Construction and Efficiency

Two technical properties of a speaker explain much of what you hear — and why two amps with the same wattage can sound differently loud and differently "direct".

Efficiency (Sensitivity) — given in dB (sound pressure at 1 watt at 1 meter). An efficient speaker (e.g. ~100 dB) makes a lot of volume from few watts; an inefficient one needs considerably more power for the same level. This value explains why wattage alone says little about actual volume — the speaker has a say.

Magnet type — Alnico: an older, more expensive magnet material; often described as soft, musically compressing and "vintage", with early saturation. Ceramic: cheaper, usually louder, tighter and with more headroom — the modern standard. The difference is real, but subtle and easy to overstate.

Power handling — How much power the speaker takes, in watts. It should match the power amp; a speaker rated too low can be damaged at high volume. Conversely, some players deliberately saturate a low-rated speaker to use its breakup character.

In practice that means: the speaker is not a neutral end link but a tone control with a character of its own. Anyone who understands it makes better decisions in amp and cab comparisons and doesn't chase the wrong component.