Relationship Between Sensitivity and DB

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=15423
Printed Date: August 28, 2025 at 3:32 PM

Topic: Relationship Between Sensitivity and DB

Posted By: BigJMan
Subject: Relationship Between Sensitivity and DB
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 10:17 AM

I have a question -

A couple of people have told me that the higher the sensitivity rating on a sub, the louder it will get in real life. Is this true? I though a 15" Subwoofer w/ a sensitivity rating of 96.4 Db just required more power than a 12" w/ a rating of 93 Db? I've noticed that, in general, the bigger you go in sub size the large the sensitivy number gets, so maybe it does have something to do with loudness. An Audiobahn's ABB123Q Triple Angle 12" Sealed Bass Box has a sens. rating of 102 Db. Does this mean it would be significantly louder than there dual 12" (99 Db)? Maybe I'm reading into this spec too much.

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1992 Lincoln Towncar Cartier
4.6L SOHC Dual Exhaust
Stereo System - Working On It :)

Replies:

Posted By: bberman1
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 10:43 AM

This is a long article but it will answer your ? + some https://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/speaker.htm

Posted By: BigJMan
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 11:16 AM

Very nice site, but could someone explain just the sensitivity rating in layman's terms?

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1992 Lincoln Towncar Cartier
4.6L SOHC Dual Exhaust
Stereo System - Working On It :)

Posted By: tdsteele
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 11:32 AM

I may be wrong but i had heard that the higher the rating the more efficient the speaker is, say one with a lower rating will require more power to do the same as the one with the higher rating with lower power, if that makes sense cause it looks funny to me...lol...anyways, could be wrong, had just heard that before.

Posted By: BigJMan
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 11:48 AM

That's one of the many different things that I've heard before too.

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1992 Lincoln Towncar Cartier
4.6L SOHC Dual Exhaust
Stereo System - Working On It :)

Posted By: bberman1
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 12:04 PM

https://www.audiovideo101.com/dictionary/sensitivity.asp

Posted By: fuseblower
Date Posted: June 25, 2003 at 12:18 PM

BigJMan, I agree with tdsteele, the sensitivity is the relative to the amount of power required to move the sub. The higher the figure the less power needed to move the sub.

However, when comparing subs db only tells how efficient the sub is and this does not really equate into its' loudness. Subs are designed to move air and the more air that is accurately moved the louder the sub will be. I have heard a lot of stories about the Audiobahn's and they were all good stories..

But before you opt. for your subs listen to them at various levels with the type of music you enjoy listening to. Some subs sound loud when you hear the music provided in the shops but are slopey when playing what you like..