Mine sounds best at around 75, max 80. At listening position. Beyond that the walls sing to each other.
Love to hear about you.
Cheers
Love to hear about you.
Cheers
At what db level does your system sound good?
- Thread starter Fiftyfifty
- Start date
80 to 85db but I do go higher to jam!
Using the Marantz SR6009, mine sounds room filling after 48....loud around 55 and neighbours envy when touching 58+
Wow dude! is all I can say
Wanted to clarify that I meant db as measured with a meter or app at the listening position, not the level displayed on the amp or near the speakers.
ONEMANARMY
Active Member
75-80 dB at my listening spot, about 10 feet from the speakers.
liverpool_for_life
Well-Known Member
Wow dude! is all I can say
As you figured out (from your later clarification as to what you were asking for), this is likely to be a volume level on the Marantz rather an SPL level.
D
Deleted member 15865
Guest
In order for this data to make more sense we need to specify:
1. The kind of music (genre) we are referring to along with the dB level. This because certain music (hard rock for example sounds better at higher dB than say ghazal on the same system). Also certain music, for example Hindustani classical in aalap and vilambit will have significant quiet passages dropping the average dB levels.
2. Our listening position: near-field/mid-field/far-field, or simply the feet from the speakers. This because the same dB at listening position in near field will be less disturbing to others in the house and neighbours than at far field. This can influence the volumes we listen at. (Though well-tuned systems don’t drop much volume over distance within a room).
3. Time of playing: In an non-insulated room, optimum dB levels will fall during quiet periods (late night or early morning)
4. Also, it’s important to realise that the responses won’t be a function of only the system but also the listener. The question is ‘At what dB level does your system sound good?’ AND NOT ‘At what dB level do you generally listen to your system’. Normally one would expect both answers to match. But say there are two regular listeners of the same system, they will quite likely have two different answers to the second question. For example when @tuff came over to listen to my system, he was listening to it cranked up 6-8dB (yes!) higher than what I do for the same genre - he is used to playing the Magnepan in a solo house setting. I’d imagine his response to the question (as asked of my system) will differ from mine. So I am saying the answer to the question posed also depends upon the listening (loudness) preference of the individual. And this is difficult to capture in the responses.
Having said all that, here’s my response:
Listening position: 8 ft away from the speakers in a room that is much longer (around 10 ft behind me).
My reported optimum listening levels during day time (as measured through Decibel X in iPhone):
a) For softer music (such as ghazals or country), 70-80 dB range (average 75dB). This drops further by 2-4 dB for Hindustani classical in slow mode or for ambient music.
b) For harder music (such as hard rock or boisterous new Hindi film songs): 75-85 dB range (average 80 dB). I don’t play these genres as loud as some like to.
These levels drop by around 6-8 dB during the late night/ early morning listening.
P.S. There can be another survey asking over what decibel range (min to max) does your system remain resolving (on the lower side) and undistorted (at the higher side). To my ears, my system loses its resolution below 65 dB (this also depends on the ambient conditions) and gets distorted above 90 dB.
1. The kind of music (genre) we are referring to along with the dB level. This because certain music (hard rock for example sounds better at higher dB than say ghazal on the same system). Also certain music, for example Hindustani classical in aalap and vilambit will have significant quiet passages dropping the average dB levels.
2. Our listening position: near-field/mid-field/far-field, or simply the feet from the speakers. This because the same dB at listening position in near field will be less disturbing to others in the house and neighbours than at far field. This can influence the volumes we listen at. (Though well-tuned systems don’t drop much volume over distance within a room).
3. Time of playing: In an non-insulated room, optimum dB levels will fall during quiet periods (late night or early morning)
4. Also, it’s important to realise that the responses won’t be a function of only the system but also the listener. The question is ‘At what dB level does your system sound good?’ AND NOT ‘At what dB level do you generally listen to your system’. Normally one would expect both answers to match. But say there are two regular listeners of the same system, they will quite likely have two different answers to the second question. For example when @tuff came over to listen to my system, he was listening to it cranked up 6-8dB (yes!) higher than what I do for the same genre - he is used to playing the Magnepan in a solo house setting. I’d imagine his response to the question (as asked of my system) will differ from mine. So I am saying the answer to the question posed also depends upon the listening (loudness) preference of the individual. And this is difficult to capture in the responses.
Having said all that, here’s my response:
Listening position: 8 ft away from the speakers in a room that is much longer (around 10 ft behind me).
My reported optimum listening levels during day time (as measured through Decibel X in iPhone):
a) For softer music (such as ghazals or country), 70-80 dB range (average 75dB). This drops further by 2-4 dB for Hindustani classical in slow mode or for ambient music.
b) For harder music (such as hard rock or boisterous new Hindi film songs): 75-85 dB range (average 80 dB). I don’t play these genres as loud as some like to.
These levels drop by around 6-8 dB during the late night/ early morning listening.
P.S. There can be another survey asking over what decibel range (min to max) does your system remain resolving (on the lower side) and undistorted (at the higher side). To my ears, my system loses its resolution below 65 dB (this also depends on the ambient conditions) and gets distorted above 90 dB.
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Well done! Your room must be really friendly.
Wow! 95db is real loud. I'm glad your room (and room mate) cooperates. At levels over 85, though my gear has no problem, my room reflections take over and the bass gets out of control
Thanks for the detailed response Sachin. I get your point, but want to keep this simple.
You are fortunate to have 10 feet behind you. Must of us are pushed against the back wall which is not a good thing at all.
liverpool_for_life
Well-Known Member
Movies at reference level (85 dB average with potential peaks of 105 dB).
Music at anywhere between 70-90 dB average levels depending on how much dynamic range there is in the recording.
Music at anywhere between 70-90 dB average levels depending on how much dynamic range there is in the recording.
Jayant_S
Well-Known Member
Music averaging at 70-75dB and the listening spot is 10 feet from the speakers. I'm lucky to have another 12 feet of open space behind me.
Any lower and ambient noise (traffic, street vendors, neighbors kids..) start intruding too much.
Any lower and ambient noise (traffic, street vendors, neighbors kids..) start intruding too much.
D
Deleted member 15865
Guest
Having heard Prem’s system (including at those unholy dB levels) I’d add the probable reasons why this is even feasible:
- Highly dynamic speakers (those JBL monsters)
- A very resolving source (his TT) and best material (usually first prints) that allow low level listening
- He has mastered isolations and reflection control including from some foreign masters. Like how he uses wooden beads to control reflections from window panes and so on
- Building structure and apartment position that doesn’t disturb neighbours much
- a tolerant/indulgent family?
That’s anomalous behaviour. Usually it’s the other way round!
True, that’s an urban bane. Add loudspeakers and construction noise and becomes impossible at times to play music till it stops. Those of us who have setups in the living room (esp with open/semi open kitchen and attached balcony as in my case) hate to close all windows and put on the AC unless the temperature demands it. 7pm-7am are the golden listening hours.
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