What is the sound level of Your Listening Room?

Mahgister, I think you and I agree that price is not an indicator of sound quality. None of the ultra expensive systems I have heard reached the absolute sound. I think we also agree that certain equipment represents a much better value than others. You get much more for your money. We also agree that it is easy to just plop money down on a system. It is harder to make a great system on a limited budget. If we disagree on anything it is the definition of limited. Limited will be determined by the financial status of the person times the importance of music to that individual.
I think my system is a fabulous value. I have heard systems costing 3-4 times as much that can not hold a candle to it. But, it is a lot more expensive than $500.00. Power to you. If you are happy with your system that is all that counts.

Wisely said...

My best to you....

I have to completely disagree with you guys on price not being a good indicator of sound quality. In general, price is a  good indicator at the component level and at the system level,  given an equal time and effort invested in system component selection and integration. 

To get the maximum out of every component requires a lot of work and great care in selecting compatible and complementary components. So if your own time is worth nothing and you are willing to spend hundreds of hours researching and testing to assemble a system with the objective of putting together an inexpensive system with spectacular sound… you can do it. But if you put that same amount of effort into putting together a system without the cost constraints it is going to sound much better (assuming the same skill level). So the reason you are professing this specious  conclusion is because you are comparing an incredibly well thought out inexpensive system with a sloppily thrown together expensive system. I was young without money once… I spent hundreds of hours on research, comparing components, identifying new companies with exceptional product that were trying to enter the market by entering cheap, tweaking what I had… etc. I achieved great levels of performance per dollar invested. But had my budget not been restricted I would have a hugely better system for the same amount of time invested. 
You may not like this, but in general, if you are an informed consumer  you get what you pay for. 

mijostyn

If you are listening to vinyl it would be difficult for normal environmental background noise to supersede vinyl background noise.

You must have a very noisy turntable system! The more you post about your vinyl playback - excessive rumble, flapping subwoofers, DSP to calm things down - the more it appears that something is badly amiss.

+1 @ghdprentice

So the reason you are professing this specious conclusion is because you are comparing an incredibly well thought out inexpensive system with a sloppily thrown together expensive system.

Exactly. The proper comparison is:

A. Properly researched and matched equipment and well designed room with inexpensive equipment

vs.

B. Properly researched and matched equipment and well designed room with expensive equipment

When the variables are changed to make the inexpensive equipment win, it’s not really a fair theoretical comparison.

If one can only afford inexpensive equipment, then the question is:

C. Well designed room with inexpensive equipment

vs.

D. Haphazard room with inexpensive equipment

Here, D clearly wins.

Final thought: Does price correlate with quality? Surely it does, assuming one does a little research. Is it *worth* the money? That's an empirical and subjective question based on values and bank account. 

My listening room fluctuates between 22 & 24 db with the entire system on (it always is unless their is severe weather) & no music playing.