Shock-Late Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 I own a pair of modified LaScalas (EV SM120 mid horn in place of the "good" old K400). I absolutely love them. However, now that i moved from my parent's home in the country to an appartement in Brussels, I'm more and more frustrated about the level restrictions... On the preamp, the volume knob never goes higher than 1 (say 7o'clock); after 10pm, I have to lower the output level of the CD player if I don't want the neighbours to complain, and during the night this output level has to be lowered to -25dB!!! No need to mention doing this i'm losing a great deal of the sound quality of my system, especially the CD player when I have to lower its output. I really don't see how people use their Heritage speakers in apartments. Or maybe I should rather use a passive preamp, wich would give less gain, but i'm not sure my power amp would work with a passive preamp (such as the nice Creek OBH 12). You see i don't really mind listening at "low" levels (even if sometimes i wish i could crank it up like in good old times) but if i'm losing sound quality because of that then it's getting a lot more frustrating... why not buy a pair of Bose micro****s then... any suggestions welcome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 Well, when you move into an apartment with something like LaScala's or Khorns your going to have to choose your apartment wisely. In my first apartment (in college), was a two bedroom. I had Cornwalls (then later, briefly, Khorns before I moved). I had the speakers in one bedroom because it was surrounded by the other rooms to help sheild the sound & had one 'outside' wall. It was also on the ground floor. The next apartment was a "garden" level type, partially below grade. The building's storage room and laundry room bordered one side of the apartment. If you have people living below you, they are going to be bothered for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksdad Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 maybe it is just placement, but i run mine at -50 at 3:am and i never have complaints, nor do i lose anything in sound? placemant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strabo Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Get yourself an SPL meter and look up the noise laws. Your question finally got me to check on our laws. I live in a fairly old apartment building on the ground floor and a store room on one side which gave me a good way to test what it sounds like upstair or in the apartment adjacent to me. I looked up the laws here and was mortified. In the hallway or adjacent apt. during the daytime it's <65db 50% of the time averaged over a one hour period. Yikes! That's not much. So I put on some Metallica and did some sampling. Turns out that 79db in my listening position is 65db in the hall. So I can have peaks over 80db in my living room and still be legal. Far from concert levels but still enough to be fun. Thanks for asking the question because I never knew this before and always listened with 75db maxes. Now back to Metallica P.S. the requirement here drops to 60db from 65db after 7p.m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM135 Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Sorry about your dilemma--perhaps moving to a different dwelling is the best alternative--one where you can let your system thrive. Some other ideas: Headphones? Well, Klipsch doesn't make headphones... Invite the neighbors up for martini's and have them bring their favorite CDs... Downsize to SB-2s... Best of Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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