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Fear of volume control

An audiophile friend of mine came over for a listening session yesterday and my set sounded better than I ever heard it. It turns out that I raised the volume control higher than normal, I guess to impress him.
Normally I place it around 12 to 1 o’clock. Yesterday I put it at between 2 and 3 o’clock.
Wow! What a difference. the room shook with the orchestra and organ at full tilt.
I was previously hesitant to push the volume much past 12 o’clock for fear of distorting the sound. There was no distortion whatsoever, just clean, beautiful, powerful sound.

Lesson learned!
128x128rvpiano
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ghdprentice
7,269 posts
 
I typically listen at the 65 to 75 db range. So the fast response varies in that range. Slow is in the 70 - 75 db range.
unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
1,000 posts
 
I used to have to listen loud until I got a good room. Now, listening at low levels can sound as good or better - depending on the recording - as at higher levels.

The old room was an asymmetrical 1200 sq ft of a 2,000 sq ft loft with a tin ceiling, brick walls, very large glass windows, hardwood floors. Lots of reflecting surfaces.

The new room is semi anechoic, symmetrical, with a pronounced gable roof, and 6” of rockwool in the walls, 17” in the ceiling, covered with burlap.

listening is in the 65 to 95 db range. Listening at a higher volume than 95 is uncomfortable, but not because the system is distorting.
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