Low volume music

I find that SS amps' lose bass at low volumes whereas tube amps don't. The Fletcher Muson curve will tell you that human hearing needs extra bass at low volume to get a linear response.

Here's a perfect example of how ignorance spreads fast in free sites like Audiogon. It should be obvious that the Fletcher-Munson curves have nothing to do with the type of amplifying device, but rather with the sound pressure level.

Regards,

I say go with a sub/sattelite system so you can increase the bass for a full sound at low volume. Or if doing a digital only system you can use a computer to a USB DAC and use Itunes (or similar) EQ to increase the bass.

I was chasing low volume wholeness for a long time. My startling success came with the purchase of my current speakers powered by either a linear solid state or switching amplifiers. The mechanical noise from my tube amplifier becomes distracting if it's a really quiet time of the day.

All the amplifiers provide a full bodied presentation at low volume but I would say the switching amps sound the fullest. In my system/room the Eidolons get 98% of the credit for the improvement in quality low volume presentation and not the electronics.

ESL & tubes