[mikeaj]

Quote:

Efficient is a bad word too, because driver efficiency is not directly related to sensitivity. It deals with power transmission and loss - most dynamic drivers are *very* inefficient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudspeaker#Efficiency_vs._sensitivity

 
You're right, efficiency is not a suitable word either, because it is already used in this context to mean something else.
 
But if the distinction really that meaningful for headphones?  When is the correlation between efficiency and sensitivity off?  Are there some headphones that convert more energy into vibrations but get less of that to your ears?  I suppose so, at least in theory.

 

[obobskivich]

You're right, efficiency is not a suitable word either, because it is already used in this context to mean something else.

But if the distinction really that meaningful for headphones?  When is the correlation between efficiency and sensitivity off?  Are there some headphones that convert more energy into vibrations but get less of that to your ears?  I suppose so, at least in theory.

True, efficiency is rarely ever discussed with headphones. But I think it makes more sense to learn it once correctly, than be re-taught 3 or 4 times.

 

[adamlr]

Quote:

"Gain" implies some kind of value being multiplied.  Maybe "efficient" is a better word, as in efficiency in converting electrical input power to output sound pressure level.  Given a certain power input, the higher the sensitivity, the louder the output sound (as you say).

 
Quote:

No. Gain and sensitivity are in no-way related. Gain is an unrelated topic. Output SPL = acoustic intensity, "volume" is too inaccurate a word to describe it (intensity is really the right word, but a lot of people use "loudness" as well (loudness refers to perception, which is not measured by dB SPL, it's measured with the Phon)). Don't try to conflate or over-simplify topics - it will often confuse you further.
Sensitivity is just the ratio of input power to output SPL. To put some relevance to that, THX specifies a "reference level" at 85 dB (which is what THX certified theaters are supposed to approximate, plus 20 dB of head-room (for peaks of up to 105 dB)), OSHA and CCOHS specify 85 dB as the onset intensity for hearing damage (NIHL), citing 8 hours of exposure as the maximum daily allowance. Generally I think most people are probably listening at something like 60-70 dB, at least I hope they are (85 dB is pretty loud, and does get fatiguing after a while).
Maybe these will help you make sense of it:
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/noise_auditory.html
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=standards&p_id=9735
http://www.thx.com/consumer/thx-technology/thx-reference-level/
This isn't quite the same thing as gain, which implies increase to the signal's intensity. Sensitivity isn't talking about increasing intensity, it's dealing with the relationship of input power to output intensity.
Efficient is a bad word too, because driver efficiency is not directly related to sensitivity. It deals with power transmission and loss - most dynamic drivers are *very* inefficient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudspeaker#Efficiency_vs._sensitivity

 
thank you very much, i think i got the main idea
 
Quote:

True, efficiency is rarely ever discussed with headphones. But I think it makes more sense to learn it once correctly, than be re-taught 3 or 4 times.

sorry

 

[iim7V7IM7]

Octaves. 10kHz to 20kHz is one octave (do, rey, me, fa, so, la, te)... Seven notes to an octave. So 3/10ths of an octave is about one note.

8 notes in an OCTave....

7 notes in a SEPTave...

 

[bigshot]

I can play any song with THREE CHORDS!

 

[iim7V7IM7]

I can play any song with THREE CHORDS!

iim7 V7 IM7 covers a lot of songs...

 

[bigshot]

Aw those are fancy shmancy city chords! G C D7!

 

[iim7V7IM7]

I-IV-V gives me de blues every time...

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

8 notes in an OCTave....
7 notes in a SEPTave...

maigosh dat pun