High end speakers at low volume


After having got accustomed to my new Vitus RI-101 mk II, I came to the conclusion that I need to improve my system's performance at low volume to enjoy music more.

Current sources: LinnLP12, Holo Spring 3 KTE, Nucleus. 
Speakers: Avalon Idea. 
Shunyata Delta NR V2 and Hemingway Indigo PC, Tara Labs Forté, TQ 2 Black diamond IC.

I am looking at replacing the Avalon Idea with speakers that could improve the low volume listening experience. I listen to 60 / 70db, I can afford to go up to 85db for very short time (neighbours).

I am also considering to purchase a Loki Max which I understood being quite a neutral EQ unit.

I have selected a few speakers which should match my musical taste based on what I have read:

- YG Carmel 2
- Wilson Sabrina X
- Vandersteen treo ct
- TAD ME1

I don't have the chance to listen to them except the TAD ME1 which I have enjoyed very much but not in my apartment.

Budget max $15k new or used.

I am looking for speakers sounding musical, with wide soundstage, not cold, detailed yet not analytical.

I mostly listen to classic rock, blues and jazz.

The system sits at the end of the long wall in a living room measuring 33x13ft, listening position 8ft from the speakers.

Unfortunately I have to face a tough WAF putting several limits:

- speakers must have a clean design, not black, not too hifi looking... and not too big
- distance from the wall behind the speakers 25cm

I don't mind changing amplifier if it will be necessary to match the next speakers.

I haven't found a preamp that I could consider a good candidate except a very expensive CSport featuring a loudness button which works very well (tested at Ana Mighty Sound).

I would much appreciate some advice from who knows well the above speakers or who had similar needs.

ricco275

@ghdprentice 

High efficiency does not equal sounds good at low volumes. Tone controls definitely not part of the equation. You want as pure and high quality signal as possible to excellent sounding speakers. The lower the noise floor of the system the less volume required. Putting tone controls in the equation raises the noise floor.

+2 ^^^^^  

Good low volume detail relies on resolution and clarity along the whole chain. 😎

Another here with Harbeths, (SHL5+ XD) and they sound great at low volume.  My system has no tone or loudness controls of any kind.  SS preamp and tube power amps. YMMV

Many have been down this road.

There are a few generalizations to consider:

1 Small rooms are easier to energize at low volumes and the listening position is closer.

2 Speaker size effects low volume listening. Big speakers are generally designed for big rooms and the resultant higher volumes which translates to driver suspensions designed for high spl vs smaller drivers designed for more modest max spl. Only a few drivers have suspensions/spiders that work well over a wide range and they are expensive. Satori drivers are very good over wide volume ranges being they use those excellent German spiders.

3. Noise floor starts to be a huge issue. Big amps are generally not happiest there which is probably why the SE tube amps and FR setups are so recommended.

4 Fletcher-Munson curves  come into play and some speakers have a good voicing for non ear blasting levels but EQ can really go a long way.

I currently have 5 pairs of big speakers, Apogee Divas, Thiel CS5i's, BD Orpheans,  Pure Audio Project Quattro 15 w the AER BD-3b and Sound Labs A3's I can say that the 2 high eff setups do indeed sound better at low volumes as well as the Sound Labs but not to the extent of the PAP setup.

Wilson Audio now uses the Satori drivers with the above mentioned spiders in some of their designs and they are the ones people like at low volume. Magico has those German sourced spiders as well in several designs.

@ricco275 @elliottbnewcombjr is exactly right. In order for any speaker to sound decent at low volume the bass and treble need to be boosted. Older preamps had loudness compensation filters for this very reason. You can use tone controls to do this but best is to have a digital preamp you can program with your own loudness compensation curve into a preset that you can select when you are listening at low levels. At high levels you want to roll the treble off. No speaker that sounds correct at normal listening levels is going to sound correct at very low levels. You Avalons are fine. Look at the Trinnov Amethyst, The Anthem STR and the DEQX Pre 4. These are all full function digital preamps that allow you to do these special things and a lot more. 

@ghdprentice 

You have the right aswers....low level sound quality and efficiency are not related.  Sound Quality at low level is related to how low the driver distortion is and the front end quality.  ATC has very low driver distortion and sounds quite good at low level, which is a selling point most dealers comment on.   Their passives are around 1w/1m 86 to 88dB SPL.  A speaker designer can optimize his drivers and design for more bass but gives up some efficiency as a penalty.  

 

Brad