Noise floors


I'd like to address an issue that every single audiophile experiences, that being inherent/ambient steady state noise floors. Here we spend so much effort and money on our equipment in order to lower noise floor and increase resolution, transparency, only to lose some percentage of it on relatively high ambient noise floors. By this I mean the noise generated internally by home, hvac systems and so much more, add to that external, outside the home generated noise. Measuring over many years, over large variables, lowest readings of mid 20db to highest mid 50db in my dedicated listening room, these are steady state readings, any particular system in house may activate and or outdoor generated noises, which are even more variable, may kick in raising if from here.

And so, while we can address both these internal and external generated noise floors to some extent, we can't rid ourselves entirely of them. I presume there are widely varying levels of these noise floors for each of us, and it should be accounted for in reviews or evaluations of equipment. And could be reason for trusting only long term reviews, with varying noise floor levels within one's listening room, short term listening could have taken place during time of best or worse case room noise floor.

But mostly what bothers me is, here all this effort and money spent on equipment in attempt to lower noise floor, and so much of that lost by relatively ridiculous levels of steady state and/or ambient noise. Makes one think about getting closed back headphones, or moving out to extremely remote area to home with minimal internally generated noise. To think how much better  the very system I presently have would sound in that environment!


sns
Some of you are totally misunderstanding what I'm saying. I am not talking about the noise floor of the audio system. This is ONLY about the noise floor of one's listening room. With the stereo system OFF, I can measure the in decibels on my decibel meter noise. Since I'm measuring noise that noise does exist in my listening room. Whatever that measurement is, is the ambient or steady state noise floor. Now, that steady state level of noise is not maintained long term, cars go by, gusts of wind, furnace turns on, etc. So now we have a higher level of noise which I can measure on my meter. So, the noise floor is a combination of noise your house generates and what outdoor environment adds.

For instance, some recent listening sessions have been interrupted by fire works, certainly my system masked that noise at higher volumes, but during quiet passages, boom, boom, boom. Wow, that really made for a great listening session, And you're trying to tell me the noise floor of my listening room doesn't matter, just increase the resolution of my system. Ok, if that gets your rocks off. Now, the fireworks thing is an extreme example, but there are many other noise events that may intrude upon listening sessions, some may be masked, others not, depends on volume of noise event and volume of audio system.

Bottom line is. there is a noise floor in listening rooms with audio systems off, there is a steady state or ambient level and there is an acute or short term level caused by short term events from within home and from external environment. And then there is a ratio of stereo system volume to listening room noise level, both the steady state and short term. This ratio is constantly changing based on setting of volume knob, dynamic changes in recording, and the short term and or ambient noise floor of room. The greatest ratio, or best case scenario would be when volume of system and music is greatest and room noise is lowest, worst case, soft passages in music, room noise level high. Now some music listened to at high volume and recorded at high levels and with high levels of compression may work for you with a crowed freeway next door. Would music from a small jazz ensemble or classical quartet recorded with high dynamic range work for you? Again, an extreme situation, however, this constantly changing or dynamic contrast between room noise and audio system volume is always present. Do you seriously believe none of these environmental noise events doesn't impact your listening environment and enjoyment of music!
Another thing, how much more ambient noise  is added when you measure ambient sound with your system is on, no music, just idling. Is it 15db, 20db, 5db, if it was you'd have one lousy system. I bet it adds virtually nothing, and I hear people complaining about hum and other residual sounds from systems. I guarantee you with my system in this state I'll hear virtually every single noise event from both indoor and outdoor sources that I'd hear with system off.
So, assuming there is a listening room noise floor, would a room with 0db ambient noise level be best, would it have to be an anechoic chamber? There have been a couple posts here with practical advice for lowering listening room noise levels, thank you. As for further measures within listening room, how about double layers of drywall with the best absorptive materials between walls, same with ceiling, cement slab floor. Any room treatments to try to limit external noise would likely be detrimental.

Another funny thing, some ridiculing this post are Schumann Resonator fans, a piece of equipment designed to mask earth's  background electromagnetic noise, shazam, a device used in audio systems to block ambient, steady state noise within listening rooms.
I think that is what most here are addressing. Ambient, Gear and Shock sound. The occasional noisier than usual car or helicopter or fog horn or gun shots or fireworks, or dog barking or the neighbor being a dick or Or OR.. LOL

Total noise is total noise, just like grove noise it's there just depends on the record, it's as simple as that.

I don't like dead quiet rooms that is for darn sure.. Clap test ready I say..
No heavy report, your close.
We live a half mile from the freeway and those idiots produce so much noice it is unbelievable.


Yeah, you may want to consider the wisdom of living so close to the freeway if you wanted quiet.