I miss my Loudness Button and Tone Controls....

"loudness’ is sooooo misunderstood, back then, and more so now. a ridiculously named feature.

It is not a button or switch per se, but an EQ circuit that is engaged or not, via button/switch/potentiometer connected to the loudness eq circuit.

It should ONLY be engaged below your ’low normal’ volume.

It should be progressively engaged as volume decreases below ’low normal’.

The PROPER coordination of the ’normal volume control’ and the ’loudness volume control’ (or loudness circuit on/off) was/is tricky. Some vintage amps had two volume controls, one to use only for low volume listening.

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The Chase unit I mentioned has been mis-applied by many, they hate, some trickily disable the loudness circuit.

proper setup:

1. Chase at factory default volume (no ’loudness’ is involved at default).

2. Preamp or Integrated volume set to ’your normal low’, i.e. focused listening, just not loud.

3. Use ONLY the Chase for Volume after setting #2 above.

4. Chase UP is simply less attenuation.

5. Chase Down begins and progressively engages their adaptation of ’Fletcher Munson Loudness EQ’ as volume is reduced (further attenuated).

NOTE: If you raise the Preamp or Integrated above ’normal low’, and lower the Chase unit to get ’normal low’, then the ’loudness’ is engaged at normal volumes, thus tubby bass, simply misunderstood, mis-used..

Inexpensive Sound Meter (get one with a tripod mount hole on the bottom)

I feel like an idiot for not getting one of these earlier. So easy, so revealing, such help.

You need a source of individual frequency bands to measure/chart against each other, see the results of changes, positioning, treatments, level controls, tone/balance controls.

This CD including 29 tracks of 1/3 octave tones is my favorite

erik_squires +1

’Loudness’ is for any system, any speakers, in any space.

fundamental to maintaining involvement at low volumes, i.e. bass player in a Jazz group. sparkle of triangles ... It should be progressively engaged as volume lowers.

Good description...

LOUDNESS is very well done circuit with the Sansui AU 7700...

I forget to use it because my room is so acoustically good that even at near listening (3 feet) i forget to use it BUT i just test it now, typing these words and i have 2 choices? : boosting only bass or boosting bass and the highs...At very low volume it is very interesting to use them....

I dont need it and i forget about them because even if i listen at lower volume i dont feel i need it.... But It is impossible to contest his usefulness in normal non controlled room...

Contrary to a well know opinion even at near listening passive material treatment and acoustic mechanical control of the room make a huge difference on sound quality and perception....it is one of the general opinion that is trusted but is FALSE, when listening at three feet of the speakers like me half of the time, the difference in near listening was HUGEif i compared  before and after room control especially and room treatment...But even there i will reminf myself like noiw that at very low level it is a useful feature this loudness button indeed...

If you needs a loudness button or tone controle or equalizer throw your set at ebay.

Too harsh opinion or too uncompromising one are take us often is simplification and misunderstood...

loudness button is not a feature on under par lower designed product generally, especially in the golden age of audio where designer expanse without calculating so micvh on quality parts in their war to take the market.... I know that Sansui is generally well designed...

loudness button may be very useful for people who are in the obligation to listen very low because of their partner or by their own choice....

Nothing against equalizers with digital. But my vinyl gets as clean a path as I can make. The amps are simply a mechanism to amplify, RIAA notwithstanding, and drive the speakers. If all is on order, you shouldn’t even be thinking of modifying the sound with additional stuff. Transparency is key to the best sound retrieval. Additional modifying circuits impact that micro-detail transparency.