Greetings from Audio T Reading. It’s happened more than a few times now… The demo room is all set, the hi-fi system has been nicely warming up ready to rock and roll, the customer has arrived with their favourite tracks looking forward to auditioning some great gear, and we are all set to put the system through its paces and get the room bouncing… sweet! Here’s the moment we’ve been waiting for… the customer reaches for the volume knob, and we’re excited by the prospect of more luscious sound engulfing the room… But wait, what’s happened here? The volume dial has scurried anticlockwise, it’s now so quiet I can hear my tummy growling (shouldn’t have skipped breakfast), and the customer is leaning forward diligently assessing a gamut of sonic characteristics at a singular decibel!

Ok… light-heartedness aside, it was more like 40 decibels, though we were still very much listening at a low volume, definitely below the level of say regular speech (typically 60 decibels). So why would an audio enthusiast want to invest in a high-quality audio system for listening at low volumes? Well, maybe it’s because auditioning is only possible later in the evening? Or perhaps it’s for background or focussed listening while working at home or in an office? Or it could just be that an individual has more sensitive hearing? Whatever the reasons, we understand that low-volume listening need not equate to a loss of enjoyment for someone who has this requirement, and we would like to share some insights as to what we find makes a system engaging at low volume, with examples of equipment that can help to deliver in this regard…

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL – A SUITABLE SOURCE

To begin with, when listening at low volume, it’s essential that the source equipment, i.e. the digital streamer, turntable, CD player, etc. has the ability to pick up as much detail and as little noise as possible from the source media, e.g. the music file, vinyl record, CD, etc. It’s also important that this detail is conveyed in an energetic fashion. At low volume, we’re not looking for equipment that presents in a laid-back a manner. It needs to have that get-up-and-go factor. The Bluesound Node X is a great example of a digital music steamer that delivers plenty of detail with a sprightly approach. It’s improved on-board digital-to-analogue convertor (DAC) renders a livelier, quieter and more incisive sound than the DAC in the standard Bluesound Node, which is noticeable even at those near inaudible levels. For turntables, there are two that jump to mind at different price points; The Rega Planar 2 is an enthusiastic performer – it never feels like it’s holding back, despite it coming with the entry Rega Carbon cartridge, and its musicality doesn’t seem to break down at low volume. Further up the ladder, the Rega Planar 8 is one of the ultimate diggers of detail. Whether teamed with an Ania Pro moving coil cartridge from Rega’s own stable, or when mated with an IQ3 high-level moving magnet design from Audio Note, its inherent nature is to prepare every record for an invasive inspection and not let any musical passage go unchecked. Even at background noise levels, it can be heard achieving this feat. For a CD player, we can put forward the Marantz CD6007. Its presentation can be considered a touch ‘V-shaped’, meaning that there is some emphasis on the higher and lower frequencies in the range. However, this characteristic is a boon for low-level listening, as at lower volumes our ears detect the high and low frequency extremes much less than the rest of the audio spectrum.

TURNING UP THE SILENCE – EAGER AMPLIFICATION

The requirement for good amplification for low-volume listening seems a bit illogical. But it’s more the quality of the amplifier that’s important here rather than outright quantity. To ensure an excellent sound at lower volume, an amplifier needs to demonstrate the attributes of clarity (to pass all of that detail from the source), exceptional grip and drive at lower output, and the ability to control the loudspeaker cones even when the volume knob has barely ventured clockwise. Despite this all seeming good on paper (or on screen), and irrespective of appealing product specifications, experimentation with different amplifier and loudspeaker combinations will pay dividends here to see what works best – pairing is as much an art as it is a science.

With this said, here are some recommendations for integrated (combined pre and power) amplifiers that, in most scenarios, seem to have what it takes for delivering the sonic goods at low volume; At an entry point look no further than the Rega IO. Even given its chocolate box sizing, the IO’s eagerness and agility ensure that music is imparted with an energy that gets itself noticed, including with the volume dial barely turned up. Raising the stakes, it’s hard to overlook the futuristic Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 all-in-one player – its amplification stage is an efficient and powerful, fully-digital, design that demonstrates excellent control, even with trickier loudspeaker loads. It also houses an impressive suite of digital processing for fine-tuning the sound, so all-in-all the TDAI-1120 is blessed with an ability to sound as superb as you want it to at any volume.

To round things off, here’s a little gem that might surprise a few – The Chord Electronics Anni. It’s a tiny yet potent headphone amplifier that can also drive compact loudspeakers with aplomb. Its presentation is clean and open, and in high gain mode the Anni is a beguiling and immersive low-volume performer. Its diminutive size makes it one of the neatest, table-top, speaker-driving solutions in existence. And for a killer desktop listening experience, try the Anni with a WiiM Pro Streamer and a pair of little Quad S-1 speakers… it’s nearfield nirvana!

BE SENSITIVE – LIVELY LOUDSPEAKERS

To complete a system that truly sings in the silence, it’s important to find loudspeakers that behave in a sensitive and efficient manner, ones that appear to “come alive” with very little input and a pair that effortlessly, at low-volume, present all of the key attributes – imaging, soundstage, transparency, timing, etc. – that make listening an immersive and entertaining experience. If a loudspeaker’s cones and domes are low in mass and can be moved fast, there’s a good chance they’ll whisper in a wonderful way.

While product specs can, to some extent, assist with identifying speakers that are easier for amplifiers to drive, in reality it’s more beneficial to get hands-on (and ears-on) with trialling various amp and speaker pairings to hear which ones hit the sweet-spot at those diminishing decibels. This is where our expertise comes in… we can’t get enough of conducting these trials and rejoicing in those eureka moments when we find another winning combo.

So here is a selection of speakers that float our tranquil-listening boat at Audio T Reading; The Dali Spektor 2 are great value compact communicators - their light drive units mean they need very little to get them going and they sparkle on the end of a Rega IO. Stepping into “higher-fi”, the Acoustic Energy AE500 speakers amaze with their ability to sound detailed and transparent at low volumes. Whether hooked up to a full and warm sounding Rega Brio or connected to the detailed and open Lyngdorf TDAI-1120, the neutrality and ease-of-driveability of the AE500 ensures they’re a friend to many amplifiers.

For something quite special, it has to be the Audio Note AX One/II. We raved about the highly informative presentation of this magical monitor in a previous blogs of ours (please click here to read). Literally everything we praised about them is delivered by the bucketload at low volume too. For an amp to partner the AX One/II, we can fully recommend the exuberant Audio Note Cobra. It’s a formidable pairing, and the sight of glowing tubes while listening at a low level makes for a cosy, close to therapeutic, experience. Who needs a spa day?

And finally, let us draw attention to a floorstanding design in the form of the Spendor A2. These slim and splendid towers have a wide-open sound that is highly communicative and standmount-esque when it comes to imaging. Like most of the Spendor range, the A2 are easy to drive placing these among the top performers at lower volume levels. To hear them at their softly spoken best, we would point you in the direction of the Rega Elicit Mk5 amplifier or the Naim Uniti Atom streaming-DAC-amp. The latter makes for a great all-in-one system if minimalism matches your longing for excellent audio, even with that work-of-art Naim Uniti volume wheel spinning anticlockwise.

CAN YOU PLEASE TURN THAT DOWN – AND ENJOY

There are many ways, at a range of price-points, and for a whole host of use-case scenarios that a hi-fi system can be tailored to fulfil your desire to enjoy listening at low volume. It’s worth mentioning that while all of the equipment listed here possess the skills to murmur with magnificence, they are all equally grand sounding should the need arise to crank the volume to more invigorating levels. If you’d like to know or investigate more into a vast range of equipment blessed with the talent to take things down a notch, then please do get in touch with your nearest Audio T store. Our teams are continually tinkering to find great sounding hi-fi combinations and we’d be delighted to share our findings with you.

Thank you for reading. Rishi and Gareth – Audio T Reading

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us

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