Are you operating in the correct SPL window for high-fidelity listening?


We spend hours and hundreds of dollars properly setting up our turntables (or have the dealer do it).  Do you spend any time setting the correct db level for listening?

The Fletcher-Munson curves, also known as equal loudness contours, illustrate how human perception of sound loudness changes with frequency and volume. They show that at low volumes, the human ear is less sensitive to very low and very high frequencies, making midrange frequencies seem louder than they are. Conversely, at high volumes, the ear becomes more sensitive to low and high frequencies, making them seem louder.  See the ISO 226 standard.

I listen at the volume recording engineers use for mixing:  80 to 85 db. Anyone have any thoughts?

markalarsen

Small room here I typically listen in the 55-70db range using sensitive speakers and low powered tube amps it's plenty loud for me.

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Depends much on ambient noise level, lower levels mean one can hear deeply into recording at lower volume levels.. I'm late night listener when ambient noise levels generally lower, so 70's  is my usual range.

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I basically agree but also believe the linearity of level changes matters. Compression, even subtle compression causes many of us to listen at higher levels to compensate. And compression matters at all levels even the lowest levels.