Well, I am coming to some quick conclusions here with very limited time listening in POS.
First, Fletcher and Munson had it right, low volumes just don't cut it!!!! ha ha
I am listening to a wonderful trio of musicians, the Beaux Arts Trio, violin, cello and piano.
Smetana is up.
I started out at violin solo just above the noise floor in the room (daytime 25-30) at under 40 dB. When the other two guys join in, I get at most a reading of 70 dB. Unengaging, un un anything. Sorry.
Then I boosted the volume, now violin solo starts around 60-65 dB, when the boys join in there is an average around 75-80 and when they get cranking up to 90 dB. That is plenty loud for these guys and sounds AMAZING/AWESOME!!!!! Very engaging, very musical.
And I figured out why in a hurry: At low volumes the music is not realistic in any way. It sounds like a dull recording like walking by a house where someone is playing a recording of music.
At "normal" volumes for me, it sounds LIVE!!!!!! The guys with their instruments are HERE, in my home theater!!!! OR, I am THERE!!!!! With them in the recording venue. However you want to say it, this sounds REAL. WOW!!!!!!
Thank you GEt and Triton Ones!!!!!! Even in POS, the sound, heck that is not right, the MUSIC is ALIVE and HERE in my room!!!!!
I will continue this experiment now with some well recorded R&R.
But so far, Bro Rick, I am not arguing with your premise exactly, and I may yet find a reason to listen to my speakers at low volume, but for me, so far, IF others are asleep and I HAVE to, am forced to, then it is headphones for me. (that probably is because my wife is a heavy sleeper, she can fall asleep anytime, anywhere, and usually does not mind to be asleep in the recliner next to me as I watch movies or listen to music at my volumes. AND I have some really good HiFiMan headphones, hopefully good ciems one of these days too).
Rock report to come soon.
God Bless,
Wayne

Ok, I put on the Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" title track.
And played it soft (45-65 dB) and louder, a comfortable topping out at 80 dB.
All the sound is there at softer, lower levels. The brothers are playing and Mark is singing.
I have heard him sing this live, and at low levels it is just not the same. Fine as frog's hair, but not as involving and not as live.

Going back and listening to this album on the T Ones is a treat!!!!
Course it is a 5.1 surround sound SACD and that sounds so wonderful!!!!!
So to return to two channel, I let Austin boy Bob Schneider take over with "Digging for Icycles" from Burden of Proof. Starting out at 45 dB and topping out at 60 was just like listening to background music, something I just do NOT DO!!!! What a waste of good music! But turning him up, starting at 65/75 dB and letting him top out at 82 was a revelation, bringing him right into the listening room.

I don't know Rick, I will leave the low level listening to you my friend. Bro Anthem probly thinks my turned up listening was still too low. Remember, these were real SPL readings, not guesses or bragging. But with the T Ones, I feel the 80s are pretty loud in my room, my listening seat. And immediate as all get out.
YMMV, God Bless,
Wayne

Hey, Wayne

Good stuff. Thanks for the feedback!

I guess for me, it depends on the level of engagement I want/need with the music at the time. 50-55 db seems most perfect when I am "doing stuff". First speakers I've ever owned that still seem to have a rich, full, pleasing sound at that level. Others seem flat, boring, completely without a bass presence. Hard to explain, but GEt's just plain sound fully balanced to me at 55 db... not the punchy dynamics of highers SL's, but rich still nonetheless.

For really active listening, when I am sitting glued to the PLP, a minimum of 75 db seems about right to bring out the best of the dynamics, and sound more like what you would hear at a live performance. And when I am REALLY getting into some great music, then 80-90 db can be magical. I never play at 100 db... my ears just don't tolerate it.

GEt's widen the db range in which I can enjoy music... richer at lower SL's than other speakers, smoother at higher SL's without any treble harshness, and fantastic anywhere in between. For most any other speakers/systems I have owned, I have boosted the bass settings and backed off on the treble settings. No need with GEt's.

Whatever works for whoever is listening!

Happy listening!

I agree that my Tritons are smooth at various volume levels. I have a relatively small listening environment. I am sitting about 12 feet from my front Triton Ones, about 13 feet form my Triton SuperSat 3C front wides, about 6 feet from my Altec-Lansing Bolero sides and about 8 feet from my Triton 7 rears. I listen to music in all-channel stereo so that I can enjoy all of my GE speakers (and my 55 year-old Altecs).

Most of the time I am listening at fairly low sound levels, but I also have the Triton Ones set to 100 Hz cutoff so that I can re-direct the bass to the LFE inputs. I find the music to be very detailed at lower volumes. Wayne, I have several recordings by The Beaux Arts Trio and they sound wonderful in my setup. Right now, we are having morning coffee and listening to the Robert Shaw Chorale singing Christmas music a capella (the CD is Telarc "Voices of Angels" -- all a capella).

Occasionally, I will listen alone at room-filling volume - probably not as loud as you guys are listening. My room is just not large enough to permit comfortable, but loud listening. I find that, for full orchestral music, listening with sound at the same level as I would experience at a live performance in a concert hall is just not enjoyable. But, thanks to my GE speakers, I don't lose any musical detail at the lower volume.

Happy listening to all,

Art

I agree with you Rick and Art. Art I have my T Ones wired up with the LFE as well, and Rick I run them flat as a ruler, no need to boost or mess with any frequencies, not even sure I could IF I wanted to (I guess there is a nighttime listening mode on my XMC-1, never checked).
And I can experience what sounds to me like full concert music hall volumes right here on my listening seat. More comfortably than if I was at the real concert (in my underwear, not a suit/tie) ha ha. Next time I play that kind of music I will get out the meter and check how loud, but I doubt it is ever over 100 dB Bro Rick. I don't think it is in a concert hall either, will have to check that out though.
God bless,
Wayne

I just Googled it and found that orchestral peaks can reach 120-137 dB. Well I never!!
Not in my experience and that would not be comfortable in my theater.
Maybe I just imagined I was listening to it as loud as in person. I have not been to a symphonic orchestra concert in a LONG time!!!!! (he says sadly)
God Bless,
Wayne