Question Do I have appropriate speakers?

[rob_wales]

Hello

I have a Marantz PM6007 amp, which I am very happy with. I connect a bluetooth adapter to one of the inputs and play all my music (mostly classical) through Amazon Music from my Samsung phone. I find the sound quality is very good. I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers attached. The volume level at about 20% on the amp dial is sufficient most of the time. If I go to about 40% it gets quite loud, and I can't detect any distortion. However, if I go above 40% it doesn't seem to get a lot stronger on volume. Have I got the wrong speakers, or could it be a problem from my phone? I tried connecting my Dali Spektor speakers (from another amp upstairs) and it didn't make much difference.

The room is 25ft x 13ft with a wooden floor.

 

[A-Line]

Maybe try more efficient speakers such as Classic Klipsch speakers( 1 watt = 106db), or some other brand of efficient speakers.

 

[Gray]

It may be that the volume pot on your amp is giving most gain early on in its travel (which wouldn't be a fault, just its characteristic).

What about other sources such as CD player or DAC, how do they compare with the Bluetooth receiver?
(My own BT receiver has noticeably less output than CD / DAC)

 

[manicm]

It could be Bluetooth not appearing dynamic enough at high volumes instead of the volume itself.

But bigger speakers would help too.

 

[Tinman1952]

Hello

I have a Marantz PM6007 amp, which I am very happy with. I connect a bluetooth adapter to one of the inputs and play all my music (mostly classical) through Amazon Music from my Samsung phone. I find the sound quality is very good. I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers attached. The volume level at about 20% on the amp dial is sufficient most of the time. If I go to about 40% it gets quite loud, and I can't detect any distortion. However, if I go above 40% it doesn't seem to get a lot stronger on volume. Have I got the wrong speakers, or could it be a problem from my phone? I tried connecting my Dali Spektor speakers (from another amp upstairs) and it didn't make much difference.

The room is 25ft x 13ft with a wooden floor.

I am assuming you have your phone volume on maximum?

 

[rob_wales]

I am assuming you have your phone volume on maximum?

It's normally near the top end of the phone volume

 

[rob_wales]

It may be that the volume pot on your amp is giving most gain early on in its travel (which wouldn't be a fault, just its characteristic).

What about other sources such as CD player or DAC, how do they compare with the Bluetooth receiver?
(My own BT receiver has noticeably less output than CD / DAC)

The BT seems to give the most volume. If I connect via RCA cable from phone socket to another amp input the volume is less, although the sound quality seems about the same. Might it be a good idea to go to Richer Sounds and ask to get a demo of my current speakers versus a different pair?

I don't have other inputs such as CD.

 

[nopiano]

My experience of Bluetooth is that there is little consistency in output levels from various devices. It’s not like CD which was req to max out at 2 volts, though this has crept up to 2.1, 2.2 and higher (giving an advantage on comparative demos).

Also, I believe the 600x series from Marantz is known to operate at lowish volume settings, probably because that impresses some people that it’s much more powerful than it is. But of course it runs out of steam sooner, as a result.

Your speakers are great budget devices, but can be bettered for quality, especially for classical music, as that tends to be recorded at lower average records than ‘pop/rock’ does.

 

[plastic penguin]

I think a 45 watt amp could struggle with a 6 ohm 86 db speaker if cranked up. At 40% volume is fine, according to the OP, but above that it struggles. Above 40% tells me he plays it at close on half the amps total output.

I would suggest looking at a more powerful amp or more efficient speakers, 8 ohms and 88db upwards.

 

[Tinman1952]

The BT seems to give the most volume. If I connect via RCA cable from phone socket to another amp input the volume is less, although the sound quality seems about the same. Might it be a good idea to go to Richer Sounds and ask to get a demo of my current speakers versus a different pair?

I don't have other inputs such as CD.

The phone socket (headphone output) normally defaults to 50% volume to avoid hearing damage with headphones. Again this should be at max...

 

[rob_wales]

My experience of Bluetooth is that there is little consistency in output levels from various devices. It’s not like CD which was req to max out at 2 volts, though this has crept up to 2.1, 2.2 and higher (giving an advantage on comparative demos).

Also, I believe the 600x series from Marantz is known to operate at lowish volume settings, probably because that impresses some people that it’s much more powerful than it is. But of course it runs out of steam sooner, as a result.

Your speakers are great budget devices, but can be bettered for quality, especially for classical music, as that tends to be recorded at lower average records than ‘pop/rock’ does.

Your middle para sounds about right. It does feel like that. I was expecting a linear progression of volume output as I turned the dial up, but that just doesn't happen. I am quite happy with the volume, it just makes me wonder why it trails off at the upper end. Classical does sound lower level of volume than rock.

 

[Gray]

Might be a good idea to go to Richer Sounds and ask to get a demo of my current speakers versus a different pair?

Could well be worthwhile, if only to find a better sounding pair.
Higher sensitivity will obviously boost your level, but don't expect that volume dial to act in much more of a linear fashion.

 

[doifeellucky]

If you normally only listen at 20% and you like the sound what is the problem exactly?

 

[WayneKerr]

It may be that the volume pot on your amp is giving most gain early on in its travel (which wouldn't be a fault, just its characteristic).

Definitely this. I owned the 6004 and 8004 it was exactly the same on CD input. Too loud too quickly, go much over 50% of volume travel and you're into clipping territory.

Also agree with nopiano's post.

 

[rob_wales]

If you normally only listen at 20% and you like the sound what is the problem exactly?

It isn't really a problem. I posted this as a question. I'm just curious to know why there is such a fall-off in the sound level past 50% on the dial. I don't know much about hi-fi and I wondered if having more volume in reserve would give a better quality sound at lower levels of volume. I have noticed on other devices that if you turn up the volume too much distortion soon creeps in and spoils the quality of sound.

 

[12th Monkey]

Classical does sound lower level of volume than rock.

It will do. The dynamic range of classical exceeds pretty much every other type of music - basically the difference between the quietest and loudest sections is so large that your ears' 'reference' level has to be set lower with classical.