How loud are your normal listening levels?

[cug]

For all of you who have SPL meters:

What is your normal listening level for:

- 2 channel audio (average)
- 2 channel audio (peak)
- HT average
- HT peak

I'm just a bit curious ...

Thanks!
cug

[Chris D]

WHAT???? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! MY THEATER IS TOO LOUD!!! COULD YOU TYPE IN CAPS, PLEASE???

eh?

[cug]

Argl ...

[AtleDreier]

I'd have to say that depends...

For music it's around 80dB, with 100dB peaks
For HT it's 70dB with 120dB peaks.

[Hdale85]

I would say around the same as AtleDreier 80dB with 100dB peaks but thats the same for HT as well.

[AtleDreier]

Yeah, I usually have it about the same on the volume dial, but the dynamics are usually greater in a movie soundtrack than music.

[cug]

I'd have to say that depends...

For music it's around 80dB, with 100dB peaks
For HT it's 70dB with 120dB peaks.

With what speaker/amp combo do you do that?

[DL86]

music 90-100db average with 105 db peaks.

movies peak sometimes around up to 110db

I don't have a subwoofer so my movie listening peaks aren't what they should be.

[Hdale85]

It doesn't take much power to get loud. I have the Maxx's running on a chipamp which only outputs about 54watts per channel. Its very clean and very detailed but gets VERY loud. My amp and speakers are DIY by the way I'm ordering a new DAC kit this weekend which will also be DIY.

[cug]

It doesn't take much power to get loud. I have the Maxx's running on a chipamp which only outputs about 54watts per channel. Its very clean and very detailed but gets VERY loud. My amp and speakers are DIY by the way I'm ordering a new DAC kit this weekend which will also be DIY.

SPL is a result of the combination of speaker efficiency and power from the amp. It has nothing to do with clean or whatever ... it just DOES take a lot of power to get loud if the speakers are inefficient. It doesn't if the speakers are efficient.

I had speaker with 106dB efficiency in the past and never exceeded 1W output the whole time I had them at home.

At the moment I don't know the sound level I'm listening music with as I'm still trying to get an affordable SPL meter in Canada, but I'll find out. I very much doubt that it will exceed a 100dB even in the highest peaks at my listening position (about 10 to 12 feet from the speaker front).

[Hdale85]

Yeah I was just stating that for a cheap DIY amp it is extremely clean and powerful. We recently put it up against a Rotel RB-995 I believe it was and it was amazing how different it was. It actually sounded more powerful and it was like there was a thin blanket over the speakers with the Rotel. Everyone was quite impressed.

[cug]

Yeah I was just stating that for a cheap DIY amp it is extremely clean and powerful. We recently put it up against a Rotel RB-995 I believe it was and it was amazing how different it was. It actually sounded more powerful and it was like there was a thin blanket over the speakers with the Rotel. Everyone was quite impressed.

What did you use to build the amp? A kit?

[Hdale85]

Yeah this one is a chipamp kit its from Audiosector.com I've had some noise issues like a low hum that I'm still working out. I've heard there are less problems with hum from the chipamp.com kits. they are very simple and easy to build.

[Briz vegas]

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/ruler.asp

http://www.ata.org/action_alliance/action_alliance_loud.php

[AtleDreier]

With what speaker/amp combo do you do that?

I use Dali Euphonia MS4 fronts, CS4 center and Dali Mentor 2 rears. Driven by NAD M25 poweramp and NAD M15 pre.

I have two Soundsplinter RL-p15 in LLT (EBS) sonotube configuration, driven by a Behringer EP2500@4ohm/ch. Tuned to 13.3Hz. They have more headroom. I just don't feel the need, they are plenty loud, and reach reference with ease.

[littlesaint]

SPL is a result of the combination of speaker efficiency and power from the amp. It has nothing to do with clean or whatever ...

How clean it is comes into play when deciding what SPL you like. A clean signal will be acceptable to the ears at higher SPL. When distortion enters in, you'll want to start lowering the volume, particularly odd-order harmonics.

[cug]

How clean it is comes into play when deciding what SPL you like. A clean signal will be acceptable to the ears at higher SPL. When distortion enters in, you'll want to start lowering the volume, particularly odd-order harmonics.

This relates to the "power of the amplifier" part. So, nothing new here.

[cug]

I use Dali Euphonia MS4 fronts, CS4 center and Dali Mentor 2 rears. Driven by NAD M25 poweramp and NAD M15 pre.

I have two Soundsplinter RL-p15 in LLT (EBS) sonotube configuration, driven by a Behringer EP2500@4ohm/ch. Tuned to 13.3Hz. They have more headroom. I just don't feel the need, they are plenty loud, and reach reference with ease.

Hmm. How are you measuring your SPL level then? You'll need around 2000 to 3000 W peaks from your amp to reach that level. Is that realistic with an 7x160W amplifier? Or are the woofers driven in bridged mode and you are hearing only bass peaks that loud? I'd be really careful, 120dB is not really healthy ... (and hard to reach, definitely not with your front, maybe with the woofers)

[tpremo55]

Somewhere back in time, someone described 120dB as standing on the end of a runway with a 747 taking off overhead. I guess if you're watching Die Hard and going for realism, that may be appropriate. :T
...that's certainly more output than I yearn for.

The only time I tested the SPL that I was listening at was when doing the initial audition of Jim Holtz's Statements. We listened at 90dB, which was nice for auditioning, probably a bit too loud for causual listening, and not loud enough for HT.

[zmanbands]

OK, I'll be the low ball guy. 75 DB normally and up to 80 now and then. jazz and classical mostly

[AtleDreier]

Ever heard of room gain? That should help alot, right? And yes, I don't think my front could do that level at any frequency. With the help of my two subs it should be doable, I think.
I measure with a Radioshack SPL meter, btw.

[cug]

Ever heard of room gain? That should help alot, right? And yes, I don't think my front could do that level at any frequency. With the help of my two subs it should be doable, I think.
I measure with a Radioshack SPL meter, btw.

The room helps with a few db if you place your speakers badly (corners). As long as you stay away from the corners, it's not too much.

Yeah, I was guessing it comes more or less from the woofers alone as your front might be able (with room help to do around 106 db (+/- 3 perhaps). But that's guessing. The distance is also important as the level should drop by around 10dB if you double the measuring distance.

I don't want to go into that here, but still: if you measure that level at your listening position, take care that you don't hurt your ears permanently. 120dB is not healthy. Not at all.

[David Meek]

Using the tones from Video Essentials, I set my reference level at the recommended 75dB. For movies with Jen and friends we generally run with the volume knob set a few dB down from that. By myself, I run at reference or a few dB higher.

For casual music listening while doing other things, I set things about 5-10dB down. For "serious" listening I like reference, and for the occasional private air guitar or air drum performance, I'll run it 10-15dB over.

[whoaru99]

In my normal system that I most listen to for 2-ch and HT, I'd say around 80dB to 85dB, maybe 90. I've seen the meter for this system as high as 114dB in the prime listening position.

I have a 2-ch system out in my garage that goes much louder, but I don't use it too often. Don't want to irritate the neighbors too much.

[dknightd]

Just for fun I spent a few minutes holding my spl - radio shack analog version - no peak hold. The results depended on if I used A or C weighting, and if I used slow of fast response (when I measure my room I usually use C and slow).
It looks like my usual average level is around 70 with peaks to about 85 (+ or - 5 db on both average and peak depending on material). When I "crank" it about 85-100 (again +- 5 or so). I only tried a couple songs - some had more dynamic range than others. Background level seems to be just below what the meter can measure, so a little less than 50db - it is raining today it might be more or less if there was no rain.
It is actually difficult to estimate average and peak volumes using the RS meter. You only have about 16db range in each setting. The slow setting gives me an average higher than what I would have guessed by averaging by eye on the fast setting. The peaks require I go to a different range, and again it is hard to determine exactly what the peak is. It could be the peaks are either higher or lower than what I guestimated.

I hope when you get a meter you'll come back and tell us what you measure . . .

[cug]

I couldn't find an affordable one, so I still don't have one, but it is pretty interesting what people say here. I will still try to get an SPL meter and measure my own listening levels, but I doubt that they will be higher than 80 to 85 on average with normal music.

[AtleDreier]

I did a little rockin' last night. Cranked Limp Bizkit REAL loud. I read 110+ on the meter. The song had some incredible low frequency stuff that not only punched my chest, but really moved the couch. My subs didn't break a sweat, but my fronts were struggling, even crossed over at 80Hz.

[DL86]

Thats they way you should listen to music. You go to a proper night club mate 110-120db on average with the horns blasting. 85 db are for sissies lol. Loose your hearing yes but hey you only live once.

[dknightd]

And you only have one set of ears to last you a lifetime.
Friday and Saturday night party volumes are not the same as typical listening volume - at least not for me. At many clubs the sound sucks - too loud, too distorted. YMMV

[Briz vegas]

On the subject of night clubs, I'm waiting for the law suits to start rolling in. It hasn't happened yet to my knowledge but in the US it can't be far off. Most likely from the perspective of workplace health and safety but also from a general public health perspective.

In Australia you can't smoke virtually anywhere in public, including pubs and bars. Caps on excessive volume in clubs has to be just around the corner, particularly as there is no one I know of who is claiming that excessive volume does not send you deaf.

For me 80dB is fine for listening to music, and I often play it at 70-75dB. I've invested a disproportionate amount of money on my hifi and I still want to be able to enjoy it in 20 years time.

[Briz vegas]

PS

Nightclubs in Australia are also under threat from a recent ruling on record company royalties. Clubs will have to pay record company royalties per song per punter. Does not apply to recordings from the US so there may be a loophole the clubs can exploit. If there is no loophole then I can see a shift to live music. Oh what a shame that would be...........Not!

[DL86]

Yes we need more proper live music in Australia.

[Chris D]

AC/DC Live... that must have been pretty good, eh?

[whoaru99]

On the subject of night clubs, I'm waiting for the law suits to start rolling in. It hasn't happened yet to my knowledge but in the US it can't be far off. Most likely from the perspective of workplace health and safety but also from a general public health perspective.

In Australia you can't smoke virtually anywhere in public, including pubs and bars. Caps on excessive volume in clubs has to be just around the corner, particularly as there is no one I know of who is claiming that excessive volume does not send you deaf.

For me 80dB is fine for listening to music, and I often play it at 70-75dB. I've invested a disproportionate amount of money on my hifi and I still want to be able to enjoy it in 20 years time.

Yes. I totally agree.

All places where it would be possible to inflict some type of damage to one's self should be immediately and permanently banned.

Further, we should all be on a government controlled diet for our health.

Lastly, anyone caught outside after dark should be shot on sight because they are surely a criminal.

:W :W :W

[DelRay]

Was listening to "Brothers in Arms" dvd in multi-channel. It's so clean sounding, I turned it up a smidge. The sound was pretty comfortable at 85-90 db's.

[PewterTA]

I set my reference of 85dbs at 70 on my 1098, I normally listen at around 45 - 55... so that should mean I listen to most stuff normally around 60 - 70dbs on average. Sorry I had to figure it out in my head to see if it all made sense. ha ha

If I crank it up, it's normally around 90db range would be my guess.

[AtleDreier]

I'm not saying I listen at 110dB all the time. 110dB was peaks, with averages around 95. Still pretty darn loud! I guess the regular 70-80dB for normal 'loud' (not background) listening.

[H.T.C]

PS

Nightclubs in Australia are also under threat from a recent ruling on record company royalties. Clubs will have to pay record company royalties per song per punter. Does not apply to recordings from the US so there may be a loophole the clubs can exploit. If there is no loophole then I can see a shift to live music. Oh what a shame that would be...........Not!

It sounds like what happend here in the states a few years back in pittsburgh when a band (go unmentioned) and their record company put a sign over a karoaki machine in a bar which stated cannot use untill patrons paid royalty fees.

This band was banned from airplay by shortwave radio across the spectrum (at least by the programmers who did shows transmitted from wbcg) rock n roll and standard talk programs on sw refused to play songs from them that was used as a intro or ending to their shows but the awful part is the extreme greed and no one could sing lyrics from this band if the extra doller amount was not paid.

[whoaru99]

I thought it already was required to be licensed (or buy special discs with royalty fee) to play most copyrighted music in public such as at bars, for DJ, Karaoke, and such?

That's why many (at least bars around here) have jukeboxes, afaik, rather than house systems.

Probably not so much it's a new law/regulation, but enforcement of something already on the books.

[iiaudio]

Isn't that why bars/clubs pay ASCAP, BMI & SESAC fees??? As I understand the "rules", if they pay their membership dues, they should be free to play about anything they want.
At least in the US.

[maseline_98]

I've configured my system at 85db at listening position via (avia) which sets my receiver at about -13db. When watch movies, I ussually set it to -18db, but run it up to -8db for music. As far as peak and whatnot, I couldn't really say, though I was watching episode IV with my spl meter and it got up to about 112b and listening to some ACDC easily up to 109db. I'm assuming that with my speaker setup, my receiver was hardly pushing anything to them.

[wkhanna]

I spend 90% of my time with my system listening to 2ch music. Typically, I set my volume at around 70 db. That tends be just about the perfect level to prevent me from hearing anything my wife is saying to me from the next room, while not being accused of ‘playing that dammed stereo too loud’.

[Hdale85]

I call BS Bill Everytime I'm over there its quite a bit louder then 70dB!

[wkhanna]

Hey Dougie, that's just cuz I just like to show off!

But the real BS in my previous post is the fact that my wife is V tolerant of my obsession, loves music and is having a great time with the new TT, which she encouraged me to get. ;x(

[Hdale85]

Yeah I still can't imagine you listening at only 70dB though.