Do more sensitive speakers sound more dynamic?

The magical mid-range. God lives in the mid-range. Also avoids using crossovers in critical frequency zones. :)
So it is not dynamics, which is supposedly derived from hi-sensitivity, they're looking for, isn't it? Or perhaps it is somewhat related? Or not at all?
 
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High sensitivity in itself won't give better dynamics, what primarily gives better dynamics is the ability to get loud effortlessly with low distortion and many low sensitivity speakers with large air displacement can do that given adequate power. For instance a small displacement high sensitivity speaker, a full range 5" Fostex say, simply lacks the ability to move enough air to have great dynamics, regardless of it's sensitivity. Of course large displacement high sensitivity speakers such as VOTs and KHorns have superb dynamics, more I think because they can move huge amounts of air than because of their high sensitivity.
X2, it's about the cabinet and the air. Or, in the case of the JBL sound difference, probably the way the driver differences present the sound. Liveliness is hard to pin. The best choice is to use what sounds best. :biggrin:
 
Here's an interesting comment I found concerning the high sensitivity Lowther full range drivers:

"Lowthers can produce large dynamic contrasts - the ability to go suddenly from very soft to very loud and back again without congestion. Even at low levels Lowthers can startle you".

And after 5 years I'm still startled by the DX3's.
 
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Lets face it folks there are a lot of dynamically challenged speakers on the market. When you have to buy a 1000 watt per channel amp to get your Snell, B&W or Magico speaker to do what a Klipsch Cornwall will do with 50 watts, something in wrong in Mudville. Then there are speakers where you almost need 300 watts to equal what some JBLs and Altecs will do 3 watts. So yes there are speakers that are very much more capable and dynamic than others. Personally if a speaker system won't put out about 95 to 96 db with 1 watt I am not interested. And lets face it the Klipsch corn wall compresses the signal 4 db at 100 watt levels. Can you imagine whats happening with 3 punny 8 or 10 inch drivers with a 1000 watts. At least when JBL and Klipsch tell you in their published specifications that there speakers are suffering 3 to 4 db loss at maximum power rating they are being honest. Other manufacturers won't even print such a spec. When manufacturers brag abot their woofers only have 2% distortion at 5o hz at 120 db. Whats happening at 25 HZ or 16 hz? Do they believe 50 hz is the lowest frequency in the recorded music spectrum? We gave up on tube amps that couldn't perform below 50 HZ generations ago!
 
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Here's an interesting comment I found concerning the high sensitivity Lowther full range drivers:

"Lowthers can produce large dynamic contrasts - the ability to go suddenly from very soft to very loud and back again without congestion. Even at low levels Lowthers can startle you".

And after 5 years I'm still startled by the DX3's.
But is the dynamic caused by its high sensitivity? Or it isn"t actually related?
 
But is the dynamic caused by its high sensitivity? Or it isn"t actually related?

Lowthers claim the highest sensitivity of any drivers on the planet. Their huge motors with powerful magnets combined with ultra thin and light weight cones make for an extremely fast transient response.
 
Lowthers claim the highest sensitivity of any drivers on the planet. Their huge motors with powerful magnets combined with ultra thin and light weight cones make for an extremely fast transient response.
I see. So it's transient speed that makes loudspeakers sound dynamic, isn't it? Perhaps it's also the reason JBL 4311's sound more dynamic than JBL 120Ti's? Because the former use light paper cone woofers while the latter heavy aquaplas woofers?

The latter pair sound more refined and accurate though, the bass also sounds deeper.

Anyway, aren't Audio Nirvana drivers more sensitive than those of Lowther?
 
I see.

What do people want from sensitive speakers like Fostex FE206EN then?

A very big factor, much like in many uses of senstive speakers, is ability to run them from low powered amps and still get decent output.

The sound aspect of the "full range speaker" is another matter itself, of course, but high sensitivity and low-ish power is a classic pairing in many/most cases. OTOH in sound reinforcement/pro audio they typically use high sensitivity speakers and big-ass amps.
 
I see. So it's transient speed that makes loudspeakers sound dynamic, isn't it? Perhaps it's also the reason JBL 4311's sound more dynamic than JBL 120Ti's? Because the former use light paper cone woofers while the latter heavy aquaplas woofers?

The latter pair sound more refined and accurate though, the bass also sounds deeper.

Anyway, aren't Audio Nirvana drivers more sensitive than those of Lowther?

David at Commonsense Audio claims a minimum of 102 dbs for Lowthers in any of his cabinets.
 
For drivers, the efficiency and power handling within the SPL required,

Then you need the amplification necessary to not have compression within the SPL required..

Not so sure about transient speed, although it factors. If a given driver and amplifier are used within their "power bandwidth" than I say the transient speed is there as necessary to reproduce what signal is given. You can't go faster than the source signal goes..............
 
I'd venture to say that the great majority of AK'ers have never heard full range single driver speakers.

Visited many audio stores over the years and I'm yet to see any. The best chance to hear an example is to either build a pair or take that leap of faith and order them online.
 
Note that Lowthers are very controversial and some people would rather have their teeth drilled than listen to them. My experience is that some of the best speakers I heard were Lowthers in various back horns. And some of the worst speakers I heard were Lowthers in various back horns.

Voight's notion when he developed the drivers was to use the lightest possible cone with the most powerful possible motor. The result is a very sensitive but overdamped driver with very poor bass response, thus Voight's use of back loaded horns and resonant pipes to increase bass. Horn loading in self defense.
 
I'd venture to say that the great majority of AK'ers have never heard full range single driver speakers.

Visited many audio stores over the years and I'm yet to see any. The best chance to hear an example is to either build a pair or take that leap of faith and order them online.
I heard some Voxativ single-driver speakers at RMAF last year. Lovely sound.



They make amps, too. Not cheap.



One of the best rooms at the show, to my ears.
 
Lowther has been producing hand built full range speakers since 1934. If they're deemed controversial it makes you wonder how they've stayed in business all these years.
 
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Lowther has been producing hand built full range speakers since 1934. If they're deemed controversial it makes you wonder have they've stayed in business all these years.

Nothing to wonder about, controversial products often find a market. The very things that some think a weakness others will think a strength. Thus controversy.

Are you making a case they're not controversial? Have you never heard a Lowther you thought bad?
 
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