At the risk of upsetting the true audiophiles......I have two separate solutions in different rooms for low volume listening. In my office, I use the Adam F-5 active nearfield monitors, and their built-in adjustable treble and bass EQ setting to boost low end bass response and high end treble response. In the family room (which is my main listening room), I use an Emotiva XMC-1 sound processor and have set up a dedicated EQ preset with individual frequency adjustments to optimize for low volume listening. The older we get, the more 'help' we need to compensate for low volume listening. In the past, I have liked only one "Loudness" feature, and that was on an old Yamaha receiver I had I college. I don't like the Loudness feature on the XMC-1, but I do like the parametric equalizer that I can tune to my own flawed ears. Good luck.
Low volume listening dynamics
Hey all, question: I listen to music at a relatively low volume, but I still want the clarity to hear the details. So, will a high sensitivity speaker/driver (95 and above) give me more detail at lower volume than a less sensitive speaker? Or am I on the track in my logic (not the first time)? Or are my ears getting old? Thanks all!
70 responses Add your response
glassrd, no upset at all. I have been doing essentially the same thing for 20 years. You have just programmed your own loudness compensation. The unit I have allows you to program 8 loudness compensation curves each one active in a specific volume range then the unit jumps from one curve to the next as you adjust the volume. Dynamic Loudness compensation. |
For the last several years, I have adjusted the volume level down. Most of my listening now is at a more comfortable, maybe 55-60 db. For me is kind of a sweet spot - loud enough to be dynamic and for the highs to come out, but low enough to keep from hammering my poor old ears and head. I do need a sub to augment the low end - adjusted to interface well at that level, but do have to manually adjust the bass level if I change the volume much either way. Seems like mijostyn has the ideal system for that. My Maggie 1.7s are not real efficient (rated at 86 db.) but still sound incredibly good, as well as dynamic, even at low volume levels, driven with a 100W Rogue, integrated tub amp....Jim |
@tmalkki
From 5-31Hello. I see you are into DIY speakers and your listening is through CD and streaming. Here's an alternative for your consideration: A digitally active system with high efficiency DIY speakers, room corrected, time-aligned, etc. My view: given a limited amount of money spent on audio (non unconstrained budget) and if you can live with digital source only you will get better sound by avoiding expensive crossover parts and cabinets, a preamp, and design for a single purpose. Pro speaker drivers have gotten VERY good over the years and are much higher efficiency than the audiophile brands. I'm working with an AMT tweeter at 102 dB sensitivity and mids at 98 dB. As it usually reinforced here and other places, good speaker-amp matching is key, and going active you can perfectly match the driver and the amp that will directly drive it, including flat impedance if the amp needs it. I'm designing for 2A3 SETs on midrange and tweeter - the importance of the first Watt, as many mentioned here :-) One key is the DAC. Instead of audiophile 2-channel DACs you will need a 4, 6, or 8-channel DAC. You have exaSound e38 DAC, but most likely use a good pro ADC/DAC (they are called cards, but they aren't computer cards you place inside the PC :-)). That acts as DAC and directly drives amps. A key component. Have a look for example at Merging Technologies Hapi, Lynx Hilo, Prism Audio Titan. The other key is software. I use Roon (and have used JRiver and HQPlayer and are all good) that plays back from my stored music files or from Tidal. Within Roon I run convolution with digital filters that are the crossovers and room correction, so the computer sends 8 channels through USB to the DAC, which directly drives the amps: 2 powered subs, 2 midbass, 2 for midranges, 2 for tweeters. This way, each amp is required to reproduce a limited frequency range (that is what they get in the input), which is a good thing because many tube amp struggle a bit with bass. The important software is what you use for deriving the convolution filters (I use Acourate). I have B&W 804S which I've had for about 10 years since brand new. I started experimenting with active, removing the passive crossovers and implementing all corrections and loved it. Then I started exploring DIY speakers with pro drivers and I'm sold. I will end up selling my B&Ws, will build the DIY speakers, and have a positive balance of money to pay for improving other parts of the chain. I realize it's a lot to digest. But would encourage you to consider it. I hope it helps. |
hi all, so at the level of the enthusiasts that have been posting in this engaging thread, a variety of approaches will work beautifully. I love quiet listening on a system that wouldn't seem to lend itself to it: inefficient speakers paired with a robust solid state integrated. Fortunately, my Accuphase E-470 not only has nice tone controls and a loudness circuit, it also has an exquisitely engineered volume control. My ATC 40's respond with their usual vibrancy even when a certain light-sleeping spouse is sleeping essentially right above the main listening room. ~oran |
Hi tmalkki I think the trick to great low level volume listening is crossover less single driver speakers with a low watt SET amp. In my experience with multi driver speakers if you want to listen to low volume the low power signal gets caught up in the crossovers and not all the signal gets to the output and you lose some of that detail in the music. With multi driver speakers to get that detail you have to play it loud so the high power signal can overcome what it loses in the cross over.With crossover less single driver speakers none of the signal gets lost at any volume what goes in the speaker comes out the same, you hear all the music I think if you google single driver crossover less speakers and low watt SET amps with low volume listening you will find the information about the concept and they will explain it a lot better then I did. Some one in this thread advised you to check out the Decware web site I think you should as well and also the Omega speaker web site. I had a stereo years ago big power full amp and multi driver speakers and I could only get good detail in the music at uncomfortable ( for me ) volume levels. How ever for a number of years now have a system as described above and I can get great detail with comfortable volumes. Big is not necessarily better ! Thanks Bob PS My amp only has 2 watts per channel but I can tell you those 2 watts are outstanding. |
Hi tmalkki I don’t usually make amp recommendations but I will in this case. https://www.decware.com/newsite/SE84UFO25.html I have this amp and it is amazing. Call Steve Deckert he is the owner and designer. He will be happy to talk to you and he won’t BS you either.Check out the the Decware website forum there is a lot of good info there about tube amps (PP, SET, SEP) there is also a couple threads about the amp I recommended He also has a 30 day money back guarantee. The one downside as he builds all his gear by hand and built to order it can take as much as 4 months to get it but in my case it was definitely worth the wait. Thanks Bob |
I've read that chord hugo tt2 was designed with extra robust output that can drive low levels to speakers, and it's highly regarded. I get good sound out of large boxes with clean 300w ML532h SS amp. I use all digital and have found JRiver Media Center's variable loudness (similar to Yamaha and Denon loudness dials) to be very useful at low levels. It also has a PEQ to allow any other tweaking you might want. I think the room matters less at low levels due to reflections being too low in absolute level. Micro-dynamics might be more important with low level too. Audioquest Hurricane HC did wonders in this regard on my usb-spdif convertor. Good luck, this was a good thread! |
| Post removed |