What is your take on high efficient speakers vs. low efficient speakers?


Consider both designs are done right and your other equipment is well matched with the speakers.  Do you have any preference when it comes to sound quality?  Is it matter of economic decision when it comes to price? - power amps can become very expensive when power goes up, on the other hand large,  efficient speakers are expensive as well.  Is your decision based on room size?  I'd love to hear from you on the subject. 

128x128tannoy56

@Mrdecible Mrd. Does that means that the audio speakers/systems are equally great just because we like them, and how do you extrapolate the fact that some audiophiles have exponentially longer experience? Some have learned from casual listening here and there and others from numerous encounters ,with different systems, in their own homes: some have learned from the very top end systems and others not so; some can hear and interpret the sound way better than others; some have more exposure to live music and others have less; some have extensive collection of LP’s, discs or even master tapes and others no so. I hope you get my drift. The point is - although, it is great that one might enjoy the sound they hear, it doesn’t make them equally qualified to become an experts at high fidelity. Otherwise, why bother have a forum like this? I like this he likes that, let’s all be happy because we enjoy what we hear. That cannot be right , it’s got to be a better, more objective way, which I believe we  have already, but no one wants to listen.

@tannoy56 Music listening, imo, is a very " personal subject ", and yes, experience might play a part in putting a successful system together. What have I learned over the years ?.....We are all seeking " our own " musical truth, which is easily shown here on this thread. There is a vast majority of gear available to enlighten our ears / brain, and an even broader range of what we all listen for. What is most important, ime, is finding what is enjoyable " to me ". Music listening is a major part of my life. You have heard the saying " an apple a day ".....well for me, " listening an hour a day ". Enjoy ! MrD.

We are all basing our opinions and experiences using " reproduced / recorded " music. As I have said many times, this alone, creates many challenges for us as listeners. It boils down to the specifics of what YOU want your favorite performers to sound like, in your own listening room.

@mrdecibel No, we're not all basing our opinions that way! In my case I base my opinions on having been at the recording session, have the master tapes and know exactly how they are supposed to sound.

So are I've yet to hear a lower efficiency speaker that brings out the dynamic character properly in these recordings. Not saying its not out there, but clearly such a beast is in a dramatic minority.

@charles1dad it is not the amplifier distortion…. take another run at it…. with equal moving mass and motor a pistonic cone has lower output…..why is that ?

Ralph - while i respect your experience, you are certainly not the only audio designer deeply involved in hearing , recording, and evaluating the playback of the original acoustic event in order to evaluate efforts…. 

best to you in our chase for better