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What to do to get my system sounding better at lower volumes

Chris

pfm Member
From reading around, I am guessing that most people suffer to a certain degree from a similar "problem" whereby you need to turn it up to really enjoy your system.
Any suggestions ?
I have no idea in which direction to go. I would love to be able to listen at lower volume but my system sounds great at let´s say normal listening session loudish but at lower volume it tends to fall apart and ceases to surprise. Please note I am not talking about uncomfortably loud by any stretch of the imagination.
I run vinyl only (LP12, Ittok LVIII, P77), Sugden A21SE, Wd25tex speakers).

Might stand mount speakers help ? ( thinking of building Robert’s AR22 Tribute as I have all the parts bar the wood), or perhaps listen from a more near-field position ? Or use cans ?

Or should I just chalk it up to age and imbibe something nice ? Do all systems need a bit of "encouraging " or is it a case of suck it and see ?
 
Your speakers seem to be rather beefy so you would probably need an amplifier with more "readily available" power with a large/oversized power supply.
I solved this problem with a Naim NAP 250.2 in a system and an Exposure 4 dual mono in another kit.
A large Sugden IA4 would give you best of both worlds IMO.
 
Could just be the slight differences in your perception of different frequencies as the volume decreases. Bass and treble seem to recede (relative to mids) as you head down into the quiet zone.... I've found the loudness control (don't laugh!) on my amp to be useful when background listening at 0600 on a Sunday morning with a cuppa and a copy of the Eye....
 
And if my speakers weren’t so beefy, say my old Heybrook HB2s…………
And if my amp were my old Sugden A48II …..
In other words, step back 20 odd years ……
 
I fear it may be as in some of the above posts. If you have flat-response loudspeakers you only get to hear what the mixing/mastering engineers heard from their flat-response loudspeakers if you play at the same level they used. That's quite loud for most domestic circumstances. However, that's normal human hearing for you. I suspect this is behind a few of the complaints that "my loudspeakers only come to life when played loud".

Loudness perception is mostly in the bass. Only a small amount in the treble. A mild bass boost (rising to maybe +4 dB at 100 Hz compared to 0 dB at 1,000 Hz) is not perfect compensation for more reasons that one, but may help.

In the absence of a proper loudness control or a simple bass boost, a crude but possibly effective solution may be to move the loudspeakers judiciously closer to room boundaries/corners and gain some bass reinforcement from the room. This might produce too selective a bass boost but there's a chance it might work somewhat if not overdone.
 
This is pretty much all down to the speakers. Some speakers are very open at low volumes, likely not so good at high volume, others need a bit of wick to get going / “come alive”, but go louder and cleaner at sustained higher volumes.

Speakers tend to have a sweet spot too, which can be higher or lower in volume.
 
Sensitive speakers have always sounded good at low levels to me, that's all I listen at. Current Klipsch La Scalas are the best of the bunch at it. I think my Pre amp has 24 volume settings and I don't use more than the first 3.
 
I'd support the comments about tone controls, etc. If you want a better sound at modest levels then some 'smiley EQ' can help. The alternative is to get an optimod process similar to that used by R3 FM. 8-]

FWIW I often apply a (modifled) QUAD 34 bass lift with my ESLs to make the sound balance better when I'm clearly playing at lower levels than 'being there'. Works much better for me than when I used a sub.

I keep telling people that we really need decent tone controls on kit. But 'fashion' decided these were a 'bad thing' years ago. I suspect mainly because they spoilt the guesswork by subjective reviewers. 8-]

If I designed and made kit these days I'd be making a sensible sort of tone controls.
 
Most passive speakers I've had sound a bit thin at low volume. Of those I've had that don't, ESLs (57s and 63s) and older Kef Reference Monitors (103.2s and 104.2s) spring to mind. I suspect Tannoy DCs would also deliver in this regard.

If you think you need EQ, a Quad 34 is a great solution. I love mine.
 
FWIW I often apply a (modifled) QUAD 34 bass lift with my ESLs to make the sound balance better when I'm clearly playing at lower levels than 'being there'. Works much better for me than when I used a sub.

The later quad preamps have just one "fatter" or "boomier" bass boost instead of the versatile bass boost on the 34.
 
Firstly get an sound meter app on your phone to get an idea as to how loud you are actually listening. IME ‘loudness’ is quite subjective & very clean sounding systems can offend sound quieter as they have less distortion.

Sugden class a amps are great in the right setting but not for everyone or for every speaker. I tend to listen at around 65-75 decibels & always amazed how some records just sound louder even at the same level.
 
Not sure if the OP ( @Chris ) would be describing his problems at low volume as smearing of the sound and loosing details to the point you need to "throw" your ear to the stage to be able to listen to the music?
 
I'll go in a different direction than the other posts - maybe you need some room treatment, with both absorption and diffusion?
 


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