Hi Scott,
Correct, you need loudness compensation. Our hearing is less sensitive to bass and treble at low volumes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour. Older preamps had a "loudness" switch but it was only really accurate at one volume. Tact Audio made a unit with "Dynamic Loudness Compensation." It changed the compensation curve dependent on the volume and it worked great except it was very expensive and the company is out of business. The bargain basement way of doing it is with treble and bass tone controls. But, Audiophiles shunned these so most units do not have them anymore. What you are stuck with is the fact that every recording has it's correct volume. This depends on how it was mastered. You have to listen at the volume the music sounds correct until someone comes up with a digital processor that reintroduces Dynamic Loudness Compensation.
Correct, you need loudness compensation. Our hearing is less sensitive to bass and treble at low volumes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour. Older preamps had a "loudness" switch but it was only really accurate at one volume. Tact Audio made a unit with "Dynamic Loudness Compensation." It changed the compensation curve dependent on the volume and it worked great except it was very expensive and the company is out of business. The bargain basement way of doing it is with treble and bass tone controls. But, Audiophiles shunned these so most units do not have them anymore. What you are stuck with is the fact that every recording has it's correct volume. This depends on how it was mastered. You have to listen at the volume the music sounds correct until someone comes up with a digital processor that reintroduces Dynamic Loudness Compensation.