Sometimes Hard to Drive Speakers are a Gimmick

@erik_squires, I looked at your analysis of the Focal speaker in your blog post. What happens to the frequency response when those impedance-lowering crossover components are removed?

Duke

@audiokinesis - That's an excellent question.  Sadly the simulation and impedance and original hardware is all gone.  I should have done a better job of maintaining the data than I did, but I'll explain.

The mods I suggested were in two stages.  The first cap could be removed with a significant improvement to the impedance with little to no change in the FR.  Further impedance benefits would occur  IF the first coils in the LP filter were rethought and the 195uF cap was moved.  As I recall, you would need a rather large first coil compared to what was original, but it wasn't an extravagant cost item.  I wrote about this in detail here but sadly when I merged my blogs I lost a lot of images. 

"we have actual anecdotal evidence"

Which is it?  Actual evidence or [merely] anecdotal?  Who or what is your source?

I am no longer going to reply to messages that are not polite or failed to read the blog.

Reviewing various crossover impedances then drawing the conclusion that there is a both a speaker and amplifier conspiracy to sell more wattage is not logical.

Affordable high wattage amps are readily available, which is not the same as paying more for higher engineered and costlier parts in high-end amplification. 

A speaker manufacturer typically design to a cost/price point and to be efficient enough to be compatible “with a range of available amplifiers” (not just low watt amps) to compete in a specific segment of the market.  Andrew Jones doesn’t design inefficiencies just to boost higher watt amplifier sales.

Amplifier guru Nelson Pass has designed both high power and low power amps.  It’s not that high or low is better, but it’s matching the amp to the speaker requirements that matter.

TL;DR : Don't be seduced by hard to drive speakers.  They aren't more musical. 

This statement seems baseless, as it conflicts with first hand experience plus many positive reviews and testimonies from Magnepan, MBL, Wilson, Magico, YG….. Sonus Faber is highly musical.