Laid back, or in-your-face?

Tvad,

Yes, candle holders should 'dance' at higher volumes, the candles blow out when it gets loud!

Ken

I assume you mean that since you were surprised it sounded laid back last nite that it is usually more forward, as in something had changed?

My Krell kps25s is pretty laid back sounding in my system. ( this goes for its digital section as well as preamp section )
My previous system with Krell FPB series amps and Avalon also, I would not call 'em 'in-your-face'.

For sure, I'm not the best to judge this, but I think and certainly hope that my system is both laid back and 'in your face' depending almost entirely on the recording and microphone placement.

-IMO

About what time of the night were you listening to your system and do you live a congested area or the Country? What I'm getting at here is that in most case's when listening to your music after about 10:00pm to the wee hours of the am, your A/C mains are about as good as they are going to get and I know that in my system, music is lot better staged and tends to be more laid back and involving when listening at night. Also during the day there is such a higher DB level that are ears pick up from road noise traffic, waterlines, construction, microwaves, etc. etc. etc. in the environment that we tend to increase are volume levels at a higher gain during the day. Try doing some A/B serious listening during the day and set the same volume level at night. Who knows, maybe when you heard your system the other night, you heard it for the fist time.