This sensitivity is usually on a horn, but almost never a CD device because that would lower the sensitivity quite a bit. CD causes the device to output a response that drops at 6 dB /oct above its lower end. This means that the 118 dB is for the low end of the output not the upper end. You cannot get 118 dB out of the top end on a CD waveguide. So if its 118 dB at say 1 kHz then its only 98 dB at 10 kHz. If you drop the crossover down to 500 Hz then its only 78 dB at 10 kHz. CD is a different animal than most people are used to which is what makes them hard to work with. (What happens in reality for the second case is far more complicated than that, but this makes my point.)
For sure. I understand. Just didn't make myself clear. Even at low power levels - like typical living room stuff - the limit is the low frequency. You can only go so low before distortion skyrockets. It won't hurt the driver if the power is very low, but it will be audible.
Of course the louder you play it, the more audible it is and you could damage the driver.
That's what I meant.
I never seem to find "distortion" to be a problem in compression drivers and in our tests at B&C it was clearly inaudible, but we never tried to do anything unreasonable like operate a 1" driver down to 500 Hz. Doing that is going to be a real problem with excursion and compression drivers are not designed for high excursion - quite the opposite in fact.
Yeah, that wouldn't sound too good! (Guess how I know).
I don't find distortion much of a problem either, as long as the driver is used above a reasonable frequency.
The old Altec 1" drivers can just do it, but even they are struggling down there. So they were often crossed an octave above that. Typical modern 1" drivers just aren't made to go that low. So yeah, keep the crossover frequency sane and they'll be no trouble.
For me, those are the limits. Not power, but low frequency.
I don't find distortion much of a problem either, as long as the driver is used above a reasonable frequency.
The old Altec 1" drivers can just do it, but even they are struggling down there. So they were often crossed an octave above that. Typical modern 1" drivers just aren't made to go that low. So yeah, keep the crossover frequency sane and they'll be no trouble.
For me, those are the limits. Not power, but low frequency.
If the OP wants that sort of sensitivity, he should consider this type of design (JBL 3731)
JBL :: Product
are there 108dB designs out there?
JBL :: Product
are there 108dB designs out there?
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