Or for that matter, does impedance? If you have control over the volume of each driver, via it's own amp channel, would sensitivity matter much, as long as the drivers were within say 5-8 db of each other?
Albeit, as long as you have enough amp for everything needed, including a 4 ohm load, if a 4 ohm driver ends up chosen, to go along with a couple of 8 ohm drivers.
Albeit, as long as you have enough amp for everything needed, including a 4 ohm load, if a 4 ohm driver ends up chosen, to go along with a couple of 8 ohm drivers.
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High sensitivity is always desirable. You can get away with good sounding low power amplifiers. For example the lowly LM1875 with just 20 watts actually sounds very good if implemented well. This will bring down the cost of your system . However the bass driver always needs plenty of headroom and would require a larger amplifier. If this is a high sensitivity unit you wouldn't need a huge amplifier !
Open baffles with good quality PA drivers are always attractive !PA drivers are typically very sensitive !
Open baffles with good quality PA drivers are always attractive !PA drivers are typically very sensitive !
This is difficult. I mean, yes. Efficiency is awesome. I'm just trying to determine how to choose a midrange driver. My woofer and tweeter are set. And my mid needs are rather easy .... 300 to 3400 hz. It's mating with a 94.6db Pro 12". So I'm thinking 5 to 6.5" midrange driver.
But there are a LOT of them which will work in the above scenario. How do I know how go about choosing from here?
If you are asking, is it more or less a lot easier to deal with sensitivity mismatching going active, then yes, it is MUCH easier.
You can also pretty much ignore impedance issues assuming you are using a reasonably good solid state amp.
The impedance issues vanish, and you can easily reduce a tweeter 20 dB or raise a woofer 3-6 dB. Still, the sensitivity of your worst driver will determine the overall dynamic range with any given amplifier.
Best,
E
You can also pretty much ignore impedance issues assuming you are using a reasonably good solid state amp.
The impedance issues vanish, and you can easily reduce a tweeter 20 dB or raise a woofer 3-6 dB. Still, the sensitivity of your worst driver will determine the overall dynamic range with any given amplifier.
Best,
E
Speaking of power compression:
This is the detail where one has to pay special attention: Drivers with lower efficinecy may suffer from more power compression than their more efficient "colleagues" in an active setup. This way one can end up with a power-dependant frequency response.
Regards
Charles
This is the detail where one has to pay special attention: Drivers with lower efficinecy may suffer from more power compression than their more efficient "colleagues" in an active setup. This way one can end up with a power-dependant frequency response.
Regards
Charles
Thank you everyone. Your answers were what I am thinking. I just wanted to make sure. So now, with this info, that leaves me a DIZZYING array of possibilities with Pro midrange drivers to choose from. And I don't know how any of them sound LOL. I think I will pick the prettiest driver, with workable specs. B&C seems to cost more. But I couldn't find it written where it was any better. Faital is lower sensitivity. That leaves PRV and Emminence. Yay... narrowed down only 20 driver choices LOL
LOL
Using Tube amps is even more important to use sensitive drivers and drivers that are well damped.
Many users want a Single ended tube amp but then go and buy very insensitive speakers by their favorite " Name" and are very disappointed; very difficult to convince some listeners what their problem is.
Many users want a Single ended tube amp but then go and buy very insensitive speakers by their favorite " Name" and are very disappointed; very difficult to convince some listeners what their problem is.
Driver thermal compression
Have you ever tried to measure it yourself ? It is easy.
Can you tell that you have heard it ? If yes, change the driver, that's all. The ease of testing is the great interest of active systems. However, remember that the thermal constant of the drivers is much higher than the time constant used in compressors which are always almost present in the recording process.
High efficiency drivers are usually able to go louder than low efficiency ones.
That's the reason why they exist. Not because high efficiency is a guarantee of delivering of better sound. The question is : do you listen at high levels which require to use them ?
See the real love for small 3-4 inch speakers in many threads of this forum. Despite less better performances of maximum SPL and distortion, they deliver a very nice sound which many (as me) prefer. Why ? Are there no some very good reasons to this ?
Have you ever tried to measure it yourself ? It is easy.
Can you tell that you have heard it ? If yes, change the driver, that's all. The ease of testing is the great interest of active systems. However, remember that the thermal constant of the drivers is much higher than the time constant used in compressors which are always almost present in the recording process.
High efficiency drivers are usually able to go louder than low efficiency ones.
That's the reason why they exist. Not because high efficiency is a guarantee of delivering of better sound. The question is : do you listen at high levels which require to use them ?
See the real love for small 3-4 inch speakers in many threads of this forum. Despite less better performances of maximum SPL and distortion, they deliver a very nice sound which many (as me) prefer. Why ? Are there no some very good reasons to this ?
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