Specs

[gmc89 10+ year member]

Whenever I see specs for speakers I see the following things:

Sensitivity

Frequency Response

What do each one of these mean?

Is 88db or 90db or 92db better?

What's the difference between 35Hz-30KHz and 60Hz-20KHz?

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[Corsica 5,000+ posts]

Sensitiviy if i understand it right means how well it uses the power it gets. Like a 88db sub is not quite as usfullll with tha power a 92 db sub gets. Basically say we have 2 subs both 12":. one is 88 other is 92. Same RMS and oeak power ratings. The 92 db sub should have better sound a slightly harder bass than the 88. The hz is the frequiencies the speaker is designed to produce.

J

 

[lcpunk69 10+ year member]

Ya, and lower sensitivty in same situation and generally, will tend to distort easier I think.

 

[Sspider 5,000+ posts]

correct me if i'm wrong, but sensitivity is how loud it can get with 1 watt of power

sspider

 

[Wonderbread 5,000+ posts]

Sensitivy is measured as SPL with 1 watt @ a 1 metre distance.

so basically, its a measure of how effiecinetly the driver uses the power presented to it.

A hgih number is more efficient, and will play better with fewer watts, (less wasted power). As far as i know, it does not affect distortion, except in a lower powered situation.

Frequency response is basically the range of tones taht the driver can play.

the human hearing scale goes from 20 hertz up to 20 thousand hertz...

different types of speakers are designed to play different ranges.

Subs generally from under 100 hertz.

or at least the perform teh best at those freq's...

basically look for a driver that gets low (20-25 hz) but 30 is fine, and ahs a good sens. if you are not going to be able to throw a nice big amp at it..