Hi efficient speaker, bass problems

In my opinion a fairly high output impedance (low damping factor) amplifier actually works extremely well with proper loudspeaker matching. In the bass region, a high output impedance has the effect of raising the woofer's electrical Q, which reduces electromagnetic damping. But if we start out with a woofer + box that would "normally" be overdamped, the net result with the low-damping-factor amplifier is a properly damped system... but in addition, you get a "free lunch": You end up with deeper bass extension than you would have gotten with a high-damping-factor solid state amp! If done right, you can get as much as 1/3 octave deeper extension. To put this in perspective, this is more than you'd normally get from doubling the box size while maintaining the same efficiency. I exploit this "free lunch" routinely.

Duke

Extension, dampning and efficiency are the tradeoffs. The vectors go in different directions. The op questions grip vs eff. The extension is not. as I understand. part of the query. But I'm all in for a free lunch of any kind. Elucidate

Tmsorosk,
It looks like you have answered your own question. When listening to high sensitivity speakers your friends were using low powered tubed amps. We have all talked all around your question.There are some tubed amps with very good control, but many low powered amps, even though they play adequate and at times good bass, often they don't have the control of higher powered tubes or most solid state amps. It is typically not caused by a well designed speaker. Tim

My gut instinct tells me that even any well designed speaker, high or low efficiency, is likely to have bass deficiencies unless setup properly and matched to the right amp and associated gear.

Also, I would not expect most amps to deliver equally excellent bass performance on both high and low efficiency speaker designs.

Other than these things, I would say the devil is all in the details....

Hi Mapman,
I am currently using a very highly modified old Pure Class A Sumo Nine. I am using it on 86db 4 ohm speakers and have used it on 97db 8 ohm speakers as well as a few others, I have heard nothing but excellent bass in weight, speed and control from this amplifier. I see no reason that most well designed solid state amplifiers could not give good bass on most speakers, there are exceptions of course (kappa 9 comes to mind). Good tubed amps also do a great job as long as the speakers load stays out of the capacitive region (neutral to inductive load).