How loud do you play the music?

thomask

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Dec 9, 2018
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71azpeJIgvL._SL1500_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07558DPKN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought the above Sound level meter which give out peak reading.

It tuned out that peak db is around 85 db at my listening chair.

From time to time I got over 90db but I found the sound to be too loud.

But last night I recorded 105db while playing

https://www.amazon.com/Bernstein-Suite-Candide-Meditations-Divertimento/dp/B00000JXY1 .


There is some behind story for this.

About one week ago after swapping some IC cables, I started hearing ground hum.

At first I guessed that there must be some problem with IC cables but not.

Thus I pulled back two big 2KW isolation transformers that I had kept for 20 years.

I had not used them for last 7 years since they are heavy and taking lot of space.


With those two isolation transformers in Line Magnetic SET amplifier and power supply of Lansche 4.1 speakers, 80% of ground hum disappeared.

I bought one more 450W isolation transformer from Amazon and set it up with my EMMlab DAC2 and now almost 90% of ground hum are gone.

The amazing thing is that some digital sheen is also gone after setting up three isolation transformers.

I bought 2 packs of 20 magnetic cores.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BWC5ZTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I put them on digital, IC and speaker cables.

Now I can play music above 100db without ear aching hardness.

The only drawback of magnetic cores is that it may sound less open or slightly less dynamic.

But I am comfortable with the round and musical sound after putting three isolation transformers and 30 magnetic cores.

2 packs of 20 magnetic cores cost me 24 $ including tax.

This is the best value tweak that I had done on my system.
 
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Gregadd

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IMO this is one of the most important aspects of music reproduction. Moreover it varies based on,system,indudual,room, and music selection.Real music is loud even when it is not perceived to be. Distortion ad noise can add toto the perception of loudness. Detail can be missing or exaggerated by an overly loud system. If the music is not loud enough the system can be perceived as thin and lacking in dynamics. Played to loud the can system can lack headroom.
YEMV.
 
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thomask

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IMO this is one of the most important aspects of music reproduction. Moreover it varies based on,system,indudual,room, and music selection.Real music is loud even when it is not perceived to be. Distortion ad noise can add toto the perception of loudness. Detail can be missing or exaggerated by an overly loud system. If the music is not loud enough the system can be perceived as thin and lacking in dynamics. Played to loud the can system can lack headroom.
YEMV.
I am surprised to find that I can get clean 105 db peak out of my speaker using 48W SET tube amplifer.

Your points are spot on.

But most audio system can not play clean and loud.
 

XCop5089

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Sep 5, 2015
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I think that every room has it's own saturation point when playing music on a hifi system. I have not measured it, but I play music at a "comfortable" volume that is loud enough to recreate dynamics and realism, which also varies from disc to disc and medium to medium (CD, files, streaming media, vinyl). It doesn't seem loud to me, until you try to hold a conversation!

My room size is 22' x 18'3" x 8' (well treated) and speakers are TAD CR1 MKII (4ohm load with 86db efficiency) Power amp is CJ Premier 350SA, which is good for 600 watts into 4ohms and 66 amp current capability. Volume level on the GAT2 preamp is typically 23 to 35, depending on source (DAC set to 6 volt output).
 

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thomask

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I think that every room has it's own saturation point when playing music on a hifi system. I have not measured it, but I play music at a "comfortable" volume that is loud enough to recreate dynamics and realism, which also varies from disc to disc and medium to medium (CD, files, streaming media, vinyl). It doesn't seem loud to me, until you try to hold a conversation!

My room size is 22' x 18'3" x 8' (well treated) and speakers are TAD CR1 MKII (4ohm load with 86db efficiency) Power amp is CJ Premier 350SA, which is good for 600 watts into 4ohms and 66 amp current capability. Volume level on the GAT2 preamp is typically 23 to 35, depending on source (DAC set to 6 volt output).
My listening room on third floor is 18 ft wide 24 feet deep and 20ft high but open to the second floor.

I also have lot of acoustic panels and diffusor in it.

With open space, I could play loud without congestion.

The only thing matter is digital noise or sheen.

It got reduced substantially using three isolation transformers and 40 magnetic cores.

My Lansche 4.1 has around 95db/w driven by 48 watt SET tube amp using high pass crossover above 38 hz.

I use PSB subsonic active subwoofer with two 12 inch drivers below 38hz using active crossover of Lyngdorf 2170.

But i am surprised with peak value of 105db at my listening chair without problem.
 

hvbias

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Roughly 85 db average with classical music (digital Radioshack meter). This allows for plenty of dynamic range without ever getting into unsafe levels. This is active listening, doing nothing else and would be maximum of 2 hours a day. Usually more like 1.5 hours.

I would be interested in what @ddk says, I'm building a set of horns where the single mid/treble horn are constant directivity.
 
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thomask

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Roughly 85 db average with classical music (digital Radioshack meter). This allows for plenty of dynamic range without ever getting into unsafe levels. This is active listening, doing nothing else and would be maximum of 2 hours a day. Usually more like 1.5 hours.

I would be interested in what @ddk says, I'm building a set of horns where the single mid/treble horn are constant directivity.
85-90 for serious classical listening for me.
 

Folsom

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I'm not sure what, but I know it isn't half as loud as a lot of audio people listen at. I like a little power, so not quiet, but anything near hurting is too much.
 

BlueFox

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Used to play my S5 MK1s at 110+, until one night I blew both up. LOL. Now I never go past 100 with S5 MK2s.

Why do you post everything common with a single sentence? That is why paragraphs were invented.
 

Folsom

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Used to play my S5 MK1s at 110+, until one night I blew both up. LOL. Now I never go past 100 with S5 MK2s.

Why do you post everything common with a single sentence? That is why paragraphs were invented.

For the same reason othe people don’t make paragraphs but maybe press return once periodically? To make it hell to read the forum.
 

thomask

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Used to play my S5 MK1s at 110+, until one night I blew both up. LOL. Now I never go past 100 with S5 MK2s.

Why do you post everything common with a single sentence? That is why paragraphs were invented.
You blew the speaker with 110db. o_O

I would not go above 100db.

But I happened to get to 105db last night.
 

ALF

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...remember, with every 6dB increase, the loudness doubles. For example, 12dB is twice as loud as 6dB, 86dB is twice as loud as 80dB, 106dB is twice as loud as 100dB...so, 100dB is half as loud as 106 dB.

Cheers!
ALF
 

Folsom

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...remember, with every 6dB increase, the loudness doubles. For example, 12dB is twice as loud as 6dB, 86dB is twice as loud as 80dB, 106dB is twice as loud as 100dB...so, 100dB is half as loud as 106 dB.

Cheers!
ALF

No. Every 3db is twice as loud, but we perceive it as every 10db is twice as loud.
 
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BlueFox

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For the same reason othe people don’t make paragraphs but maybe press return once periodically? To make it hell to read the forum.

That’s the truth. Trying to read a bunch of single sentences, or one huge paragraph is a form of torture. :)
 

Gregadd

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OTOH I just wish people would get to the point.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Used to play my S5 MK1s at 110+, until one night I blew both up. LOL. Now I never go past 100 with S5 MK2s.

Why do you post everything common with a single sentence? That is why paragraphs were invented.

Were you playing an average 110dB or peaks at 110dB?
 

thomask

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Were you playing an average 110dB or peaks at 110dB?
It must be 110db peak.

Otherwise something will blow up.

I should have separate posting about isolation transformers and ferrite cores.

About one hour ago, I got another delivery of 1KW isolation transformers.

With 4 isolation transformers and 40 ferrite cores on the cables, the sound had never been this good with 3D holographic sound.
 
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Audiophile Bill

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It must be 110db peak.

Otherwise something will blow up.

I should have separate posting about isolation transformers and ferrite cores.

About one hour ago, I got another delivery of 1KW isolation transformers.

With 4 isolation transformers and 40 ferrite cores on the cable, the sound had never been this good with 3D holographic sound.

I am surprised he blew a Magico with a 110 peak if true.
 
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BlueFox

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Don C

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Average at listening spot.....about 85 dB with maximum 95 dB peaks.

Do not like very loud, and I will not degrade my hearing abilities after long listening sessions.
 
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