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Nearfield Low-Level Listening : New Speakers or EQ? Thoughts?

In my main rig, I listen nearfield at low levels, and I do not feel the music sounds fully engaging until moderate-to-loud volumes. Have been told my speakers, Totem Forest Signature, "need power to sing". I have ordered a Schiit Loki Max EQ; wondering if that will do the trick or do I need to consider new speakers? I use the Loudness/Comp feature on my integrated amp, it helps some. Listen to 70s, Jazz, Americana, ...

My System:

  • Accuphase E-380 Integrated
    • 180 watts into 4 ohms and 120 watts into 8 ohms.
    • High damping factor of 500.
  • Totem Forest Signature Speakers
    • Impedance: 8 ohms (6.4 ohms minimum)
    • Sensitivity: 87 dB
    • Recommended Power: 50 - 225 watts
  • Rose HiFi RS-150B Streamer/DAC
  • Thorens 1601 TT, Schiit Skol Pre, Nagoaka Cart
  • REL Classic 98 Subwoofer, Speakon connection
  • XLR Connections, Bi-Wired Speakers
  • Shunyata Power Conditioner

 

gemoody
gemoody OP
144 posts
 

@mswale Thanks for the compliment on the gear. To be clear, I do have the opportunity to turn it up, and it does sound much better!

Thanks to all who have commented and given their time and expertise.  Much appreciated.

immatthewj
2,198 posts
 

@deep_333 always helpful

He seems to take great pride in consistently  providing those helpful posts, @jastralfu .

markw1951
52 posts
 

I'm now an apartment dweller and low level listener.  Using Omega Speaker Systems Super 3i Monitor on stands behind my desk, REL T/5x subwoofer and a DIY SET triode tube amp.  Very satisfied with this.  

I stream from a Mac and use Apple Music's equalizer to boost the highs since I have some hearing loss.  

I've found this a very satisfying and not too expensive combination.  

lewl28
51 posts
 

I have Harbeth 40.3 XDs, a pair of Rythmik E15HP2 subs and an Accuphase E-800. The sound is wonderfully lush, soothing full and detailed at low levels. I think the Harbeths are 85 db (not super efficient) but easy to drive with an impedance range of 6-8 ohm. I had a pair of Harbeth SHL5 Plus as well and they also sounded full, lush and detailed in the 70 db range. I had larger more efficient Focal Scala Utopia EVOs and they were not as enjoyable at low levels.

desktopguy
383 posts
 

I do most of my listening at low volume levels in a nearfield setting (>12 hrs/day), so I have experience with this. A couple observations:

  • It's true that some speakers sing better at low volume than others. I've had a run of sealed/acoustic suspension speakers that do this very well. They were all 2-ways of varying size: NHT M-00s & matching sub (powered); ATC SCM12 Pros (passive); and vintage KEF 103.2s (passive). Currently I'm using a front-ported design that also sounds quite good at low volumes, the Harbeth 30.1s. But I've also had speakers here (all ported, whether passive or active) that sounded terrible until cranked.
  • Same for amps. I'm on my 2nd class D amp (Bel Canto 600M monoblocks). The first was the Wyred 4 Sound ST-500 stereo amp. Very different designs with a few sonic differences, but both sound great at low volumes
  • And a recent discovery, more or less by accident: I have a TVC (transformer volume controller/preamp), and when I use it as a trad preamp with the volume pot set very low, the sound coming out of the speakers is even more expressive and dynamic than I'm used to. I'd read about this, but wasn't prepared for how true it is. At higher volumes the sound is not anything special, but at low volumes, it's definitely special

The biggest factor is luck. Really. I just got lucky to land on gear that sounds great at low volume.

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