Topic: Questions about Speaker Sensitivy SPL and etc.

[Assassin101]

Hi All,

I have been a member of PDVD for a year now. But there are still a lot of things i dont know about speakers. Like for instace the Sensitivity. which is better, low or high sensitivity and what is it for? What is a frequency responce? This are the things I still do not understand about speakers.

[bumblebee]

The more sensitive, the louder.

Ex. 86 dB at 1W.

You need 1W to get 86dB. For every 3dB increase, you need double the power. Hence,

89 dB - 2W
92 dB - 4W
95 dB - 8W
98 dB - 16W
101 dB - 32W
104 dB - 64W
107 dB - 128W

+10dB is double the loudness. So 96 dB is twice as loud as 86dB and will require 10x the power.

Freq. response show the range of frequencies your speaker can produce. Humans can hear 20Hz-20KHz so a loudspeaker should be able to produce this within a dB range.

ex. 50Hz-20KHz +/- 3dB.

The lower the +/-dB, the flatter the response.

[Assassin101]

sir,

does it mean that a speaker with SPL of 88db is much easier to drive than the 92db rated speakers? would it mean that the 88db speaker is more clear?

[bumblebee]

The higher the sensitivity, the easier to drive kc konting watts lang, malakas na.

To match the SPL of a 92dB LS, an 88dB LS should use at least 2x the power the 92dB LS is using.

Specs don't relate to SQ.

[alvinthx2]

sensitivity = how sensitive would your speaker be given a 1 watt input at a distance of 1 meter
- the higher the sensitivity, the less power hungry your speakers will be.
- lower sensitivity rated speakers like Thiel and spendor tend to have better frequency response over the entire sound spectrum. A lot of factors should be taken into account in determining the quality of a speaker. Sensitivity and freq. response are just 2 of them.

[MAtZTER]

Sensitivity is not = sound quality.

[Assassin101]

does this mean...

sensitivity = how sensitive would your speaker be given a 1 watt input at a distance of 1 meter
- the higher the sensitivity, the less power hungry your speakers will be.

and

The higher the sensitivity, the easier to drive kc konting watts lang, malakas na.

To match the SPL of a 92dB LS, an 88dB LS should use at least 2x the power the 92dB LS is using.

Specs don't relate to SQ.

na the 88db speakers are more power hungry than the 92db and would be better off getting the 92db speakers?

[D75C]

Sensitivity is a measure of efficiency per watt unit. Like all specifications and numbers you'll encounter in the audio world, they are not a measure of sound quality. Though I admit the numbers do help you narrow down your list of "auditioned" speakers to the one that best suits your system.

High speaker sensitivities (>90db) should not be a reason why you should not purchase a speaker. The same reason applies to low sensitivity (<89db) speakers   

JM Labs Grande Utopia is a well recognized speaker, was rated at 94db. Another one was made by KEF 104 something... it was measured at 92db.

[bumblebee]

does this mean...
and

na the 88db speakers are more power hungry than the 92db and would be better off getting the 92db speakers?

My short answer is : always get the better sounding speakers.

[synchro_01]

if you are leaning on tube amplification then then every db counts 

[Assassin101]

if you are leaning on tube amplification then then every db counts 

i'll come to tube amplification once my ht setup is completed. hehehe

[bumblebee]

if you are leaning on tube amplification then then every db counts 

Sa SS rin naman. Lalo na kung low powered. W/ tubes, ok lang kung mag-clip.

[alexg]

Quite true for SET tube amps, for high powered Push Pull Amps, speaker sensitivity does not matter too much.

if you are leaning on tube amplification then then every db counts 

[AudioAmplified]

Sensitivity is a measure of efficiency.  However it is by no mean an apples to apples comparison since there are speakers rated high in sensitivity yet they are hard to drive in reality.  Another factor worth considering is the stability of the speaker... while it might be rated high in terms of sensitivity some are known to dip when loaded causing it to be harder to drive.

Sensitivity is as controversial as the power rating in amps and receivers.  It is a known fact that some amps/receivers do not deliver the power indicated while there are some that over-provide.  Best way to decide on which speaker to buy is to try it with your set-up and listen.  If it matches and sounds good to your ears then GO FOR IT.  Let your ears do the deciding and don’t forget to ENJOY

Peace!

[Assassin101]

whew... SPL is stiill very unclear for me. i'm planning to buy a mission m52 or m53 or m34. the m5i is rated at 88db, m53 at 89db while the m34 is at 92db. i'll be pairing it with yamaha 650 with power amp that i'll be getting which most probably the onkyo 1060 with power rating of 150watts. i'm an certain if the power is sufficient and if it can give me optimum sounding result. or should i be better off getting a ML avr?

[av_phile1]

Except for severe mismatch in impedance, almost all commercial speakers out there can be driven without any problem by almost all commercial receivers.  Sensitivities between 86db and 93db are quite common and power envelopes from 20watts to 150watts ensure that they can be driven by all but the most power challenged receiver, which is rare, if any.

[oweidah]

whew... SPL is stiill very unclear for me. i'm planning to buy a mission m52 or m53 or m34. the m5i is rated at 88db, m53 at 89db while the m34 is at 92db. i'll be pairing it with yamaha 650 with power amp that i'll be getting which most probably the onkyo 1060 with power rating of 150watts. i'm an certain if the power is sufficient and if it can give me optimum sounding result. or should i be better off getting a ML avr?

hi, spl is just one of many specs. that we come across in this hobby. after replies to your query by some esteemed members/ audio hobby veterans, i dont want to add to your confusion.

offhand the onkyo 1060 can drive any of the missions you stated. whether its sufficient, its for you to find out thru auditions whether home or at the showrooms. but....

imho you should be more concerned about sound quality.
be aware that in real life, performances of speakers and amps may not always match with their published specs. some even have glowing reviews and awards. the name of the game is about matching components (it takes all to tango) to achieve system synergy and reproduce the sound that will satisfy you.

just my mameras

[MAtZTER]

imho you should be more concerned about sound quality.
be aware that in real life, performances of speakers and amps may not always match with their published specs. some even have glowing reviews and awards. the name of the game is about matching components (it takes all to tango) to achieve system synergy and reproduce the sound that will satisfy you.

Well said! Also take note of the reviews...what kind of speakers did they use with the acclaimed AVR. A very popular top entry level AVR was reviewed in a website, well acclaimed. But they were reviewing it using tiny satellite speakers, not floorstanders.

System matching is indeed important. The relationship between a bright or warm speaker & amp, the relationship of entry levels to hi end, and the uses of a bookshelf & a floorstander vs the ample power provided. All these things have to be considered or else you might end up with a mismatched setup w/c is  in the end... just a terrible waste of money.