Noise floors

You don't get it. The problem isn't when music is at 85db, its during the quiet passages, music may be at only 50, 60db, perhaps lower. Unless all you listen to is highly compressed music at high volumes, bring on the fireworks, furnace sounds, loud cars, what have you. Oh, and then I'll get drunk and not notice a thing. Sorry, I listen to highly dynamic recordings, kind of like real live music, for that matter,speach. Man, if you don't get the difference between music playing at 85db with ambient sound level 30db and the quiet passage at 50-60db, perhaps lower and ambient sound level of 30db I will never get through to you. Would you seriously not think that 20db, perhaps even lower difference between ambient and music volume would not impinge on hearing even lower level information contained within that overall global music volume. There may even be information you miss altogether if that info is reproduced by your system at lets say 25db and your room or ambient sound level is 30db. Perhaps some of you don't get it, at any volume setting volume level of music, say 85db there are lower level signals, could be any amount of db less than that 85db. This is commonly referred to as low level information, also related to micro dynamics. Can you imagine if the entire range of music presented was all blaring out a exactly the same db, we'd have no such thing as micro dynamics or even music for that matter, it'd be noise like I doubt ever heard in real life, even single notes have overtones, differing harmonics, not all those overtones are one single level db. And then we have all the variables of recording chain and playback on our systems. As previously mentioned recorded dynamics highly variable. Our systems also reproduce these recorded dynamics in variable manner, the higher one's system micro dynamic capabilities are will bring these higher to lower db micro dynamic differences into greater relief. The lower one's ambient or room noise level is will also bring greater micro  dynamic relief or shading.

And to make it even more crystal clear, even macro dynamic range is quite variable. Roon provides a dynamic range index with each recording, this is the difference between the loudest and softest volume on any one track or cd/album, this is variable and measureable. This is a macro volume measurement, in other words the TOTAL volume of all the variable micro dynamic volumes contained within a recording or music, or even any sound for that matter. While one could measure micro dynamic range within the macro dynamic range envelope, far too complex, in any micro second it could be variable, so much low level information and constantly changing with performer's breath or intensity of touch or force on various instruments. Micro dynamics are what gives sound the quality of life. These slight volume differences or shadings will be masked or diminished to some extent by higher noise floor on system or room. 


I just don't get it, so much talk about noise floor/SNR with equipment, virtually none about listening room. I often hear talk of listening room being most important component within audio systems, this aspect of room performance is extremely important to that component. The idea of a black background is both a function of system and room. And now I'm tired of being pedantic.

Ok so invest in an anechoic chamber and above all, remember to take you meds. 

Hilarious, I did mention my preferred listening rooms, don't recall anechoic chamber being one of them. I guess you take plenty of meds, altered mind can't detect micro dynamics, probably listen to all highly compressed recordings at high volume levels. Real head banger! You should really bang some sense into your head.

@sns - yes a quiet room really helps. I am fortunate that my listening room is entirely bordered by other rooms before external walls.

The ducted air con is the noise floor in my listening room.

@millercarbon - I thought you live in or near Seattle, not Portland?