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Full detailed sound at 30 - 40 - 50 dB

I love the nuance you can hear when listening to music at loud volumes, but unless no one is home, it’s not considerate or feasible to listen at such high volumes. Plus I just had a baby so everyone is always home and volume levels are limited to 40ish dBs. 

Any recommendations for getting the most detail at these volumes? Additional gear or recommended integrated amps?

My NAD 7175PE has a loudness button which boosts the treble and bass a little, and that certainly helps things in the Kitchen. 

My living room amp is a Rega Brio-R which doesn’t have any tone controls. 

Any thoughts? Thanks!
leemaze
wolf_garcia
6,696 posts
 
Play complicated jazz so the baby becomes smarter.
greg22lz
182 posts
 
@leemaze I have also had to be volume conscious and found that a more sensitive speaker and tube amp make a big difference. I can listen at very low volumes and get all the detail and bass. Speakers are tekton di and they do remarkably well at low volumes.
regards,
greg
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,807 posts
 
If you are wanting full detail at lower volumes, this is an area where tubes rule. This is because they tend to have a lot lower distortion at lower power levels. Something to think about...
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
If you are wanting full detail at lower volumes, this is an area where tubes rule. This is because they tend to have a lot lower distortion at lower power levels. Something to think about...
Hi @atmasphere 

Given your statement, at what decibel level do you consider the volume to be something "higher" than lower volume? The essence of the question is at what power level do tubes no longer "rule" over SS because of power concerns. Thank you. 
wolf_garcia
6,696 posts
 
Tubes rule! Or not, but I didn’t know tubes were better for low volume (I learn something from Atmasphere about once every 4 and a half days), but I prefer tube amps anyway so I don’t recall the difference since I’ve had a tube amp in the rig for so long…I have noticed better low level sound since I put a pair of efficient horn speakers in the rig, but the tone issues with lower levels are always there so you’re going to need loudness compensation for that anyway if you want the highs (and lows) to get to your earballs…hense my Schiit Loki usefulness. One thing about the Loki is it’s single ended RCA only so balanced "pre to amp" users have to run it through a tape loop or something (although not all preamps have those these days). Maybe the Schiit-heads next EQ (Loki Maxi?) will be balanced. Also the immediate slam and general snappy response of a great tube amp (mine is a lowish powered Dennis Had Fire Bottle HO), along with the inherent tonal "rightness" (an official audiophile term), makes tubes at least "seem" balsier than most SS amps at higher volume when paired with appropriate speakers.
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