[Fbczar]

I am interested in buying a pair of M3's this week. Anybody know the maximum safe SPL level for the M3?

[doggie]

The safe listening volume will be the same regardless of the speaker you are listening to. It is a combination of how loud the sound is and how long you are subjected to it. You can get a db meter app for most smart phones. So the answer is protecting your ears has nothing to do with the brand or model of speaker you choose. It has to do with your playback level choice.

Here is what one Audiology web site says.

30 dB: Everyday conversation would be at this volume level. You should be perfectly fine at this volume for an indefinite length of time.
80 – 85 dB: An air conditioner, heavy traffic, and a lawnmower are at this level of sound. This level of sound will normally become damaging after two hours of exposure.
90 – 95 dB: A motorcycle is a good illustration of this sound level. 50 minutes is enough to be unsafe at this level of sound.
100 dB: An approaching subway train or a mid-sized sports event are at this sound level (of course, this depends on the city). 15 minutes of exposure will be enough to be harmful at this sound level.
110 dB: Do you ever turn the volume on your earpods up to max? That’s usually around this sound level on most smartphones. 5 minutes will be enough to be dangerous at this level.
120 dB and over: Anything over 120 dB (think loud rock show or exceptionally large sports events) can produce instant injury and pain in your ears.

[newzooreview]

I am interested in buying a pair of M3's this week. Anybody know the maximum safe SPL level for the M3?

The question may be about what is safe for the loudspeaker (vs. the listener). I use the M3 Sapphires in a room that is about 18x14, and I sit 8' feet from the speakers. When I spoke to Clayton shortly after the Sapphires arrived, he said his room is about that size as well, and the Sapphires should easily provide more volume than I would want in that setup. That has proven to be the case: with a calibrated sound meter, I'm listening at the low end of the 83-93 dB range, with anything 90 or over being only occasionally (not even once a week for an hour). This is plenty loud for my needs, and I listen to a variety of music from symphonic pieces to intimate acoustic tracks to live rock concerts.

I'm sure Clayton (or others here) could give insight on other scenarios. I think if you have a much larger room and will be sitting 12 feet away from the speakers, for example, and want to get to 90 dB at the listening position then it would definitely push the speakers harder than my case.

Spatial now makes a very good range of sizes in both the X-series and M-series to match up well with the room and listening position and amp.

It's definitely worth giving Clayton a call to confirm the M3s are the best choice for your circumstance.

[Fbczar]

Thanks for your reply, but i was referring to the maximum SPL the M3 Sapphire's were capable of without damaging them. The Spatial FAQ page says the X series should be used for high volume levels in a home theater. i think Clayton mentioned in a video that the X series could handle 120 dB levels, which is incredibly loud. Technically, home theater speakers should be able to handle 115db, but in real world use 90db is about all i could handle.  I intend to use the M3's for music and home theater and I need to know whether or not they are capable of use in a high end home theater. I have a 15x17x8 room and the MLP will be 8' or so from the speakers.

[Fbczar]

I cannot find a telephone number on the Spatial Web Site and I have not received replies from my email inquires for the past several days. Perhaps the new website has a problem or two. Anyway I would appreciate the contact number if there is one.

[Tyson]

Looking at the sensitivity of the speaker and also the amp power recommendation should get us in the ball park.  92 db efficient and 150 watts.  So 1 watt gets us to 92db at 1m.  Then you add 3 db for every doubling of watts.  Doing the math gets you to 113db at 1m.   You'll lose a bit of that when you sit further back than 1m, but you'll also gain some of back by using 2 speakers instead of 1. 

[Daryl Zero]

I cannot find a telephone number on the Spatial Web Site and I have not received replies from my email inquires for the past several days. Perhaps the new website has a problem or two. Anyway I would appreciate the contact number if there is one.

Check the thread on the new website, I had the same problem. It's under demo locations etc apparently.

[Fbczar]

Great! Thanks. I need to talk to Clayton about the M3 tweeter in a home theater application.

[Mr. Big]

Any recording sounds good when one level of loudness is reached, I was taught that when they are in the room present with vocals natural as if they were in the room you got the right loudness for that given record. So many demos's I heard and went to they feel that they have to be at a rock concert level to impress you I guess, but looking at your room size how loud would a group, singer have to be for them to be in your room natural.

[Fbczar]

I am not concerned about the M3’s ability to play loud relative to music. I am concerned with movies. The SPL with movies, in my case, is far higher. Right now I have speakers that can handle lots of power and play really loud. I don’t want to buy the M3’s and put them in an application that will damage them. Thus my original question.

[Desertpilot]

I am not concerned about the M3’s ability to play loud relative to music. I am concerned with movies. The SPL with movies, in my case, is far higher. Right now I have speakers that can handle lots of power and play really loud. I don’t want to buy the M3’s and put them in an application that will damage them. Thus my original question.

I use my X3s for home theater as well as music.  I've not had any issues even with bombs exploding.

[Spatial Audio]

I am not concerned about the M3’s ability to play loud relative to music. I am concerned with movies. The SPL with movies, in my case, is far higher. Right now I have speakers that can handle lots of power and play really loud. I don’t want to buy the M3’s and put them in an application that will damage them. Thus my original question.

We can cover this in more detail offline, but really loud movie soundtracks means our X Series. The M Series models play plenty loud for most music installations, but are not designed for heavy hitter HT.

Clayton

[Fbczar]

We can cover this in more detail offline, but really loud movie soundtracks means our X Series. The M Series models play plenty loud for most music installations, but are not designed for heavy hitter HT.

Clayton

On one video I heard you mention that the X series could play above 120db. What can the M3 Sapphire safely handle? I assume the tweeter is the only concern relative to high volume levels.