What does speaker sensitivity mean?

[Good4it]

why does it matter?

 

[Bucknekked]

why does it matter?

Good4t:
I don't believe I've answered a post with your name on it so I don't know if you're just kidding, or you really want techno detail. I'll just take it you want some of the basics and if you want a full primer there are members here who probably helped write the book on speaker specs.

Does sensitivity matter? It does because its part of the formula for how much sound gets produced by how much output voltage from an amp or AVR. There are laws of physics involved in speaker design where the sensitivity of the speaker is a part of the equation. You can have low bass, small cabinet size, or high sensitivity. Pick 2 of the three desired design points. You can't have all 3 without spending a crapload of money. Its called Hoffman's Iron law.

During the decades when amplifiers struggled to put out 30 to 50 watts, sensitivity mattered a great deal. Companies like Klipsch and others made speakers in the 97db range (very sensitive). You get a lot of sound for not a lot of ampllifer when your speakers are sensitive. But nowadays, amplifier power is pretty cheap and its easy to get 100watts per channel. Sensitivity is less important for most rooms given you can simply drive the speaker harder with more power to fill the room.

Today's high end speaker drivers can be extremely accurate. They give up sensitivity to do that. Many exceptional speakers today aren't particularly sensitive in their db ratings at 85db and lower. Does it matter? It does only because its part of speaker design and the more you understand the tradeoffs that go in to a speaker, the better off you are in making choices.

I'm sure there are members with a much more technical answer. But understanding tradeoffs seems like a good place to start. Hope all is well with you and I didn't miss the mark too badly

 

[Good4it]

Thank you. What goes into making a speaker more sensitive?

 

[Bucknekked]

Thank you. What goes into making a speaker more sensitive?

Good4it:

I think a question like what goes in to making a speaker more sensitive deserves an answer with charts and graphs and quotes by big brained folks. Its your lucky day. I just happened to have one.

WHAT GOES IN TO DESIGNING A SENSITIVE SPEAKER

Cheers.

 

[ski2xblack]

Buck, while the gist of what you said is correct, you have the sensitivity numbers inverted.

IMO sensitivity is still important. Take for example a speaker with sensitivity of 88 db/w/m (fairly typical of many speakers these days) and compare to something with sensitivity of mid 98 db/w/m (this would necessarily be a large speaker with low WAF). For normal folks, listening at 70-95 db range, the first speaker will require ten times the power as the second across the board, which may come into play if you're using an AVR with limited dynamic reserves, where the second would demand a watt or less at most times, leaving copious amp headroom available should the need arise.

What goes into making a speaker more sensitive?

It starts with drivers that are engineered to be more sensitive to begin with, such as using more powerful magnets, narrower magnetic gaps for the voice coil, light weight cones, etc. On top of that there are other methods to increase sensitivity such as horn loading. Sensitivity tends to come with lots of girth, due to Hoffman's Iron Law as mentioned previously, if the speakers have any pretensions of providing extended bass.

 

[Bucknekked]

Buck, while the gist of what you said is correct, you have the sensitivity numbers inverted.

IMO sensitivity is still important. Take for example a speaker with sensitivity of 88 db/w/m (fairly typical of many speakers these days) and compare to something with sensitivity of mid 98 db/w/m (this would necessarily be a large speaker with low WAF). For normal folks, listening at 70-95 db range, the first speaker will require ten times the power as the second across the board, which may come into play if you're using an AVR with limited dynamic reserves, where the second would demand a watt or less at all times, leaving copious amp headroom available should the need arise.


It starts with drivers that are engineered to be more sensitive to begin with, such as using more powerful magnets, narrower magnetic gaps for the voice coil, light weight cones, etc. On top of that there are other methods to increase sensitivity such as horn loading. Sensitivity tends to come with lots of girth, due to Hoffman's Iron Law as mentioned previously, if the speakers have any pretensions of providing extended bass.

I realized that as soon as I wrote the post. I went back and edited it. Hopefully the edit stuck. I was thinking and writing at the same time. Apparently, I'm only capable of doing one of those things at a time.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

 

[Hetfield]

I realized that as soon as I wrote the post. I went back and edited it. Hopefully the edit stuck. I was thinking and writing at the same time. Apparently, I'm only capable of doing one of those things at a time.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

I know the feeling.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[Good4it]

Thanks guys, that helps in my education.