Recommendations for speakers that sound great at lower volume levels.


I have a pair of Harbeth SHL5 Plus and they sound wonderful when I crank them up. But at moderate to low volume levels they sound disappointingly flat and unengaging - instruments are less palpable, bass has less bloom, and soundstage has less air and dimensionality. I drive my speakers with a tube integrated - a Line Magnetic 845 rated at 26 watts of power. My Harbeths are rated at 86db. Would a higher sensitivity speaker be helpful? Or how about a good quality small shoebox sized pair of speakers coupled with a subwoofer? Or not. What speakers are going to deliver music you can feel at low volume levels? What say all you wisened audiophiles?
128x128neptune123
harbeths are actually considered to be very good at low levels and nearfield

if you like the harbeth sonic palette maybe try a smaller model... c7, mon 30, p3?

of course the famous bbc ls3/5a was the original brilliant nearfield mini monitor, with bumped up midbass to fool the ear at lower volumes into thinking it is more full range than it is... of course the treble and midband are beyond reproach

excellent related or descendant speakers of small form factor for lower level or nearfield listening from atc, proac, spendor, kef, sonus faber, and so on - there are many many out there, with different sonic presentations


+ jjss49
Any Ls3/5A design would fit the bill. I’ve owned quite a few and the Harbeth P3 is still my favorite of the lot. I have also owned larger Harbeths and IMO the P3 is the pick of the litter. And I don’t use a subwoofer!
Yogiboy - I've wondered about the P3 compared to SHL5. Can you offer more detail about the p3 and why it's your pick among Harbeths? Thanks.