Why do you want to turn it up?

[chebby]

The music is on, you can hear every detail clearly, you are 'in the groove' (tapping the feet, playing along on your air guitar, 'air conducting' or pretending to drum along), so what does cranking it up even louder get you on top of the enjoyment you are already having?

I don't mean turning up something from 'background level' so can you hear it more clearly. No, I mean when it's already loud enough to clearly hear everything on the recording and engage the emotions, but you have to TURN IT UP until the speakers are hitting the end stops and discomfort sets in. (I also don't mean turning it up because your listening position is 25 feet away from the speakers in a huge room.)

What is achieved by the extra volume?

After the recent ADM thread - where sustained volumes levels of well over 100dB were being discussed - it got me thinking of why it is so important to have the ability to play music that loud. (Someone must be doing it or manufacturers wouldn't be making the kind of domestic kit that can go that loud without breaking.)

 

[Overdose]

The music is on, you can hear every detail clearly, you are 'in the groove' (tapping the feet, playing along on your air guitar, 'air conducting' or pretending to drum along), so what does cranking it up even louder get you on top of the enjoyment you are already having?

I don't mean turning up something from 'background level' so can you hear it more clearly. No, I mean when it's already loud enough to clearly hear everything on the recording and engage the emotions, but you have to TURN IT UP until the speakers are hitting the end stops and discomfort sets in. (I also don't mean turning it up because your listening position is 25 feet away from the speakers in a huge room.)

What is achieved by the extra volume?

After the recent ADM thread - where sustained volumes levels of well over 100dB were being discussed - it got me thinking of why it is so important to have the ability to play music that loud. (Someone must be doing it or manufacturers wouldn't be making the kind of domestic kit that can go that loud without breaking.)

The over 100dB thing, I see as more about headroom than anything else. If a system is clear at 100dB, it'll surely be fine at more moderate levels.

As for more loudness bringing more enjoyment, I can only think that its some sort of psycological thing going on. Perhaps you 'feel' more part of the experience at louder volumes and elevated volumes help better immerse you?

It is also possibly drink related.

 

[CnoEvil]

Occasionally, I like to turn up Classical music in order to get closer to the scale, authority and excitement experienced when at a live concert....same goes for certain Jazz pieces as well. Somehow, drums sound more like themselves, and certain music just sounds better when playing loud.

The vast majority of the time I listen at sensible levels, as I value my hearing and my marital harmony.

 

[abacus]

The music is on, you can hear every detail clearly, you are 'in the groove' (tapping the feet, playing along on your air guitar, 'air conducting' or pretending to drum along), so what does cranking it up even louder get you on top of the enjoyment you are already having?

I don't mean turning up something from 'background level' so can you hear it more clearly. No, I mean when it's already loud enough to clearly hear everything on the recording and engage the emotions, but you have to TURN IT UP until the speakers are hitting the end stops and discomfort sets in. (I also don't mean turning it up because your listening position is 25 feet away from the speakers in a huge room.)

What is achieved by the extra volume?

After the recent ADM thread - where sustained volumes levels of well over 100dB were being discussed - it got me thinking of why it is so important to have the ability to play music that loud. (Someone must be doing it or manufacturers wouldn't be making the kind of domestic kit that can go that loud without breaking.)

You obviously don’t go to live music events very often or you would know the answer, find some local entertainment of various types and go and join in with the crowd and all will become clear.

WARNING: If you are easily depressed then stay as you are, as when you get back you will be shocked at just how bad your multi-thousand pound system is at producing music compared to the real deal.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[steve_1979]

Sometimes I like to turn the subwoofer up loud so that I can feel the bass. But I never listen to music at a volume that's anywhere near hearing damaging levels. I'm even more careful with the volume level when I'm listening to earphones.

Music does sound good when it's played loudly though. :rockout:

 

[unhalfbricking]

I live in a 'semi-D' with kids next door. No way I can crank up the volume to 'eleven'. Part of me actually wishes I had bought a 'pocket rocket' pair of speakers, easy to drive, but with room-filling presence - like the Q-2010s rather than my Kef Q-300s. In order to get the best dynamically out of my speakers, I always feel the need to push the volume up. :shame:

 

[Phileas]

A lot depends on the size of the room, obviously.

I believe AVI would claim that the headroom contributes to clarity since musical peaks are so much higher than the average level.

 

[Overdose]

Occasionally, I like to turn up Classical music in order to get closer to the scale, authority and excitement experienced when at a live concert....same goes for certain Jazz pieces as well. Somehow, drums sound more like themselves, and certain music just sounds better when playing loud.

The vast majority of the time I listen at sensible levels, as I value my hearing and my marital harmony.

Scale and reality, that's a good point.

A lot of musical instruments are quite loud acoustically, so having the system turned up to a comparble level would help increase realism.

 

[Jame5]

I've played my system really loud once, to satisfy the curiosity of dinner guests who equated good with loud. They were satisfied. I was satisfied that I have plenty of power in my current amp for current domestic circs.

 

[BenLaw]

Summat to do with the sacculus. It's all chemicals innit.

http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/why-do-we-like-our-music-loud-212790

 

[CnoEvil]

It's all chemicals innit.

Chemical Brothers? :roll:

 

[matt49]

Some of the experience of music is subliminal: not just in through the ears and decoded by the brain, but also felt physiologically by other bodliy systems. The chest and gut, for instance. Deep loud bass can be a physical assault.

 

[plastic penguin]

The music is on, you can hear every detail clearly, you are 'in the groove' (tapping the feet, playing along on your air guitar, 'air conducting' or pretending to drum along), so what does cranking it up even louder get you on top of the enjoyment you are already having?

I don't mean turning up something from 'background level' so can you hear it more clearly. No, I mean when it's already loud enough to clearly hear everything on the recording and engage the emotions, but you have to TURN IT UP until the speakers are hitting the end stops and discomfort sets in. (I also don't mean turning it up because your listening position is 25 feet away from the speakers in a huge room.)

What is achieved by the extra volume?

After the recent ADM thread - where sustained volumes levels of well over 100dB were being discussed - it got me thinking of why it is so important to have the ability to play music that loud. (Someone must be doing it or manufacturers wouldn't be making the kind of domestic kit that can go that loud without breaking.)

The same reason why I love very, very occasionally like to 'welly' the car. Gets the primal juices flowing. As dragging the wife on the floor by the hair and screaming "Ugg, ugg.." has been outlawed for some considerable time, whamming the hi-fi up very loud or driving the car very fast is a viable alternative.

(Note to self: The Leema isn't capable of going loud unlike Naim Nait 5i. Smack paws.)

 

[tomlinscote]

I maybe missing the point here but isn't the point of having a 'loud' system having the abliity to cope with the dynamic range of the tracks being playing? Say for example you are listening at a 'level' of 10W but every so often there's a peak of 100W, a decent system can cope with that sudden demand. Is it a bit like people having cars or bikes that can do 150mph when the speed limit is 70, its the ability to accelerate (out of trouble) that appeals, my little 20yr old 1litre Polo can easily do 70mph but it will not accelerate or go up modest hills very well..

I have a MF A3.5 amp that can deliver very loud volumes with my RS6's but I seldom listen at those levels but it CAN crank them out if needed. or when the neighbours are away

Tommo

 

[GSB]

Gary Newmans 'cars' can only be heard loud,it's the atmospherics if you know what i mean :shifty:

I am guilty of up-ing the volume a little,usualy on the less impressive mixes i have on cd or flac,adds that little bit more oomph

 

[matthewpiano]

I don't think Chebby is questioning the value of a powerful system particularly, more asking why people feel the need to play music at incredibly loud volume levels.

Personally I'm with Chebby. I really don't like the music on beyond a comfortable volume level. The highest my volume control ever goes is 10 o'clock and more often than not it hovers around 8 - 9 o'clock which I often find plenty loud enough. The comment about concerts is meaningless to me. I've been to huge numbers of concerts of all types of music and, when I'm there soaking up the excitement of the event, the volume levels are part of it. I'm actually not looking for the arena experience when I listen to music at home.

 

[BenLaw]

It's all chemicals innit.

Chemical Brothers? :roll:

This is hifi, so please don't forget the sisters.

 

[Electro]

Realistic dynamics , scale , and being able to feel the music as well as hear it just like listing to a live performance , and yes I do go to a lot of live performances

With a good live recording I can close my eyes and I am there with a soundstage that can appear to be many meters deep and as wide as the recording venue , I know it is all a clever illusion but it can seem incredibly real and is very exciting when the volume is turned up .

My system sounds equally as good at normal listening levels but with less dynamic contrast and impact but when the volume is turned up the adrenaline starts to flow and the extra dynamic impact is incredible , believe me it is highly addictive

It is like driving a high powered car you can feel the power is there even when you are not using it but when you put you foot down for the occasional blast it gives you a massive rush .

I have never even got near to the limit of my system I dread to think how loud that would be and I really would not want to damage anything !

 

[iQ Speakers]

It's all the above, it's emotion.

somtimes you want to listen to A somtimes to B

Somtimes you want to listen very loudly just to feel, feed the emotions!

 

[Covenanter]

Isn't it like the idiots who drive along in thier cars playing their "music" so load that everybody within 2 miles can hear it?

Chris

 

[Electro]

Isn't it like the idiots who drive along in thier cars playing their "music" so load that everybody within 2 miles can hear it?

Chris

No doing that that is just extremely annoying to everyone except the driver and he is probably deaf so can't hear the boom boom anyway .

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

It's all chemicals innit.

Chemical Brothers? :roll:

This is hifi, so please don't forget the sisters.

All starts with the Mamas and the Papas...

:cheers:

 

[CnoEvil]

It's all chemicals innit.

Chemical Brothers? :roll:

This is hifi, so please don't forget the sisters.

All starts with the Mamas and the Papas...

:cheers:

I thought it was Adam and Eve: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Adam+%26+Eve+(6)

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

It's all chemicals innit.

Chemical Brothers? :roll:

This is hifi, so please don't forget the sisters.

All starts with the Mamas and the Papas...

:cheers:

I thought it was Adam and Eve: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Adam+%26+Eve+(6)

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

It's all chemicals innit.

Chemical Brothers? :roll:

This is hifi, so please don't forget the sisters.

All starts with the Mamas and the Papas...

:cheers:

I thought it was Adam and Eve: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Adam+%26+Eve+(6)

No it wasn't! It was God...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_(Australian_band)

:cheer: