What's your average SPL for music listening

[MSTARK]

I wonder if there is a correlation between age related hearing loss and preferred listening level? With metal music, I tap out at around 82 dBC 95dB peak. Even at that volume, I can only handle one album for the day. But I notice that my grandpa maxes out his earbuds and finds that listening level to be comfortable.

Possibly.

 

[ernestcarl]

The max peak reading I got for actual music without any normalization was 115dB at 1 meter, so I guess Presonus' official rating of 116dB peak is real. Only question is the actual 'long-term' continuous SPL rating. By my own measurements, it looks like it's 108dB -- or 110dB if you want to be really liberal.

I have found Presonus' original press release 'brochure' (archived) with the max continuous/long-term SPL specification:

Cut-off using 2nd order is in conflict with their manual which states 4th order... yeah.

Long-term is 105dB at 1m -- probably, since this data is curiously omitted elsewhere. Short-term is likely 108 or 110dB -- just my educated guess -- and peak at 116dB. So I was very likely correct in suspecting that I could push out 4-5dB more over my current 100dB SPL (L&R summed) max setting at 2m.

Manufacturers should just list as much detailed specs as they can... annoying that we have to dig this information out in their published archive -- if at all available.

 

[oursmagenta]

For me it's 80-85 db on what I externally call (for my wife and children ) live listening.

But I suspect that when I will finally get my Kef R7 shipment my listening volume will raise significantly.
I think I'm limited right now by the distortion of my setup: Triangles Cometes + svs sb 3000 (especially the Cometes).

Oh and also by the fact that no one wants to be in the room at these levels (except me of course).

N.B: measurements make with a umik-1 at listening position on some reference tracks.

 

[StuartC]

Using an app on my phone (I know its not perfect, but good enough for a ballpark figure) I tend to sit between 70-80dB avg. Any louder than that and the lack of room treatment makes it unpleasant.

 

[majingotan]

90-100+ dBc here nearfield (2 feet away from tweeter) using my phone decibel app. Lovin' the low distortion playback from the HS7 allowing me to listen to those SPLs for hours a day with ZERO listening fatigue whatsoever

 

[Peluvius]

An older thread that popped up on a search but still just as relevant today. I find listening above 80db C-weighted average is not pleasant. I play Movies peaking to 100 however I can find that uncomfortable if sustained. I am increasingly finding cinema audio far too loud for the duration.

 

[Nostradamus]

I only listen to Classical Music since I discovered it almost 10 years ago.

I listen to String Quartetts at around 80-85 dbA.

Symphonies need more I then listen at peaks in the mid 90 dbA range.

All measurements taken with a dedicated meter, A weighting, fast responce, peaks, at the listening position.

 

[boxerfan88]

Working b/g music ~60 dBC @ MLP
Normal/casual listening ~75dBC @ MLP
Blow my head mode ~85dBC @ MLP

(Measured at MLP using pink noise, meaning it’s higher at 1m from speaker)

 

[WideEyedToad]

Ah I need to get a meter.
But I'm going to say mine is higher than average. I've rarely met people who like music as loud as I do, some, but not many.

 

[Peluvius]

NIOSH Sound Level Meter App

The NIOSH Sound Level Meter app measures workplace noise to determine if the levels are damaging.

www.cdc.gov

 

[jEDGEc0m]

I suspect A-weighted SPL might be more comparable - cause if your system has or lacks bass, dB-C weighting would be massively impacted.

I like a fair bit of bass - and then with the listening room, EqualizerAPO's "loudness" feature is used - which adds more bass at typical listening.

anyway, seems to me some pretty low levels being listened to with the dB-C weighted values - or maybe y'ain't got bass!?!

I would say for me 75-85 dB-A, with probably about 80 being a longerish listening proper listening level. measured with REW and UMIK-1, smallish room, ~2m distance. if it were dB-C weighted, it measures pretty much +10dB. this is measured casually occasionally while listening to actual music.

and most the time the music includes fairly abrasive, driven electric guitar, which can get harsh. smoother music seems easier to enjoy louder.

Maybe I'm harming myself. "Find what you love and let it kill you.", or whatever the quote is. Would be a shame if healthy living means I have a good healthspan, but then the hearing gets blown out too soon.