Not able to shed any further light on your question, but Shadorne's point put something into focus that had been perplexing me for awhile.
"It is not well known but undistorted music can be played much louder without fatigue".
I had recently converted my little entry level Arcam/Magnepan system to a biamp system through an active crossover. Despite the documented gains in power efficiency's (no passive crossovers, etc.) I found myself listening comfortably and enjoyably at much higher levels as judged by the level of attenuation at the preamp.
I had noted the fact, but didn't understand the dynamic. Shadorne's statement just rang so true and explains my observations. Distortion, whether on the recording or in the playback system, really is a factor in percieved volume.
In my case, the distortion was from overdriving the little amplifiers in a non-active system and from the passive crossovers in the speakers. Free of that distortion, I enjoy much higher volumes for longer periods. Put on a highly compressed or poorly recorded track (yes, I do also love mainstream/pop rock like U2 and Audioslave) and I am reaching for the remote to turn down the volume.
Jim S.
"It is not well known but undistorted music can be played much louder without fatigue".
I had recently converted my little entry level Arcam/Magnepan system to a biamp system through an active crossover. Despite the documented gains in power efficiency's (no passive crossovers, etc.) I found myself listening comfortably and enjoyably at much higher levels as judged by the level of attenuation at the preamp.
I had noted the fact, but didn't understand the dynamic. Shadorne's statement just rang so true and explains my observations. Distortion, whether on the recording or in the playback system, really is a factor in percieved volume.
In my case, the distortion was from overdriving the little amplifiers in a non-active system and from the passive crossovers in the speakers. Free of that distortion, I enjoy much higher volumes for longer periods. Put on a highly compressed or poorly recorded track (yes, I do also love mainstream/pop rock like U2 and Audioslave) and I am reaching for the remote to turn down the volume.
Jim S.