Fear of volume control

Hello,
There is a lot of truth to all of this. Most preamps have attenuated volume controls. You are adding sound the louder you go. Streamers and DACs are notorious for this. I have a set of -10db RCA adapters for my TT setup just so I can get the volume louder to get the best sound possible. I know that some manufacturers use a variable gain output like Ayre instead of attenuating the input so this is not an issue. Even at very low volume you get full range of sound. I prefer this route so the subs play at the correct volume no matter what source I listen to. So the next time you are listening to Vinyl turn down the gain on the phono preamp and crank the volume on your preamp/ integrated amp. You will be amazed. Just remember to turn it back down before you listen to another source so you don’t blow your speakers. 

I have found that listening at 80-85 dB is where I get everything from most recordings. I have a slip of paper in each of my albums that indicates what level on my amp makes the recording sound the best. Some are at 48 on my Hegel H390 and some are at 56 with many falling in between. I just listen until it sounds the best and then I measure the dB level at my listening position. The average dB is almost always between 80-85.

The loudness switch is a really good tool.

Not only is Fletcher- Munson at work but also the volume the record was mixed at. Every recording has a "right" volume depending. If you play a string quartet at the volume of a rock record the strings will cut your throat. If you under cut the volume of a rock record it will sound dull and lifeless. If you have loudness compensation you have a little more flexibility but still. 

People who shy away from louder volumes generally have systems that start distorting at lower volumes. Distortion is at lower levels registered as volume. Obviously, they enjoy their systems at lower levels thinking that volume hurts. Not true. You can destroy your ears, long before clean music becomes painful. This is why I use a sound pressure meter not wanting to get carried away. Very clean systems with adequate headroom can play deceptively loud. People will try to start a conversation not realizing the other person can't possibly hear them. 

This is why distortion in loudspeakers and powerful amps are so important. Powerful means power relative to the efficiency of the speaker. and and the maximum power the speaker can handle. IMHO as a rule of thumb 105 dB is a reasonable target. So, you figure out the power required to get your speakers to 105 dB then multiply by ten ( to handle transients). This is a reasonable power for your speakers. Every 3 dB doubles the power. I am of the belief the more power the better as in my experience powerful amps have an effortless quality missing in lower powered amps. I have to admit there is probably some psychoacoustics in this as I have never been blinded for this evaluation.  

high quality acoustical treatment is the way to keep the volume levels down. And stay sane.

Increase the dynamic range and reveal the more accurate shape and subtleties of the music --- by removing the noise at the bottom.

Not by cranking the volume levels, a tactic which merely makes it scream over the inherent noise levels in the room, and simultaneously pollute your low level signal subtleties. (you know, the subtleties in dynamics and signal that we are here -in this particular world of audio- to try and resolve)