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Are your listening levels healthy? Doing damage?

Do you know decibel levels when listening to your system, and how loud do you go?

Since upgrading my system, again, I find my listening levels have tended to increase. Not because I'm slowly going deaf but because it's more enjoyable.

I measured the decibel level with a few iPad Apps, and there was lots of disparity. Plus or minus 25 dB. 

Certainly if it's too loud I sense things are not healthy but I'd really like to know how loud things are since Google tells me prolonged listening above 70 dB could be damaging my hearing.

The apps on an iPad are clearly unreliable and now I have to contemplate spending several hundred dollars for a sound meter as well as a calibration device so I can know what my limits are and so I can be in compliance with Google.

Anyone know a good sound meter, and do most serious listeners get one of these things?

 

emergingsoul
mike_in_nc
1,147 posts
 

The realized SPL for any wattage depends not just on speaker efficiency, but also on various acoustic factors, the most important being the distance between your ears (or the measurement) and the speaker.

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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 

After recent upgrades, I find I don't need to listen as loud, it sounds good at any volume that's reasonable.

Regards,

Dan

jonwolfpell
386 posts
 

The “db Meter Pro” app on my iPhone shows very close to the same readings as my old reliable Radio Shack one. 

tomcarr
1,504 posts
 

Similar to the above posters, also using a Radio Shack meter. "C" weighted, fast response. Measured at the listening seat. Peak levels are almost always between 80 and 85 dB, regardless of genre. Quieter passages are obviously less.

Most music isn't "prolonged levels". There's a big difference between peak levels of music and prolonged levels of constant sound and their effects on ear health.

ronboco
838 posts
 

I believe 85 db is the threshold for damage. 

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