Best Loudness button you've heard

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the one that's not there!

 

And ignores well-established science about human hearing.

 

Just found this thread and would add my latest experience.
I always played music through the direct button on my old pioneer 606 amp and it really cleaned the sound up, the loudness button was boomy and made things sound congested.
However i always listened at low volumes (65-70db) and always felt a lack of punch, with any speaker i have tried and even after treating my room. From the REW measurments the system's/room response is now relatively good with frequency suckout or boosts that have been carefully addressed, especially the lower end has been improved from 50hz to 400hz. Nonetheless i still felt a lack of bass impact at my typical listening volumes...and the loudness button simply made things boomy and artifical. Obviously raising the listening levels to 85db greatly improved the situation but due to neighbour issues that was not a viable option.
Enter the Galactron Mk10 amp. I now simply cannot live without the loudness button on, everything comes to life , bass has a solid impact and the mids are so clear..... and i feel that the variable contouring at different volume levels is just spot on for my ar3a speakers and room. So again i guess it is difficult to generalise, to each their own, but having tried three different rooms, room treatments, 3 amps and 4 different kind of speakers, I find it hard to believe that at low listening levels (talking stereo here, no subwoofers) one can be totally satisfied without some kind of correction on the lowest and highest frequencies. If you are lucky enough to be able to play at higher volumes than you probably don't need a loudness button/control but mine flattens and basically disengages at higher listening volumes...so the loudness button stays ON!

 

That's the way it really should work. A fixed loudness button is certainly better than none but can really only be appropriate for a specific volume range. Audyssey Dynamic EQ in AVRs works really well for this - no boost at high levels and gradually more as you lower the volume.

 

I use it rarely, and only at lower volume levels, but the loudness button on my Sansui 2000x is quite effective in those situations, boosting the bottom end without sounding boomy, and providing a nice overall bit of punch.

 

I've never used any kind of loudness button except for once, and I immediately turned it off. There's a loudness button on a 2018 Jeep Compass I pressed for some reason. It just makes everything compressed and sound like a fart, from how much it boosts the bass frequencies. Not a big fan of loudness buttons.

 

Sansui loudness circuit = amazing

 

Apparently linguine is better due to a larger surface area. Fettuccine is the best for high current amps and low efficiency speakers, and is also good for runs under the carpet as it’s flat.

 

You should know, you're the guy who clued me in on it.

 

The right channel of my Luxman just blew, so I hooked up an old Sony STR- D590 for the time being. It sounded pretty good with the DBFB off, and REALLY good with it on. It doesn't have the punch of the Luxman, but I was surprised by its clarity and depth while listening to vinyl with the DBFB on.

 

Sansui

 

It isn't a "button" but the loudness dial on the Yamaha integrated amps is excellent. I've been utilizing the loudness dial on my A-S801 more and more.
I also agree that the loudness button on the Sansui is a good one.

 

Easy. "Bass EQ" on NAD 7155.

 

I really enjoy both powermatch and xbass settings found on a lot of iFi devices. Straight to the point one way or another, and a very subtle yet welcomed addition for headphones that lack the impact some traditionally bass light ones need.

 

I don’t have loudness button on my preamp but when playing at low volume I often turn the subwoofer levels for a bit more punch.

 

They only loudness I’ve liked is the variable loudness on Yamaha gear. All other loudness buttons creat an overly boomy mid bass. Annoying and this also creates a muddy sound on midrange vocals.

 

The Loudness contour on my RME DAC really works well. It is also adjustable with respect to bass and treble dB and the volume threshold at which it occurs. From that threshold the loudness contour tapers down as the volume goes up. Works really well with smaller speakers at night.

 

Heard great things about RME stuff. On the to try list for sure!

 

I agree, it's the one thing I've always liked about Yamaha gear. My Nakamichi TA-2A has the same thing, and being able to adjust the loudness is useful, as I use it in my office system with small bookshelf speakers.

 

My Sansui G-8000. To tell the truth, without it the sound was a little thin....

 

Yes agreed; both my G8000 and G971 were the same way...........without the loudness button engaged there seemed to be something missing.

 

Sansui

 

I recently changed to a Sony STR-6055 (my Harman Kardon finally went) and that was my first experience with a Loudness button.

After the first few plays, I ended up preferring it “on” even though I thought it made the bass a bit boomy. I probably should turn it off and listen a few days like that, it being a new piece of equipment to me.

 

?!? So why does it offend you? That's exactly what it is supposed to do.