I've read a few threads that say a good or preferred SPL for critical listening is 75 dB. Is there science on the topic? As it turns out, I max out my listening (10' from speakers) at 63 db average with 40 dB minimum and 65dB peaks mainly due to WAF. Turning it up from there momentarily appears to increase quality (richness), not confusing with volume.
I was actually just listening to Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue this morning and the dynamic range is incredible. So it went from nothing to very high SPL in a few min. But what do you mean by "gershwin you might be lucky to have a system that can do 75db"?
I'm at a loss to understand how this thread's question even makes sense because a song is not at one volume level like a test tone or pink noise, it varies drastically from moment to moment sometimes by tens of dB.
Are we discussing the song's loudest peak? The beginning passages? The end? The "average" and how is one defining that? Was that average weighted to where the ear is most sensitive, around 3.5kHz-4kHz? Was that average weighted to where the music often consumes the most system power? And for what genre of music?
Add on top of that we need to add the complexity that the music we buy isn't even recorded at the same level on the medium, as shown at the link above for pop CDs over the years:
Of course the stock audio of car's isn't the best, but if I turn the volume of the cd player to maximum, I can barely hear the open strains of the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique and the loudest are painful. I guess I need volume compression!
Using audio in noisy environments like cars/trains/planes really cries out for compression. Knowing this many radio stations routinely compress their transmissions so they will reach a larger audience which boosts their ad revenue. This is also largely to blame for the birth of the "loudness war".
For "critical listening" and most of my listening, I set the volume at a realistic level for the type of music I'm listening to. I'm not concerned about db level. If it sounds like I'm sitting in the room with the musician/band then its right for me. Its generally louder then most people listen. Even something like acoustic jazz is fairly loud if your sitting 10-20 feet away from the band. When you get the volume right it can be surprising how realistically live good recordings can sound. It helps if you have heard music played live to have a reference point.
Exactly, thank you! I visit a lot of clubs/concerts and don't seem to get the same quality (I mean quality not volume) at lower volumes at home. I've read threads where people said their speakers didn't open up until a certain volume and hence was inquiring.
I hate it when audio companies use dumb jargon making the true meanings of things ambiguous, like:
"Optimizes the performance for better sound so the listener will hear a better sound with a more natural balance making the music enjoyable and beautiful using scientific principles for high fidelity."
I think "Engineered" may be a term of art in the audio industry to mean "play with bass, treble, and other freqs." Bose even touts an "engineered sound processor" and Bose is foremost in this tweaking regard, which is why they get a bad rap from audiophiles. I actually don't mind because the Bose systeme in my WAF's car sounds far better than the cheapo radio in my Toyota. (Of course could be quality of components also, etc). I think for cars with 4 small speakers, glass windows, and low power application, Engineered sound and dynamic compression is almost a must to get pleasing sound.
I measure sometimes with an SPL from my listening position. 85-90 db peak (C weighted) is comfortably loud, usually don't feel the need to go any higher - sounds are clear, rich and impactful.
Typical max spl for me is around 72 dB C-weighted at the listening position.
I normally don’t enjoy loud music and wear noise blocking earplugs for the majority of live gigs as a listener.
So I don’t try to duplicate a live music listening experience, preferring to optimise recorded music experiences. This also applies to quiet classical music recordings, for example, where I may listen at louder SPLs than I would listening to the same compositions being played in the concert hall.
Duplicating a loud concert experience therefore means inserting noise blocking earplugs and turning my stereo up full blast, which is what I always do.
Typical max spl for me is around 72 dB C-weighted at the listening position.
I normally don’t enjoy loud music and wear noise blocking earplugs for the majority of live gigs as a listener.
So I don’t try to duplicate a live music listening experience, preferring to optimise recorded music experiences. This also applies to quiet classical music recordings, for example, where I may listen at louder SPLs than I would listening to the same compositions being played in the concert hall.
Duplicating a loud concert experience therefore means inserting noise blocking earplugs and turning my stereo up full blast, which is what I always do.
In that case looking at all the responses here, I'm listening too soft and may explain my less than good experience. I max out my listening (10-11' from speakers) at 63 db average with 40 dB minimum and 65dB peaks due to WAF.
60-65 dB is noise levels in average vehicle with no audio on. Try & get I into the 70-75 dB range
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