true is that tubes have to be run at their optimum plate and heater voltages, etc. to perform their best. Also true is that the higher the speaker impedance, the lower the distortion.

And yes, lower distortion = better sound. Ultra-low distortion figures got a bad name in solid state amps in the 1970’s, with good reason. The means employed to achieve lower measured static distortion specs (excessive negative feedback, etc.) resulted in worse sound. That is not the necessarily and automatically the case in well-designed tube amps., as tube amp designers know that good sound is the result of a well-balanced design, not distortion specs alone.

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