The albums and the flamenco all have real relative levels. So once you find a realistic master volume level you should be able to listen to all the albums and the flamenco without having to touch the volume.
I didn't change volume while listening to your tracks.
In other words, whatever volume you choose, leave it there and switch back and forward between piano, guitar, voice... if you do not feel the need to adjust the volume for any of those then you can be pretty sure you are listening at a realistic volume.
That's how I felt.
Anyway, It might be a good idea for me to develop a test tone that you could use to calibrate your system (should you want to) That way you would be sure that the volume you are listening to corresponds to the real volume of the performance.
When first pondering 24 bit long ago I had it in my head that the levels on disc would (since they could) correspond to the "live" levels, all the way up to 144dB, which would usually leave a whole lot of headroom, but that's not how it was implemented
What would be fantastic
, would be some kind of frequency response of the recording room.
What would be your idea on how to do that? I draw a blank.
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Mario is Mr Truth in Recording
Here's my current method for Truth in Playback (at least, true to the source, which is all I get when I doo da best I can).
My "calibration" procedure for CD (and other digital) playback:
First, calibrate the REW source monitor:
Record a full scale tone onto CD.
Open an instance of REW.
Playback via CD player's analog outputs (no DRC applied) and calibrate REW to that analog electrical signal, 96dB.
I pick 1000.1 hz, an FFT bin frequency (per REW), and since it was common in my telecom life.
Using the REW tone generator, play a full scale digital tone and verify 96dB is seen when using the normal path through the central system DAC.
It's not, 97.5dB is seen. Take note and call it "close enough".
Here's the Note: The full scale digital monitor reference is 1.5dB hotter than the analog reference. Something to investigate later.
Open another instance of REW, for use with the measurement mic.
Put on ear protection.
Play the full scale digital signal, adjust volume for 96dB at the mic, without DRC.
Note the volume setting on the preamp. it is 58 / 151
Turn on DRC. REW reading is 89.7dB. DRC needs a little headroom to do its magic.
Adjust volume back to 96dB at the mic.
Note the volume setting on the preamp. It is 77 / 151
Play CD music on one speaker only.
Monitor peak RTA levels for source and destianation, and check levels.
Top is in-room, bottom analog source from CD. I like to think the comparison comes
real close. Good enough for now. Good enough for my deaf ears. Probably about as good as anyone elses.
Call it "calibrated".
It's not perfect. But the system outputs at the level of the recording, and is loud, but not too loud.
When both speakers are playing, then the in-room trace will be higher than a single channel of the CD monitor, by up to 6dB. The peak trace will vary a bit too.
Anyway, that my Better than Nothing playback calibration method here at Neverland East, when the idea is to calibrate the playback to the levels of the source.
My objective is accuracy to source, this is how I go about confirming it.
Repeat for the right speaker, maybe. Or just go on to both speakers:
This shows the additive room level, and some differences in the congruence of the room trace (both channels) to the monitor (left only).
Sometimes I put both left and right on monitor, and sometimes create a mono signal, just for
personal amusement.
After all that, which is really pretty much a one-shot deal, I twist the volume knob to wherever I want it, generally about 10dB lower, but this is my "calibrated" loud level, for loud listening, and for comparison and verification of in-room sound to source.
I know it's not perfect. What is?
Any questions?