I have a Denon 3803 and the M80s' question I have is, why is it when I hook up my Energy C-7 they are louder or appear to be than my MT80s'.
I have to goto +5db with the Mt80's to get the same level as the C-7 at -04db. In stereo sound with the same song

Have you used a SPL to verify what you are hearing? It could be that you are noticing different frequencies more or less with one over the other.

I will let the "experts" chime in now....

No but, I will be.
Put it this way if I talk to my friend beside me with the Axiom's at 0db he can hear me but, with the Energy's at 0db I got to yell.
But, I will try the Meter and I know it is louder.

Thanks for replying

Not sure if this is the answer, but every speaker is designed differently, has different efficiency ratings, and different ohm ratings. The C-7's have a normal impedance rading of 8 ohms, so their resistance is different to the 4ohm m80's. So that would make sense they would take a little more juice. This is why many receivers have issues with 4ohm designed speakers, nothing new here.

Yes, I am using a Denon 3803 and I thought it was the sensitivity of the speaker made the difference. Other than 8 ohm - 4 ohm which just ups the watts available. I thought that and have read reviews that the Mt80's play loud, well they are not. Althought they do sound good and not that I need loud just something I noticed. And wanted to know why

If you talk to other m80 owners, they will play louder than most people can handle. It is possible that many people are using seperates with larger amps to drive them, which would play louder than your Denon.

Yeh, also I do not have a Sub "yet" amd thinking of the EP500 or 600 although I am really undecided. I want the 600, but it is more than a "I want" than a "I need".
My room is 23 x 13.5 and 8' ceilings. I am trying to decide if I should go with one EP600 vertical in front or two EP 500's left and right would be better.

But for now the volume is loud enough any louder and I think it would do damage to the speaker woofers anyways cause they are really moving

Axiom has tested the m80's with 1,000 watts before with no problems.

It all has to do with impedance and sensitivity. Although Energy is nominally rated @ 8 ohm they also say minimum Impedance: 4 ohms. It could be they are drawing even more current from your reciever than the M80s will. The M80s are rated @ 4 ohm but pretty much stay around the 5 ohm mark. Combine that with the 93db rating the Energies have and it is not all that hard to see this happening.

When you say the drivers are really moving, be careful, if driven to hard with to much distortion it can very well cause driver failure.

I would actually expect them to be pretty close in SPL. The Energy speakers might be a bit more efficient than the M80s but I wouldn't expect 9dB worth of difference.

Also, at the same volume control setting wouldn't the lower impedence of the M80s result in a bit *more* power going into the M80s not less ?

EDIT -- actually Rick already addressed most of my points but with better information. Never mind

One thing that is not mentioned is where the speakers are located when doing this test of the different speakers. That too would have a fairly big impact with room gain in mind.

Both speakers in the same spot. No I do not drive them to distortion levels. At 0 db I am not even half volume on the dial that is.
not matter I am happy with them you would figure that at 4 ohm and 8 ohm the 4 ohm would have more volumn , but really I don't think this is the case.

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you would figure that at 4 ohm and 8 ohm the 4 ohm would have more volumn , but really I don't think this is the case.

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If speaker impedences were ruler flat this might be true but of course they are not. You can not say the Energies are running at a constant 8 ohm.

Here is an imp. graph of the M80s.