How loud is your music right now? (SPL meter)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Robert C, Nov 15, 2014.

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  1. Quiet Earth

    Quiet Earth Forum Resident

    My initial comment was based on the first page of this thread. There were several people who listen in the 70 to 80 range, one person in the 60s. I imagine that many of us listen in the high 70s, and that is probably C weighted peak levels.

    Let's say you are producing 80 dB peaks with two speakers and siting two meters away from them. Let's say your speakers are 89dB efficient. How many "reserve" watts on tap do you think you are using to create those peak levels? Probably not very many. The whole "power on tap" thing is sort of a myth for normal to quiet listening. Just my opinion, YMMV.
     
  2. DR.J

    DR.J Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago Suburb
    Not very loud. Listening to Dr. John and others on WWOZ (NOLA Public Radio) at work on tinny Logitech speakers at work. Great music on a great station!! However, tonight at home, "It will Get Loud."
     
  3. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    75db. But I'm listening to a VERY compressed Venus and Mars, so it seems a lot louder.
     
  4. RONENRAY

    RONENRAY Forum Resident

    Location:
    antwerp belgium
    I can't say how loud i play my music , normaly louder on vinyl than on cd , on vinyl , normaly no comments of the wife ,
    same level on cd ,wow.
     
  5. Kyhl

    Kyhl On break

    Location:
    Savage
    I went for 80-90 because I usually listen around 80db. At the time it was 85 which is on the loud side for me.

    Next song was back to normal sober level 78db :)

    Give me a couple more drinks and it will be pushing mid 80's again, with a song or two close to 90db. :laugh:

    C-weighted.
     
  6. Robert C

    Robert C Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    London, UK
    Just downloaded a new app which can do A and C weighting. I don't have a real SPL metre to calibrate but, right now, it says I have The Doors playing at an average C weighting of 55 dB, and an A weighting of 90 dB. Does that seem like an accurate difference? If @Kyhl above is actually listening at ~85 dB C weighing, that's either REALLY loud by my tolerances or my app is way off!
     
  7. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Currently averaging 68db. Peaked briefly at 72db. Listening to the sublime First Aid Kit's "The Lion's Roar".
     
  8. Using the Decibel 10th app, an LP120 turntable w/M97xE and Jico SAS, SA-600 receiver, and SB-G400 speakers. ~90db at 8ft while playing Squeezing out Sparks.

    The kicker is the volume control is only on 2 out of 10. :D
     
    Robert C likes this.
  9. skriefal

    skriefal Senior Member

    Location:
    SLC, Utah
    The relative difference between the two is about right. But you may have the two readings swapped. The 90dB is probably the C-weighted reading.
     
  10. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    84 max acording to the app on my wife's phone. Plenty loud and it's not limited because if I get it close to the sub it skyrockets. I'd calculated it would be something in the neighborhood of 90 db really but now I know why I'm 53 and my audition is still OK. Funny thing is my wife, family and neighbors regard it as ¨inhuman¨ levels:laugh:

    F@k 'em all !!!:D
     
  11. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    62-68 today and sub-75dB is about the norm for me. Don't want to disturb others in the house and I listen nearfield.

    Bill
     
  12. Jlbrach

    Jlbrach Forum Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    i routinely use the app when i go to live shows at the beacon theatre or MSG etc and i find the average show to be in the mid to upper 90s DB with peaks of 100 ish.....i myself always use hearing protection and cant imagine how anyone goes to multiple shows without it.I wish i had when i was a kid but luckily i didnt go to nearly as many shows as a kid as i have as an adult or else i would be deaf now!The app I use is called DB and the few times I tested it in my living room listening to music it was peaking in the upper 80s
     
  13. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    The difference you're getting between A and C weighting is overly large for typical music like The Doors. You'll need to calibrate the app to compensate for the response of the microphone in your phone. Or find an app that is already pre-calibrated for your particular model of phone. The microphones used in phones are more sensitive to midrange than bass.
     
  14. utahusker

    utahusker Senior Member

    Right now it's 93db, but normally 80-89db. Double IPA's seem to affect my hearing, but the music sounds much better.

    [​IMG]
     
    Robert C likes this.
  15. tommytune

    tommytune Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    I have re-examined my listening habits. When I was young I abused my ears from loud music in concerts, home and the car. I don't listen to music in the car loud anymore and go to very few concerts because they are too loud to" hear" the music.

    73-75dB-C weighted, because when I'm 80 years old I want to hear "all" the music.
     
    BuddhaBob likes this.
  16. blakep

    blakep Senior Member

    Just listening to "Goodbye Cream". C weighted peak on Sitting on Top of the World is 86.6 db. But, hey, it's Cream it's not meant to be listened to quietly.

    I can occasionally get a bit louder than that with certain program material but I'd say that most of my listening is done with peaks in the high 70's to low 80's.
     
    BuddhaBob likes this.
  17. I just noticed Decibel 10th has a picture sharing function, so I can do this...
    [​IMG]
     
    Robert C likes this.
  18. Robber Soul

    Robber Soul Forum Resident

    60-69. Listening to the new Steven Wilson at work.
     
  19. Dentdog

    Dentdog Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta
    I crank it old school. Gotta be 90+ and my employees complain that I can still hear a cricket a mile away. Really, I like it loud and on rock and roll I want to feel it as well. This great audio equipment we own sounds so good just gotta have it turned up.
     
    DarkAudit, farmingdad and BuddhaBob like this.
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