Not sure this topic has been covered specfically before, but what are speakers shortlist that work well at low volumes
My ears and also… my wife… do not want to hear loud music anymore… so while thinking of a speaker upgrade, this is a main requirement for me.
Currently using 250DR/282HCDR with a Dynaudio Focus 260, it does manage to sound good at low volumes, and the 250DR completely has control over this speaker. It never gets warm at all…
So which speakers work well at low volumes (and going to a 300 DR is not in the plan for me)
I’m in dangerous territory for a Naim forum…but I find my ARC ref valve pre/power combo to be my best for low volumes (they say valves are ‘linear’, but whatever, I just listen). A big CJ solid state is more exciting when partying and NAP250 throws in lots of information and qualities that I also enjoy with selected tracts. However, I have Dynaudios too (older Sapphire in my case, which may be very different…like my room) and they favour lots of watts, plus amps with a slightly less excitable top end. In a roundabout way, this is more of a question of whether it is really just the speakers that make it good at low volume.
yes the what hi fi review said the same “Surprisingly, they remain engaging at lower volume levels where alternatives start to sound lifeless, so late night listening remains firmly on the menu”
The ProAc Studio 100 sound good at low volume. The small Harbeths. I had Monitor Audio gold something or other, small KEF’s were excellent at low volume R3 I think it was
To be fair this is not my personal experience with Dynaudio which I found difficult at low volume even with more substantial amplification (but brilliant when they wake up driven louder), however if you believe your Dynaudios work easily and well for you at low volume, you should not have a big issue with a wide range of other speakers should you wish to change?
For me quality and vivid reproduction at medium and low volume is absolutely essential and it took some time and speakers to arrive to my current Marten Oscar Duo. Amplifiers help of course and under-powering will ruin any experience but for me it’s the speakers that largely define this.
Not sure that reproduced music can sound good at low volumes…depending on what is meant by ‘low volume’, of course. Surely, at low volumes, quiet details are below the threshold of human hearing.
I have a Spendor S3/5 in a 15 sq m room powered by a Nap 200. I listen to music very late at night at low levels and they sound superb. They have superb mids, not intrusive highs and you can listen for hours without tiring. Only they don’t the bass you might want on some genres of music. They also look unobtrusive in the room and for their size have an incredible soundstage and get lost. Perhaps with your electronics, and if your room is larger, consider the larger Sp3/1 or the current Classic 3/1 model.
I would avoid a big box with multiple drivers type of speaker, as they generally need plenty of power and drive to come together.
I would look for a very high quality simple 2 way stand mount and especially one where the tweeter works hard covering as wide a bandwidth as possible reaching down more in the midrange than usual,
