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What does it take to get your speakers "going?"

My Polks sound fine at lower volume but a very pronounced SDA effect seems to take effect at about the 1/4 volume mark.
 
As I type this I'm listening to Billy Joel on FM through my KLH Model 5's with the Sanyo DCA 611 Integrated Amp supplying the power. The power meters are reading about a 1/2 Watt and it's plenty for near field listening. That said, the 5's can take just about anything you throw at them and I really put them into another gear at around 50watts with an M-65 Power amp.
 
Every system will be different. Synergy will play a part obviously. With my current setup, (mostly vintage carver), combined with what others have pointed out about personal 'ears' I find that I my setup (speakers) come alive around 80db and 100db.

This is with the full spectrum of music that I'd play at any random time ranging from bluegrass to metal to metalgrass

 
Ds2000 said:
Beautiful amp, by the way.
I suppose I don't much pass the 10 watt mark, and only with the most dynamic classical pieces involving fff with a full orchestra and large organ in the mix. On my smaller amp, that's making it work some, but on the bigger mono amps, well it's a drop in the bucket. Funny thing though, the bigger 600w amps have a sense of ease and an "air" around them, along with a far better grip on the bass region, which the smaller amp does not. So I don't think your 170w/pc is wasted, it's just adding into that perceivable "space" heard around the speakers, and the bass control you mentioned. Again, that's a very nice setup!
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Thanks! I have had this thing since new and now it has been gone through and recapped etc with new output transistors and it sounds just amazing at pretty much any volume level!
 
My Quad ESLs, in a quiet (~30 dBA) room, are fully alive at ~ 60 dbA peaks, and make Fletcher and Munson seem like a couple of liars.

Since they are 82 dB /watt, I'm using a small fraction of a watt, even on the peaks, so not taxing the 40 or so I have available in the slightest.

Maybe headroom IS the key! :rolleyes:
 
I just searched Iron Horse on Amazon... Bluegrass tributes to Metallica, Ozzy, GNR, Zeppelin... yet another musical rabbit hole courtesy of AK!
 
sqlsavior said:
... are fully alive at ~ 60 dbA peaks, and make Fletcher and Munson seem like a couple of liars.
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Sensitivity to low frequencies (and highs to a degree) do drop at lower levels, but I find "loudness compensation" attempts unnatural sounding.

For me, apparent loudness is related to distance. If I'm in row C, then I will get a more bass rich experience than if I were at the back of the orchestra section. Boosting the bottom end at low levels creates a weird situation where some instruments (or parts of some instruments!) seem to be closer to you than others.
 
I have a couple systems and the better ones, in better rooms, come alive at around 20% volume. Smaller receiver needs a bit more, bigger gear a bit less.

Not the BPC HT system, when listening to music, it needs 70% or more of the volume pot to sound decent. This is supposedly a 100 wpc in stereo receiver. My little SX-626 blows it away as far as a stereo goes.
 
Ross6860 said:
Not the BPC HT system, when listening to music, it needs 70% or more of the volume pot to sound decent. This is supposedly a 100 wpc in stereo receiver. My little SX-626 blows it away as far as a stereo goes.
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Yeah, AVR/pre-pro volume controls react different than vintage stereo volume controls for a few different reasons. It's a very poor way to try to relate relative power output/capability for this reason.
 
About -40db (aka 9-o'clock on the knob) is the magic point where the speakers don't get louder so much as they start growing in size and the sound stage gets serious. That's the perfect point for me. I don't know how loud that is in db but guess around 80 or so. Loud enough that I'm immersed in sound but not so loud that any neighbours complain.

Cheers,
James
 
Bratwurst7s said:
About -40db (aka 9-o'clock on the knob) is the magic point where the speakers don't get louder so much as they start growing in size and the sound stage gets serious. That's the perfect point for me. I don't know how loud that is in db but guess around 80 or so. Loud enough that I'm immersed in sound but not so loud that any neighbours complain.
Cheers,
James
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This is exactly what I meant when I used "get going." That point where the image begins to snap into place. Lately, for some larger scale symphonic works, I've been around the 5w mark, I would think. Probably around 95db crescendos from my listening position.
 
Depends really to what I want to listen to. if it's orchestral 1~3 watts RMS lets me explore everything I want to hear front to back and instrument placement, also impact. Jazz/ Blues, if its soul rendering, about the same 1~3 watts RMS Buddie Rich or Bob James. Country Western, if it's early and "Loretta Lynn-ish" we go up 3~8 watts RMS on females and somewhere between 5~7 for "Hank-ish" male vocalist. R & R averages between, 2~4 on the Elvish or The Bopper and is not over mixed honest & simple, "refined", R & R 5~10 watts RMS if not mic heavy Earl Clugh or has good percussion solos- Phill Colins/ Ginger Backer.
DC
 
I find that both my KLH Fives and my Vandersteen 2CEs sound pretty darn fine at low volumes. I don't have a way to measure watts, and I don't trust the meters on my Realistic STA-2080 and Yamaha M-65, respectively. I may have to employ the dreaded loudness switch at really low volumes, but that's what they're made for.

However, the thing that strikes me is that I can play them loud without it hurting. I sometimes incrementally increase the volume with no apparent pain at the endpoint. Could be the ethanol-enhanced beverages.
 
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