prefered listening volume level on your ROTEL

[Frank Helmling]

Which is your average listening volume adjustment on your ROTEL?
And where is your movie reference volumelevel?

I have measured in my room at my RSX 1550, a level of "80" as being the cinema reference level - which produces on my listening position a maximum peak of 96dB (ironman 2, "skydiving scene" at the beginning of chapter 2) for example.
This seems to be rather loud to my ears and usually I watch my movies 8 - 10 scales lower (70 - 72 at the ROTEL). How reliable are those stories of having 115 dB's at the listening position (and survive.... :E )?

[hurin]

I fail to see how such numbers could be of relevance to anyone. As they depend on how good your hearing is, what type of music you listen to, your speakers, and the size of your room.

[Frank Helmling]

It's of relevance to me because I'm interested to know!
Speakersize and roomsize don't matter as you should use a sound level meter to find out your movie reference level. And that's the point:

1. How much do have you to push your ROTEL therefore? - and

2. Do you play your movietracks at such levels?

3. What does that mean in terms of sound pressure?

[Frank Helmling]

No one interested in posting his specs?

[Gsrrrrrrrrr]

The reference level on my RSP 1570 is 78 and I typically listen at a max of 70 to 72, depending on the disc (one extreme case is the Quantum of Solace blu-ray, which was ear-piercing at 70). I have read numerous times that most people find the reference level to be uncomfortably loud in the home environment. If you boost the sub-woofer level above reference you can maintain the low-bass feel, while keeping the overall level from sounding too loud (the ear is less sensitive to frequencies at the extremes).

[BWLover]

I think (keyword THINK) those reference levels were based on huge movie theaters like IMAX. Or something to that effect. I also agree that reference levels in the home are much to loud. I haven't watched a movie since I went from my RSX-1058 to my RB-1080/RC-1082. But on that, the max vol. for music is usually at VERY MOST 11 o'clock. But comfortably 9-10 o'clock. I also think that music and movies must be recorded differently because it always seems that movies are turned up higher then music. Almost to the point where if i were to put my cd's at the same vol as a movie, i would blow them.

[Frank Helmling]

many thanks for your replies, fellows. This is useful information for me!

[mjb]

I also think that music and movies must be recorded differently because it always seems that movies are turned up higher then music. Almost to the point where if i were to put my cd's at the same vol as a movie, i would blow them.

I'm sure someone can correct me, but I think music CD's are recorded with a dynamic range of 10-15 dB, but films are around 105dB. This is why you tend to turn movies up louder, you need to be able to hear the very faint wispering which might be as much as 105 dB softer than the big explosions.
Music is much more constant in its output, with a much lower dynamic range. Using compression (which reduces the DR even more), you can record the cd much "hotter"... this has become a marketing ploy, as people tend to think "louder" sounds better, but really you're being fooled by the compression technology.

[Frank Helmling]

Music is, of course, a completely different thing: Most of the newer cd's are very loud recorded, playing them with the volume set to 60 seems to be a good playback level others I can easily play up to 75 the difference is horrible you don't know how to set your setup.

I'm want to hear music and don't want to act as a fu..... deejay (adjusting volume and bass contour level with every new cd)

One thing you do not face over the ocean (I am a german) is the audioproblem with movies. With a fair amount of movietracks (approx. 50%) the german Dolby or DTS track is severely compressed for what reason ever..... When I first listened to star wars EPI Podrace in it's original englsh playback it blew me off the couch compared to the german one.......

[Mark_C.]

My Rotel RSP-1066 is calibrated to 75 db. We usually listen to movies at 56 to 62.

[madmac]

I run all my music and movies with all 5 channels driven into 8 ohm speakers in an average size living room (13X18 feet) and music (cd's) is typically run at 64 on the Rotel dial. Movies can be pushed to 70 on the dial. My music is quite loud at 65 and movie's too @ 69-70 on the dial. I have NEVER gone higher than 70 on the dial. If you go above that which would be like 2 o'clock on a regular dial, your speakers and room are not suited for the amp that's driving them and you are pushing the amp too hard in my opinion.

[Blindamood]

I run all my music and movies with all 5 channels driven into 8 ohm speakers in an average size living room (13X18 feet) and music (cd's) is typically run at 64 on the Rotel dial. Movies can be pushed to 70 on the dial. My music is quite loud at 65 and movie's too @ 69-70 on the dial. I have NEVER gone higher than 70 on the dial. If you go above that which would be like 2 o'clock on a regular dial, your speakers and room are not suited for the amp that's driving them and you are pushing the amp too hard in my opinion.

Sounds exactly like my scenario and listening levels, using the RSP-1570 and RMB-1565, driving B&W monitors all around.

[Frank Helmling]

Thanks for the new replies.
Just got the information that I've got to add around 6 dB to my SPL-meter results since they'd been done in dB(c) mode.
This leads to a peak of 102 dB instead of 96 dB for ironman and of course this is to loud since the new reverence level (paying attention to the above mentioned) is at 77 volume adjustment, which should settle the scale at around 99 - 100dB peak with ironman

My room is 20 x 13 and I drive a 5.3 set with 683's as fronts being cutted out at 100Hz because of roommodes and letting the subs (ASW 610) do the work as a Single Bass Array at the front.

Just played Police "Greatest Hits" at 75 Volume which was not really loud.....

Even at night I play that cd at 60 which seems to be a neighbourfriendly volume.....

[gp4Jesus]

I like my 1068 about 80. My family prefers 65-70.
Several factors dictate one's "reference" level. Available power-1KW+ for my system.
Speaker sensitivty-adjusting channel levels against the least, most, or middle sensitive speaker.
Room size & acoustics-large or small, lively or dead. And finally LOUD to one maybe "not-so" to another. Just my $.02

Cheers tony

[Nuthed]

Which is your average listening volume adjustment on your ROTEL?
And where is your movie reference volumelevel?

I have measured in my room at my RSX 1550, a level of "80" as being the cinema reference level - which produces on my listening position a maximum peak of 96dB (ironman 2, "skydiving scene" at the beginning of chapter 2) for example.
This seems to be rather loud to my ears and usually I watch my movies 8 - 10 scales lower (70 - 72 at the ROTEL). How reliable are those stories of having 115 dB's at the listening position (and survive.... :E )?

What number is indicated on your AVR is relative to what you have your individual channel trim levels set to in the speaker menu.

IOWs 80 doesn't mean anything. I could come over to your place and jack the trims and get the same volume at a lower indicated front panel number.

[Frank Helmling]

that's right. But, just in case I had set a severe reduction with my front chanels (which are the ones of interest since they're used for stereo and movies), I would have mentioned!

[PewterTA]

Either I'm off... or my amp (rb-1090) rocks.

I listen to most things at 50 if I want it loud, 60.

[Nuthed]

that's right. But, just in case I had set a severe reduction with my front chanels (which are the ones of interest since they're used for stereo and movies), I would have mentioned!

Have you done a proper calibration?

The way I used to do mine, right or wrong, was to determine which speaker was loudest at the main listening position using a Radio Shack SPL meter when ALL trims were set to "0"db .

When determined, leave it at "0" and adjust the master volume level to attain 75db from the loudest speaker at the main listening position using your SPL meter. From there it is easy, keeping your master volume at the previously determined setting, adjust the individual trim levels to attain that same 75db at the main listening position. With the exception of your subwoofer (if you have one) you should be properly calibrated.

The sub is a little trickier. You need to employ a correction table and it also helps to know exactly what frequency you are using to calibrate the sub. Using something other than the receiver's or pre/pro's pink noise is better when it comes to the sub since you can select the freqeuncy to use and apply whatever correction is needed. I have an Avia set-up disc that I have used in the past. I have since just written the numbers down and refer to that if my settings are lost, or in the case of my Integra, I let Audyssey do it's thing.

Here is a subwoofer correction table:

FREQUENCY CORRECTION FACTOR

12Hz add 16.5dB
16Hz add 11.5dB
20Hz add 7.5dB
25Hz add 5dB
31.5Hz add 3dB
40Hz add 2.5dB
50Hz add 1.5dB
63Hz add 1.5dB
80Hz add 1.5dB
100Hz add 2dB
125Hz add .5dB

[Frank Helmling]

Have you done a proper calibration?

Here is a subwoofer correction table:

FREQUENCY CORRECTION FACTOR

12Hz add 16.5dB
16Hz add 11.5dB
20Hz add 7.5dB
25Hz add 5dB
31.5Hz add 3dB
40Hz add 2.5dB
50Hz add 1.5dB
63Hz add 1.5dB
80Hz add 1.5dB
100Hz add 2dB
125Hz add .5dB

Yeah I think so, I've done it via ARTA with every single chanel. The picture shows my two fronts and the subs (3, sba-pattern).

Thanks for the subwoofer correction table!

[gp4Jesus]

to Nuthed: You have done a proper calibration!

I applaud you. I believe those are the instructions from the manual!

Also thanks for the subwoofer correction table.

My apologies for not mentioning in my previous post, "100" is max volume for my RSP 1068. Also, some speakers can sound louder than others because of peak(s) between 1K hz & 6K hz.

many others made valid points about "adjustments"

cheers tony