Factors affecting low level listening

I found that exact same experience. Not only did the 1200s allow a much fuller low level sound but voices were clearer, especially female voices.
I enjoyed the 700s but LOVE the 1200s, at any listening level.

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I like the M1200s ability to sound great at low volume, I use to play music at 50dB (100 on MK II and 30 on BHK Pre with 90dB Sonus faber speakers).

From other comments I understand that BHK300s need higher volume to shine, while BHK600s have the same wonderful character when playing at lower level or even better. I’m realizing that I need to jump directly to 600s if one day I want to upgrade my amplification.

Still related to low volume performance, anyone who can share how Pass Labs (x.260.8 monos) amps sound?

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Or you can get a Gryphon Antileon EVO, Audio Research Reference 160M’s, or Esoteric Grandioso M1X’s that won’t lose a huge amount of value the first time PSA has a sale on the 600’s.

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I’ve just booked an apartment for 3 weeks in Sardinia at the end of July/August, (remember the rule of promising equivalent gifts to my family when I spend for audio gear) at the price of those amps my wife would want a house on the beach before ever considering to accept such a kind of purchase!
I’m noticing you are a little critical recently about PSA strategies, it’s so difficult to say you’re wrong though! Ok, I’m back soon to my room project, better keeping my mind busy on that for a while, even if dreaming costs nothing, isn’t it?!

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I was just looking at Time in Jazz!!!

https://www.vivaticket.com/it/ticket/abbonamento-time-in-jazz-2023/203890

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I suppose I have begun to wonder about the true value. I believe it’s the sale price. If that’s the case, why ever buy anything until the sale?

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The great trade-in allowance

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5 concerts at 80 euros if you buy tickets today, without knowing the official program. 110 euros after disclosures. Ah ah ah, Italian marketing!

Berchidda and other villages in the northern area… I have to reconsider my reservation… planning a few more days maybe.

From what I have read, Paolo Fresu always performs. That alone is worth the price of the tickets.

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I love Paolo Fresu!

Speaking of low-level listening. My new rack does an amazing thing in low-level listening. Everything sounds so clear. I never thought my previous rack was bad. In fact, the presentation is so smooth that I missed some of the sparks from before, or maybe I am used to hearing music with a bit of “noise” in it. :laughing:

My friend has a wonderful system, but he does not go all out in the way many of us have done here to reduce “unheard noise”. We’ll listen to the same music at each other’s houses and have discussions about which system reflects the recorded music more accurately. Always a gentlemanly discussion, but we’ll talk, for example, about the “gruffness” in Boz Scaggs’ voice on particular tunes. Stuff like that. We both wonder which one is more correctly reflecting what’s on the source, but over my experience in reducing unheard noise, I’ve come to the conclusion that some of those “ear catching” things - the bit of extra rasp in a voice, the extra roughness in a snare drum - can be attributed to this unheard noise and how it influences these very low level artifacts.

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When I listen to jazz I have to have a towel to wipe the spit off the floor. Gruff.

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Maybe I’m glad I don’t have a system THAT resolving :wink:

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When I listen to the Grateful Dead I don’t have to smoke.

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Funny, The Dead always made me want to smoke.
Wait—smoke what?

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Back to the original question, by far the best speakers I ever heard at low levels were Quad ESL63. Just amazing.
I owned a pair of PMC Fact.8 that I sold because the sound collapsed at low levels.
Harbeth were very good at low levels, may be something to do with their design objective being to approach Quad ESL.
My Wilson do quiet very well.

Some of us need better quiet than loud, so an issue dear to my heart.

My amp has a Loudness button, not used it yet because my speakers don’t need it. Curiously, Quad mastered the pre-amp fix with their patented TILT control. Otherwise, I think its far more the speakers than amp issues.

And why I find this thread particularly interesting. I need a do over with this in mind.

My Focal Aria 948s…lullabye me with quiet detailed arias…

but when cranked up ooooh baby…

Best wishes