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110db, no distortion, no clipping, no kidding!


Deang

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I am with NOS on this. 110 db? What are you listening to...elevator music? You can't even hear the subtleties of music until you get up to 115 or so.

Here's a simple test and it doesn't require a meter - although I have one. Turn up your system. Walk a hundred yards from the house. If you can have a conversation at that distance, go back and turn it up a little louder.

For bass test, simply stand outside and view the house. If your door knocker is swinging and your gutters are vibrating off the house, you have achieved a moderate amount of bass response and volume.

PS. I told my three year old daughter, who looks very similar to yours, how soft your were listening to your music. She was so stunned, she could only offer up "What? What? What?" as a response.

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I PEAK at 100-105 dB. with my rig. I would go louder for my favorite songs now and then, but the tweeters in my JBL's are 3/8" and won't put up with it. Also, I am assuming I am taking my receiver right below clipping. I am not going to push my system too hard and break something. Thats why I want the biggest pair of the new Reference floor standers and a good 100 WPC SS amp for it. There are three songs I want to make my ears ring with.

Hell, I'll just buy some Peavey PA speakers. They sound pretty darn good (the ones I uses, about $600 each) and, well, loud isn't even the beginning. They can get 130+ dB. at a meter.

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110db, child's play I say. I have taken mine in excess of 120db with no distortion or breakup and had alot more to go. The SPL meter in my DBX 14/10 was pegged at its maximum of 119db. This is with mic on the TV not facing towards the main speakers. Of course in all fairness I am running huge SS amplifiers not a pair of beautiful tube amps. That is quite loud for the few watts being fed into your speakers though.

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You're also running 3 Heritage big boys and a pair of Heresies with that getup.

I'm running one set of RF-7's with 60 wpc.

The significance here (and Craig and myself were just talking about this), is that I haven't been able to approach near this level of control and cleanliness with anything else I've had. If the low power folks are right, I should have been able to reach this level with 16 wpc. I couldn't get it with the Apollo SET amps (18 wpc), and I couldn't get it with the triode, all Class A, 35 wpc AES AE-25 Superamp DJH. Both of these amps would begin to sound pinchy and strained past 95 db. I could get 100-105 db -- but it wasn't enjoyable to listen too.

The Quicksilvers are fierce sounding, and at 105 db -- are very LISTENABLE. It's not just about the loudness, but also how good it sounds riding those high waves.

I've concluded that though horns don't need much power to sound good, or to get loud -- they do benefit from additional power, so they can sound good while playing loud. Horns benefit from headroom just like any other speaker.

Reference needs at least 40 wpc, and Heritage, should be run with at least 20. Those of you who listen to elevator music or Jazz, can probably throw these numbers out the window.

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Hmmm... I wonder how loud the loudest I have ever had my system was... I have no SPL meter, and the loudest I have ever had my system was +80 on my receiver (Onkyo TX-SR500) playing the car chase in The Rock, and also at that level on Dream On once- the Yngwie Malmsteen version. My N64 rattled off of the sub during that. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to the level? I am using KG-2.5's all around and KV-3 center.

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trespasser_guy, I couldn't say, but it had to be alot!

When I had my 200WPC McIntosh MC7200 amp powering my Cornwalls, I cranked up the gains and my SPL meter at "A" Weighting was peaking at 120dB at 20WPC peak! My ears bled for a week (was listening to AC/DC)! With Dean's tube setup, his figures are damn immpressive!

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Well, I just did some 'critical' listening. 9.gif

This involved turning my 65WPC x5 receiver up to +70 (goes to 100, but I don't get sufficient volume until 60 or so) and playing Van Halen- Humans Being. Umm, it was loud. My ears are still ringing and my reciever is almost too hot to touch. I am guessing the latter is bad. lol It was rock concert levels, without question, as I have seen VH in concert. I feel so proud now... that is probably the hardest I have ever pushed the system since I am generally a casual listener. Ow... I need a glass of milk now and make sure my receiver is cooling nicely...

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Jim T's MC7200 story reminds me of the only time I blew my 4 Amp fuses on both KHorns at once.

I too use to drive my Khorns with the mightly 7200. Way overkill for heritage.

Once night we were having a party and the music kept getting louder and louder. A friend asked me to put on the most dynamic piece of music I owned. So on goes the 1812 overature at an insanely loud levil. At the first cannon blast rips through our chest cavities, we are left in the silence of the open fuse. At the same time in the kitchen above, I was told the snack bowls all got about 6-8" of air before crashing to the floor.

Dont have a clue how loud that was, but it hurt.

JM

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Darn... I;d like to have some speakers that were that loud, just so I could say I had them and show off when someone said 'I bet my system is louder than yours.' I could just smile and say wanna bet? 9.gif

I just finished designing some speakers today, though that are 105dB sens... can take about a kilowatt or so RMS into 4 or 8 ohms... I havent figured that much yet. 9.gif That may be loud, eh? I'll just go to my neighbor's house to listen to music.

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trespasser_guy, good luck with the building of your ultra-sensitive loudspeakers (any horns?). Post pics when you're finished!4.gif

JM, that's a hellova story! LOL! Can't say I ever listened to the 1812 Overture at that insane level (do I dare?)! Now that I have only 50WPC as opposed to 200WPC, I don't know if that would be wise. Although I know my Cornwalls could handle it...I think! Better recheck the fuses on my Cornwalls first, huh?

Do you still tear your kitchen apart by the shockwaves?9.gif

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