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

I found myself having to re-balance the speakers in my HT today….. well, I have both the digital and analog Radio Shack meters (wouldn’t have bought the analog…but thought the Great Dane had eaten the digital one so….). well, I sat around tonight after setting up the Halloween decorations listening to music….. and had the SPL meters out…….

I must say I was surprised to find out that I was listening to music @ 94 dBs! (FWIW It was Elton John Funeral For a Friend, SACD). I know I have demo’d my system for friends at much higher volumes… I’m afraid to document the levels there…….

I must admit, my stereo/HT handled this level perfectly! I could have gone louder…if I needed, but I just don’t think I do!!!

I’m curious if any of you have documented how loud you listen to your tunes at??

FWIW I don’t normally listen at this level…it was a good day….
128x128kennyt
quadophile's avatar
quadophile
418 posts
 
Q_man if at 19 feet your systems SPL is what you say it is, how come your system has not taken off and is still on ground :) Did you know that the Concorde generates 130 db SPL at take off?

SPL measurements are done at 1 meter, not at 19 feet, God only knows what your systems SPL's must be at 1 meter. I would not like to go near it!
q_man
24 posts
 
My rear center is only 7' behind me, and my left and right surrounds are 8' to either side. That helps some with the readings. All my speakers are full range and have a 104db sensitivity rating and I'm feeding them 200 watts each. The efficiency of the speakers is the main thing.

At 104db from my seat I only will listen for about 20 minutes or a song or two at a time that I really like. Then it is back down to 94db.The sound is still very clean at 104, but I don't want to over do it on my ears. Most of the time I'm at 94db, and I can sit there for guite a while.
quadophile's avatar
quadophile
418 posts
 
Q-man, I surrender unconditionally :)

I am glad to know you restrict yourself listening to it loud for a shorter period of time. Sometimes it does help to get the adrenaline flowing freely!

Cheers!
ramstl
342 posts
 
Depends on the quality of the recording and my mood but any where from 75 to 105 db peaks. If I could go more I would but the sound becomes conjested and goes south quickly. At times I wish my system could handle 115 dbs.

Some of my recordings can have some large dynamic swings and it would be sweet to hear them with out acting as a human compressor, fearing that I'm going to blow a ribbon on my Maggies.
suits_me
121 posts
 
Slightly off topic, yahoo had a story today about a ClearChannel stadium which has had many noise complaints about its concerts, the latest one being by Korn. The article allowed that peaks from the concert reached 90db. Now, you might think that a general purpose audience and journalist might not notice that's a wee bit funny, but the article went on to say, "That's as loud as a kitchen blender."

The thing is I can't figure out the typo. The numerals "90" don't emanate from what they must have intended - a hellacious number - easily.

BTW, any dietician will tell you that corn is not fully digestible....
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