The Best Sounding Systems can Play Loudly with Low Distortion

A lot (most?) of us were exposed to loud stereos before we experienced good stereos. At an early age we learned to equate loud with distortion, and can hear surprisingly loud, distortion free music without realizing how loud it really is. We don't get the signals that originally told us it was "loud". That was an interesting discovery for myself and several others over the years, and probably contributed heavily to my tinnitus. 

Not convinced that low distortion equates to a very low black noise floor or higher fidelity. 

Not convinced that low distortion equates to a very low black noise floor or higher fidelity. 

You’re certainly correct in that it doesn’t necessarily equate to a lower noise floor. Only low noise gear and quiet rooms can do that. But low distortion is in essence the definition of high fidelity. The latter should be immediately apparent when one finally experiences high-end, ultra-low-distortion speakers at spirited levels in a well treated room. I’m talking speakers with SOTA drivers, not just expensive models ascribed some BS tech claims (brands I’ll refrain from naming). 

Loudness really becomes a factor when you want to hear a kick drum that sounds anything reminiscent of an actual kick drum, the same for low octave piano notes. The majority of speakers, even some rather expensive ones, fall apart at those levels, or often sacrifice the two lowest octaves of bass in order to achieve decent headroom. Sometimes it comes down to a lack of amplifier power/headroom.

@alaric62 

"A lot (most?) of us were exposed to loud stereos before we experienced good stereos. At an early age we learned to equate loud with distortion, and can hear surprisingly loud, distortion free music without realizing how loud it really is. We don't get the signals that originally told us it was "loud". That was an interesting discovery for myself and several others over the years, and probably contributed heavily to my tinnitus."

Individuals who subject themselves to excessively loud levels almost immediately begin to suffer an effect known as listening fatigue, wherein the ear's sensitivity to the onslaught decreases and the listener tries to compensate by continually increasing the volume. After the volume pot reaches a certain rotation, they begin to hear excessive clipping and breakup as the amp tries to keep up with their loudness demands and runs out of power leading the listener to conclude they need a bigger amp.

I think that the ability to generate clean, great sound at high output SPL’s is the toughest challenge any audio system faces, be it home audio or professional.

Any decent home system should be able to reproduce enjoyable sound at low to moderate or even high moderate levels, but if you are looking for convincing real world output levels that sound great, that would take a very special system indeed.

I think that it is possible to put a system like that together, but you would have to be willing to step outside of the conventional audiophile rule book box to do it.