How loud do you guys listen?

All general audio posts go here.
Nigel
Posts: 310
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:10 am
Has thanked: 20 times
Been thanked: 23 times
Wales

How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by Nigel »

I downloaded an app for measuring decibels and after listening to a five minute track, it would appear I'm averaging 80 db from my chair at my usual levels. I guess some recordings are louder than others though. What about you guys?
Technics SL1210 (Timestep power supply, Mike New Bearing) Audio Origami RB300 / Dynavector DV10x5
Pioneer DVD300 / Topping E30 or AAAA5 cd player.
Audio Innovations Series 500
Heco Direkt Einklang
Headphones - Musical Fidelity A1 / AKG K1000

User avatar
Andy-831
Posts: 481
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:34 am
Location: Lancs / Yorks Moors
Has thanked: 110 times
Been thanked: 43 times
Great Britain

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by Andy-831 »

Yeah similar levels to you, rarely goes above say 85db.
Analogue
401 / PU7 / AT33ev
Longdog Audio Quartz Garrard PSU.
Longdog Audio Phono stage (MCj1)
Digital
NVA BMU.
Innuos Zen / Caiman Seg and Dorado
Cambridge CXC
Amps
Tron Seven Linestage.
Bel Canto Set 40, or LDA 300B Set Monoblocks
Speakers
Tannoy GRF Memory.
Tannoy ST100 Supertweeters

User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by CN211276 »

The same with me as an average, though often quieter and sometimes louder for short listening sessions.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

Once again the question is wrong, lack of understanding. Loudness is a factor of distortion not power, so no one should listen too "loud".

A half watt portable radio can go too loud.

antonio66
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by antonio66 »

Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:34 am Once again the question is wrong, lack of understanding. Loudness is a factor of distortion not power, so no one should listen to "loud".

A half watt portable radio can go loud.
Are you saying if you were listening to half a watt and then turned the volume up to give one watt, you would not be using anymore power?

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

I don't understand the question. Half watt is half watt, it wont go to one watt.

There is a basic misunderstanding, I have written about it many many times here. It is very simple "loudness" is a factor of distortion not power. For the opposite of that half watt radio, if I had an old Tresham SR402 in bridged mode into 4 ohms it would be giving over 1k watts before it went loud in itself, but your ears would go loud (go into distortion) due to bone whip and your ears would be bleeding.

User avatar
savvypaul
Posts: 8633
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
Location: Durham
Has thanked: 1657 times
Been thanked: 2978 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by savvypaul »

I think the OP intends to ask:

What sound levels are you guys listening at?

Loudness = distortion:
A half watt radio may be 'too loud' at 70db
A biamped 80w system may not be at all 'loud' at 85db
I am in the hi-fi trade
Status: Manufacturer
Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »


alfafan123
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by alfafan123 »

Although I dont have a sound pressure meter my estimate from SPL tables of common sounds is I listen at a pretty low level probably in the 60-85Db range depending on the music as to me that is the range within which the music and soundstage seem less messed up.

I am not an electronics or acoustics engineer but I have begun to wonder if SPLs rise so does the probability of non linearity? Within an amps designed Voltage/Amperage envelope it should be fairly linear so I have become to suspect as SPLs rise any non linearity is more likely caused by the room acoustics and speaker design and/or interaction between the two or even perhaps a non linearity in my hearing? Is our hearing linear at all SPLs?

Anyway whatever it sounds cleaner and more engaging at lowish SPLs to me.

User avatar
Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Posts: 30758
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Muppet Labs
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: How loud do you guys listen?

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

The whole thread I linked to is relevant.

https://hifisubjectivist.org/viewtopic. ... t=loudness

Notice a good intelligent and sensible contribution from Macca, before he was conned into being a Marco arse licker.

Post Reply