detailed sound at low volumes

[Bernd]

Will,

To tell you the truth, everything matters. I've been exploring that very topic of low level resolution in my systems as of late. While I concur with Joe that electrostats offer the best potential (I am a stat fancier also), you should be able to get good results with your speakers. Similarly, some amps don't do as well at low levels as high levels. I learned that first in 1972 when I bought an AR Integrated amp. Wonderful at full tilt, but fell flat on its face at low levels. The same is true when I compared an otherwise excellent Conrad-Johnson MV-75 power amp to my Threshold. The C-J just didn't fare well at sub one watt levels. I have a NAD HT receiver and find them to do well at low levels so your C340 should be ok..

In the past couple of months, I have re-cabled my vintage system using Double New Advents, Pioneer PD-54 CDP, Threshold Stasis amp, and DIY attenuators with hand me downs from the main system. I find cables of all sorts to be the last frontier in reducing low level noise thus improving low level rez. I am amazed at the detail I am now getting at the one-tenth of a watt ouput according to the Threshold's LED output ladders. Even with 70s speakers.

In my experience, better ICs, speaker cables, and power cords each contribute to a blacker background. I use shielded JPS Labs cables that are good at rejecting RFI / RMI generated by all sorts of digital devices found throughout homes, including the nearby CD player. The speaker cables are modest DH Labs T-14s. The usual argument against the value of power cords revolves around the notion that you are somehow trying to improve the quality of the power delivered miles away. How can the last three feet improve miles and miles of cable? The villains are located instead a few feet away as CDP or nearby as digital cable boxes, wireless routers, and the like. RFI manifests itself as a bright edge cast over the sound.

So - what can you do? If your NAD amp has an IEC cord, you can upgrade it. I was able to do that with my T763. While there are some hideously expensive ones available (as a point of reference, Harry Pearson of TAS uses twelve $3000 Nordost Valhallas in his system and it is dead quiet even on phono), I've found benefit with some at the under $100 level. Another approach would be to buy a power conditioner and plug your components into it. There are lots of brands available, but I've had good luck with a relatively inexpensive Monster HTS-1000 now used in an HT system. If your speaker wire is older than a couple of years, it has likely oxidized. Buy some new 12 gauge stuff. The same can be said of interconnects. One tweak that even the lab coats endorse is a good contact cleaner like the Caig ProGold and Deoxit products.

Good luck!

rw

Hi,
I agree with that. If you want resolution at low level you need to have really clean mains. I sometimes stayed up till the wee hours and found some resolution lacking. I have very good cabling and after I installed the "Isotek Titan" mains product the inky black background was just that. I can now hear all the detail even at very low level.I also clean all the connections and sockets and fuses with "Kontak". Worked for me.
But I also know that we hear different at loud volumes. My theory is that we can feel the music at loud volumes and not just hear it and therefore have a different experience.

Good Luck.

Peace

Bernd