[Desertpilot]

Just curious if anyone is concerned about their noise floor when listening to music.  Acoustic Fields just released a YouTube video about this topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwH6HXJJJ6M.

I'll admit, I'm lazy and just turn up the volume.  Early in the morning while everyone else is asleep, I shut off the refrigerator & freezer, HVAC, fans, just about everything.  The difference in our Livingroom is amazing.  When do I do this?  If I want to take some measurements.  But, I just don't get around to it before listening.  Using an SPL meter, my room is between 45 dB and 55 dB noise floor.  That's pretty high.  Now that my system is in place and sounding terrific, I need to motivate myself to try listening after lowering the noise floor.

What about you?

Marcus

[krustykat]

I used to have a 100 gallon cichlid fish tank located in my listening room.   Lots of filter and water gurgling noises in the background, highly not recommended.   

[toocool4]

My room is in the 30’s when there is no traffic, goes up to the 40’s when there is traffic nearby.
I don’t particularly listen to my music loud, I usually listen in the 63 – 73 db range. Occasionally I go above the 73 db range, but I value my hearing so I tend not to go there for too long.

If I could keep my room in the low 30’s range all the time, there would be no need to play loud at all since I would not be fighting against the background noise.

[doggie]

I used to have a 100 gallon cichlid fish tank located in my listening room.   Lots of filter and water gurgling noises in the background, highly not recommended.   

My system is isolated in our basement but I do have a 75 gallon heavily planted fish tank there also. It is pretty quiet but does have a slight hum from the pump. I use an Amazon Echo Dot to control it using smart plugs. When I say " Echo, quiet" it turns off the filter for 30 minutes then turns it on for ten minutes and then off again for 30 minutes. The fish are fine and the room is very, very quiet. My LTA integrated with the 97db X5's is so quiet that I cannot tell if it is on or off unless I look for the tube glow.

[JLM]

My listening room is well insulated: staggered/insulated stud walls; exterior fiberglass door with weather seal (very effective); lined/insulated ductwork (can barely hear the furnace/air conditioner); insulated ceiling (avoid recessed can light fixtures); basement location so concrete slab floor and no windows.  We have our own transformer, audio system in separately grounded, each cryogenically treated hospital grade duplex receptacle is on it's own 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wiring.  Live in a small rural subdivision on a 2.5 acre lot.  Background noise is low.

[Theronbo]

I’ll ‘pipe’ in here… for no particular reason.

Downloaded ‘Decibel Meter Sound Detector’ - seems to work well, free & NO in app purchases.

Using it on an iPad Pro M1.

Base noise 30db… app annotated as “quiet rural area, birds noises” - it was exactly right. 60 miles north of Houston on 50 forested acres.

With AC running 45-50.

Apparently listening at 70-75db… which is way too loud if someone else is in the house….

[forky]

I'm half-way up a mountain and semi-rural I'd say and am at 38.5 but am hearing a bit of a hum - we have a drop ceiling so it's probably something up there.

Will be working on room acoustics next....

[timind]

System is in the basement so noise floor is pretty low, generally around 34-34db c-weighted. If the A/C or heater kicks on, it raises a few db as the vent isn't close to seating.

[Desertpilot]

WOW!  Everyone seems to be in great shape with 30-35 dB noise floor.  Excellent.  My situation is not so good as my listening room is in our living room (great room - includes our kitchen).  I do not have any other space in our home for a separate listening room except our attached two car garage.  Believe me, I've thought about it!  So, my only choice is to turn everything off.

Oh yeah, no basement here in Las Vegas.

Marcus

[TABARD]

Hi, Well I will make everyone jealous as my listening room 28dB & when listing I have my vinyl system set to max out at 89dB.
With system running on LP mode, but not playing I am a 30dB. (of course it is louder than that when we have earthquakes, which happen often!!)

Cheers

[Tyson]

I'm about 30db when the AC is not running and about 40db when it is. 

[glfrancis]

36-39 db with the fridge running

[Nick B]

35 dB with the AC on and the same reading with the refrigerator on

[glfrancis]

Wow, I guess that made a difference. Set my phone down on a hard end table (out of my shaky hands): 29-30 db. I think the microphone is picking up the ringing in my ears 

[timind]

Just went down and measured with NIOSH app. It read 31.5db C-weighted when I held my breath. It's amazing what the slightest noise will do when that quiet.

[doggie]

I downloaded @Theronbo's suggested IOS app. Thanks!

I am at 36-38db with the aquarium pump off. I do get periodic auto noise even in the basement as I live in urban DC. I think that it is also picking up a bit of hum from my big isolation transformer.

[nlitworld]

I'm currently sitting about 35dB with the dogs sleeping, 50+ when they're running around like idiots.

[Early B.]

I tried three different sound meter apps and all of them measured my listening room at around 20dB. With the system powered on, it inches up to 22dB. I'll measure the room again at night when it should be less noisy.

I think one thing that helps is a brand new frig -- the old one was a lot louder (the kitchen is next to the listening room). I always turn off the AC/heat prior to listening and close doors, even the upstairs bedroom door in case my wife gets on the phone or plays sound through her computer.

[RPM123]

25db on one app and 12-20db using another on an early Saturday morning.

[Tangram]

@Early B. That’s impressively low. I use a Protmex SPL meter and get 32.5 db A weighted in a windowless, treated basement listening room with no HVAC going.