Rwbadley, FWIW my experience with Dynaudio's is that typical of a lot of dynamic speakers they really don't open up at low volume settings with any amps - including high power tube amps. At medium to high volume they are excellent to supurb depending on the model. This has been brought home to me recently by the acquisition of some new speakers usings Seas drivers - they open up much more at low volumes, that is I have full soundstage imaging and bass at much lower levels of volume. Quads do the same thing at low levels, as do other some speakers. TWL is correct in pointing at the speakers but I'm not sure how much the amp makes a difference unless it is a tonal one, i.e. more bass output at low levels will make for a much more natural sounding tone (but will become opressive at higher volumes).
Low level res more inherent in tubes?
A post re: what sound level do you listen at got me thinking. I noticed a high percentage responding they listen in the 80-85 db range. I checked my system and room with a variety of music and rarely found a need to go beyond 70db to achieve a satisfying sound, unless a few adult beverages were consumed, then it went a bit higher.
This is with a current integrated tube setup- I thought back to some previous SS amps and remembered a tendency (or a need) to play the music louder, sometimes much louder to achieve a certain satisfaction of sound. To me, the current amp is better at conveying details at lower sound levels.
So, I guess the bottom line is- Is there such a thing as good low level res or microdynamics from SS power? How far up the SS amp food chain do you need to go to get it?
Or is it just more inherent in tube amplification?
Or- would it have more to do with the tube pre-amp within the system?
This is with a current integrated tube setup- I thought back to some previous SS amps and remembered a tendency (or a need) to play the music louder, sometimes much louder to achieve a certain satisfaction of sound. To me, the current amp is better at conveying details at lower sound levels.
So, I guess the bottom line is- Is there such a thing as good low level res or microdynamics from SS power? How far up the SS amp food chain do you need to go to get it?
Or is it just more inherent in tube amplification?
Or- would it have more to do with the tube pre-amp within the system?