[mcrespo71]

I normally listen at levels between 85-90 db.  If it's later at night or the CD is super bright, I'll drop down to 75-80db.

Michael

[JLM]

Public Service Accouncement:

Extended exposure to 85 dB or more WILL result in permanent hearing loss and possible permanent pain.

Anyone that thinks they listen too loud probably does and should confirm with a sound pressure meter.


I do casual listening at  between 60 and 70 dB.  Serious listening is more like 75 to 80 dB.

[JohnR]

Eh??

[Tonto Yoder]

Don't know what dB level, but I try to hit whatever volume I imagine is realistic:  if I actually had the singer in the room, how loud would he or she be??? Of course, with an amplified instrument like guitar or whatever, it's hard to say what's realistic. My thinking is some variation of The Absolute Sound philosophy.

My preamp has remote volume control, and I now find that there's a "right" volume for each individual CD/LP where things sound best (not just louder or softer)

[csero]

if I actually had the singer in the room, how loud would he or she be???

Any singer or instrument playing in your listening room would be too loud and would have a very different tonal balance compared to the original venue  
IMHO the aim of hi-fi is to transpose you to the original performance not to cram the performers into your listening room.

Frank

[BradJudy]

I have found that most audiophiles I meet listen more loudly than I do.  I tend to listen in the 70-80dBA range.  

For reference, here are the noise restrictions for the workplace given by OSHA.  They require employers to have hearing programs in place if the levels are 85dBA or higher for 8 hours a day.  This includes monitoring the environment, testing employees and providing hearing protection.  

See http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9735

Code: [Select]

        TABLE G-16 - PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES (1)
______________________________________________________________
                           |
  Duration per day, hours  | Sound level dBA slow response
____________________________|_________________________________
                           |
8...........................|                    90
6...........................|                    92
4...........................|                    95
3...........................|                    97
2...........................|                   100
1 1/2 ......................|                   102
1...........................|                   105
1/2 ........................|                   110
1/4  or less................|                   115
____________________________|________________________________
 Footnote(1) When the daily noise exposure is composed of two or
more periods of noise exposure of different levels, their combined
effect should be considered, rather than the individual effect of
each. If the sum of the following fractions: C(1)/T(1) + C(2)/T(2)
C(n)/T(n) exceeds unity, then, the mixed exposure should be
considered to exceed the limit value. Cn indicates the total time of
exposure at a specified noise level, and Tn indicates the total time
of exposure permitted at that level. Exposure to impulsive or impact
noise should not exceed 140 dB peak sound pressure level.


[jermmd]

I find that I listen to music at much lower levels with my VMPS speakers than I did with my Diva speakers.  I would guess in the 70 db range most of the time.  Although I do crank it up frequently (especially when listening to hard rock).
I'm also limited by having the kids with me much of the time.  I can't play loud music or mommy will get very mad.

[nathanm]

About 70-75db normally, but 80-90db is perferable.  But it's not just sheer SPL. Distortion and "hardness" in the treble and upper midrange is what hurts my ears more than anything.  The more dynamic and natural-sounding the recording is, the louder it can go.  I think electronically-reproduced sound is much harder to listen to loudly than sounds occuring in the natural world are, to an extent.

[rosconey]

ive listened at 90plus with friends before and we can still talk to each other.but on there systems you can t talk at same db.so a better systems might be easier on the ears than cheap disposable ones

[Charles Calkins]

It depends on how many martini's I've had. I seem to lose my hearing the more I have. Gotta raise the volume!!!

                                Cheers
                               Charlie

[mca]

"Speaking of hearing, I can't take too much loud music
I mean I like to play it, but I sure don't like the racket
Noise, but I can't hear anything
Just guitars screaming, screaming, screaming
Some guy screaming in a leather jacket
Wooah!"

TPOH

[mcgsxr]

Most of the people I know listen louder than I do, but I don't own an SPL meter, so I cannot quantify my statement.

I listen loud maybe once a month, for about 2 songs, other than that, it is with my wife and daughter sleeping 2 floors above me, at around 9pm, so it is not that loud.

Movies, I tend to run louder though...

Mark in Canada

[mcrespo71]

Hmmmm....   I guess I like it louder than most, but I listen to a lot of rock.  For classical, I'm lucky to hit 85db peaks- more like 80db, but that's just like it is when I go to the hall.  I've miked the NY Philharmonic from my seat- and they rarely hit 85db on peaks- and cruise along at about 70-75db normally.

Michael

[Lost81]

The peaks tend to be louder when I play classical music as it is often more dynamic than many other genres of music. If I set the median volume to a comfortable level, then the low-level details get lost (e.g. Gorecki's Symphony No. 3).

Then again, it could be because of my speakers (Mission 754 Freedom 5s), which tend to sound congested at lower volumes and only really open up at higher volumes.


-Lost81

[audioslave]

I listen to a lot of rock(classic, metal, contemp) and used to crank it up to around 97-103db on a good jam(ok, leftover teenage angst! .) This is the only way I felt I could get involved. However, after learning more about this hobby, training my ears, and buying some better equipment-I feel my ears are much more sensitive now and do not need to "crank it up" to get involved. Ok, so I am at about 85-90db now, but I tend to enjoy the presentation a lot more. This makes my neighbors in my apt building very appreciative....

[gonefishin]

It's funny that the music that I play the softest is rock music.  Most of the time if it's on...it'll be for soft background music.


      Smaller jazz stuff, such as Ella, Diana Krall and Norah Jones I tend to kick back with and relax ,(most of the time) playing around 70-78db for the main body of music.


     Eva Cassiday and some of the better stuff like that will be played any where from the 70-80 for the main body.  Sometimes louder...sometimes softer.   I enjoy some Gospel music at louder volumes too.

    Then there's classical which will really be dictated by how I want it.  This could range from a very soft quiet listening sessions, or may range up to peaks which reach over the 100db mark.

    My weakness for loud music is horns.  In particular the trumpet or similar variants.  music is usually in the 90's and peaks up over 100db at the sitting position.

    Like others have mentioned, I think distortion is really one of the keys here.  95-100db clean is much easier to listen to that 85db of crap!  In fact...it really doesn't sound like it's all that loud.  Which I would suppose is a problem within itself.  it doesn't sound or fell like it's too loud...so you may be likely to listen at these levels for  longer amount of time.

     take care,
  dan

[bubba966]

I usually watch my movies at 15dB below Dolby Reference level.

I don't recall what that equalls though...

[orthobiz]

Take it from a 49 year old:
If I could do one thing over, I would listen to music less loudly in college. Getting some tinnitus now. And with all my renewed interest in this hobby in the past 2 yrs, I'm hoping to have some ears left in the future. Too many old people with hearing aids, including women, who were definitely NOT listening to Nicky Hopkins singing "Speed On." That song alone between 1973 and 1976 accounts for at least 50 percent of my problem.

If you don't like the loud sounds of trumpets, you're probably suffering hearing loss as one of the signs is discomfort with increasing volume.

So I'm listening more sensibly lately. And wearing ear plugs at any kind of concert. The really good kind.

Young folks take note!

biz

[gonefishin]

I suppose I could add that I wear hearing protection for anything from shooting trap or even cutting grass.  Yes, I wear ear plugs when cutting the grass.  I figure that I'll try and be sensible...but if something is going to ruin my ears...it's going to be music instead of a lawn mower


  thanks for the warning orthobiz

[orthobiz]

Oh yeah, and sometimes I wonder if my hearing accounts for an inability to describe the subtle differences among cryo cables and spongy feet and      the like...

biz