Ten bookshelf speakers, whose published sensitivity figures use three different measurement conventions. Converted to a common basis, the printed order does not survive.
Last verified: 2026-08-08
What this ranks
We hold 10 bookshelf speakers in the database. Their manufacturers publish sensitivity using 3 different measurement conventions, so the printed figures are not comparable to each other. Converting them to a common basis of 1 watt at 1 metre in full space is arithmetic, not opinion, and the conversion is shown below so you can check it.
9 of the 10 can be put on that basis. 1 cannot, and it is listed as a gap rather than estimated. Across the ranked set the corrected figures span 7.5 dB.
Sensitivity is not a quality judgement. It tells you how much level a speaker produces for a given amount of power, which decides how much amplifier you need and how loud the system will play at your seat. It says nothing about how anything sounds, and we do not.
Ranked by comparable sensitivity
| # | Speaker | Published | As published on | Comparable, 1 W / 1 m full space | Nominal impedance | Price | Source | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Klipsch RP-600M II | 94.5 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, half space | 91.5 dB | 8 ohms | not published | source | Check price |
| 2 | Triangle Borea BR03 | 90 dB | 1 W at 1 m | 90.0 dB | 8 ohms | $599 / pair | source | Check price |
| 3 | Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 | 88 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 88.0 dB | 8 ohms | $1,200 / pair | source | Check price |
| 4 | Q Acoustics 5020 | 87.9 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 86.6 dB | 6 ohms | $1,199 / pair | source | Check price |
| 5 | Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 | 86.5 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 86.5 dB | 8 ohms | $649 / pair | source | Check price |
| 6 | SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf | 87 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 85.7 dB | 6 ohms | $599.99 / each | source | Check price |
| 7 | ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 | 87 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 85.7 dB | 6 ohms | $479 / pair | source | Check price |
| 8 | KEF LS50 Meta | 85 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 85.0 dB | 8 ohms | $1,599.99 / pair | source | Check price |
| 9 | KEF Q3 Meta | 87 dB | 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | 84.0 dB | 4 ohms | $899.99 / pair | source | Check price |
Price is the manufacturer’s published figure, on the basis they publish it. Check the retailer listing before you buy: a price shown per pair here may be listed per speaker there, which is a 100% error and a common one.
What we could not rank, and why
| Speaker | Published | Why it is not on the list above | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Audio Reserve R200 | 86 dB, 2.83 V at 1 m, full space | no nominal impedance published, so the 2.83 V figure cannot be converted | $799 / pair | source |
We could put a number in those rows by assuming a nominal impedance. We do not, because the assumption would be ours and the figure would look like the manufacturer’s.
The arithmetic
A figure published at 2.83 V is converted to 1 watt by subtracting 10·log₁₀(8.0089 ÷ nominal impedance). At 8 ohms that is nothing at all; at 4 ohms it is 3 dB, because 2.83 V into 4 ohms is 2 watts, not 1. A half-space figure has a further 3 dB subtracted, because half space is a measurement against a boundary and full space is not. A figure already published at 1 W and 1 m needs no conversion.
The full explanation, including the 26-speaker set where 22 of 300 pairwise comparisons reverse once corrected, is in Two speakers, both “87 dB”, three decibels apart.
Related
- Two speakers, both “87 dB”, three decibels apart — why the published figures are not comparable
- System Headroom Calculator — what these figures mean for level at your listening seat
- Which AV receivers actually publish a 4-ohm rating — the amplifier side of the same question
- The gear database — every figure above, with its source
- How we work — the method, and where it breaks