More power for better sound at low volumes?

Here's my best guess at how to get a satisfying listening experience at low volumes, in roughly descending order of importance...

1. Protect your hearing.
2. Make the room dead quiet.
3. Make the system dead quiet.
4. Sit closer to the speakers.
5. Listen to small scale music.
6. Use EQ to compensate for psychoacoustic effects.
7. Select speakers with high efficiency.
8. Select an amp with low gain.
9. Select a preamp with low output impedance.
10. Select speakers with 1st or 2nd order crossovers.

Of course, all this is highly debatable.

Bryon

There are many factors that play into this. It's complex. Suffice it to say, I would look for a low wattage ultra amp, like the Threshold SA3.9e, a class A 60 watt stereo amp. These low wattage ultra amps are designed to sound there best - the sweet spot, soundwise - at much lower levels as compared to higher wattage amps, which have a sweet spot a bit higher.

Case in point, the SA3.9e had fully body, detail, etc. at a much lower wattage. This is part of the design parameters of such an amp. Now if you compare that to the SA6e monoblocks, rated at 125 watts, they have to be pushed to higher levels to get the same body, details, etc. Because that is its design parameter.

This topic is almost meaningless if you can't specify exactly what constitutes "low volume" or "high volume" as these things are relative to the individual actually listening (except regarding extremes in level like REALLY LOUD or REALLY SOFT)...Also, do amp designers really design to a "sweet spot?" Does that spot adjust to musical dynamics? Isn't the wattage rating absolutely subject to speaker load? Isn't it obvious that a speaker with recessed treble and/or bass will seem to get quiet quicker with lower level? Where am I? I'm frightened now...

Edwyun, I kind of see where you are going with your statement, but I believe speakers are a bigger factor in low volume detail. I have to agree with Drubin and other posters on this subject regarding Quad speakers. I attribute Quad's low volume detail to their ultra low distortion.

I concur with the 1st post, better resolution has to be an advantage at low listening levels. Lower noise floor in components is one way to improve resolution.
I do note in my travels that in the US there is a tendency to overdampen rooms, and suspect that if a listening room is overdamped, details get lost at lower listening levels.