High end speakers at low volume

@phusis ​​@lonemountain 

I have been using digital room control (really speaker control) for 25 years and the really stunning effect is the laser focusing of the image. After the improvement in imaging the real benefit is in being able to tailor the amplitude response exactly to your taste. In the case of these processors the only thing that "sounds" is the analog section of the final DACs. In the case of a 2.2 system that would be 4 DAC channels. Once you are in numbers you can do almost anything you want without degradation assuming a 64bit  floating point operation system. Digital volume is the problem. You lose bits when you turn the volume down. If you start out with a lot of them you can lose a bunch of them without affecting sound quality. My old processor is slow enough that there is loss of detail at low volumes.

I will never live without digital signal processing. The affects on sound quality are such that any analog degradation is trivial, very trivial. In short you will greatly improve your image, you can make your system sound exactly the way you want and you can integrate subwoofers in a heartbeat with total freedom in placement. A really cool effect is, by placing the measurement microphone in various locations you can make the system image anywhere in the room. Obviously it is only at one location at a time but it is a really useful effect. My desk is at the left rear corner of the room. I have that location on a preset and use it when I am working. It is just like sitting in the listening position. 

The new DEQX series will be released shortly after beta testing of the software is completed. A number of us will be issued Pre 8s for testing at a reduced price. I was asked if I wanted to do this. Obviously yes, yes and yes. I have not heard back since. This was about 6 weeks ago. The Pre 8 has a complete 4 way digital crossover system built in along with full, computer managed digital signal processing capability. It looks like it is built like a battleship. 

Since you mentioned the high WAF, i would recommend you showing her pictures of the speakers in advance, then listen.  Or bring it down to two or three choices.  My wife hated my Klipsch setup, but loved the Wilsons.  For that reason alone, i would look at the Sabrinas.  Have you considered getting Roon and  setting up a digital adjustment for when you need to listen at low volumes.  I find this very useful, and it is much cheaper than dropping 15 k on speakers.  

Last, and i know you didn't ask, but your money can go much further with used speakers where there can be great value to price.

You people are driving me mad.

There is so much mumbo jumbo in audio land, but the Equal Loudness Compensation is long standing verifiable science.

Being an old dog having used ’Loudness’, in many makers products, and the Chase RLC-1 I wrote about, I am well aware of the benefit of ’Loudness’ Compensation at low volumes.

The biggest improvement, for me, is to maintain proper level of Jazz bass players, which maintains ’involvement’ at low volume, without it, I find it becomes simply non-involving background music, musak if you will.

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So many have equipment without balance, tone, loudness, .. ’PURE’ circuit paths, that the solution must be solved via add on equipment, the Chase unit the simplest for ANY setup. Optional use via tape or processor loops is ideal for the ’PURE’ crowd, however much newer equipment lacks in/out loops.

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To suggest ’this’ speaker is best for low volume is a chase into a firey pit.

LOOK at the equal loudness curve, look/read, don’t ignore it because you lack features

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

IF any speaker sounds very good at low volume, without using tone controls or some form of equal loudness compensation, then that speaker’s frequency response has to be terrible at normal or louder volume!

TERRIBLE. Imagine Stereophile reviewing speakers with a frequency response reflecting the equal loudness contour as factory produced normal sound level.

Imagine a speaker designer deliberately producing said frequency response, being proud of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A bad joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@elliottbnewcombjr agree 100% that need to boost up frequencies if you want to enjoy - I repeat enjoy and not having a perfect curve - music at low volume. I just need to find the easiest and less invasive component in any sense. I think the Loki Max should be good even if analogue. The Anthem preamp may alter the sound signature of the chain more.

@scott828 I know the thread is not short and people may have missed it but I have purchased a pair of TAD ME1 as showroom demo in mint condition. I love love love them and they sound terrific with the Vitus and at low volume too. Of course they could sound better at low volume as stated above by many.