Does It have to be loud?

@geoffkait 

I fully agree with your statement "Furthermore, the distortion you hear as more power is applied might not (rpt not) be produced by the speakers per se as I have pointed out before - I.e., comb filter effects from room anomalies (pressure peaks in room corners and elsewhere, slap echo, standing waves as well as other, uh, less understood phenomenon, beyond scope".
Bottom line is that the chances of hearing distortion at higher (95 dba upwards) are simply much higher. That's why I started this discussion. Why would manufacturers, and/or equipment owners seek the higher SPL to demonstrate the abilities of their equipment, whilst when staying under that value you will be able to judge the equipment much better. Also, because usually the rooms used to demonstrate have little or no acoustic treatment. Anyway, after having read the reactions here, there is a clear indication that a vast majority of the people here will stay way under the 95 dba SPL when listening to music. So, hopefully those involved for demonstrating equipment at shows read this as well ;)

@gdhal

I am surprised we cannot agree. To clarify, a speaker that plays to 90 dB SPL before distorting and non-linear behaviour commences is still true high fidelity up to the point it starts distorting. Above that level - well I thought this would be intuitive - the speaker is no longer high fidelity.

As for the Decibel and what is volume level (sound intensity), I guess I leave that to you to decide how you feel these terms are best defined. Your terminology usage and meaning simply does not match normal audio engineering convention and I have no ability to guess what you mean by any of these terms.

None of this is all that important. No offences intended. Disagreement is healthy and that is how we all learn.

This post of mine is rather apropos at this time, and for this particular thread, IMO.

Besides the fact that the new Stereophile Recommended Components issue is out and the Triton Reference is listed in CLASS A - FULL RANGE, and happens to be the **least expensive** member of that very-elite group, by a factor of 2x, consider the following very recent review from Audio Esoterica.

https://www.goldenear.com/images/reviews/Triton_Reference_Audio_Esoterica_Jan%202018.pdf

Among other accolades, read what the article has to say about lack of distortion and also "regularly cracking sound pressure levels of more than 100dBSPL at the listening position".

EDIT:

...No offences intended. Disagreement is healthy and that is how we all learn.

@shadorne

No offense taken, and I appreciate your making it clear none was intended. Additionally, to your point about disagreement being healthy and this is how we can learn, I agree with you completely. Thanks.

When I'm tired I generally listen at lower volume. When I want to "live the music" then I turn up until I find the "sweet or bloom spot"..........where the music comes out of the speakers and forms a sound stage. Every system has a sweet spot. You go beyond the sweet spot and ugly things start showing up...............boom in some frequencies, harshness in the treble and at times your ears can be overwhelmed..........just too much info at too high a volume. Recording levels are all over the place..........generally more modern recording are mastered much "hotter" than older classics so the actual volume control is going to vary. :-)

I attended the Capital Audiofest for the first time last Fall, and most of the systems on display were (IMO) playing way too loud, so loud that the midrange and above were "grainy" sounding, not musical or pleasing at all!  It was like the systems were "shouting" at us.
In some cases, it seemed that the equipment could handle the volume, but it was too loud for the room.
Having said that, some music only "comes to life" when played just above 90db or so, the impact of crescendo from a large symphony orchestra...and of course many rock and roll bands.  But when the system is "blasting", I found you can't hear any of the detail in the recordings, really detracting from musical enjoyment.