Newbie Advice: €6k Streaming Setup for a 14m² Wood-Paneled Room in Japan

[xaviescacs]

The very founder of this forum* like it un-clipped and high on occasion, why would that be strange?

*(as I do too for peaks with my classical)

That's what I had in mind actually. Saying "high SPL" on this forum is like saying "high speed" in a rocket science one, really high.

 

[Redacted]

In live you have happy and loud bunch and guy with hot dogs stand to them trying to be louder so you go order or two magnitudes psy louder to shush it down. In controled environment ambient noise will be much more down to extent in the country with a little work put to it low 30's there you can have both order or two in between it and program averaged loudness to DR of material and stay in much more sain loudness boarders to where physics kick in low to sub bass mostly where you nead substantial loudness boost in order to compensate for it especially how programed SPL is lower. It's posible even to get to low speach program SPL with everything in it but that needs 2.2 setup 2.1 is more than fine for low 70's and up. When you get over 88 dB SPL reference calibration point (85 mono) the benth in bass starts to go slightly in reverse side. RME interfaces from pro equipment have such beyond the threshold ELC for example.

Nevertheless - too quiet means I get bored.

 

[ZolaIII]

Nevertheless - too quiet means I get bored.

That's why it's import to start by dialing it one step down and then gradually increase by a same step for cuple of times. If the step is 1.5 dB - 1 + 4 will get you to a limit of psy 50% louder or in +6 dB range. Our brain dosent want to pre proces what he cals the irelevant noise and adopts rather quickly. Of course even so after a long session of 2 or more h, take a brake, have a snack or something.

 

[Redacted]

Am I really getting a lesson on using a volume control?

 

[kharan]

Ascilab C8C, but the availability is spotty.

 

[Nekochan]

There's something to be said about listening at levels that are (within reason and sanity) close to levels of hearing the music live. Especially now that most venues (where I live) are a bit regulated to save people's hearing.

No matter how nice a "loudness" control is in terms of following 'ear response', below a certain volume, music starts getting 'backgroundy' to me. And sometimes that's nice, but sometimes it feels like being in a supermarket with the rest of the Walking Dead.

I see no fun in Simon and Garfunkel at 110dB, but you can't really play, say, Rammstein at background levels.

I also think that recordings are mixed to "sound right" when played at a certain volume, and this varies. Maybe there is a volume sweet spot for all our recordings, but I think it's a bit louder than most people go to! And maybe people choose speakers based on their preferred listening levels, rather than what the FR claims to be, or room sound.

I agree with you. I think I might have phrased my initial post poorly. I don't listen to my Devialets at 80% volume at a 2-meter distance all the time. It's only on occasion, and it depends on the type of music and the recording. When I'm alone, I sometimes like to dance to techno music at a high volume, but not for very long. When I listen to rock, I like to feel something close to a live concert experience. But not always. Other times, depending on the genre, the recording, and my mood, I turn the volume down. I'm sure it's just a personal impression without any scientific basis, but I get the feeling that the Devialets sound better at high volumes. I would like something that sounds good at both high and low volumes at a distance of 1 to 2 meters. My room measures 3.85 x 3.85 meters and is 2.8 meters high. It's my workspace for video editing, as well as my sanctuary for reading and listening to music.

In live you have happy and loud bunch and guy with hot dogs stand to them trying to be louder so you go order or two magnitudes psy louder to shush it down. In controled environment ambient noise will be much more down to extent in the country with a little work put to it low 30's there you can have both order or two in between it and program averaged loudness to DR of material and stay in much more sain loudness boarders to where physics kick in low to sub bass mostly where you nead substantial loudness boost in order to compensate for it especially how programed SPL is lower. It's posible even to get to low speach program SPL with everything in it but that needs 2.2 setup 2.1 is more than fine for low 70's and up. When you get over 88 dB SPL reference calibration point (85 mono) the benth in bass starts to go slightly in reverse side. RME interfaces from pro equipment have such beyond the threshold ELC for example.

"Thanks for the detailed explanation! That makes perfect sense. It’s good to know that a 2.2 setup is the way to go for great sound at lower volumes. Appreciate the insight."

 

[Keith_W]

• Room size: 14 m² (approx. 150 sq ft) with a ceiling height of 2.80 m (approx. 9 ft).

It seems as if many of you missed this bit. This is a pretty small room. He won't need very large speakers to produce adequate SPL in that room, I would wager that the Genelec 8331 would be enough.

 

[ZolaIII]

I agree with you. I think I might have phrased my initial post poorly. I don't listen to my Devialets at 80% volume at a 2-meter distance all the time. It's only on occasion, and it depends on the type of music and the recording. When I'm alone, I sometimes like to dance to techno music at a high volume, but not for very long. When I listen to rock, I like to feel something close to a live concert experience. But not always. Other times, depending on the genre, the recording, and my mood, I turn the volume down. I'm sure it's just a personal impression without any scientific basis, but I get the feeling that the Devialets sound better at high volumes. I would like something that sounds good at both high and low volumes at a distance of 1 to 2 meters. My room measures 3.85 x 3.85 meters and is 2.8 meters high. It's my workspace for video editing, as well as my sanctuary for reading and listening to music.

"Thanks for the detailed explanation! That makes perfect sense. It’s good to know that a 2.2 setup is the way to go for great sound at lower volumes. Appreciate the insight."

Those towers get you to 93 dB and won't fall apart at 100 dB (Revels more so thanks to super tweeters) at mid field stereo but that's club SPL program already & I doubt room will handle that much, you get very low THD at sain levels and outstanding transition in main bass section with sub's hepl of course. 2.2 is hard to get still of the shelf at least and so it's good implemented (regarding filters) ELC. As it's video room going perhaps with such Denon AVR like 3800H ain't a bad path.

 

[Nekochan]

As @Sokel says. It depends on what you mean by high SPL.
Also, do you have any equipment today that you are keeping? Streamer, DAC?
Plus you state your room is 14 m square, what are the actual dimensions?. How far from the speakers do you sit? Is your seating position up against a wall or do you have space behind the seating position.

Thanks for your post!

• Room Dimensions: Exactly 3.85 m x 3.85 m with a 2.8 m ceiling height (square room). The walls are wood-paneled and the floor is fully carpeted.
• Seating Position & Distance: I sit at my video editing desk in the nearfield, about 1.0 to 1.2 meters away from the speakers.
• My definition of High SPL: I measured my Devialet Phantoms (at 80% volume) using an iPhone with the NIOSH app at a 2-meter distance, and it read around 93 dB SPL (uncalibrated mic). I want my new studio setup to match that level of energy and punch at my 1.2-meter listening position.
• Current Equipment: None. The Devialets and the turntable are staying in the living room. This is a fresh start for my editing studio.
• Budget: I have €6,000 for the audio equipment (speakers/subs/interface) and an additional €2,000 allocated for acoustic treatment.

Given this data, do you think the Genelec 8331A + 7350A subwoofer combo (using GLM) is the right path, or should I look into the Neumann KH310?"