How Loud Do You Listen??? Do You Know?????????

When discussing average listening levels, one needs to specify where the reading is being taken. For sake of consistency, placing the meter where your head would normally be and having it set up with the mic facing straight forward between the center of the speakers seems the most acceptable way to do this to me. Some folks take measurments 3 ft / 1 meter from the speakers, which is not nearly the same as what one hears at their seated listening position.

Having said that, some music sounds best at low to moderate levels while other music sounds best at a roar. A good system should be able to perform well at either extreme and be coasting somewhere in the middle. This doesn't mean that you'll always listen to "loud" music loudly, etc... It just means that each recording will have a specific spl range that it seems to work best at. After all, wailing electric guitars weren't meant to be listened to at 80 dB's and a chamber music wasn't meant to be listened to at 110+ dB's. On top of that, we all know that volume varies with our mood and recordings, so how do you tell what an "average" really is? Sean
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Ehhh!!

gee Beavis thought you would say 110 decibels how was your user name chosen it doesn't seem match with your indicated average listening level? lets see 100 decibels is about average for me at listening position.

Sean sez:

we all know that volume varies with our mood and recordings, so how do you tell what an "average" really is

Good point! One way of "averaging" is to measure voice at listening position. In my case that's ~5m away from the spkrs. I usually "average" 82-85db spl with opera aria.

BTW, as Dusty mentioned 800W -- that's ~29 db added on to the reference sensitivity. But the amp's current capacity plays a role too... I thought Maggies were around 84db -- and can they take 800W?? I'd be afraid of damaging the ribbons.

Sean,

Why don't you buy an SPL meter so you know what you're talking about :). $50 well spent and you'll learn something about you and your system!

It really isn't all that philosophical and although different music will create a range you are correct....the keyword is Average and you'll find you have a sweet spot where you typically play the system. That sweet spot could define a limitation in your system and room size also music preferences.

Using an SPL meter is a great way to buy speakers, you'll be shocked how loud you can listen to one speaker and the next speaker is doing all sorts of nasty stuff that makes it sound 10 times louder at the same SPL.

PS: 88-94dB