Need an integrated amp that sounds engaging at lower volume


May I please have any recommendations for an integrated streaming amp to match with Sonus Faber bookshelf speakers? My best friend wants help picking out a stereo, he's no audiophile, but he loves and collects music and he can afford a decent stereo. He wants the Sonus Fabers, so the speakers are fairly settled.

I don't stream music much but that's all he does. I have a Hegel H200 which I love but my concern is that this amp seems kind of laid back at low volume, and this guy listens to music at fairly low volume, otherwise I'd recommend a Hegel H360/390.

So I'm thinking something with a little kick and nice midrange at lower volumes would be perfect, but I would appreciate suggestions very much b/c I never had bookshelves and I like music fairly loud. If there's an amp that fits the bill under $4,000 all the better.

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

sloane27

Most electronics work fine at low volumes.  Its your ears that don't. Its called the fletcher-munson curve and is why stuff used to have "loudness" buttons or knobs to compensate.  Mechanical things like speakers have a larger variation at low volume, but its still small. So its likely irrelevant.  I know of very few good quality amps with loudness.  with the advent of DSP (for example in ROON) it may be possible to replicate though, with some research and programming.

Don't waste your money on a Loki. They sound like, well. Get an RME ADI2 FS DAC. it has the low level loudness feature.  Put in as much bass as you want. 

The Schiit Loki is a Gamechanger,,,I bought one and it is so good I bought a second one for my 2nd. room system.....It's better than any tone control on an integrated amp....Just buy one and you know what I mean....

Try EQ in your player first or turn on the sub (if you have it) when listening at low volume.  That will help mitigate the rolled off bottom end.  The eq in foobar2000 I am using now is quite effective.