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Stephen
Our vacation home is off grid and controlling power consumption is important. Are there certain specs when buying speakers that should be looked at other then wattage.
Answer
Quite frankly you are worrying about nothing. The amount of extra line (AC wall outlet) power an inefficient speaker will use compared to an efficient speaker is negligible unless you are setting up an elaborate concert system. Lets say for instance you get yourself a set of Klipshchorns, one of the most efficient speakers ever made, and run them at high volume all day. Then the next day you swap in a pair of AR 18 speakers, an inefficient speaker by comparison, and run them all day at high volume. How much electricity did you save with the Klipschorns? Probably only enough to run a 65 watt light bulb for 10 minutes, if even that. Speakers do not consume much energy. Most of the electricity is used in the circuitry of the amplifier and that also is negligible compared to appliances like refrigerators, televisions, CRT computer monitors and kitchen appliances. If you really do want efficient speakers look for horn loaded speakers. The desirability of efficient speakers is that they simply distort less per given input and the amplifier will also create less distortion as it isn't working as hard. In the early days of Hi-Fi efficient speakers like the the Electrovoice Patrician, Altec Voice of the Theater and the aforementioned Klipschorn were in demand because amplifiers of that era were considered high power if they had a 40 watt rating. Now days that's considered low power. My big system has around 1,700 watts and even that is dwarfed by some setups. The demarcation of a speaker's efficiency is SPL -Sound Pressure Level. This is given as a decibel rating. An inefficient speaker will be in the 80 - 89 dB range. Mid-efficiency will be in the 90s. High efficiency is generally considered over 97 dB. Systems that are fully horn loaded (the woofer too) will be in the 100+ dB range. Again, our old friend the Klipschorn has a 105 dB rating and the old anecdote is that a 10 watt amplifier will power it to levels that will have the cops knocking on your door. But it's a big boy, at 175 Lbs and over 4' tall. That is the trade off. There is no way to fool the laws of physics. If you want efficiency and a good low bass output, speakers have to be big. Beware of the small ones, particularly the expensive little cubes.
Quite frankly you are worrying about nothing. The amount of extra line (AC wall outlet) power an inefficient speaker will use compared to an efficient speaker is negligible unless you are setting up an elaborate concert system. Lets say for instance you get yourself a set of Klipshchorns, one of the most efficient speakers ever made, and run them at high volume all day. Then the next day you swap in a pair of AR 18 speakers, an inefficient speaker by comparison, and run them all day at high volume. How much electricity did you save with the Klipschorns? Probably only enough to run a 65 watt light bulb for 10 minutes, if even that. Speakers do not consume much energy. Most of the electricity is used in the circuitry of the amplifier and that also is negligible compared to appliances like refrigerators, televisions, CRT computer monitors and kitchen appliances. If you really do want efficient speakers look for horn loaded speakers. The desirability of efficient speakers is that they simply distort less per given input and the amplifier will also create less distortion as it isn't working as hard. In the early days of Hi-Fi efficient speakers like the the Electrovoice Patrician, Altec Voice of the Theater and the aforementioned Klipschorn were in demand because amplifiers of that era were considered high power if they had a 40 watt rating. Now days that's considered low power. My big system has around 1,700 watts and even that is dwarfed by some setups. The demarcation of a speaker's efficiency is SPL -Sound Pressure Level. This is given as a decibel rating. An inefficient speaker will be in the 80 - 89 dB range. Mid-efficiency will be in the 90s. High efficiency is generally considered over 97 dB. Systems that are fully horn loaded (the woofer too) will be in the 100+ dB range. Again, our old friend the Klipschorn has a 105 dB rating and the old anecdote is that a 10 watt amplifier will power it to levels that will have the cops knocking on your door. But it's a big boy, at 175 Lbs and over 4' tall. That is the trade off. There is no way to fool the laws of physics. If you want efficiency and a good low bass output, speakers have to be big. Beware of the small ones, particularly the expensive little cubes.
What speakers system is better for a car? Bose or Harmon/Kardon audio system? Or just about both?
joewillgo
The reason I am asking this because Buick uses Bose in there new Verano compact car. However there Buick Mid-Sized Lacross car has the Karmon/Kardon audio system in it. So which system is better?
Answer
I've always said that Bose is over rated. Ask any audiophile and that's what you'll hear. The HK system imo is better. But then again the Lacrosse is far more expensive. This is where your gonna have to sit in both cars & have a good listen. Be sure to bring your reference CD for an honest comparison. I myself if i had the money would get the Lacrosse. Rumor has it that a turbo 2.0L will be available in the Verona later this yr. Here's a video of that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2JY91Y6PY8
I've always said that Bose is over rated. Ask any audiophile and that's what you'll hear. The HK system imo is better. But then again the Lacrosse is far more expensive. This is where your gonna have to sit in both cars & have a good listen. Be sure to bring your reference CD for an honest comparison. I myself if i had the money would get the Lacrosse. Rumor has it that a turbo 2.0L will be available in the Verona later this yr. Here's a video of that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2JY91Y6PY8
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Title Post: What specs do I look for in buying wall mount speakers that take the least amount of power.?
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Author: Yukie
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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