odd question Higher elevations & speaker performance ?

[musicargyle]

We are planning on moving parts of our system back to the family home in Colorado. The elevation is 7200 feet above sea level. Currently we live down in the flatlands, near a river 5 miles, at an elevation of 750 feet. How might the higher elevation effect the performance of large planer speakers? It's very dry air compared to our current location & prone to static discharge. FYI Speakesr are large Martin Logins. Thanks
artargyle

 

[Speedskater]

After Stereophile magazine moved their headquarters to Arizona, they wrote a paper on how high altitude effects loudspeaker performance.

Correction:
They moved their headquarters to New Mexico.

 

[audioarcher]

Low humidity is suppose to be better for ESL's. Some designs have problems with high humidity. I'm not sure how higher altitude will effect the sound quality.

Roger Sanders makes ESL's in Colorado, so I assume there is no issue with using them at higher elevations.

 

[puroagave]

http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/590awsi

 

[thedudeabides]

Hi music,

I've owned four different ML models over the last 25 years while living in Jackson, WY / elevation 6,000'.

No issues.

GG

 

[rbbert]

The efficiency of any speaker may be less at higher elevations due to lower air density

 

[audioarcher]

Yes. I just read the Stereophile article. Seems you lose about .9 db of efficiency. With ESL's and ribbons the efficiency will change with frequency but not by enough to get too worried about.

 

[DonH50]

Air density is a relatively minor factor in performance. Drier air is better for high voltages without arcing but worse for dust, a trade. Roger's in Conifer, I think, lower elevation than me but close enough. My Maggie's are playing happily at 7500'. The static problem is a bigger issue with the other components since you don't handle the speaker regularly (I assume). We use a whole-house humidifier; it helps, a little.

Keep them out of direct sunlight, it is fiercer at altitude.