At What SPL Do You Listen to Your Stereo?

[Ron Resnick]

At Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight with Zubin Mehta conducting Symphonie Fantastique I measured in the front orchestra row in a dead center seat SPL routinely at 85dB to 95dB, peaking at 100dB.

So this is actual big symphony orchestra concert SPL.

At what SPL do you listen to big symphony orchestra classical music?

 

[Puma Cat]

Generally, ~74 dB....peaks maybe at 80 dB, never much louder than that. Maybe a bit louder very briefly during "The Fight" passage of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet (as conducted by Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Symphony).

 

[the sound of Tao]

It comes back to how long you can sustain listening volumes… a couple of hours per week at 85db to 90db is probably OK though I avoid even that now. If you are listening to music for a few hours every night sub 80db is probably more sustainable.

Both my brothers managed night clubs for a decade in the 90’s… both have severe industrial deafness. It’s amazing how quickly exposure to higher volumes in sound can get away on us though. I now have a db meter on my watch and manage it that way. I’ve built my current sound system around getting engaging music at less db…

 

[Puma Cat]

It comes back to how long you can sustain listening volumes… a couple of hours per week at 85db to 90db is probably OK. If you are listening to music for a few hours every night sub 80db is probably more sustainable.

Both my brothers managed night clubs… both have industrial deafness.

Yep, totally get that. Just for some perspective: Personally, I have zero interest in listening to music in my home at 85-90 dB. Those are my personal "sensibilities" that inform my "requirements." And, as someone who worked for 10 years as a DFSS MBB (Master Black Belt), and who taught very sophisticated engineering teams how to develop products based on "customer requirements" (aka "VOC" - Voice of the Customer), a key point I used to teach is: ALL customer needs are equally VALID.

Both my brothers managed night clubs… both have industrial deafness.
Yep, fully get that, also. Another reason I listen at fairly low SPL.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Yep, totally get that. Just for some perspective: Personally, I have zero interest in listening to music in my home at 85-90 dB. Those are my personal "sensibilities" that inform my "requirements." And, as someone who worked for 10 years as a DFSS MBB (Master Black Belt), and who taught very sophisticated engineering teams how to develop products based on "customer requirements" (aka "VOC" - Voice of the Customer), a key point I used to teach is: ALL customer needs are equally VALID.

Both my brothers managed night clubs… both have industrial deafness.
Yep, fully get that, also. Another reason I listen at fairly low SPL.

Strangely I did think I was agreeing with you…

 

[the sound of Tao]

Alright so I was very confused by the black belt in customer requirements… I once punched a client for being generally unattractive, is that not the same thing!! Only kidding.

I’m down at averaging at sub 60db listening for most kinds of music… more jazz and chamber music but not large scale classical and not deep house or EDM. I try to make the music sound right in terms of volume but no longer at the expense of my hearing. Anecdotally I’ve always driven the Maggie 20.7s harder (enjoying the sense of a ribbon panel energising the room) than my horns but have shifted down quite a ways since moving to horn OB panels where lesser volumes are generally still engaging. I rarely do doof doof any more even though I grew up in the rave music culture. I have apparently matured somewhat lol.

 

[Gregm]

Orchestral music: mostly 60-85 dB

 

[GroovySauce]

Peaks of 75dB I'm surprised at how often I check and peaks are 68-72dB. As it seems like it's much louder.

 

[morricab]

It comes back to how long you can sustain listening volumes… a couple of hours per week at 85db to 90db is probably OK though I avoid even that now. If you are listening to music for a few hours every night sub 80db is probably more sustainable.

Both my brothers managed night clubs for a decade in the 90’s… both have severe industrial deafness. It’s amazing how quickly exposure to higher volumes in sound can get away on us though. I now have a db meter on my watch and manage it that way. I’ve built my current sound system around getting engaging music at less db…

My louder alone sessions or with some guests who like it loud we peak in the 95dB range but most of the time I am in the 60-80dB range. I was listening to Hugh Masekela Hope(nice live recording) recently where peaks were around 90dB and average around 80, which was enough to get a good live feeling without feeling really loud.

 

[morricab]

T

Alright so I was very confused by the black belt in customer requirements… I once punched a client for being generally unattractive, is that not the same thing!! Only kidding.

I’m down at averaging at sub 60db listening for most kinds of music… more jazz and chamber music but not large scale classical and not deep house or EDM. I try to make the music sound right in terms of volume but no longer at the expense of my hearing. Anecdotally I’ve always driven the Maggie 20.7s harder (enjoying the sense of a ribbon panel energising the room) than my horns but have shifted down quite a ways since moving to horn OB panels where lesser volumes are generally still engaging. I rarely do doof doof any more even though I grew up in the rave music culture. I have apparently matured somewhat lol.

Tge Maggie’s needed more to “wake up” it seems…consistent with my experience with them.

 

[JackD201]

I make a conscious effort to stay at the 85db safety limit but I carve a track or two worth of time allowing 100dB+ peaks. Me time is about 2 hours.

 

[JackD201]

I rarely do doof doof any more even though I grew up in the rave music culture. I have apparently matured somewhat lol.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! Download some ARTBAT right now damn it! LOL!

 

[andromedaaudio]

At What SPL Do You Listen to Your Stereo?​

At the maximum level the neighbours will allow me unfortunately

 

[Gregadd]

Generally speaking, I start with the premise given the choice you will pick the loudest. Dynamics and resolution are vital to me . It varys from genre to genre. something as simpple as a plucked guitar presents a complex load. Attack and decay. require a lot of energy.
Cleanv power, low noise and distortion allow much higher spl without dress on the earsm

 

[GroovySauce]

SPL that we listen at is difficult to quantify as an average. Putting it into a range is also not so clear. Below is a sample of different songs. What is the SPL for the different songs played back at?

At this volume it's a fun experience. The bass is full and rich. Bass hits in a visceral way. The delicate atmospheric detail is deep and expansive.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! Download some ARTBAT right now damn it! LOL!

My soul misses the big nights out… but my body not so much

 

[Puma Cat]

My soul misses the big nights out… but my body not so much

Ha! Same for me for the 10 years that I trained as a classical ballet dancer, then went from that to motorcycle roadracing. I pay the price for those "activities" every day, now.

 

[microstrip]

At Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight with Zubin Mehta conducting Symphonie Fantastique I measured in the front orchestra row in a dead center seat SPL routinely at 85dB to 95dB, peaking at 100dB.

So this is actual big symphony orchestra concert SPL.

At what SPL do you listen to big symphony orchestra classical music?

How far was your seat from the front of the orchestra? Orchestral recordings are not usually balanced to emulate front seats.

 

[treitz3]

At Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight with Zubin Mehta conducting Symphonie Fantastique I measured in the front orchestra row in a dead center seat SPL routinely at 85dB to 95dB, peaking at 100dB.

So this is actual big symphony orchestra concert SPL.

At what SPL do you listen to big symphony orchestra classical music?

That's about where I listen, typically when it comes to big symphony orchestra's, but it is also recording dependent. <<< Big factor.

Regardless of the genre or performance, I try to match the volume level to where it would be, if I were at the venue or recording studio, listening live. For example, I may listen to big symphony orchestra at this level but there would be no way that I would ever listen to a solo guitarist, violinist or harpist at that level.

Typically and across all genre's, my typical SPL at the listening position averages around 78-80db. More or less, depending on things (some recordings are higher SPL or softer/older recordings than others, so I adjust accordingly) but when something extremely well recorded comes along with a great musical selection with a plethora of instruments? All rules are gone. I'll listen to it right up to the point to where the room overloads or the sound degrades (if only even a little bit), regardless of what the SPL level is or becomes. Then I'll turn it down one notch and enjoy the selection/album.

Tom

 

[Mike Lavigne]

70db--80db steady state, peaks 84db--90db, very occasionally over 95db.