Topic: Can somebody explain wattage and speaker efficiency? (tube vs. SS content)

[macdaddy]

hmmmm..... imaging seems tighter and the soundstage seems much deeper and WIDER... instruments are reaching well outside my speakers, much further than usual.

I'm going to switch back to the 8ohm taps in a bit and see what I think of the differences but the 4ohm taps seems to have really brought my system to life...

edit: soundstage is a touch wider, not as dramatic as I originally thought... overall though the soundstage seems deeper, the imaging tighter, and the overall tonal characteristics seem cleaner with deeper bass when I'm on the 4ohm taps as oppossed to the (recommended) 8ohm taps...

I still need to do more listening but I've got to thank DUCATI for tipping me off to this tweak... much thanks

yup.  +t ducati...

tim - wasnt the initial listen a dramatic change..? i mean, i noticed a difference immediately, kind of like adding the furutech... subtle, but certainl noticeable...

[Tim]

very dramatic change... I wouldn't even call it subtle with my speakers....

[macdaddy]

very dramatic change... I wouldn't even call it subtle with my speakers....

maybe you are predisposed to hyperbole a bit more than me

[ducati]

You're welcome fellas.  Just remember that 4 ohm isn't always the best tap.  On my ProAc/ARC combo, 8 is better.  The general point later post searchers should take is you should try 4 and 8 as one WILL sound better!

[pfife]

It boggles my mind that its safe for the amp to move 8ohm speakers to the 4ohm posts... but I trust yah, and going to give it a shot!

[BobW]

It boggles my mind that its safe for the amp to move 8ohm speakers to the 4ohm posts... but I trust yah, and going to give it a shot!

Nominal 8 Ohm speakers can dip to 2 ohms at some frequencies, not to fret (usually) 

Fuses are good, don't let anyone tell you that they can hear them in the speaker circuit.
It is a rumor began by amplifier repair personnel       

[Tim]

bumping this thread

Since I originally posted in this thread I have moved, and thus had to setup my stereo, twice.

I just got into the latest place on Friday and have been listening to tunes all weekend. For the heck of it I thought I'd switch from the 8ohm taps that I had been using in my last place to the 4ohms and... what do you know, my impressions of the changed sound line up pretty close to what I posted 2.5 years ago on this topic. I A/B'd and then went and found my original post.

Just thought this was an interesting tweak that deserved a bump for some of the newer folks here...

just switched from the 8ohm to the 4ohm taps... sound is very different, noticeable change immediatley... not sure which I like more but for the time being the new 4ohm setup has me intrugued. the bass and low mids seem cleaner and the bass seems tighter and lower..... the upper mids seem cleaner as well...

I'll have to do some more listening though

[phanophish]

Very interesting stuff.  Does anyone have information on how the efficiency of a speaker relates to it's accuracy?  I have a pair of Magnepans, they are know as an inefficient speaker, but I also know they are supposed to be very accurate.  I'd think it simply becomes a matter of physics.  Since the Driver on the Magnepans is so lightweight (basically a thin sheet of mylar or something) and moves so little because of it large relative size how does that impact it's accuracy when compared to a cone type driver that has the mass of a voice coil and the additional weight of the cone.  You guys seem to really know your stuff +t.

[som]

Interesting read, not that much of it will stick!

+T's all around.

[Evil Taper]

Speaker efficiency is a measurement of how well a speaker transforms electricity into sound waves. 

1 watt is sent to the speaker and the output volume is measured from 1 meter away.

Let me give an example:

Say you have a speaker with an efficiency of 81dB and you also have a speaker with an efficiency of 90dB.  The 81dB speaker requires 3 times as much power to reach the same volume as the 90dB speaker because every 3dB increase in output is a doubling in wattage (and volume).  If the 90dB speaker was driven with 100watts and achieved a 90dB output the 81dB would require 300watts to achieve the same 90dB of volume (theoretically).

More efficient speaker = more LOUD per watt

[Evil Taper]

If you're curious about what SPL your system SHOULD be achieving go to this site:

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html

[RebelRebel]

Just remember that 4 ohm isn't always the best tap. 

This turned out to be the case with my B+W 802s and VSA VR 4s using the 4 ohm tap on my Mastersound Due Venti Both pairs of speakers  sounded rather anemic and lacked focus/depth when compared to using the 8ohm tap.

[Tim]

Just remember that 4 ohm isn't always the best tap. 

This turned out to be the case with my B+W 802s and VSA VR 4s using the 4 ohm tap on my Mastersound Due Venti Both pairs of speakers  sounded rather anemic and lacked focus/depth when compared to using the 8ohm tap.

hmmmm I wonder if this others with B&W have had success like you and I have

[macdaddy]

bumping this thread

Since I originally posted in this thread I have moved, and thus had to setup my stereo, twice.

I just got into the latest place on Friday and have been listening to tunes all weekend. For the heck of it I thought I'd switch from the 8ohm taps that I had been using in my last place to the 4ohms and... what do you know, my impressions of the changed sound line up pretty close to what I posted 2.5 years ago on this topic. I A/B'd and then went and found my original post.

Just thought this was an interesting tweak that deserved a bump for some of the newer folks here...

just switched from the 8ohm to the 4ohm taps... sound is very different, noticeable change immediatley... not sure which I like more but for the time being the new 4ohm setup has me intrugued. the bass and low mids seem cleaner and the bass seems tighter and lower..... the upper mids seem cleaner as well...

I'll have to do some more listening though

man, time flies (but it seems like bush has been in office forever)...

anyway, as you can read if you go back, 4ohm worked for me, too. i trusted my ears, and liked what i heard with the 4ohm tap, even though the klipsch say 8ohm on the back i assume i am not hurting the speakers by using 4ohm instead of 8...

but i guess the tweak is case specific - like in ducati's and teddy's cases, hooking into the 4ohm tap didnt help sonically. i wonder why that is..?

totally off topic, but have i told you how well that cheap, stock t-amp feeds my klipsch speakers..? it is astonishing (i was curious and bought one for $20 years ago)...

[RebelRebel]

I just tried the 4 ohm on my bryston, and with that amp(3b), the B+Ws sounded much, much better(than the 8ohm where I normally have it hooked up with that particular amp--the bryston and b+Ws are always paired). The VSAs still sounded Anemic and source localization was still lacking with the 4ohm on the bryston.

bumping this thread

Since I originally posted in this thread I have moved, and thus had to setup my stereo, twice.

I just got into the latest place on Friday and have been listening to tunes all weekend. For the heck of it I thought I'd switch from the 8ohm taps that I had been using in my last place to the 4ohms and... what do you know, my impressions of the changed sound line up pretty close to what I posted 2.5 years ago on this topic. I A/B'd and then went and found my original post.

Just thought this was an interesting tweak that deserved a bump for some of the newer folks here...

just switched from the 8ohm to the 4ohm taps... sound is very different, noticeable change immediatley... not sure which I like more but for the time being the new 4ohm setup has me intrugued. the bass and low mids seem cleaner and the bass seems tighter and lower..... the upper mids seem cleaner as well...

I'll have to do some more listening though

man, time flies (but it seems like bush has been in office forever)...

anyway, as you can read if you go back, 4ohm worked for me, too. i trusted my ears, and liked what i heard with the 4ohm tap, even though the klipsch say 8ohm on the back i assume i am not hurting the speakers by using 4ohm instead of 8...

but i guess the tweak is case specific - like in ducati's and teddy's cases, hooking into the 4ohm tap didnt help sonically. i wonder why that is..?

totally off topic, but have i told you how well that cheap, stock t-amp feeds my klipsch speakers..? it is astonishing (i was curious and bought one for $20 years ago)...