Turn down the Volume!

@dain. Well, I can’t speak for all horns, just the ones I own, the Heresy IV, but they play so cleanly  that they can get actually very loud without seeming as loud as they are... I’m not sure what you mean by focus, but the Heresy have a large soundstage without losing imaging, to the extent that it’s almost bizarre, and I can sit off to the side and still experience the imaging effects.  They are remarkable speakers in that I’ve never really experienced anything quite like them.  Plus, to the topic, all those qualities hold even at low volumes, including a non-boomy bass that somehow still pushes against my chest and pulses my legs ... even at low volumes!  

However, I also get great dispersion and imaging and sound quality from my good old Epicures (updated w Human Speakers parts now, so they’re even better although the originals were already excellent), including engaging bass that tickles the eardrums even at low volumes, though it doesn’t have the chest push of the Heresy...

The Heresy and the Epi 100 speakers are very different in their designs and approaches, but both are excellent at low volumes.  So, I think it’s not the design itself that matters, but the execution and the quality of the drivers.

And yes, a sub or two done right can certainly help maintain the foundational bass at low volumes.  I just use one modest but high-quality sub set to unobtrusive levels with low (40hz) cutoff levels because I believe in running speakers the full range that they were designed for, if they are designed and excecuted well, but either set of my speakers would still be excellent without it and in fact I ran w my Epi 100 for many years w/o a sub and they were fine indeed still at low volumes (or high).

@curtdr that was what I experienced. Very clean but still loud. For his speakers though, he was very focused on midrange, it felt like if there was more bass then you wouldn’t need that volume. Seems like your system and the heresy balances better. 

Kind of amazed  at this thread. I good system played low is nice but a bad system  has to be played low.  a bad system  when it is turned off your ears feel like oh that's better one if the things I think does that is a bright system.  S great system you can listen  to for eight hours straight  without getting  tired of it with total engagement  the whole time. With a great system you listen to a whole side of an lp or the while cd not just one song sne on to the next. Personally  I don't think it is hi-fi  without transparency.  That is the first thing I listen  for and if it is not at least

least  somewhat transparent  I don't want to hear more than five seconds. Time to leave the room. When the tonal balance is right and when it is transparent  you have the option  of  what volume  you want to listen  to. When those are not right you don't have an option  on what level you want to listen  at the only option is to go turn it off. 

IMHO, each and every room has a "perfect" volume setting.

Find it and enjoy.

This is one of those topics that can get lost in being to general of an approach. Volume is going to sound different to each individual that is a given and I won’t say anymore on that. My comments are more aimed at the quality and what is behind the volume. To often listeners get hung up on watts per channel as the measurement of an amps power. They don’t look further and realize that that is a very small part of what is driving the speakers. There are 500 wpc amps that can’t drive speakers snd then there are 10 wpc amps that can make them sing. They did not name the company “First Watt” as a gimmick, they did because that first watt is the most important. All amps and speakers have their sweet spots where they will sound their best and the “volume” is only the end result and not the cause. Enjoy the music and journey it takes you on!