Am I setting volume too high?

[Jsapp]

I went to reset my 1055 speaker levels after moving the speakers around. Using AVIA I decided to use their recommended 85 DB refernce level (yes I know it is pretty loud). I need the volume set to 76! to get 85 db. The is like turning the volume up to 85% of Max.

Now I know I won't listen to movies at reference but I find that even at "deent listen leveles for movies I'm around 60 on the knob wich is 2/3 of the way up. My room is 15 X 17 with an opening onto the stairs (which makes it a big space to fill.)

Am I taking chances with hurting my gear? I am not used to turing the volume up past 1/2 with other receivers I have owned.

Is this normal or do I need A More power or B to put a wall in to reduce the room volume. I don't like ear splitting loud but I like to be able to hear a movie as intended. (I have not yet heard the 1055 strain with my Paradigm monitor 7s 93 db sensative but am nervous of running so close to MAX)

[Scarp]

Your speakers are fine if you don't hear funny things with them (or start seeing cracks in the woofers).
What you did with the Avia dvd is set the speakers to the same sound level, this way all speakers will run at the same sound level, improving your HT experience. If you run the Rotel's internal calibration signals then you use 75 dB for the front left speaker and calibrate the others to this signal.
The 85 dB doesn't mean that its normal listening level!

I bet you have an older (<2.25) firmware, since from 2.25 on the calibration signal gives 75 dB at more or less "75" on the display

You say you use it at 60, well, this seems fine. Its quite much louder than i use it at, but i live in an appartment.

Just listen to the speakers. They will start complaining if you drive them too hard. If you hear any out of the ordinary sounds, then lower the volume. Check your Rotel equipment, if they become so hot that you can't touch it anymore, then its too loud also.

[Jsapp]

That is interesting about 75 being 75 db test tone in new software.

AVIA signals are calibrated at 85 Db so I used 85 db. I know it is louder than normal but I find the internal test tones inaccurate.

I just wondered because although the sound was not as clear I did not have to turn my Denon reciever up nearly as high to be as loud. Maybe it just had more "gain" or maybe the sound is so clear now I don't notice how loud it is. I think it may well be my room because of the space requires more power to fill.

Hopefully putting a wall in to enclose it will solve it. Probably cheaper than an amp ??

[Andrew Pratt]

The actualy number displayed by the reciever means very little when comparing one model to the other. These are not like the old volume controls where there was a physical volume pot that you turned from closed to open. In those moving closer to wide open did change the sound but in todays volume controls it doesn't mean much at all if you're near max or what the display reads...its just a number that displays a value relative to the volume you hear from the speakers. Given that you can adjust each channel you could have a display reading 100 or 80 that would be the same volume if you adjusted each channel accordingly. Also rememeber that the volume you read on your SPL meter is a result of a variety of factors most important being the sensetivity of your speakers. If you compare something like Klipshe to magnepan you'll end up with very different volume displays for reference...but each will be exactly the same loudness if reference was set with a calibration disc like Avia

[Danbry39]

I remember buying my first HT receiver, an Onkyo 696, after having bought my last one in the early 90's or something. The old one specifically had advised that you never turn the dial past the 1:00 position to avoid overdriving the amps. Like the experience you're having with your Rotel, the Onkyo had to be turned way up. Like you, I was worried.

As already said, the modern volume controls have changed significantly and, with the advent of callibrating via Avia or whatever, the most important thing to remember is where on that dial you achieve reference. Your speakers are efficient and your room size isn't that large, albeit you do have the one major opening. As long as you keep it within the limits of the receiver's power, you'll be fine. No worries.




Keith

[pjdami]

jsapp,

I also have a RSX 1055. For a while I was using the internal amps but recently added a RB 1070 for two channel stereo and use the internal amps in the 1055 for center and rears.

60 on the volume knob for watching movies / DVD is what I use also. I have gone as high as 65 db but that's getting pretty loud. My Polk LSi speakers are only 88 db sensitive.

Now for two channel music, I found that when using the internal amps on the RSX 1055, 60 - 62 on the volume would be about as much volume I could get without the music beginning to strain a little and this was well into the upper 90 + db range which is loud for me. In two channel mode as you know the 1055 will do 100 X 2 watts / channel.

So like has been said.. all is normal and no worry be happy

Paul