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High-efficiency speakers and high-power amps?

I've been wondering what's up with single-driver, high-efficiency speakers, but my current rig is quite the opposite: low-efficiency speakers with high-power amps. Is there any reason why I couldn't -- or shouldn't -- try out a pair of high-efficiency, single-driver speakers, without buying a new amp, just to see what I think? If I were to plug in a pair of, say, Omegas or Zu speakers, would I get a sense of what all the fuss is about by simply keeping the volume turned down low, or would I be missing something unless I were running little 6.7-watt tube amps, or some such?

Thanks.

-- Howard
hodu

Showing 1 response by lubachl

lubachl
87 posts
 
Let me suggest that you take a different approach and just commit to changing over to a high efficiency system. If you base your results on the sound quality you get from a mismatched system you have gained nothing. Chances are this amplifier will not mate well with whatever high efficiency speakers you are listening to because that is not what it was designed to do.

Over many years of stereo shopping, swapping and fiddling I have come across one fundamental truth in the pervasive quest for great sound. And that truth is.....42 (bad joke - but some will get it). That truth is to find a system that has really really good low level resolution. Put another way, if you play your stereo at fairly low volumes and still hear everything clearly to the point that the music takes you there, you have it.

There may be a wide variety of systems that do this but I have found that the cheapest way to get to this benchmark is through high efficiency speakers.

The best way to start is listen to some high efficiency set-ups, find something you like, then sell your whole system and start to rebuild.

One plus with high efficiency gear is that excellent low power amplifiers are fairly inexpensive compared to their more muscular brethren.

Hope that helps.

LL
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