How loud do you normally listen to your music?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by timind, Jul 29, 2021.

  1. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Realize that your critical hearing is in the main vocal range. When you measure on the "A" scale, you are measuring mostly in these frequency ranges, without measuring lower bass frequencies.

    If you keep your SPL within the safe range, using this scale, you are good to go.

    If you then switch to the "C" scale, the meter will likely jump up higher. This is also OK, because all it means is that you are now including bass frequencies in the readings.

    Our years are much less sensitive to these lower frequencies. They need to be played at considerably louder SPL's in order for them to sound flat to our ears.

    Once you have established your safe SPL using the "A" scale, it is perfectly OK for it to increase 10-15 dB. on the "C" scale.
     
    Tim 2, timind, Khorn and 1 other person like this.
  2. Joy-of-radio

    Joy-of-radio Forum Resident

    Location:
    Central ME
    If there’s a positive aspect to heavy compression in modern style masterings of pop music, it’s that it can be played at very low levels and still be easily heard. It’s exactly what on-the-go modern listeners demand these days. However, listening to dynamically squashed music at high volume levels is far more dangerous than listening to that of wide dynamic range at the same volume. squashed dynamics make my already existing tinnitus scream even when listening at low to moderate levels.
     
    A Grain of Sand, jonwoody and timind like this.
  3. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God -

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Since the Christmas vacation I been running my tube amp almost 24 hours especially running all night while asleep... LoL. Its a good thing I have a fan pointing at it other wise it would have probably blown up... :wave:
     
    timind likes this.
  4. Tim Lookingbill

    Tim Lookingbill Alfalfa Male

    Location:
    New Braunfels, TX
    Do It Any Way You Wanna' by People's Choice I use to adjust loudness until I can hear the reverb (sound of the room) of the Hammond B3 flourish.

    Usually 3db or one click on the CD player's volume knob at comfortable volume level in my car's audio system. Also making sure the cymbal ride doesn't get too scratchy.

    Don't really have to fuss with it after that but this song does need to be played loud to hear everything and not hurt my ears. It just scales so well.

    I think this song is the most balanced sounding pop song considering it's dynamic range of a full and well rounded kick drum/bass doubling to the vocals and cymbal ride.

    And the cymbal ride sounds very real.

     
    Khorn and timind like this.
  5. oskar

    oskar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Poland
    above 1o0db
     
    Khorn likes this.
  6. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    I'm in the 1,800 dB range usually, nobody complains.
     
    Big Blue likes this.
  7. Ro-Go

    Ro-Go Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hudson Valley
    If your feet on the floor (naked or socked) can't receive bass to reverberate to your heart...it ain't loud enough.

    When it's time, of course.
     
  8. oskar

    oskar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Poland
    My speakers and subs are decoupled from the floor, so I never feel it in my feet. But I feel it in my chest when its loud enough
     
  9. Roger P

    Roger P Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond VA
    Volume really depends on the music.
    Some .music just sounds better cranked.
    Some music cranked I can hear things I have not heard before
    Then there are tunes that sound better at more reasonable levels.
    Then there is who is in the house at the time.
    A lot of factors dictate volume.
    Rush Power Windows 192khz today empty house, cranked to "11" !
     
    Rich-n-Roll likes this.
  10. Rich-n-Roll

    Rich-n-Roll Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington State
    A lot variables come into play but it is pretty much music dependent and if I'm the only one home. I listen to a lot of jazz in the 65-70 and Rock I'll bump it up to 70-75
     
    timind likes this.
  11. Soundgarden

    Soundgarden Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bend, Oregon
    I have tinnitus. Yet I love to feel the music. So listening volume presents a huge compromise. I'd love to be listening in the low eighties on average. And sometimes I do for short periods of time. Like at most one album at a time. I can listen for fairly long periods of time at about 77-78dB. Although I think it's important to note that I've spent a lot of time adjusting my system to get the sound quality I desire. I've had some setups that were much brighter where I had to listen at measurably lower levels on the dB meter.
     
    timind likes this.
  12. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Loud. Where's that option?!?
     
    Big Blue and bever70 like this.
  13. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    on 5.....no idea what db that is, guess it depends on the machine that playing it.....:shrug:
     
    lazydawg58 likes this.
  14. John Barta

    John Barta Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cleveland
    Mostly between 60-70 db. One nice thing about AirPods is that it tells me how loud I’m listening. I can also test my speakers with Apple Watch. While I can’t really test my hifi headphones, I think I have a pretty good idea given the other ways. I get a headache when it’s above 80db. I don’t like going to the movies even because of that.
     
    timind likes this.
  15. doctor fuse

    doctor fuse Forum Resident

    Playing a Bartok work fairly loud in the bedroom, and MAX reading is 94.3dB

    Average is showing between high 70s and low 80s dB
     
    timind likes this.
  16. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    Ever since I got these new Cornwall IVs I have to admit I'd answer differently than in the recent past... I love playing these loud, they hold up very well with what I'm driving them with, and it's just plain fun.

    So louder than normal for the last couple of months, like as I type for instance!

    The beauty is they also play well at low volumes, which is the other half the time.
     
    Big Blue and timind like this.
  17. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    It's cool you got the Pulsars Tim, and from recent reads I'm now more sure than ever I'll try them at some point.

    I auditioned a used pair months back about 100 miles from me, I really liked them, but the condition was the show stopper. Rarely do I walk away from a home seller based audition floored, but with the Pulsars I was. Granted, he had some nice gear, and also had some Joseph floorstanders (can't recall the name) - but still I was sold on that audition. Never heard a standmount sound like that.
     
    timind likes this.
  18. MattHooper

    MattHooper Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    I generally end up around 70 - 77db, sometimes a little higher. I have some tinnitus and stuff to be careful about, and I find the music to be physical enough at those volumes.
     
    bhazen, Soundgarden and timind like this.
  19. oskar

    oskar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Poland
    Ok this was suspicions that all of You listen lower. So I checked with iphone app and I do listen between 80 and 85db.

    Do not recommend android "spl meter" app, it overestimates loudness by more than 20db.

    Now I can be normal again :)
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2021
    Big Blue, bever70, timind and 2 others like this.
  20. bhazen

    bhazen ANNOYING BEATLES FAN

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    65-70 dB tops, these days. Tinnitus, neighbors, etc. Thankfully, my system is very transparent at almost any volume level. Don't need to feel the smack in the chest, just need to hear the performance. :)
     
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  21. Glmoneydawg

    Glmoneydawg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario Canada
    If your speakers "come alive"at that level(and i'm sure they do)more volume is unnecessary and your hearing will last longer :)
     
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  22. A Grain of Sand

    A Grain of Sand Forum Resident

    Location:
    Riverside, CA
    Back in my 20s - 100db
    Back in my 30s - 90db
    Back in my 40s - 80db
    Back in my 50s - 70db
     
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  23. Joey_Corleone

    Joey_Corleone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rockford, MI
    OP, what weight is the poll in? I used to measure exclusively with C weight, because that is what I used to calibrate my home theater system.

    Recently, I had the good fortune of sitting directly behind the sound booth for Metallica, where I could see all the gear. I saw their meter and compared to my iPhone and Apple watch all night, and it seemed to use A weight

    Since then I read up more and have been measuring with A weight.

    My “loud” benchmark lately has been 85dBA. Normal, I like 75-80 dbA. If my wife is sleeping upstairs, I will keep it down to about 70 dbA
     
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  24. timind

    timind phorum rezident Thread Starter

    The last paragraph asked members to specify the weighting of their measurements. I generally use C weight.
     
    Glmoneydawg likes this.
  25. Glmoneydawg

    Glmoneydawg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario Canada
    Yep "c" weighting here.
     
    Tim 2 and timind like this.

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