Recommendations for speakers that sound great at lower volume levels.

A nice mid-fi low listening levels choice is the new(ish) KLH Kendall. They're about $1,300 USD and certainly certainly not in a class with Harbeth or most of the other things that are being suggested. But they are designed to sound good at low levels. They are respectable at moderate levels and poor at high levels due to distortion - but that's what you get for that price. The key here is that they really seem to be designed for low volume listening, and they are 3-way so the highs and lows get a little more devotion than they do in 2-way models.

I had been looking for speakers that sound good at low levels for many years and was seriously considering Klipshcorn, Belle Klipsch or JBL S4700 because I had heard them at low levels and was really impressed. Of course those all cost a lot more, and those can also play really really loud. Then I ran across the reincarnated KLH and on specs alone decided the Kendall model was worth a gamble. I think they are great at low volumes! Of course they don't do loud very well, because they aren't designed for that. But at low volumes, which is what I am always looking for, they are wonderful! They do not have the flexibility to be house shakers and stay clean sounding, but if low levels are the primary objective, they are a steal in my opinion.

To me a speaker that you don't have to turn up to enjoy is a great speaker. I wish the "reference level" of most home equipment was lower, but of course it's mostly determined by comparison to live performances and that's usually pretty loud.

Incidentally, I think the KLH Kendall is a fabulous budget classical music speaker. It is also great for Techno Dance if you want it to be really really quiet - but who wants to do that?

I have not been able to hear any of the new incarnation of KLH except the one's I bought on faith, the Kendall. The KLH 5 does indeed look like a wonderful speaker and I seem to see nothing but good press about it, but I have not seen or heard them for myself. If I can find a place to go hear them I certainly will. From everything I have read, they are the best speakers that the new KLH makes, but as we know, best for what exactly? I will say that I am quite happy with the Kendalls, so if the 5 is of a similar build and design quality, it would be quite nice. Now the only question is; how does it perform at low levels?

To further qualify my appreciation of the Kendall, I have had it for close to two years and am still quite happy with it. I listen to all sorts of music from the entire history of recorded music and it does all of that just fine, as long as I keep the volumes to reasonable levels. I have experimented a lot with placement and have settled for relatively close to side and back walls (maybe 15" from back and 2 feet from sides) which emphasizes the bass quite a bit, but at the relatively low levels I'm using, it's about right. Even though they are really good for quiet bassheads (is that even possible?) that doesn't mean the low end extension is all that deep. I think they do very little below about 35Hz. Tweeters are metal dome but not harsh to me, even when I crank them up above their sweet spot. Midrange is the best of any speaker I've ever owned, and I think that is a function of being a 3-way speaker with a modern midrange design. Imaging? Again it's fine, but it's not at the level of >$10K super-imagers. I find almost anything images well if you set it up right and sit in exactly the right spot. These are probably like most other $1.5K-3K towers on imaging, good but not above its peers.

So the KLH Kendall has its limits for sure. But it shines for me at low levels. If people say the 5 does the same, I believe them.