If you play your music between 10 and 12 on the d

It depends on the preamp, amp and speakers.

10 to 12 on the dial is not universal fot what you are describing, which as far I can tell is when the sound fills out completely with good dynamics and extension.

The ideal system plays as well at low volume as it does at high volume. I have never had a system that did this. All my systems have had a certain point on the preamp's volume knob where the music came into full bloom.

Depending on the speakers and amplifier, higher wattage sometimes adds weight and bass at lower volumes. In a high efficiency system, I don't believe this is true.

all equipment being equal, if i understand your question, in selling equipment all my life, turning it up always caused me to ring the cash register. now in saying that, i don't know what all that means, does it mean that we just like LOUD? and we also like BIG.....so to answer your question, i am not an engineer, especially an audio engineer, but i do have a understanding of what music should sound like in volume levels. the music being played should always sound as if you are listening live, how can you listen to rock , at low volumes, you can't ....nor can you listen to jazz loud...it must be moderate or you change the music. it always gets me how some people listen to music at one volume,low,med,loud,instead of listening as if they are in a music hall, club, theatre, always listen to level that you would think it would be played live. now to try to answer your question...in owning many, many amps, i always liked power, being, tube or solid state and i always tell everyone to buy as much clean power as you can afford.....dwhitt

Is this a question about the ideal impedances for the attentuator? I always thought rightly or wrongly that the attenuator performs best when it is past the 10 o'clock position - it is certainly true with a passive - not just a matter of loudness which depends as much amp and speaker.