How does one determine desired dB?

[CAAD]

I've read enough of this forum to know that when I ask for suggestions on which speaker best suits my needs I will be asked how loud I want them to play.

I do have an RS SPL meter. Do I simply place my current setup in the location, turn up the volume until I say, "Darn, that's plenty loud," then record the number? If, so do I play music, a certain frequency, or other?
Also, can I use this same number for the +-20Hz area when determining the amount of woofage I need, or does it vary across the frequency range?

Thanks for attending to my n00bish question,
Chris

[Paul H]

Set your meter to C-weighted, slow (average) measurements. Place it 1 meter in front of one of your speakers. Play music at your favourite volume, record the db level.

The db level your speaker is producing at that point is actually your measured level less room gain less contribution from the other speaker, but that measurement will allow some knowledgable comments about your speaker volume needs from folks here.

Your speakers should have a flat response, so your subwoofer(s) should be capable of producing the same db level as your overall volume at low frequencies (maybe not down to 20 Hz unless you're going big )

Paul

[CAAD]

Thank you. I think that's exactly what I was asking. As long as I have enough info for the folks here to discern whether the NatP's will do the job, or if I should step up to the Statements, I'm good.

Chris

[wettou]

Set your meter to C-weighted, slow (average) measurements. Place it 1 meter in front of one of your speakers. Play music at your favourite volume, record the db level.

The db level your speaker is producing at that point is actually your measured level less room gain less contribution from the other speaker, but that measurement will allow some knowledgable comments about your speaker volume needs from folks here.

Your speakers should have a flat response, so your subwoofer(s) should be capable of producing the same db level as your overall volume at low frequencies (maybe not down to 20 Hz unless you're going big )

Paul

So are you looking for 80 as reference level?

[ThomasW]

So are you looking for 80 as reference level?

Paul makes no reference to a specific level