Perhaps the most annoying myth in audio of 2025? Talking about Loudness!

@ghdprentice I never heard that one... It is definitely not true in my experience. 

Do you use a potentiometer volume control? Most people do.

Your amp runs full open and the voltage must be  REDUCED to normal listening levels. Any type of potentiometer 'applies the brakes' to this signal by restricting voltage and losing resolution in the process. So, as you turn up the volume you are releasing the brakes allowing more signal to flow and sounds better.

A pre-amp with lots of gain takes the 'reduced resolution signal' and then amplies it. You get loudness but with distortion added. Some people like the perception of added dynamics. I don't.

A potentiometer directly affects the voltage level of an analog signal by acting as a voltage divider, while a digital volume control modifies the amplitude of a digital signal without introducing any additional noise. So, newer, more expensive digital volume controllers seem to be prefered in higher end gear.

So, if you use a potentiometer the higher the knob the better.

Potentiometers are limited by having sweet spot where both channels track most accurately, this generally somewhere between 10am-2pm, they also not greatest resolution/transparency. Resistor ladder,  autoformers/transformer volume control has surpassed pots. Digital volume control not superior, in dac bit stripping.

The main point to realise is that that no matter what volume control you use, the less you resist or "apply the brakes" the better.

The main job of a pre-amp is signal resistance with as little degradation to the signal as possible. Matching a pre-amp to an amplifier is important. If you have a very powerful amp and match it with a pre-amp that has gain you may not be able to get the volume knob up past 9 o'clock position and it's blaringly loud. Especially problemamatic with very effiecient speakers. This is an example of a lower resolution, overly restricted signal. 

On the other hand, a lower powered amp used with a no gain, buffered pre-amp allowing the volume to open up to 12 noon position or higher, could sound far better. Higher power is not an indication of better sound and in many cases hinders the sound due to this, "heavy braking" volume knob restriction.

@jl35 is correct  

I have many multi kw amps to hit the transients.i also have a dB meter that frequently is above 100 db but only for a song or two osha states 80db for 8 hours.some of my ribbon speakers are ribbon and very eficient.you can check the spl on many speaker manufactures.i do have some that take 1kw.again the klipsch and my theater are very efficient and can be run by tube amps.but others need big amps due to the compliance of the cones and magnet structure it is distortion and clipping that kills speakers.some crossovers have watt limits as well.i have a crown 12000 hooked to 6 12 inch woofers sounds great.many of the class d are up in the 2k in 4 ohms and are known to shine in base parts express ultimax 2 are rated into the kw range. Marantz,mcintosh,rowland and atmosphere and others offer class d.i put my ear muffs on and have the sound waves hit my chest.so far no cardiac arrhythmia enjoy the music.i live on 10 acres there were 4 bucks and 10 doe I watched today in my back yard. So I can turn the dB up without complaints.enjoy the music and the journey no matter what the volumn.