Most high-quality loudspeakers are 4-Ohms

JohnK of course your point begs the question; does a speaker designer have to make compromises in order to make speakers work with higher impedances?

Mapman, actually you've gone too far in the opposite direction. Most ss amps aren't at their best into 16 Ohms. Remember that a ss amps that doubles down from 8 Ohms also halves up from 8 Ohms. The safe bet for ultimate amp compatbility would probably be around 8 Ohms, and perhaps 6 Ohms for mass market amps.

To my ears, most high-quality loudspeakers are lower impedance loads.

Swampwalker, I don't consider the Vandersteens to be high impedance speakers and there the only ones of those that you've suggested that I've heard and appreciate. While I haven't heard them all, some of the other I down right dislike. But, that's just me, YMMV.

Swampwalker, I suppose for the most part we actually do agree. The Vandersteens aside from their selfpowered subs have a minimum impedance range of 2 to 5 Ohms. As for the others, yes they are generally considered "high end". I just haven't heard any high minimum impedance speakers that I would care to own, so IMHO I guess I wouldn't consider them "high quality" regardless of the craftsmanship, marketing, etc. involved. Others are of course welcome to disagree. I think the OP's question has more merit than some might at first assume.

JohnK, not that I thought you used mass market drivers, but how the heck would I know what you used. Are you a speaker manufacturer? Another speaker manufacturer who on this very thread has posted that what I suggested is part of his decision making. Is he so wrong too?

Thanks Duke, that's what I expected.

Learsfool, no that I totaly disagree with you, but I don't think that Swampwalker actualy posted that.

JohnK, that some drivers that are high impedance design have little demand and therefore drives up their cost doesn't neccessarily make those designs worthy of their extra cost. On the other hand some of the more expensive drivers are indeed low impedance designs as well. That many drivers are designed to work with the most commonly available amplification is of no surprise, but the subject matter here is "high-quality" loudspeakers, and the those mass market drivers you are refering to aren't really what we're talking about here.

Mapman, I some level I think you've hit the heart of the matter with "I don't think impedance alone is a relaible indicator of "high quality", assuming you take proper matching of the amp into consideration...."
While we can't truly seperate amps from speakers, the OP question offers food for thought on the issue re: impedance and the quality of speakers. If we try for just a moment to stay focused on speakers alone, the OP's question isn't as silly as it might first appear.
I suspect that many speakers that are designed to be more effecient are in fact not so due to inherently superior drivers or other design parameters but, done so that they can better accomodate particular amplifiers and that course of action might just very well compromise the ability of the very speakers themsleves.
There are some here that think that less effecient speakers and big ss amps are silly. I would argure that that's no sillier than less efficent, small tube amps driving big speakers.
My experience tells me that the differences between speakers is greater than the differences between amps regardless of the amps technology.
YMMV, everyones tastes are different, and the marketplace has almost everything for almost everyone. Enjoy, regardless of the path you choose.

Bill, I suspect that at higher impedances ss amps might be able to sustain a higher bias longer, but at the cost of reduced ultimate power. I suspect that the speakers sensitivity coupled with room size and ultimate volume sought would of have to be added to the equation. Still, I think 16 Ohms in most cases would not be the best load for most ss amps.

And yet some of the speakers that have demonstrated some of the best testing results have low impedances.

Thanks, that was amusing. Mono?

Mapman, I would hazard a guess; that including both nominal and minimum impedances, there are more 4-Ohm high quality loudspeakers than not, ergo it's likely that the answer to the OP; is yes, "Most high-quality loudspeakers are 4-Ohms".
But where's the fun in that? I agree, I do find this conversation interesting. I wish those that find it rife with misinformation, would be more specific. I don't mind being found wrong, if I learn something.