Volume

[Birdy]

Hi guys,

I was wondering how loud you usually listen to?

I have the Classé 202-700-2200 combo :P feeding the 802D.
Usually my listening level is around 70 on the Cp700.
Obviously one cd is not another and one day's mood is not another, but generally it's around that.
It's playing loud but obviously quality loud & not unbearably loud....

On the other hand when I play it on the low side around 30-40 I find it a bit stressing because I have the impression that bass almost disappeared and that I hear only medium-high.

What about you folks?


Birdy

[hifiguymi]

The reason you don't hear bass at lower volumes is because of how are eays are made. Human hearing is very insensitive a the frequency extremes and more so in the bass region than the treble. Just use your judgement on the volume and you'll be fine. The same system (which yours is very nice!!) in a different room could play louder than in your room with the volume control in the same spot.

Here is a link that has the frequency response curve for the human ear.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/earcrv.html

Eric

[RebelMan]

I run the whole gamut of volume settings from a church mouse quite of 24 (absolute scale) to the "pump up the volume and dance" setting of 72. Sometimes I'll peak at 76 but those are very rare occasions that usually happen with less dynamic material. Having said that, I would say that I generally spend about 80% of my time listening between 44 and 54 on the dial and most of that is with the latter.

The "problem" with Classé, for me, has been the lack of distortion. I say problem because it's very easy to get carried away with the volume control. Classé does exceptionally well to let the music play without getting in the way. Listener fatigue has become nothing more than a forgotten memory at my house.

The environment which you and your system live and breath, as Eric was alluding to, will also have a hand in volume constraints or the lack thereof and in some cases significantly (assuming all else like amplifier gain and sensitivity are equal).

[Alaric]

The "problem" with Classé, for me, has been the lack of distortion

Yup. I noticed , years ago , that I can find my music very loud without distortion and not realize it until I go outside and notice the door is closed! Way back when , I discovered Pioneer's HPM speakers and Cerwin Vega's speakers sound really loud when paired with a receiver of dubious quality. Yet I was comfortable with a pair of ADS L1530s and a Tandberg 300 watt amp loud enough to get a noise complaint from two blocks away! (Owasso , Oklahoma)

[ChrisssB]

What are your room dimensions birdy? and also how is it build? (wooden floors, marble etc?) how far from the speakers you sit? All of them are factors that can effect bass perception, but by far the greatest is the ear sensitivity which is greatest around the speech frequencies.
Another thing is the misconception the many ppl have that bass should be "subterranean", "thunderous" etc... Not likely! Most musical instruments do not produce such bass. A truthfull system like yours allways produces the music with the same relative volume analogies between the frequencies even when the dial is in 10, 40 or 70 on your preamp. Its just the impact these frequencies have to a person and has to do even with factors like mood, time (ex night listening) etc.
I mostly listen around 46 to 52 (absolute scale) and when I get really excited I go to 56 (night listening 32 to 34). It looks rather lowish but as my audiograms show I hear 5 db louder (should I call it gain?) than other ppl.

[Birdy]

The "problem" with Classé, for me, has been the lack of distortion.

This is really a completely true statement! :T :P :P

Birdy

[Birdy]

What are your room dimensions birdy? and also how is it build? (wooden floors, marble etc?) how far from the speakers you sit? All of them are factors that can effect bass perception, but by far the greatest is the ear sensitivity which is greatest around the speech frequencies.
Another thing is the misconception the many ppl have that bass should be "subterranean", "thunderous" etc... Not likely! Most musical instruments do not produce such bass. A truthfull system like yours allways produces the music with the same relative volume analogies between the frequencies even when the dial is in 10, 40 or 70 on your preamp. Its just the impact these frequencies have to a person and has to do even with factors like mood, time (ex night listening) etc.
I mostly listen around 46 to 52 (absolute scale) and when I get really excited I go to 56 (night listening 32 to 34). It looks rather lowish but as my audiograms show I hear 5 db louder (should I call it gain?) than other ppl.

ChrisssB,


My place is 8,5 X 5,8M.

Due furniture constraint my speakers are placed on the "wrong" side I mean along the long wall. I'm seating at 3.4M from the speakers who are separated by 3,4M.
In my back I have an opening to the kitchen, on the sides 2 openings to small halls, and an other opening in the ceilling as well +/- 1X2M slighty above the right speaker. I have also a stair in this plazce going to the second floor...
So I imagine I can loose some energy via all those openings....
Floor is carrelage.

Birdy

[Glen B]

ChrisssB,


My place is 8,5 X 5,8M.

Due furniture constraint my speakers are placed on the "wrong" side I mean along the long wall. I'm seating at 3.4M from the speakers who are separated by 3,4M.
In my back I have an opening to the kitchen, on the sides 2 openings to small halls, and an other opening in the ceilling as well +/- 1X2M slighty above the right speaker. I have also a stair in this plazce going to the second floor...
So I imagine I can loose some energy via all those openings....
Floor is carrelage.

Birdy

How far out from the wall are the speakers ? My listening space is open plan similar to yours, except that I have a partial wall on one side. The low end response of my PSB speakers (31 Hz ± 3dB) are similar to that of the B&W 802Ds (34Hz ± 3dB). At low listening levels I am able to hear every detail in the bass.

[Birdy]

How far out from the wall are the speakers ? My listening space is open plan similar to yours, except that I have a partial wall on one side. The low end response of my PSB speakers (31 Hz ± 3dB) are similar to that of the B&W 802Ds (34Hz ± 3dB). At low listening levels I am able to hear every detail in the bass.

Back of speaker is at 0.7m from rear wall.

[Glen B]

Back of speaker is at 0.7m from rear wall.

Then you should be getting good low frequency reinforcement from proximity to the wall.

[Birdy]

Then you should be getting good low frequency reinforcement from proximity to the wall.

Yeah at medium & high level I don't complain at all; I have a good clean, tight bass not obscuring the rest of the frequencies.
It's only at low level that it seems to be a bit shy compared to medium & high.

Birdy

[Glen B]

Yeah at medium & high level I don't complain at all; I have a good clean, tight bass not obscuring the rest of the frequencies.
It's only at low level that it seems to be a bit shy compared to medium & high.

Birdy

Less bass (and treble) at low volume levels is to be expected in high end systems (that typically lack loudness contour and/or tone controls of any kind) and perfectly normal.

As Eric explained above, the human ears are not as sensitive to low level sounds at the frequency extremes. That is why some mass market electronics have loudness buttons and contour controls that boost the bass (and sometimes also treble) to compensate for this lack of sensitivity at low volume. Loudness contour, like tone controls are taboo on high-end electronics.

Nevertheless, with your system you should still be able to hear every bass note distinctly, just not at the same levels as when you're listening at medium and loud volume. I don't think there is anything you can do about the situation short of finding a preamp with loudness control.

Glen

[ChrisssB]

Birdy check your priv msgs plz

Chriss