Sensitivity

Why it matters

Sensitivity is one of the fastest ways to catch a mismatch.

A tweeter that is much louder than the woofer needs padding. A low-sensitivity speaker needs more amplifier power for the same listening level. A high-sensitivity system can play loud with less power, but still needs clean design.

How it works

Sensitivity is usually shown as SPL at 1 meter from a fixed input.

You will often see ratings like 88 dB / 2.83 V / 1 m. For an 8 ohm speaker, 2.83 V is 1 watt. For a 4 ohm speaker, 2.83 V is 2 watts, so the number can look better than a 1 watt rating.

Always check the rating method before comparing drivers.

Common mistakes

Simple example

Related concepts

• Impedance
• Frequency response
• Crossover