2. speakers
  3. 167757-93216

Recommendations for speakers that sound great at lower volume levels.

I have a pair of Harbeth SHL5 Plus and they sound wonderful when I crank them up. But at moderate to low volume levels they sound disappointingly flat and unengaging - instruments are less palpable, bass has less bloom, and soundstage has less air and dimensionality. I drive my speakers with a tube integrated - a Line Magnetic 845 rated at 26 watts of power. My Harbeths are rated at 86db. Would a higher sensitivity speaker be helpful? Or how about a good quality small shoebox sized pair of speakers coupled with a subwoofer? Or not. What speakers are going to deliver music you can feel at low volume levels? What say all you wisened audiophiles?
neptune123

Showing 2 responses by jbhiller

jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller
1,446 posts
 
+1 on the Loki.  I had one before I got a preamp with tone controls.  Very nice unit and when defeated I couldn't hear it doing anything adverse to the signal.  Great product. 
jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller
1,446 posts
 
Higher efficiency speakers often do sound better than low efficiency, and can do so by a wide margin. But, some lower efficiency speakers do sound pretty darn good at low volumes. 

I agree that loudness controls are a huge help--yet, as stated above--they are nearly extinct.  I have a preamp with tone controls.  I use them about once or twice per month--typically when I want to work while listening or read.  At low volumes they do not impart distortion that I can hear or that bothers me.  As I tick the dial up, I don't like them or use them as much.  It's nice to have a tone defeat. 


More to discover