ATC active or Tannoy TD12?

Bob,

I listen around 90 db spl rms most of the time. On a good album I may listen
at 95 db SPL rms. On really great music, which would be no more than a few
tracks would hit at around 100 - 103 db spl rms at their loudest part - no
more than that. All with a ratshack meter of course at 12 feet back - so
instantaneous transients may be higher and of course it is much louder at 3
feet from the speakers.

If you want to run a test on your system then I can run track 1 of Sheffield
labs drum track cleanly at around 105- 108 db SPL rms continuous on
crescendos (lasts a few seconds) with odd transients hitting around 112 -
115 db spl (lasting milisecs) at 12 feet back. This sounds like a real drum set
in the room. If I go higher then momentary gain reduction kicks in.

What most people do not realize is that when you listen extremely loud - it is
ONLY extremely loud very very briefly - a few seconds in all on each track.
Great music is not meant to be all at 105 db SPL all the time - that is too
fatiguing. So you can ONLY crank it on a good recording with good dynamic
range otherwise if it is Green Day then your ears are sore after one track.

A great track that plays loud very well is George Benson Weekend in L.A. Live
- "On Broadway" - Harvey Mason does a nice job there on drums
- great groove - great dynamics on this track.

Hi Shadorne, Thanks for your answer. Glad to see you use the "legendary" Radio Shack meter. I use the analog one of course! I tend to agree with you on the levels, most of my LPs play around low to mid 90s spl, and many playing up to 98db. A few playing up to 102-104db. With the loudest playing up to 104 to 106db. I dont believe (I am very sure) anything I play is louder than that.

Shadorne, when you see 115db on the meter, is your meter set on the 110db setting, or the 120db setting?

I dont have any of those albums available that you mentioned, I only have a turntable, I am not set up for any other source.

Shadorne said "Great music is not meant to be all at 105 db SPL all the time - that is too
fatiguing."

I will agree with that.

Bob

Bob,

I don't recall the meter setting 110 or 120 I suspect it was 110 (it is on fast response C weighting and max). Mine is the new digital kind. I have a condensor microphone too but it just ain't worth the trouble to setup with the PC etc. just to make a quick SPL measurement.

If you must know then PM me and I'll wait for an opportunity to test. Although I am in the basement it is so loud that the Wife will go balistic.

FWW: At these levels you might need to find a protected environment for your TT - there is often significant microphonics (distortion) as you feel sound waves as well as hear it. Pink Floyd have all their tube equipment in a separate room because of thiis issue.

Shadorne said, "At these levels you might need to find a protected environment for your TT"

Or your wife! ("it is so loud that the Wife will go balistic") :)

So, how often and when do you play it this loud?

Yes there is no doubt that you do/can play fairly loud. I dont believe that I have heard a system played that loudly, ever.

Sure, the next time you have it cranked, check your meters levels and the settings, still curious.
Bob

So, how often and when do you play it this loud?

I never play as loud as the Sheffield Drums test track example I gave - that was
just setup testing. If you can achieve clean audio 10 db SPl higher than you
ever need then it might seem wasteful, however, it ensures that distortion
remains ultra low at normal levels all of the time. Headroom is protection for
those odd recordings that stress a system in peculiar ways without necessarily
being all that loud.