LOw Volume

2

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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited September 2007
    I'm a loud kinda guy . . . I like it loud . . . the soft music is for elevators.
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited September 2007
    I didn`t say soft, I said low volume !! :D

    that`s what I mean...it doesn`t get "soft"...it`s still tight and crisp at low volumes...

    she does great at medium and high volume also....
    she even hits concert level and retains clarity without distortion or compression....:cool:
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited September 2007
    beardog03 wrote: »
    I didn`t say soft, I said low volume !! :D

    that`s what I mean...it doesn`t get "soft"...it`s still tight and crisp at low volumes...

    she does great at medium and high volume also....
    she even hits concert level and retains clarity without distortion or compression....:cool:

    "hearingimpared," low volumes are out!:rolleyes:
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited September 2007
    so medium is low, high is medium, and concert is just right !!!


    :p
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited September 2007
    Right on Brother.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,554
    edited September 2007
    Seriously, I know what you're saying Bear. I'm quite happy getting my groove on at lower levels.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited September 2007
    Ruthie just came in and asked if I would turn it down..!!

    It`s down already..

    If I turn it down any further it will bear-ly audible
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,554
    edited September 2007
    Buy her a box of foam ear plugs...........then get yourself a blanket and pillow for the sofa. :D
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited September 2007
    looks like I`m headed in that direction !
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited September 2007
    I listen at lower volumes. Putting the tubed buffer after my DAC really made the difference. See I am one of those PC audio guys... but I built my PC to be dead silent. MY ears are VERY sensitive, and I cannot stand loud noises, but I do not want to have to "strain" to hear detail.

    It is kindof hard to explain, but I do get the idea of "low volume" and I enjoy it. Some of the time I savor the most is when the volume is on the lower end. I am sure I could get by with a much less powerful amp... that is, if I did not use it for 2ch HT occasionally. I am sure my nearfield monitors draw only a couple watts when I am really enjoying music, however my towers definitely need the power when I watch movies. The NAD though... it does seem to do very well for a SS amp once I put tubes into the chain.

    I have thought heavily about having two separate systems even though they would be right next to each other... but for now, I am listening to John Abercrombie's "The Third Quartet" on a low volume yet I hear every detail as I type this.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited September 2007
    F1nut wrote: »
    I'm good at low volume. I'm also good at medium and concert volume. :D

    Same here. Low level resolution is important and is an indicator (to me) of a well put together system. I've gotten rid of a few pieces from the office rig that didn't have good low level resolution. I will say with the 5b's to get any bass you need to bump them to higher than normal listening levels (in the current room sitting about 4 feet away). With the 1C's even a notch above background level everything sound excellent even the bass is there.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    edited September 2007
    At my house, hi volume doesn't happen often.
    Tubes do seem to bring stuff alive at low to moderate levels.
    I've also heard some passive preamps also help there.
    Never had any time with a passive to find out.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited September 2007
    The TVC passive seems like a cool idea because of the transformers. It's passive yet I hear it does not sound thin like other passive pres.
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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited September 2007
    Most of my listening occurs after the wife and kids are asleep. I crank it occasionally when, by some twist of fate, I'm the only one home. My system sounds great at low volumes after one free tweak. I'm powering SDA 2B's with a NAD C370 and a tube buffer (Yaqin with JJ/Tesla 6922 tube) in the preamp-out/main-in loop. When I first hooked up the tube buffer it sounded great once the volume was up a little but didn't seem to do anything at low volume. I also noticed that the volume control was extremely sensitive at low volumes. The NAD has two preamp outs - one with an adjustable gain. I changed the tube buffer to the preamp outs with adjustable gain, turned the volume up until it sounded good, and then turned the preamp gain down until it was as quiet as I will ever want to listen. The gain is turned down approximately 1/3 now. Problem solved! Now all the detail, punch, and warmth are there at low volume and the volume control sensitivity is gone. I don't notice any difference at high volume except really loud used to be around 10:00 on the main volume knob and now it's around 11:00.
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2007
    I have a music CD that has an inserted recording of jets landing at an airport on a certain track. It's absolutely wonderful in a salesperson demo.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited September 2007
    Stew, I had the same problem as you when I put my buffer between the pre out and main in. Unfortunately my NAD does not have adjustable gain... It is interesting that you had this same problem. I wonder if one of the newer small NAD integrateds like the 320bee have this adjustable gain.
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited September 2007
    My Cary has R/L adjustable gains also
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited September 2007
    I get that low level resolution with my Spectral pre.
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,068
    edited September 2007
    Whether it's low, medium, or high volumn my system is very musical & satisfing. That's the beauty of a steller pair of monitors. They get it right no matter the volumn.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,337
    edited September 2007
    Stew wrote: »
    Most of my listening occurs after the wife and kids are asleep. I crank it occasionally when, by some twist of fate, I'm the only one home. My system sounds great at low volumes after one free tweak. I'm powering SDA 2B's with a NAD C370 and a tube buffer (Yaqin with JJ/Tesla 6922 tube) in the preamp-out/main-in loop. When I first hooked up the tube buffer it sounded great once the volume was up a little but didn't seem to do anything at low volume. I also noticed that the volume control was extremely sensitive at low volumes. The NAD has two preamp outs - one with an adjustable gain. I changed the tube buffer to the preamp outs with adjustable gain, turned the volume up until it sounded good, and then turned the preamp gain down until it was as quiet as I will ever want to listen. The gain is turned down approximately 1/3 now. Problem solved! Now all the detail, punch, and warmth are there at low volume and the volume control sensitivity is gone. I don't notice any difference at high volume except really loud used to be around 10:00 on the main volume knob and now it's around 11:00.

    Good stuff Stew! Nice writeup, glad to see you posting and jamming with those 2B's.
    Carl

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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited September 2007
    Yashu wrote: »
    Stew, I had the same problem as you when I put my buffer between the pre out and main in. Unfortunately my NAD does not have adjustable gain... It is interesting that you had this same problem. I wonder if one of the newer small NAD integrateds like the 320bee have this adjustable gain.

    Yashu - The NAD website provides images of the rear panel for all of their integrated amps. Unfortunately, it looks like only the C370/C372 have the adjustable gain. FWIW, I bought my C370 from audiogon for $400. They still show up occasionally.
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited September 2007
    schwarcw wrote: »
    Good stuff Stew! Nice writeup, glad to see you posting and jamming with those 2B's.

    Thanks Carl! I still can't believe the sound I'm getting from these after spending less than $1000 on upgrades (amp, tube buffer, CD player mods, crossover rebuild with TL mod, new tweeters).
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited September 2007
    Stew... haha I had a feeling that would be the case. I bought my c350 and considered a 370 then... but man... I feel like it would be the biggest overkill in the world considering my speakers/habits/environment.

    The c37x has two things now that makes it appealing to me... one was always the built in a/b speaker switch... and now there is adjustable gain.

    Hey! I just looked and the seperate pre c162 has this adjustable gain too... I'll bet the c160 has it also... I may just pick one of these up and do it that way. My buffer is also a yaqin, if I do get a hold of one of these NAD units, what gain setting have you found to work the best? I am going for low to moderate volume performance.

    Now I just have to find a used c160 for sale somewhere (I want to get the pre from the same generation as my integrated if I can... this is my OCD talking).
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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited September 2007
    Yashu wrote: »
    what gain setting have you found to work the best?

    Yashu - The gain knob has 11 dots going from min to max. If min is dot 1 and max is dot 11, mine is set around dot 7.
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited September 2007
    Thankyou stew... I am now looking for a c160 on AGon and ebay and anywhere else... so I think I will like havng the tube buffer in the full system chain will be nice. Right now, I am just supplanting my DAC... and it has pretty low output voltage... so I can only imagine the improvement on an output with appropriate output voltage.
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited October 2007
    Stew, you still around?

    I finally found a c160 and am trying it out... the cosmetics are changed ever so slightly, where yours has 11 dots mine has 4 main ones and about 8 between each, but I am trying various settings, all an improvement over my integrated (being able to tweak the gain lets me hear detail that I never usually hear. Definitely a great pre, that is for sure.

    Thankyou for this little tidbit that lead me to my c160. My low volume listening just got better that is for sure.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited October 2007
    My system is kind of timid at low levels. I usually listen from a third to half volume. Anything past one half my ears start to hurt after a few minutes, plus the lights start to dim. :D
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited October 2007
    face,

    got any pic`s of those killer Mac`s ?
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited October 2007
    There's a couple in my showcase. No full room pics till it's repainted and I put a new floor down. :D
    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=78806
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited October 2007
    those are beauties !

    I always wanted a pair of the mac mono`s
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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