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
At least to my ears and my system the best I’ve heard at low volumes for detail and bass definition have been my sonus faber olympica 3
Thanks, Stingray26. I appreciate the effort and time you put into your response. I'll have to find out who in the North Carolina Triangle region sells KLH. I'm anxious to try them out. As I said earlier, I feel like the answer to my hifi dilemma is a high efficiency speaker (perhaps KLH or Klipsch) or a some kind of equalizer tone control, like Decware, 
Most of my listening now is in the late evenings or early mornings, at low to moderate volumes. The good thing about that is less competition from outside noise (less outside traffic noise, no TV going in the other room, cleaner air ways, less line noise, etc etc.). Unlike some who think that Maggies don't perform well at low volume, I find quite the opposite. With some pains taking detail to speaker placement and moderate room treatment and the help of a good sub/subs - Maggies can sound incredible, even at low volumes. During my late night sessions my little Maggies provide all the subtle details, fullness, richness and engagement of a live acoustic or great vocal performance, without having the next day numb that comes with loud.
With the exception of the larger 3.7i or 20.7i, I don't think there are many speakers at any price that could satisfy me more, than my little Maggie 1.7s, for the type of listening and music I enjoy......Jim
Higher efficiency speakers often do sound better than low efficiency, and can do so by a wide margin. But, some lower efficiency speakers do sound pretty darn good at low volumes. 

I agree that loudness controls are a huge help--yet, as stated above--they are nearly extinct.  I have a preamp with tone controls.  I use them about once or twice per month--typically when I want to work while listening or read.  At low volumes they do not impart distortion that I can hear or that bothers me.  As I tick the dial up, I don't like them or use them as much.  It's nice to have a tone defeat. 


+1 on the Loki.  I had one before I got a preamp with tone controls.  Very nice unit and when defeated I couldn't hear it doing anything adverse to the signal.  Great product.