Low Level Listening and Distortion

I believe in the past you said you like to be able to listen to music at louder volumes and it not sound too loud.

@bhvf That's not exactly right. What I've often said is that its the mark of a good system that it can play at high volume without sounding loud. IOW you can't tell that its playing loud until you find you have to shout to be heard by someone sitting next to you.

But it should also be engaging at low volume- for that matter at any volume. So you need a good first watt too!

Of course the amp has to have its ducks in a row, so does the preamp; there should be good vibration control for the CDP and turntable, so the the front end of your system is unassailable by the volume in the room.

I am a fan of Salk Song3 Encores.  I was most impressed at the RMAF.  

@bigtwin

“Speak up. I can’t you over my loud system.” 👍😊👏

@atmasphere  I agree, really good systems can also play loud and not be fatiguing; blackness in between the sounds, low distortion… so not adding sound pressure to your eardrums that are non-music. I believe this also drops the SPL… not having all the extra noice in there. 

@ghdprentice,

Just curious, what do you consider low, normal and high levels? For me, low is below 50-55 db. Normal is 55-75 db and high starts at 75ish.

Thanks.

Just now, listening average mid 60s db. Normally mid to high 70s.

Quite engaging making it difficult to write this post. Imaging and soundstage are right on. And, in a way, drawing me into the music more than louder.

Class D GANfet AGD Audions. “Complete” sound with very low, inaudible distortion. Think the lower volume is suited to the current content-C, S & N.

Thanks for this thread. Maybe the lower volume will continue to engage. It is more relaxing.