I miss my Loudness Button and Tone Controls....

Another option, would be to have a DAC with a nice set of DSP options; continuously variable loudness control using a recent, advanced algorithm, full range of user programable equalization or even user programmable room correction (not an algorithm, simple method of doing it by ear with frequency sweeps) and anything else a full featured DSP engine can provide..

The RME unit above, appears to be the value choice. Many folks report excellent sound quality and the nice set of DSP options are icing on the cake. I have not heard the RME.

At a completely different level of sound quality and, of course, price is the Weiss DAC501 which I own. It has all the features mentioned in my first paragraph, many useful remote controlled options including volume, balance and the very important feature of switching absolute polarity on the fly from your listening position (roughly half of all digital music is the wrong polarity which can be heard if you have good ears and a highly resolving system). One can also program up to twelve presets which can be switched remotely on the fly. For example a combination of loudness and equalization settings for quiet, late night listening based on your ears, room and speakers. Also a world class headphone amp with cross feed and factory equalization curves (currently only Audeze curves are included). Finally, direct connection to your network via wired ethernet (saves the purchase of a rendering computer wihich most DACs require externally).

For those who don't want to give up their uber expensive uber DACs, one can add all these DSP functions with a DSP501 (no DAC but everything else).

I, like many of the folks above, feel that loudness and equalization options done right will enhance any system.

For those of us with turntables, the Schiit products at the lower price range or the vacuum tube Manley Massive Passive for much more money (I'm saving for one) are excellent options.

The tide is turning. Congratulations to the OP and those that chimed in; you are at the forefront of a major shift in high end audio.

I thank you all for your detailed responses and recommendations, I'm elated that the topic inspired so many responses and expressed “love” for tone controls and the loudness feature.

There were quite a few responses that mentioned room treatment / optimal space design. Truth be told, my system is located in the family room, which is approximately 16’ x 24. Hard wood floors, big couch, recliners, etc. “It is what it is” until I can claim a room within my house to be used solely for the purpose of a listening room.

Sources: I’m either playing vinyl or streaming from Apple via my phone. When I’m streaming, I sometimes connect with a wired connection to take advantage of the lossless quality streaming, or if I’m listening from another room, I connect with Bluetooth via a Audioengine B1 adapter. The sound quality is pretty good from the Apple device, and I have started using some of the built in EQ functions that are present through the music settings.

I’ve found that the issues I’m experiencing are most noticeable when playing vinyl. Based on quite a few recommendations, I may purchase the Schiit Loki Mini, and install it between the turntable and the integrated amplifier and see if the results are favorable.

Lot’s of room for improvement.

Thank you everyone!
Rene

This is where high end does not deliver sometines.

I believe it may have been deliberate. Yes, the loudness and tone controls us older folks used in the 70s were crappy circuits with crappy parts. So throw the baby out with the bathwater? Really the beginning of the sham that high end audio has largely become today.

In comes high end marketing. Knowing that few had the knowledge, skills or flexibility to optimize listening/speaker position and acoustics (I agree with a few posts above; if possible those parameters should be optimized before applying equalization or room correction), in comes the marketing nonsense; use expensive wire/coupling/isolation as tone controls or better yet swap out components and speakers in a circular audiophile dance that has made more than one audio manufacturer/distributor/dealer wealthy. Of course, none of that is a cost effective solution, more like polishing a turd.

Like I said earlier, this is the dawn of a new age. Ignore the marketing and high volume e-commerce salesmen (you know who they are, each has at least one full page ad in Stereophile; who do you suppose pays for those?) and use your own ears and brains.

I'm really enjoying my Outlaw 2150 receiver. It has all the right stuff +  bass management feature to boot. Hard to beat for the price as well.