How loud is your preference

[cam]

I was listening to music last night, the wife and kids were out, and I had it at an enjoyable level when I wondered, how loud in db's was it. I wipped out my sound meter and to my surprise it was right around the 95 db range from my couch. I thought holy $%@%, this could cause some hearing loss. At my work we get hearing tested every year and my 33 year old ears are still operating at full capacity, even after my boom systems in a couple of cars in my late teens and early twenties. Every now and then I will crank 1 song if I'm in that kind of mood. You know, where the sound just pounds on your body. So I metered the db's and were talking about 105 db's. Now I don't do that all the time but every now and then I will hear 1 song cranked, for instance, friday night after a couple of beers. Just wondering, how loud is your preference. No preaching to me now, like I said, I have proof that I do not have any hearing loss.......................what did you say?

[This Guy]

I'm about the same for you, 95 sounds nice. But ofcourse, when nobody's home I sometimes get my favorite cd at the moment and blast it. I get about 107 dB A weighted, 112 db C weighted. This is just painful and can't do it for more than a minute. In pro-logic II music mode I got peaks of 115, it sounded terrible and I'm pretty sure I was clipping the amp (not reccomended), so i guess that doesn't count. In a small 10 by 12 foot room with a 35 hz basshorn it tends to get loud.

-Joey

[cam]

My listening position is 12 feet, 105 db from 12 feet peaks at about 111db at 8 feet. When I do crank up that occasional song I always maintain that 12 feet distance. 95 db is my preference with dpl II.

[Wireworm5]

As I've posted before I generally like listening to my stereo music when it peaks around 95 to 97 dbs C weighted when critcal listening. At this level I don't get ear discomfort, unlike what I experience at the karoke bar. I figure the db there to be somewhere around 90 but its the singing to my ears that sound harsh coming from PA speakers.
I don't play music loud because I want to go deaf. I play it at a level where I'll get an accurate tonal characteristics from instruments.If I do experience premature hearing damage, I won't blame it on my music listening levels. But rather on all the years I drove for a living having my car window open hearing the damaging sounds of a bus, bad mufflers, airbrake releases, squealing brakes and an idiot that screamed in my ear.

[s dog]

Right around 95 dbs , sub hits around 108 on some very loud parts of movies

[topspeed]

Man, I must be gettin' old. I like it right around 83-85dB's, primarily in two channel with no sub. Sometimes when I'm in the mood to let it fly, the sub will be on and I'll turn it up, but even then I doubt it's much over 90dB's.

Geez, should I start taking Geritol or what?

[kexodusc]

I'm with ya, Topspeed, I listen to my music pretty *****in loud and I rarely top 100 db on peaks, most of the time I'm in the mid 80's too...
Maybe thems other guys don't hear so good no more??? :)

[This Guy]

I don't. When I was 5 through 8 years old I had a hole in my ear drum. That got fixed, but now my left ear doesn't hear things as loud as my right ear. At first I thought my headphones were broken, so I flipped the sides and still the left phone wasn't as loud. When I get older my hearing is gonna be terrible..

[topspeed]

I don't. When I was 5 through 8 years old I had a hole in my ear drum. That got fixed, but now my left ear doesn't hear things as loud as my right ear. At first I thought my headphones were broken, so I flipped the sides and still the left phone wasn't as loud. When I get older my hearing is gonna be terrible..
Joey, this just came over the wire:
112-115db's on your rig ain't gonna prolong your hearing :D!
Turn it down, brother!


I said
TURN IT DOWN!

No, no. Not "Learn to drown"


I said
TURN IT DOWN!


NO! Not "Burn your gown"



I said
TURN IT...

aww...screw it

[kexodusc]

Joey, this just came over the wire:
112-115db's on your rig ain't gonna prolong your hearing :D!
Turn it down, brother!


ROFLMAO!!!

Joey's just trying to even out the hearing in both ears to improve stereo imaging...

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I guess all the comedians are in this forum!! LMAO.

For me, different formats require different levels. For movies with DD, I usually listen at about 66-68db with 96-98db peak(bass about 105db peak). I cannot listen to this format any louder as I think it is harsh at high volumes(digital edge) With movies encoded with Dts, I tend to listen at 70-72db with 100-102db peaks(108-110db peak in the bass) because it is smoother to these ears, and therefore can be played louder. For music, I like to listen just loud enough that I can hear into the mix without any outside intereference(fridge going on, hum of computer etc), or at what some might call realistic levels.

I also get my hearing tested every year, and have had the some results since my early twenties.

[kexodusc]

I also get my hearing tested every year, and have had the some results since my early twenties.
I find those tests terribly conducted...First, I'm not wearing a blind, and second I can clearly see all the equipment involved.

Besides, I never seem to hear it when my fiancee tells me she's going to buy new clothes BEFORE I see her walk in the door :mad:

BTW, anyone else notice Sir T didn't say the results came back "Good"? :)

[This Guy]

hahaha thanks for the advice fellas. I was wondering why the right speaker always seamed a little louder, even though the spl meter said they were perfect.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I find those tests terribly conducted...First, I'm not wearing a blind, and second I can clearly see all the equipment involved.

Besides, I never seem to hear it when my fiancee tells me she's going to buy new clothes BEFORE I see her walk in the door :mad:

BTW, anyone else notice Sir T didn't say the results came back "Good"? :)

Did you allude to that nasty word DBT??? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhh(runs from room waving hands wildly)

My hearing is excellent for a guy that listens to soundtracks three hundred million times while mixing at 85db calibrated level. I have had the same ear plugs in my ears for twenty years(you should have seen them when I finally removed them!) My last test confirmed that my hearing is pretty equal in both ears in terms of frequency response, and rolls off at 17khz.

Now my brain might be a different issue altogether!

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

hahaha thanks for the advice fellas. I was wondering why the right speaker always seamed a little louder, even though the spl meter said they were perfect.

That's because when you closed your eyes, we moved it closer to you!!!

[hershon]

Accoustical background- I live in an apartment building and my couch is about 10-12 feet away from the front/center speakers and sub & the rear speakers are about 8 feet to the left and right of where I sit on the couch and in terms of music I listen to English 60/70's rock music and blues stuff. This is one time I appologize for not being technical here as I have no idea how to measure the volume level, but it always seems like, I can't get the volume level to be either 1/2 "notch" below or 1/2 notch above to reach my comfort zone. On my receiver I can go up in "1" increments and thus can't get that perfect "1/2" adjustment. My volume range is that its loud but not earsplitting loud or loud enough to bother neighbors. On DVD's what I can't stand and other people may love is that I adjust the volume to the dialogue level but then they do these stupid (my opinion) special effects where the sound is way too loud, especially if you're watching at night.
That's because when you closed your eyes, we moved it closer to you!!!

[This Guy]

Well if you want them as close as possible, go to radio shack and by their SPL meter for $40. This will make sure all your speakers are reproducing the same amount of volume at your seat. This is essential for calibrating your HT.