At what volume (measured in db) do you usually listen to / play your system?

[skinnyfla]

Just being curious here, I used the "decibel" app on my phone to check the db at my listening position and found out that I tend to listen to music somewhere between 70 and 80 db... I have friends that prefer listening more quietly, I am more on the loud(ish) side I would think... what`s considered loud, what`s quiet and at what volume does music sound best to you in your room/system?

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Holmz]

Generally the same as you.
Often lower when it is late, and sometimes a lot louder when the Haus-Boss is out.

 

[DeYoung]

I'll always try to set volume to saturate the room to as realistic levels i think the room can handle ...back off just a bit.. and then...leave it alone for the duration of the selection.. regardless of genre... most often around the 75-80db level.
Muck lower if the misses happens to still be asleep. (She cant hear a thing actually because she snores like a mis-firing diesel engine..)

 

[skinnyfla]

… during the day and when I play loud(ish) I‘ll usually start around 78-80 db and most often end around 85 db (which is actually quite loud in my room).

In the evening - when Madame is asleep - I‘ll usually relax and play my music somewhere around 67 - 70 db…

Both can be great fun… the evening is usually accompanied by a good bottle of wine… perfect way to chill, spin some vinyl and have a good bottle

 

[Joel27]

75db c weighted

 

[exupgh12]

It depends on the mood, activity, and hour of the day I listen. usually, I'll listen to around 70DB - 80 DB, but it can go as low as 65DB or as high as 100DB for a short period.

 

[itay123]

A well-balanced setup, will sound at its *best* even at a low gain/level of about 50db, as well as at a reasonable gain/level of 60db-70db and at a relatively high gain/level of 75db-85db.

Most of my listening is in the late evening into the night, and therefore the gain/level is relatively low to allow those living at home to sleep/rest without any disturbance of any kind.

I must note that I get the entire spectrum at every gain/level I listen to, But the reference to the micro and according to the macro is accordingly.

-------

When there is, let's say, a strong preference to hear at a (too) high Gain/level and not to enjoy at a low level,
although this is very much related to the character and attitude of the user,
it can also indicate a lack of compatibility in one way or another.

 

[ecwl]

Haha… There was a long discussion on this topic before if OP wants to read more:

At What SPL Do You Listen to Your Stereo?

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[luca.pelliccioli]

I have a silent (almost dead) room, noise-floor about 27-32 dB in the evening. This “base” level must be considered, together with the audible playing volume. I mean playing music at 65-70 dB average volume could be even medium-high in my particular case. I rarely play above 75-80 dB.

Edit: all above mentioned is measured dB-C

 

[Ron Resnick]

A well-balanced setup, will sound at its *best* even at a low gain/level of about 50db

I am afraid that I, for one, do not understand this.

If a higher SPL achieves a greater suspension of disbelief, then in terms of the way I think about things it is logically impossible for the stereo to sound as good or even at its "best" at a much lower SPL.

well as at a reasonable gain/level of 60db-70db and at a relatively high gain/level of 75db-85db.

Most of my listening is in the late evening into the night, and therefore the gain/level is relatively low to allow those living at home to sleep/rest without any disturbance of any kind.

I must note that I get the entire spectrum at every gain/level I listen to, But the reference to the micro and according to the macro is accordingly.

-------

When there is, let's say, a strong preference to hear at a (too) high Gain/level and not to enjoy at a low level,
although this is very much related to the character and attitude of the user,
it can also indicate a lack of compatibility in one way or another.

As with many topics in this hobby I think it is important to understand the often unrecognized and thus often undisclosed objective of the audiophile. My personal objective in this hobby either is to "re-create the sound of an original musical event" or to "create a sound that seems live."

Either way I dial up an SPL which reminds me of the SPL I hear at Walt Disney Concert Hall. I never use the big stereo for background listening. I use it only in a dedicated way to attempt to create an involving and realistic experience.

When you are listening at 50dB to 70dB what is your purpose or objective?

 

[bonzo75]

I am afraid that I, for one, do not understand this.

If a higher SPL achieves a greater suspension of disbelief, then in terms of the way I think about things it is logically impossible for the stereo to sound as good or even at its "best" at a much lower SPL.



As with many topics in this hobby I think it is important to understand the often unrecognized and thus often undisclosed objective of the audiophile. My personal objective in this hobby either is to "re-create the sound of an original musical event" or to "create a sound that seems live."

Either way I dial up an SPL which reminds me of the SPL I hear at Walt Disney Concert Hall. I never use the big stereo for background listening. I use it only in a dedicated way to attempt to create an involving and realistic experience.

When you are listening at 50dB to 70dB what is your purpose or objective?

When people on this forum talk about higher SPL, they often seem to be discussing the loud passages of an orchestra. For realism, the quieter passages and the swells have to be clear and loud enough too. The quieter passage is never at 100db. It is not so important if it is 56 or 60, as long as every minute shift is clear, the intervals and continuity can be heard, the rise and fall, and then the loud increase to the climax.

This requires an overall good balance to the system and not just loudness. This is where high sensitivity and efficiency excels as on 100db + easy to drive speakers, the slightest weight shift of the hand on the bow can be heard even with very low watt amplification.

Also, if one driver goes loud and the other does not (i.e. mismatched drivers which is often the case), information (and hence realism) is lost.

 

[itay123]

I am afraid that I, for one, do not understand this.

If a higher SPL achieves a greater suspension of disbelief, then in terms of the way I think about things it is logically impossible for the stereo to sound as good or even at its "best" at a much lower SPL.



As with many topics in this hobby I think it is important to understand the often unrecognized and thus often undisclosed objective of the audiophile. My personal objective in this hobby either is to "re-create the sound of an original musical event" or to "create a sound that seems live."

Either way I dial up an SPL which reminds me of the SPL I hear at Walt Disney Concert Hall. I never use the big stereo for background listening. I use it only in a dedicated way to attempt to create an involving and realistic experience.

When you are listening at 50dB to 70dB what is your purpose or objective?

Hi Ron
My intention was more about the spectrum, details, micro details, in a balanced setup,
that they can be identified aurally even at a very low gain, and don't actually need to amplify to "find" them,
the intention was not that this is how I try to reproduce a live event, but that I can Enjoy the result of my SETUP also as mentioned without taking the volume dial to the extreme left.

And yes, I find myself at least 65% of my time - when I listen in the late evening into the night, family status,
on the weekends, when I have the house to myself,
I listen according to my feeling at a certain point and according to the genre I listen to and want to experience.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Hi Ron
My intention was more about the spectrum, details, micro details, in a balanced setup,
that they can be identified aurally even at a very low gain, and don't actually need to amplify to "find" them,
the intention was not that this is how I try to reproduce a live event, but that I can Enjoy the result of my SETUP also as mentioned without taking the volume dial to the extreme left.

And yes, I find myself at least 65% of my time - when I listen in the late evening into the night, family status,
on the weekends, when I have the house to myself,
I listen according to my feeling at a certain point and according to the genre I listen to and want to experience.

Thank you!

 

[skinnyfla]

… probably also depends on the genre - I play a lot of „rock“ (even subgenres, ska, rockabilly, psychobilly, ska, punk, country, etc.)… here the shifts in loudness are not as large as in some other genres I suppose - so when I play at an average volume of 80db it will usually be just that, maybe shifting between 78 and 82 db, but there is not so much dynamic range - 80 - 85 db at an almost constant average level is quite loud and I really find 85 db very loud on most stuff I play… but I do find playing the system louder to bring more fun… there seems to be more slam and punch… which also seems logical because I would suppose more air is moved…

 

[heihei]

I'm a firm believer that there is a "right" volume to play most pieces of music that gets you closest to the suspension of belief that you are listening to real musicians. I guess the exception to this is amplified music where most of us wouldn't do extended listening sessions at rock-concert levels!

I tend to listen into the low 80's for music with a relatively constant level.

 

[luca.pelliccioli]

A parameter I use is also a realistic dimensionality of soundstage and performers (I play mostly jazz or ‘70s rock). Small venues like pubs or recording studios are my favorite “reference” in order to enjoy the be-there illusion.
If the volume level goes too high the singer mouth loose the right proportion with a head as big as a OLED TV or even worst it appears to be tall like a baobab. Long story short, IME the volume can contribute a lot to define the realism of a stereo reproduction, also regarding the “size” of performers and instruments on the stage.

 

[Paul1960]

I think it is odd that nobody has talked about whether they are measuring using dBA or dBC. On most music there is a 10-20 dB difference between those measurements. dBA starts rolling off its measurements around 2 kHz and has very little sensitivity below 200 hZ. dBC is relatively flat. This you tube video shows graphs although he doesn't provide a scale on his chart at 1:00.

If you are only listening to acoustic vocal music there will be relatively little difference but once you start listening to more modern bass heavy rock or electronic music bass may actually predominate. So 80 dBA will be unbearably loud with Billie Eilish while 80 dBC might be a very unsatisfying level.

Ambient noise in my house in a very unpopulated area is around 29 dBA or 47 dBC. Refrigerators, forced air systems, wind, breathing, our imperfectly silent gear etc. all contribute to the difference.

I find I usually listen to most contemporary music between 76-84 dBC using slow weighting which smooths the peaks some. Above the high 80s seems painful to me so I don't go there even when the music feels like it might demand it. Even with Classical music, listening below 55 dBA minimums seems pointless to my ears so I have no idea what kind of bat ears anybody who finds listening with a mid 50s average must have LOL.

You can use the free NiOSH app on your iPhone to measure SPL levels in your room. I like to leave mine open all the time to make sure I don't inadvertently exceed safeish levels (~ 85 dB although good luck getting something definitive on whether that is 85 dBA or dBC).

If you really blast the music do keep in mind hearing loss is cumulative.