Scrappydue Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 The pre amp usually is set around -8 db to -4db I don't run my new subs hot though way way to powerful. I used to bump my THX ultra subs up 6 db but not with my JTRs18's change the game! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 The pre amp usually is set around -8 db to -4db I don't run my new subs hot though way way to powerful. I used to bump my THX ultra subs up 6 db but not with my JTRs You worried about the foundation, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Other than compensated rifles, worst thing I have experienced is being on the receiving end of a drummer with projection cymbals. Those things are insane up close. OK, I gotta know, what are projection cymbals? JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldenough Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 I really must buy me an SPL meter, I'm obviously not getting the full enjoyment or experience from my "home theatre".... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paducah Home Theater Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 (edited) OK, I gotta know, what are projection cymbals? JJK Basically they are really bright and loud, sometimes with a weird shape, designed to cut through the mix and reach everyone in a big audience without necessarily relying on separate microphones and amplification. They will kill your ears when standing in front of them in a small room. Edited December 27, 2014 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHayton Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) I downloaded Studio Six Digital SPL Meter for my iPhone. I wasn’t looking for the most accurate meter I was more interested in something I could use with comparing environments. FWIW sitting central, about 50’ from the stage at a full orchestra classic performance I register 85 dB max (C weighting). This is the same level I prefer when listening at home with 3 Cornwalls across the front and a pair of Chorus for rears. Will Edited December 29, 2014 by WHayton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 If you are into high fidelity, the answer is simple: You listen at the level of the actual performance. Less or more is not high fidelity by definition. Dave I agree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) Hi fidelity for me is a nearfield setup where the room is more removed from the equation and there is more detail in the mix. It does not have to be at concert level. I guess we all have our own definition of HiFi which is OK. Edited December 28, 2014 by derrickdj1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Hi fidelity for me is a nearfield setup where the room is more removed from the equation and there is more detail in the mix. It does not have to be at concert level. I guess we all have our own definition of HiFi which is OK. I like your philosophy Derrick! Are you using the RF-7s for the nearfield? Just curious as I'm occasionally asked about using very large towers that way, but have not heard anything larger than the RF-82s (lots of experience with CWs, and LaScalas for nearfield, however, and both are amazing). Maynard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Neither -25 db nor 0 db have any meaning unless the pre/pro or AVR is calibrated to a known SPL level in the room, at the microphone, using something like Audyssey . In the case of Audyssey, playing at 0 db (after calibration) will produce true Reference level at microphone position, whch is, indeed, the level at which the mixers heard it. The subwoofer maximum will be 115 dB. I usually run movies at about 5 dB below Reference, and, with a few exceptions, they are not too loud. The exceptions are those few Blu-rays which have the effects crammed up against FS, so the average SPL -- during the effects -- will be louder. These include Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Grey and anything with the word "transformers" in the title. Youth, what kind of SPL meter do you have? Anything with a needle will read low for sudden peaks, because of needle ballistics. One figure PWK gave was 13 dB below true level. Edited December 29, 2014 by Garyrc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted December 29, 2014 Author Moderators Share Posted December 29, 2014 Youth, what kind of SPL meter do you have? Radioshack Analog Meter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted December 29, 2014 Author Moderators Share Posted December 29, 2014 When I go into the manual setup (after auto calibration has been run), with my volume at -32db I'm reading 85db on the meter and the left channel is set to 0db on the levels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I like your philosophy Derrick! Are you using the RF-7s for the nearfield? Right now I don't have any nearfield monitors. I sold them a while back and will get something in the spring. Large towers are not the best for nearfield. A good set of bookshelf like Sonus Farber, or Dynaudio would be my first choice. Even my Icon RB 15's were great for nearfield. The main purpose is to take the room out of the equation similar to good headphones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) When I go into the manual setup (after auto calibration has been run), with my volume at -32db I'm reading 85db on the meter and the left channel is set to 0db on the levels I don't quite get what you're saying. Was your calibration done by Audyssey? (I don't recall if your set-up has Audyssey or something else). Since La Scalas are about 13 to 15 dB more efficient than the typical speaker, you may have to use attenuators between the pre/pro and the power amp to have them end up with anything other than -12 dB (max attenuation) on your automatically set channel trims (set by Audyssey). There is a choice between leaving the attenuators in, and using 0 dB for Reference level, or taking the attenuators out after calibration, and using a volume control setting below 0 by the # of dB cut by the attenuators. So if you use 12 dB attenuators, and take them out, Reference level will be achieved at -12 dB on the volume control. Edited December 29, 2014 by Garyrc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aspro fitou Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Tonight, my son and I watched Transformers: Age of Extinction. Amazing movie. The LaScalas sounded absolutely fantastic. Dialogue was clear and gunshots sounded real. The Dual RSW-15's are plenty for my setup. I wanted to pose a question about volume to the community. How loud do you typically watch a movie? My receiver was set at -25db. Most dialogue and non-action sequences were around 85db. During explosions (which there were plenty in this movie), the meter hit 115db quite often. Honestly, this is the first time I finished a movie and wondered if I had it too loud. It's difficult to say how long those peaks lasted but I'm sure the action scenes were around 100db continuous which can't be good for my hearing. The last thing I want to do is to damage my ears to where I can no longer enjoy movies or music. Just looking for some feedback. hello i look to you video tour of your 'LaScala home theater' wunderfull i like that i thinking you have a lot of dvd's-Blu-Ray disc's and i see your home town is Plant city Florida i spent my hollyday in florida in 1986 july/august it's verry nice place to stay and now a verry frendly greeting from mij home town Eindhoven in the south-east of the netherlands my name Hans Verbiest 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappydue Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 When I go into the manual setup (after auto calibration has been run), with my volume at -32db I'm reading 85db on the meter and the left channel is set to 0db on the levels I don't quite get what you're saying. Was your calibration done by Audyssey? (I don't recall if your set-up has Audyssey or something else). Since La Scalas are about 13 to 15 dB more efficient than the typical speaker, you may have to use attenuators between the pre/pro and the power amp to have them end up with anything other than -12 dB (max attenuation) on your automatically set channel trims (set by Audyssey). There is a choice between leaving the attenuators in, and using 0 dB for Reference level, or taking the attenuators out after calibration, and using a volume control setting below 0 by the # of dB cut by the attenuators. So if you use 12 dB attenuators, and take them out, Reference level will be achieved at -12 dB on the volume control. he has a harmon kardon. They have their own auto eq system. And to me it's not a very good one. But youth just uses it to get distances and levels more than anything I think then I think he level matches everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted December 29, 2014 Author Moderators Share Posted December 29, 2014 Hi Hans, thanks for the kind words. I would love to visit the Netherlands one day. Gary, Scrappy is correct....HK has their own proprietary calibration software. I've never owned a receiver that had Audessey. My process is to turn on auto calibration, let it do it's thing, then use my DB Meter to make sure each channel matches. During calibration, am I supposed to first turn the receiver up to 0db? If so, I never have tried that. It's probably at -40db (default volume after turning on) when I run the calibration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronH Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I use an SPL meter and most movies are comfortable with the AVR set to -27. I used the SPL meter at the listening position and it was a steady 85-87db's and peaks went to around 105-107. That's A weighted not C weighted with the sub. I find the sweet spot for MY system is anywhere from -25-27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Night before last we watched 'ODark-thirty" at -3 on the Main Volume after Audyssey calibration on our Library Home Theater listed below. Both my wife and I thought it sounded excellent that close to THX Reference Level--I also think Audyssey calibrations are pretty consistent among users who set it up appropriately-That's not to say that some may not like the House Curve that is set. I appears some people prefer more 'Bass'. Fwiw, here are mine and other thoughts about "How Loud do you listen" and Audyssey settings: https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/148249-how-loud-do-you-listen/?hl=listenhttps://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/148127-what-are-your-audyssey-settings-and-preferences/?hl=listen Edited December 29, 2014 by tkdamerica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paducah Home Theater Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Should also be mentioned that distortion can actually hurt your ears more than a clean yet slightly louder signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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