At What SPL Do You Listen to Your Stereo?

[microstrip]

Average sound levels are useless for sharing information - they strongly depend on the type of recording, listener averaging method (humans are very poor to perform acoustic averages) and measuring instrument.

In order to be reproduce sound levels we should also list peak level measured in fast mode. I have a few recordings that list such information about the studio live performance for a certain point of a track. I have found that in general, I listen at sound level about 6 ~ 9 lower than life.

 

[microstrip]

At What SPL Do You Listen to Your Stereo?​

At the maximum level the neighbours will allow me unfortunately

Can you translate it in peak dB?

 

[andromedaaudio]

No i never measured it
It depends on rhe music off course but i like to cranck it up when possible

 

[Solypsa]

Two things that bug me:

1) listening at tiny levels constantly
And
2) being in a room that's overdriven

A db meter is a good idea but I still don't know why common sense re the above is so difficult

 

[microstrip]

Two things that bug me:

1) listening at tiny levels constantly
And
2) being in a room that's overdriven

A db meter is a good idea but I still don't know why common sense re the above is so difficult

Yes, the dB meter is only needed if we want to share our usual listening levels with WBF readers. It is relevant to appreciate and understand posters comments on many subjects.

 

[morricab]

I was at a concert tonight where peaks were 97dB but average was around 83dB.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Average sound levels are useless for sharing information - they strongly depend on the type of recording, listener averaging method (humans are very poor to perform acoustic averages) and measuring instrument.

In order to be reproduce sound levels we should also list peak level measured in fast mode. I have a few recordings that list such information about the studio live performance for a certain point of a track. I have found that in general, I listen at sound level about 6 ~ 9 lower than life.

for sure. our rooms are quiet and we are trying to relax and not cause fatigue. 'loud' should be very occasional, and our systems hopefully have great first watt's and are engaging and we feel musical caress at modest volumes. OTOH music needs to be 'present' and not just low background.

i might crank it on the occasional cut or side, but not even once a session. maybe once a week, or month.

good acoustics does help for the sound to fill the room, have bass hookup for some authority, and be lively at lower volumes. i want to feel musical intent.

 

[Lagonda]

At What SPL Do You Listen to Your Stereo?​

At the maximum level the neighbours will allow me unfortunately

You need to get a house before you pick up your Gryphon Apex amps, i have ordered them for you already ! I could never live in a apartment again, i would get shot by my neighbors for my listening habits ! Bluegrass at 90 db around 4 AM !

 

[andromedaaudio]

To me high end audio is a system that stays crystal clear through the freq range at loud volumes
It doesnt mean i listen loud all the time but thats where the qualities lie.
Its usualy the first test i do with speakers or amps

 

[andromedaaudio]

You need to get a house before you pick up you Gryphon Apex amps, i have ordered them for you already ! I could never live in a apartment again, i would get shot by my neighbors for my listening habits !

Lol Your absolutely right.
I think the gryphons will sound mindblowing in that regard

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I apparently need to grow a pair of audiophile cajones. I am always worried if I take out my phone/SPL app in the concert hall, they're going to give me das boot thinking I'm recording. OK, next time, I'm doing it. Probably...

 

[Solypsa]

Blue grass at 4am? What kinda psychedelic trip is happening there

 

[Alrainbow]

It’s in part about dynamics and less compressed musical passages. Much is non steady and kind of pumps at times.
play some live Jessica Williams live at yosseys
if it’s not compressed peaks are 90 im
Sure yet it’s not loud to talk to someone next to me.

 

[Alrainbow]

My place is very acoustically isolated
not one can hear inside from outside
I also love home theatre as well.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I used to share a wall with a PITA neighbor in uni days. I found nothing says: "I love you" like Ethel Merman for 6:00 am wake-up at a stout volume! "You're the Top" or "There's No Business Like Show Business."

Highly recommended for psy-op projects, chasing raccoons off the property or other sonic endeavors.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I was at a concert tonight where peaks were 97dB but average was around 83dB.

Which genre of music? (I expect solo vocalist guitar will produce lower SPL than big classical symphony orchestra.)

 

[Alrainbow]

Which genre of music? (I expect solo vocalist guitar will produce lower SPL than big classical symphony orchestra.)

I think the opposite might be true. classical may have a large dynamic range impossible for our systems to replicate in real terms. but I think an avg
SPL might be lower. Where a jazz club recording is higher in avg and low dynamic rock even lower where it may have little peaks due to compression

 

[Alrainbow]

Which genre of music? (I expect solo vocalist guitar will produce lower SPL than big classical symphony orchestra.)

I think the opposite might be true. classical may have a large dynamic range impossible for our systems to replicate in real terms. but I think an avg
SPL might be lower. Where a jazz club recording is higher in avg and low dynamic rock even lower where it may have little peaks due to

 

[the sound of Tao]

Blue grass at 4am? What kinda psychedelic trip is happening there

The best kinds… for those of us who refuse to go quietly into that dark night and never give up on youth… even at our age… and then even if it’s only virtual reality

 

[ACHiPo]

At Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight with Zubin Mehta conducting Symphonie Fantastique I measured in the front orchestra row in a dead center seat SPL routinely at 85dB to 95dB, peaking at 100dB.

So this is actual big symphony orchestra concert SPL.

At what SPL do you listen to big symphony orchestra classical music?

Ron,
What weighting are you using?