[ZigFlitz]

Does anyone have suggestions for speakers that sound good at low volume levels (e.g., when played late at night)?

I realize this may be dependent on the current the amplifier can deliver.

Many thanks!

[Guy 13]

Does anyone have suggestions for speakers that sound good at low volume levels (e.g., when played late at night)?

I realize this may be dependent on the current the amplifier can deliver.

Many thanks!

Hi ZigFlitz and all Audio Circle members.
Yes, there is such a thing, it't call: Headphones.
...and you can play them as loud as you want
and room acoustic is irrelevant.
 

Guy 13

[JerryM]

Fritz Carbon 7s.   

Have fun,

Jerry

[Bob in St. Louis]

How much money you got?

[orientalexpress]

Quad 57 or 63 with 300b amp.

[vinyl_guy]

Any of the Daedalus speakers.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Sounding good at low volumes is also a function of the amp and preamp.  My Pass X250 sounds great at low volumes with my Magnepan 1.6's.  The music is still very dynamic at very low volumes.  The AVA 600R amp also sounds great at low volumes. 

I think if you stick with speakers that have a higher Sensitivity rating, 89db or more you will find that they tend to sound good at lower volumes.

[JLM]

Lets make sure we agree on what low volume is.  Ballpark numbers:  Most audio shows run 80 - 85 dB which my guess is more than the average listener does.  Typical quiet rooms might get down to 30 dB.  Rock concerts average 110 dB.  So my guess is you're looking at 50 - 70 dB, right?

Higher efficiency the better (recommend 95 dB/w/m or higher), but watch out for self noise (like grounding issues, dirty power, or transformer hum) throughout your system.

And yes, Single Ended Triode (SET - small tube amps) excel at low volumes (the first watt).  Low volume listening should rarely use even 0.1 watt.

Getting a quiet room is also key to low volume listening (to eliminate background noise from wind, furnace, family/neighbors, household appliances).  A insulated/isolated dedicated basement room is wonderful.  Added plus, you can then listen as loud and as often and to whatever you want.  Friends/family accuse me of listening loud, but it allows me to listen quieter and still hear just as much with less listener fatigue and long term hearing damage/loss.

[audiogoober]

Any of the Daedalus speakers.

+1 

[Bemopti123]

I have always felt that asides from the speaker, what makes a large audible difference in performance at low volumes was the amplification. 

For me, Class A or tubed either push pull amps or even SET amps make the difference.  Of course, many speakers paired with the average SET are high efficiency.  BUT, a system that sounded very good at low volumes was my Sonic Frontiers Power 2 (PP, 110 watts per channel) with a Gershman X-1 monitors (mid efficiency speakers.)  Also, a Nakamichi PA-7 Class A sounded very very good with the same speakers.

[Letitroll98]

High efficiency speakers paired with amps that deliver lots of current.

[Diamond Dog]

Hi :  I do a lot of the late-night low volume listening you mentioned so speakers that perform well at low volume are indispensable here. I've found that the PMC transmission line speakers I've owned, in particular the fact-Series, are really good in this situation. The fact.8 and 12 when run at low volumes sound like little bonsai versions of themselves being run at higher volumes. You still get enough bottom end to be satisfying and no need to rock the house or settle for headphones.
I run mine with big Bryston monos so no shortage of available current. Efficiency: fact 8 are around 89 dB, fact 12 realistically more like 83 dB.

D.D.

[rollo]

High efficiency speakers paired with amps that deliver lots of current.

   Si senor. GTAudio and Fritz comes to mind. Nola boxer as well.



charles

[milford3]

Hi ZigFlitz and all Audio Circle members.
Yes, there is such a thing, it't call: Headphones.
...and you can play them as loud as you want
and room acoustic is irrelevant.
 

Guy 13

You nailed it Guy13.   

[ZigFlitz]

Wow! Thanks for all the comments and ideas.

I have headphones but don't like being tied to a cord and my ears get too warm after a while.

Are there any more suggestions for low-wattage (and relatively low-cost) amplifiers with high-efficiency speakers then? (that is, what are well-matched and good sounding speaker/amp combinations)

[Gzerro]

No system is going to sound that great at low volumes without some use of EQ or unless the system is very colored with boosted bass and treble to start with. This is a function of how we hear and how our brains process sound.

Our ears are much more sensitive to mid-range sounds than low or high frequencies. This is why a lot of older gear had "loudness" switches which boosted bass frequencies. It is also the reason most modern AVRs have a "Dynamic Volume" feature which boosts low frequencies depending on how loud you listen.

For a much better explanation check out Toole's book "Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms".

If you want your system to sound better at low volume, use the tone controls (audiophile blasphemy I know). Boost both bass and treble until it sounds balanced.

Good luck!

[DaveC113]

Not only high efficiency but crossoverless speakers like the Omegas are best at low volumes, paired with a low wattage class A amplifier.

[FireGuy]

Not only high efficiency but crossoverless speakers like the Omegas are best at low volumes, paired with a low wattage class A amplifier.

Ditto.  Just got a pair of Super 5's in house and can't agree more.

[ZigFlitz]

I'm not familiar with the Omega brand. Is that small US brand? Is that anything similar to the Ohm/Walsh speakers?

[JLM]

Omega Speakers have a circle right here at Audio Circle. Louis is a gem to work with, his workmanship is wonderful, and he sweats all the details.

Another quality, affordable, American line of products is Decware, maker of small tube amps that happen to pair up with Omega type of speakers.