Nearfield Low-Level Listening : New Speakers or EQ? Thoughts?

Nice big room, nice stuff,

a few comments:

1. your accuphase loudness compensation is nothing like fletcher munson curves, and is a simple bass boost on/off +6db at 100hz, not progressive, not volume related, thus your comment 'it helps some' makes perfect sense. I would not use it when the Schitt gets there, 

2. schitt is different than any equalizer I ever messed with, it has 6 bands, and treats their +/- range differently, thus play with them individually to get a feel for what each band can do, pretty simple as it has remote bypass.

Bands: 20Hz, 120Hz, 400Hz, 2kHz, 6kHz, 16kHz

Adjustment: +/-12dB at 20Hz and 16kHz, +/-9dB at 120Hz and 6kHz, +/-6dB at 400 and 2kHz

It is a 'set and forget' except that it has 3 factory presets and let's you save anything you want in place of those 3.

"9 Preset/Favorite Press briefly to select from one of three EQ presets. Or, press and hold for 5 seconds to define a new favorite on the currently selected preset."

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I would 1st ascertain what I was getting with my system flat, using a SPL Mic and a CD with test tones

SPL, make sure it has a bottom threaded hole for tripod use

http://Amazing Bytes CD has 29 1/3 octave test tones

you may find a slightly preferable speaker positioning and or toe-in prior to using the EQ.

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I like the automatic and progressive bass boost that I get at only low volume listening from my Chase Remote Line Controller RLC-1

It does not adjust the highs like Fletcher Munson, but it does have basic tone controls which I do not use.

I wish the Schiit had remote balance like the Chase does.

I listen nearfield at low levels.  It isn't your speakers as much as your electronics.  Most amps suck at low power levels.  tube amps is the best solution but there are others.  of course with tube amps you may need more sensitive speakers. 

But I've tried driving sensitive speakers with high power amps.  if you take a 300 watt power amp and turn it down to 0.1 watt, it will suck.  lets just say I've never heard one that doesn't.

Jerry

Just sell everything to someone more deserving of your gear. You didn’t need all this gear for it to squeal away at 45db.

Get a pair of in-ear earphones, turn the volume way down to 40 dB or whatever.... and let it squeal softly.

At 80 dB, a fairly loud average level your ears are down about 10dB at 30 Hz. It's significantly worse at lower levels. It's not the equipment. What you hear is what happens at low loudness levels. You need to equalize to get the affects you want at low levels or listen at higher levels. By the way ears are essentially level at 100 dB, way too loud as an average level for ear health.

@deep_333 always helpful.