Macdadtexas, Excellent thread.
I listen mostly in the 65-75 db range.
I listen mostly in the 65-75 db range.
What decibel level do you listen at?
poor grammer on the question, I know, but I recently downloaded the SPL Meter app for my iPhone and I am shocked by how low the volume level actually is when I listen to music.
I thought I was normally listening at high SPL levels, but I have found that at about 85 it's too loud to think (when it reads 65, you can't talk to someone else in the room). I checked it against my real SPL Meter and the readings are pretty accurate.
I thought I was listening at about 90+ dbl on average, but I have discovered it's actually about 60 to 75 db, and that actually seems loud to me. I guess I'm happy about that, but does anyone else check the Decibel level, and what's considered "Reference Level"?
I thought I was normally listening at high SPL levels, but I have found that at about 85 it's too loud to think (when it reads 65, you can't talk to someone else in the room). I checked it against my real SPL Meter and the readings are pretty accurate.
I thought I was listening at about 90+ dbl on average, but I have discovered it's actually about 60 to 75 db, and that actually seems loud to me. I guess I'm happy about that, but does anyone else check the Decibel level, and what's considered "Reference Level"?
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- 51 posts total
06-18-10: Macdadtexas Of course Studio Six claims theirs is more accurate than the Radio Shack meter. No idea whether that is true. I have their full Audio Tools set and find I use the RTA most frequently. Another point of interest, and contrast perhaps to what is being pointed out - I've found that with more refined and detailed speakers I do not have the inclination to turn them up louder to enjoy them. In general, the speakers I enjoy at lower volumes tend to be those that render more detail and that I'd consider more refined (I don't know if this a 'rule' or just coincidence). I'd agree, that with these speakers one is able to increase the volume to greater levels with less distortion, but it still makes me want to get away from the sound pressure, distortion or not. Good points about the answer to the question being dependent upon program material too. |
Jax2 - how do you use the RTA from Studio Six? I use pink noise from one of the Stereophile discs to measure in-room response. You can freeze the graph and get it to yield a fixed set of measurements. I transfer those to a simple excel spreadsheet and turn that into a graph in Excel. You can overlap various samples to compare (various speakers, or different locations, etc.) |
Musicnoise, just saw your post here - I would say you are absolutely right. When I mentioned decibel levels of 120 in a concert hall, I am thinking more along the lines of pops concerts where we are playing just as loudly as in Tchaik 6 AND there are the electronic instruments involved, and everything is absurdly amplified. Though I would guess that the orchestra unamplified easily reaches 110 in say a Mahler symphony, such as the ending of Mahler 2 with the organ blaring and chorus wailing away as well. As you say, the peaks seems even louder than they are because of the contrasts with the softest passages. Also the level onstage is probably even higher than in the first row. I am now curious, and will have to measure sometime. Unfortunately that will have to wait until next season, as we are done with both the symphonic series and the indoor pops for this season, but I will try to remember to do that and report back. |
- 51 posts total