Ever heard your hi fi at max volume?.....

[Drummerdave]

.....I have, for about 30 seconds last Saturday night.

My elder daughter was having a chav-theme 16th Birthday party in our house - all her mates were dressed up in track suits, hoodies, baseball caps etc (looked hilarious by the way) and had brought some cds with bad dance music. I had told her to be very careful with the hi fi but she must have turned it up with the remote to full volume without reaising. Luckily I was in the next door neighbours and heard the noise.

I was able to rush in and turn it down before any damage was done or an ASBO was issued (that would have taken the party theme a bit too far).

Anyway, the full volume sound wasn't distorted, I could still hear all the details of the (horrible) music, just at ear splitting volume. Think my speakers may now be fully broken in.

 

[idc]

I had my Arcam/Rega/B&W set up while I lived in a detached house, and of course at the first oportunity after we moved in I tried it at full volume. It was amazing and sounded really good with no distortion from the hifi itself. The problem was more about other items in the room rattling and the reflection of sound off the walls made the sound somewhat intense. But the hifi was fine. I put that down to the speakers being blue tacked onto sand filled metal stands and being a distance away from the hifi on its solid metal framed and wooden shelved stand. And correctly partnered kit; the speakers and amp and the Arcam CD player which had an RA attenuated interconnect with the amp.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Drummerdave:.....I have, for about 30 seconds last Saturday night.

My elder daughter was having a chav-theme 16th Birthday party in our house - all her mates were dressed up in track suits, hoodies, baseball caps etc (looked hilarious by the way) and had brought some cds with bad dance music. I had told her to be very careful with the hi fi but she must have turned it up with the remote to full volume without reaising. Luckily I was in the next door neighbours and heard the noise.

I was able to rush in and turn it down before any damage was done or an ASBO was issued (that would have taken the party theme a bit too far).

Anyway, the full volume sound wasn't distorted, I could still hear all the details of the (horrible) music, just at ear splitting volume. Think my speakers may now be fully broken in.

No way!!!! I couldn't take it. Mine at 55 on the volume is very very loud (I listen no louder than 40) and I think it can go to 85!!!

 

[tonky]

I thought the 840A had a scale were the numbers reduces as it gets louder 30 on mine is loud enough. i don't like to go loeder cos of my neighbour.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerrardasnails:Drummerdave:.....I have, for about 30 seconds last Saturday night.

My elder daughter was having a chav-theme 16th Birthday party in our house - all her mates were dressed up in track suits, hoodies, baseball caps etc (looked hilarious by the way) and had brought some cds with bad dance music. I had told her to be very careful with the hi fi but she must have turned it up with the remote to full volume without reaising. Luckily I was in the next door neighbours and heard the noise.

I was able to rush in and turn it down before any damage was done or an ASBO was issued (that would have taken the party theme a bit too far).

Anyway, the full volume sound wasn't distorted, I could still hear all the details of the (horrible) music, just at ear splitting volume. Think my speakers may now be fully broken in.

No way!!!! I couldn't take it. Mine at 55 on the volume is very very loud (I listen no louder than 40) and I think it can go to 85!!!

Lol mine starts at 6o clock at 10 oclock its loud , at 12 it's close to deafening, i am guessing that i would be permanently deaf if i braved getting it anywhere near max not to mention it would probably blow the amp or speakers

 

[chebby]

idc:...and the Arcam CD player which had an RA attenuated interconnect with the amp.

I must find out more about that attenuated interconnect.

I have a whole list of more powerful amps that I want to audition soon, and I would like to know that if the volume control was ever turned to the max it would not go insanely loud or do damage to amp or speakers.

 

[Drummerdave]

chebby:idc:...and the Arcam CD player which had an RA attenuated interconnect with the amp.

I must find out more about that attenuated interconnect.

I have a whole list of more powerful amps that I want to audition soon, and I would like to know that if the volume control was ever turned to the max it would not go insanely loud or do damage to amp or speakers.

My attenuated IC probably helped matters last Saturday but still, now I know what 175 wpc sounds like.

 

[Anonymous]

No, never gone past about noon from my M-Audio (though my "high" output MC cartridge is still lower output than most MM so I can go about 1 depending on the record).

At noon it's a bit painful, I'd be scared of anything to the right of that.

 

[idc]

Some information here; http://www.russandrews.com/popindex.asp?src="google&lookup=1&region=UK&currency=GBP&article_id=info_attenuation&customer_id=PAA2410028409084IJJFQFTIPSJRKXCN"

It just made sense to me with regards to electrical overloading. The interconnects I had definitely imroved the sound and I felt safer going to higher volumes. My Mira amp volume control could be turned all the way in as much as it spun eternally anyway with a little red light slowly moving round the edge. After attenuation I had far more range to listen to with the volume than before, and as high as I went it was the room that rattled and distorted the sound, not the hifi. But I would not just put that down to the attenuated interconnect. Attenuation adds £15 to a RA tonik interconnect, I think it is worthwhile.

 

[chebby]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Anonymous]

My mate and I had my hi-fi system on -10db playing Van Halen's Jump on 89db sensitivity speakers. The punch from the bass kick drum was gut wrenching! Awsome stuff!

 

[matengawhat]

you can buy goldenjacks off ebay for about £25 quid that reduce by -10db allowing your amp to work harder for sound and give more turn on the volume - good quality little extra

 

[Anonymous]

I've been told that most hifi, especially the eastern made kit just adds distortion past about 12 o'clock and not volume

Not sure if thats true or not. I did turn my nad system to about 2 or 3 a few times, and that was more than enough.

 

[matengawhat]

matengawhat:you can buy goldenjacks off ebay for about £25 quid that reduce by -10db allowing your amp to work harder for sound and give more turn on the volume - good quality little extra

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GOLDENJACKS-LINE-I-P-ATTENUATORS-for-optimal-CD-sound_W0QQitemZ300295496043QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_CDPlayerSeparates?hash=item300295496043&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

link

 

[matengawhat]

cheers for this has just made me go hunt out my goldenjacks as when i updated my system i stripped everything out - just put these back in and def have had a positive effect on the volume control can now use the remote as the incremental steps were just too great before

 

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for the heads up on the attenuators! I have heard of these before from russ andrews but they are quite pricey. The ebay ones might be the ticket. cheers

 

[Anonymous]

I was a drummer in a previous life, everything up to Big Band. So now I have to have the wick turned up and yearn for the quality I once knew. Good job I have an understanding Wife.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

tonky:I thought the 840A had a scale were the numbers reduces as it gets louder 30 on mine is loud enough. i don't like to go loeder cos of my neighbour.

You can change it from the minus decibels you mention to 1-85 instead.

 

[stevee1966]

Is this really recommended. I've got a Marantz PM7001, Marantz SA7001, and B+W 685 speakers. The volume dial on my amp begins at around 7 o'clock. I normally listen at around 9. I've pushed it to between 11 and 12 once and it was LOUD.

Very apprehensive to go any louder in case it damages my equipment. Apart from the damage it could do to my ears, what is the chance that it would all go t#ts up for my hi fi if i tried it... because i've always wanted to ?

 

[Anonymous]

Can't say I have any particular burning desire (is that the smell of voice coils?) to see how far my set up will go. On 8ish right now, 9 sounds loud, am looking forward to 10 / 10.30ish when I don't have neighbours to worry about. Beyond that, I doubt I would enjoy the volume levels.

 

[matengawhat]

i think my speakers would give up a long time before my amp does - anything past about 10 on mine is deafining and would really upset the neighbours

 

[Anonymous]

I live in a semi so have only ever had the system to around 11ish and it was loud enough for me

Had a pair of M74's, they where good when cranked up Bout all they were goood for tbh lol

 

[Anonymous]

I have never been past 12 on mine, it's quite scary and I worry about my speakers, but I do often wonder what would happen...

ÿ

Thing is I know it would sound bad (well at least I think), I don't enjoy the sound at 12 oclock (I only turn it up that loud when I get carried away), ÿbut do the manufacturers actually expect people to play full blast? I find this post very interesting...

ÿ

I do think though that if I did go full blast, possibly the first thing to go would be my ear drums in my small room!ÿ

 

[stevee1966]

Well before i give it a try, how about the WHFSandV testing team putting together a few cd, amp and speaker combinations and seeing which ones survive the 'maximum volume test'.

A bit like a Brainic experiment.

 

[Anonymous]

My old stereo could blow out a candle from 3 metres at full volume