??? Listening Levels & Musical Styles ???

All of us buy music and equipment to sate an emotional need.  in your case, throughout the day, you habe different emotional needs, or moods you wish to sate or resonate with.

@erik_squires while I agree with your statement,it doesn’t address the WHY certain styles of music don’t seem to necessitate higher playback levels for maximum enjoyment  & some do...

Just like people like different people we all like different  music and how it's played. Loud ,soft, sometimes your angry and want loud hard headbanging rosk > 100 db and others mellow wanting jazz classical.some find joy in the chi fi under a grand for the whole system and I have heard some sound pretty good.  others need tens of thousands in thier system. Enjoy what you have all brains are wired different and develop different. Stay healthy have fun.

Here’s what Google Gemini says:

Relaxing, soothing music doesn't necessitate a high volume for several key reasons, primarily related to how our brains process sound and the specific characteristics of this type of music:

1. Psychoacoustic Principles:

• Frequency Perception: Our ears are not equally sensitive to all frequencies at the same volume.¹ We are most sensitive to mid-range frequencies (where human speech lies).² Relaxing music often has a balanced frequency spectrum without extreme highs or lows that might require higher volumes to be fully perceived.
• Loudness vs. Volume: Loudness is our perception of sound intensity, while volume is the physical sound pressure level.³ It's possible for music to sound subjectively "full" and satisfying even at lower physical volumes due to its arrangement and frequency content.
• Masking: Loud sounds can mask quieter sounds, especially those in similar frequency ranges.⁴ Relaxing music typically avoids dense arrangements and frequency clashes, so quieter elements are still easily discernible without needing to increase the overall volume to overcome masking.

2. Characteristics of Relaxing Music:

• Slow Tempo: Relaxing music often has a slower tempo (beats per minute).⁵ This aligns with a relaxed heart rate and can help induce a calm state without needing the stimulating effect of high volume.⁶
• Gentle Dynamics: This type of music usually avoids sudden loud bursts or dramatic dynamic changes. Consistent, gentle volume levels contribute to a sense of peace and don't require turning up to hear quieter sections.⁷
• Harmonic Consonance: Relaxing music tends to use consonant harmonies that are pleasing and don't create tension that might be amplified by higher volumes.⁸
• Predictability: Often, relaxing music has predictable melodic and rhythmic patterns.⁹ This allows the listener to feel a sense of ease and doesn't require intense focus or high volume to follow.
• Lack of Distracting Elements: Relaxing music often avoids complex instrumentation, busy arrangements, or jarring sounds that might necessitate a higher volume to stand out or be appreciated.¹⁰Some even lack lyrics to further reduce cognitive engagement.

3. Intended Effect:

• Calming the Nervous System: The goal of relaxing music is often to soothe the listener, reduce stress hormones like cortisol, and promote a sense of tranquility.¹¹ High volumes would be counterproductive to this goal, potentially causing overstimulation or even agitation.
• Facilitating Focus or Sleep: Whether used for meditation, studying, or sleep, relaxing music is meant to create a peaceful background ambiance.¹² Loud volumes would be distracting and hinder concentration or the process of falling asleep.

In essence, relaxing music is designed with sonic elements and structural characteristics that are inherently pleasing and effective at lower volumes, aligning with its purpose of calming the mind and body. Turning it up loud would often defeat this purpose and could even become jarring or stressful.