Best Low Volume System

Quad electrostatics are difficult to beat in the close quarters you describe, and their sound is excellent both at low, and "room filling" sound pressure levels. You may be able find a good clean pair for sale on the used market, as they have been in production for many years.

Hi Mailman: I recently picked up a pair of the Reynaud Twins that do this trick very much like an electrostatic. This quality could probably be enhanced further if you were to use an SET type amp or perhaps a class A SS amp. Some push/pull tube amps also sound good at low output, but some do not and you would have to try them out. There are also special volume pot designs that make the music sound balanced at low and high volume but they are very expensive. Another thread is about these and I have heard the work of the guy that they started the thread on as he is a local. His gear sounds great but is way out of my price range. For now I am running them off of a little Musical Fidelity amp with good results. We live in a small apartment as well and I am able to listen comfortably at all hours of the night, when I cannot sleep, without disturbing my wife or guests. The low and high frequencies are pretty much in balance at very low volume. The speakers are inexpensive at under $800.00 if you pass on the stands, which I did. My 29" metal stands work just fine. Oh, and the speakers sound super at normal volumes as well.

Dekay, can you provide a pointer to that other thread? I also listen a lot a low volume and have wondered if maybe the high end doesn't need a good Fletcher-Munson loudness adjustment. And I echo the earlier recommendation of Quad electrostatics.

Regarding the Quad recommendations, what model/vintage is the best? Thank you.

Drubin: The thread is titled "Attenuator Puzzles" and I assume that the company that they discuss is the same as the modified preamp that a friend of mine owns as he mentioned that the designer just had a good review of one of his preamps in a stereo mag. His Marantz 7C had the volume pot mod done to it. I love the sound of the old Quads even in stock form but we should also mention how small the listening area/spot is.

Ok we're talking BIG-BIG bucks,but here it is: Jadis 300-B,and the J1 horn speaker+ the millions it takes to bring out their capabilities.

I've also had great results with electrostats (Audiostatic ES100s driven by a Jolida 502a tube amp) at low volume. It seems to me that they fill the room with sound at low volume better than dynamic speakers (perhaps due to the extremely large surface area of the drivers moving more air). Anyone else have the same/different impression?