Why do you want to turn it up?

[alchemist 1]

IT'S the vibes man, '' YOU' GOTTA FEEL THE VIBES''....................8)

 

[ID.]

My systems have always been in small rooms, so it gets painful. The few times I've gone really loud can be blamed on curiosity (I wonder how loud this can really go before distorting/being unbearable), intoxication making me less aware of SPL and trying to recreate capture the scale and impact of a concert or club.

Normally I'm just happy cranking it up enough so I'm enveloped in the music and it has suitable impact and scale, which isn't really that loud.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Realism demands realistic levels which are normally higher than most regularly achieve. Would probably do our ears no good. But in small rooms the acoustics prevent an open, expansive sound resulting in pain rather than gain.

 

[eggontoast]

The only reason I personally like to crank it is to feel the music. Part of the experience of listening to some types of music is to feel the bass, unfortunately you don't get this with headphones, you just go deaf ;-)

 

[CnoEvil]

unfortunately you don't get this with headphones, you just go deaf ;-)

.....and then you have to turn it up, often without knowing.

 

[Dougal1331]

I think it's about the physical impact of the music.

My TDLs are great at low volumes, but if I'm using the Coleridges they really like a bit of a kick. They sound terrific and quite loud at 9 o clock, but crank them up to 10 and they just gain another dimension... :rockout:

(Saying that, I don't get to do this very often- terraced house with paper walls and elderly neighbours!)

 

[john dolan]

I measured how loud i listen and sat 12 feet or so from my speakers the loudest it hit was 70 DB on dynamic peaks and the hifi was set to the loudest level i ever play it at.

Anyone that listens to constant 100 DB will suffer permanent hearing damage before a single album is finished please dont do it.

 

[Alec]

I don't want to.

 

[chebby]

I measured how loud i listen and sat 12 feet or so from my speakers the loudest it hit was 70 DB on dynamic peaks and the hifi was set to the loudest level i ever play it at.

About 85dB peaks from 9 feet when I turn it up to the maximum I can stand. (Rarely.)

My speakers have an efficiency of 89dB @ 1m (for 1 watt). So with 50wpc available, I am not bothered about running out of power for those dynamic swings.

 

[john dolan]

My speakers are PMC 90 DB 8 ohm @ 1m (for 1 watt) amy my mono blocks are 150 watts into 8 ohm so im using less than 1 watt from the amps when i listen with 70 DB peaks.

 

[eggontoast]

I just done a quick test and at fairly loud volumes, the meter read 95dB peaks in the normal listening position (about 3M from speakers) and about 105dB next to the sub. It wasn't loud enough to do any hearing damage IMO. I seem to remember the maximum health & safety level for a work environment is 85dB without any ear protection.

 

[john dolan]

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html

 

[richardw42]

Spurred on by that other thread.

PI decided to test my speakers. The ADM9s at 10 ft were flicking between mid to high 80s. With a peak of 94. That was using the song 82 by Stone Sour.

Then yesterday I used the same song with the ADM40s from about 15 ft. This time I dared to go into the 90s with a peak somewhere around 100.

PI normally listen loud, but this was a bit too high to be honest, and as John said above I certainly wouldn't recommend it.