What is the best DB level to

Would you listen to a recording of violin's at the same level that you would a "jammin" rock band ? I think not. Each recording works best as an individual piece and at an individual level. My experience is that it would be impossible to "pigeon-hole" an entire genre of music to one volume let alone all recordings of various types. Sean
>

Sean, if one happened to like violin and perhaps not care for a 'jammin' rock band or vice versa, then yes.

But Sean just because it's a 'jammin' rock band doesn't mean one instantly needs to crank it up to 100+db. If you're talking Guns N Roses or Metallica, or def cheatah, perhaps, but there are just as many variations of what one considers to be a 'jammin' rock concert as there are people.

However, I would like to see a 'jammin' live pipe organ concert.

Get yourself a SPL meter. It's the essential audiophile accessory. First use it to balance your HT system. Then use it to spot check your typical listening levels. Your personal preferences will come heavily into play. Personally, I find 85dB at the listening position to be quite loud for all types of music. A good system, properly setup should sound good at both loud and soft levels.

It depends a lot on your system. One of the greatest shortcomings of almost all systems is an inability to produce the "dynamic swings" from low - moderate levels to high. A SPL meter might be handy, but use your ears. You may want to hear "Jurasic Park" at higher levels than say "Howards End".

Stehno, my post was not meant as a challenge to your statements in the least. My comments were based on what one would hear at a live event. Since i've never heard violins roaring at 110 dB's, it would normally come across as "un-natural" to say the least. Then again, i know of very few "jammin" rock bands that play at 80 dB's, so that too would be "un-natural". This is not to say that either would not be enjoyable at those volumes, only that listening levels are TYPICALLY dictated by the style of music and your mood.

I also agree that dynamic range and dynamic compression play a great deal as to what sounds "right". If a system goes into dynamic compression relatively quickly, you would have to listen with the gain advanced higher to achieve the same peak levels. This would obviously increase the average listening level at the same time. Sean
>