How loud?

[Thompsonuxb]

How loud do you guys need to turn your amp up before it starts to do its magic, those hi-fi things like float a 3d image in the room, make voices and instruments sound real deliver the details through your speakers from your source?

For me, for No.1 amp its at -42db the music jumps out the speakers, that equats to about 6 on the volume dial me thinks, its loud but thats the point when the amp starts doing amp things. Does your amp have a point or do you never consider these things.

 

[Overdose]

.........or do you never consider these things.

Yep, that's me.

 

[moon]

Well if its the 1210 playing I only have to have it up very little and everything is perfect. Another cm and a 1/2 required for CD etc.

 

[plastic penguin]

Depends on the source: The tuner and CDP only really needs to be played at background levels to hear a 3-D sound, but the turntable with a low mv cartridge needs to be cranked up higher to around 8-9 o'clock on the dial, likewise, the TV and DVD.

 

[Ben K.]

Mine sounds very good at all volumes but I think it sounds its best at -35db to -30db. This sweet spot is where the music seems to leave the speakers and just be there in the room with you. Louder than -30db sounds good but it gets a bit loud. I often listen at -40db to -50db if I'm reading or on the Internet as its nice background sound.

 

[DandyCobalt]

With my Cyrus DAC XP+ , it's about -40db, but I've added Rothwell attenuators that take it down by 10dB. So -30dB.

Anything over -25dB, (or -35dB unattenuated) and I get this odd noise coming through that sounds like a neighbour banging on the wall - funny that :?

 

[Big Chris]

I listen at 40 (scale goes from 0 - 72) most of the time. Fairly loud but not obnoxiously so. Can nudge 42 for the quieter recorded stuff like Queen & Porcupine Tree.

Could never get on with the -db scales on amps:wall:

 

[gregvet]

With my Cyrus DAC XP+ , it's about -40db, but I've added Rothwell attenuators that take it down by 10dB. So -30dB.

Anything over -25dB, (or -35dB unattenuated) and I get this odd noise coming through that sounds like a neighbour banging on the wall - funny that :?

I must listen really quietly. My DAC XP+ has never been above -40, and my SA1's are only 85db sensitivity, or thereabouts.

Thats my mission now, to see if I can get it to -25. Better be when my other half is out tho, he tells me to turn it down as it is lol

In response to the OP, I find about -45 to be perfect.

 

[DandyCobalt]

I must listen really quietly. My DAC XP+ has never been above -40, and my SA1's are only 85db sensitivity, or thereabouts.

Thats my mission now, to see if I can get it to -25.

That's -25dB with the rothwells - so would be -35dB without them - I don't want you to damage your ears .

After having been in a great mastering studio, and listened to my own band's record being given the treatment, it was amazing how much more info comes out at higher volumes (we were mastering with B&W 801s by the way).

I don't know how the mastering engineer manages on a day-to-day basis - especially when working with heavy bass material, but for us it was ear-opening 🙂