Good speakers at low volume?

Question for Musicnoise (or anybody who knows) - coming back to the comparison you mentioned of b&w 804 and b&w 803, I'm assuming it was the latter one that played better at low volume right?

What you really need is a "loudness" button on your pre-amp. Unfortunately, these are rarely found in "hi-end" pre-amps or integrated amps these days. The reason you need the loudness button: Fletcher-Munson effect and your ears. The human ear is most sensitive to mid-range frequencies. The result is that as the overall volume level decreases, you begin to lose the lower and upper frequencies relative to the midrange. That's why you "lose detail" and bottom end bloom when listening at low volumes.

I'm sure the others here will label me a hi-fi heretic for this suggestion but it really is the only realsitic answer to your situation simply because of the non-liner way the ear responds to sound pressure levels. One can approximate the effect of a loudness circuit using a parametric equalizer. That would be a fall-back solution. You can get good info on this online by Googling "Fletcher Munson Effect".

You're not allowed to say the words "loudness button" on THIS site.

Seriously, if you have one, obviously, try it, it might work.

Otherwise I wouldn't go out of my way to get one. They are usually not very flexible. Some units, like older Yamaha units for example, have variable loudness adjustments at least which is better.

If you think you have the right speakers and matching amplification for the application and still are not satisfied, a pre-amp with more flexible tone controls can help. There is another recent thread on "flexible pre-amps" or something along those lines here that you might take a look at.

Harbeths sound great at low volumes - crytsal clear vocals and warmth. They are used in BBC for drama productions etc - great clarity in the midrange without cranking it and enough bass that it won't sound thin at low levels.

Some of the newer McIntosh MX series Pre/Pros have various loudness, you could check to see if their C series has it also.