2. amps-preamps
  3. 1247498563

volume vs presence

My amp is a bel canto s300 with a Dac3 on pmc tb2+ monitor speakers. I love this combination and find that it can be so deadly silky smooth that I am constantly turning up the volume probably to ear damaging levels as my ears are usually ringing after a session. But it doesn't sound loud at the time. This can't be good for my hearing.

I find I am turning up the volume of my system not to make it louder but to gain more presence and percussive attack. How do I listen at lower volumes without losing that presence? Do i need a bigger amp that provides more drive at lower levels. Do I need a good preamp? Do I need bigger speakers?

I am not sure but know people before me may have gone through all of this and would appreciate your advice. Thanks heaps,
jaffa_777
hevac1
812 posts
 
I think you may not have a problem at all. I find different albums and even different songs on the album have a volume where they sound best through my system. It always changes from day to day. It could be the environment you are in all day at work that could change the volume required to reach that sweet spot in the volume. I try at the end of the day to sit in my sound room and chill out with no noise or sounds for about a 1/2 an hour before listening and even longer if I drove around with the windows down in my van. Noise levels through out the day effects hearing a lot more than one would think.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,179 posts
 
Try adding a good powered sub.
richlane
167 posts
 
I know exactly what you're talking about.., to feel involved with the music you have to crank it up.

I live in a Condo, and I had the same problem when I switched from a floor-standing speaker (Alon IV) with deep bass to stand-mounted monitors (Sonus Faber) and Sub (Rel Storm). I had to blast the monitors to allow it to sound great, and then my neighboor started complaining that it was too loud and I would have to agree that she was right. I now have larger floor standing speakers (Kharma) without a sub, and I can enjoy the music at normal levels and it even sounds great at low levels at night, and my neighboor hasn't ever complained again.

I would have to agree with Mulveling, that you need larger floor-standing speakers to better fill the room with a wall of sound. I would recommend something that at least goes down to 30-35Hz.

Rich
richlane
167 posts
 
Jaffa777,

I forgot to ask you.., How large is your room?

Rich
jaffa_777 OP
10 posts
 
wow, just got up and so many post already.

My room is about 5x6 meters.

I do have a sub, an mj acoustics ref 100 mk11. It sounds nice.

I will switch to floorstanders eventually I guess. I think most people here are right, I might be trying to get a big sound out of small speakers. My dream floostanders to get at the moment are the new PMC Pb1i. Pricey though.

I was thinking bigger speakers would need to driven louder to fill a room, or could be too big for a room. But maybe the opisite is true?
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