Cal Blacksmith Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Well, I was home alone last night and I had the urge to play it LOUD! Sooooooo.. I decided to crank it up, now I usually stop at about 12:00 on the pre-amp gain which nets me about 100 db at my listening position, centered on the Fortes and about 8 feet back (it is a small room.) I had never gone farther than that when a wild hair struck me and I went for the gusto, I wanted to see where the end of the good sound was. So I rotated the dial and rotated the dial and before I knew it I was wide open! I did not stay there long as the spl on my analog meter was at 115 db with peaks above that but I did not notice a point that the sound just went bad, like on my SS amp. When the SS amp started to clip, it was obvious, with the Power 1, it just lost the crispness and started to mush a little. I have USA made Tung-Sol 6550 output tubes installed with Svetlanna 6922s (6DJ8) pushing them. The pre-amp is a VTL Ultimate with USA branded tubes. I have US Sylvania JAN 6DJ8s to swap with the Svetlanna 6922s but as I have a bunch of them (lot bid on eBay) I need to get access to a tube tester to get the best of the lot first. I dont know what the Svetlanna 6550-A tubes would sound like at this level but, I am quite impressed with the output of the Tung-Sols! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 90db is about as loud as I choose to listen, either with my SET amps or 299B PP or my Denon HT rig. When I was younger, 110db was a lot better, but I'm looking after my hearing a bit more as I age. I like the volume to be where I can hear all the detail, feel the bass, but not feel ear overload. Kind of hard to describe. I know many here like it in the 100-115 db which is fine, it's just not my cup of tea anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 What Chris has posted describes my preferences pretty well. Used to DJ school dances in the 70's and early 80's which was alot of fun. I'd be cranking the tunes thinking, "Wow, I'm getting paid to do what I'd be doing anyway on Friday night... listening to really loud music." Now, I still enjoy music, but at moderate volumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Most amps go only to 10, but I'm still looking for the one that will go to 11. (apologies to Spinal Tap) Seriously, I'm into moderate volume clarity. I was wise beyond my years those 10 years I played in rock and country ensembles with a Fender Twin 135 watt amp a few feet from my ears. I *almost* always wore ear protection. Turn it up, you say? Why sure. Louder, you want. Okay. Inside was always a cool 95 db or so. Some of my former band friends, especially from the rock ensemble, are starting to lose their hearing at ~45 years old. They were the ones who used to call me a 'wimp' because I didn't like the high volume. I did crank my new (to me) khorns up the other night to see how powerful they could be. I stopped long before they were even breathing hard. I still want to hear the rustle of fall leaves when I'm 90. peace, Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted December 23, 2004 Author Share Posted December 23, 2004 I guess I should say in my ears defense that for the most part, I take it easy. At work, hearing protection is worn when things get above 80 db and in the home shop when grinding or using tools that produce a high volume. As I said, 100db is about as high as I normally turn it UP to, 80-85 is more normal. I was just wondering how loud it would go and what happened to the sound when I got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdsang Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I don't do this often but back when I had my RF-3II mains, I think I hit 121 dB but didn't do it for much longer then 5 seconds. I bought a friend of mine a system which I am just brakeing in for them, got to 110 but not for long. I did listen to 100 dB for awhile, but somehow I feel my ears don't like it. With RB-35s 85 dB sounds about right. Althought the RF-7s have more presents, thats about where I like it with them to. It seems at 85 dB is when it completly opens up, but not entirely to loud on a system that doesn't stress with it. But in most cases I am around the 70s. I just find it amazing at what Klipsch speakers can do. I can't imagine what seperates would do. CD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rdmarsiii Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 The loudest I've been is about 117 db with the Heresy's. With the sub playing, I've maxed out my spl meter, but I was wearing hearing protection. But I've only done that once. I dont like getting loud. On a good day, I rarely get past 105 db. My normal listening levels are in the 90 db range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandi Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Hmm, do not know. I do know that there is some type of circuitry that shuts down my RCV and I have activated that twice. It was LOUD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triceratops Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 I do recall reading something on the Forum once about Klipsch speakers having such low distortion, that the normal cues for "it's too loud" aren't there. Less efficient speakers tax the amp early on and have more distortion to begin with, so with Klipsch the music can get quite loud without turning to overdriven slop. It's like you're driving some big ole Chrysler 300 down the interstate and you see flashing lights in the rearview. You look down at the speedo and say "Carumba! Was I going 115?" As for the old rock 'n roll buddies with hearing loss, maybe it's just a matter of time before someone discovers some kind of medication to compensate--Viagra for your ears (apologies to Mr. Spock)! Best in horns, triceratops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnalOg Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 I listen on an average of 90 dbs, I can enjoy the music comfortably at 100dbs peaking, have listened at 112 on average to some well recorded stuff, the last being Remastered on CD Led Zep's Physical Graffiti. If you like it loud and clean, give this one a try, let me know how you like it! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 ---------------- On 12/24/2004 10:28:15 AM triceratops wrote: As for the old rock 'n roll buddies with hearing loss, maybe it's just a matter of time before someone discovers some kind of medication to compensate--Viagra for your ears (apologies to Mr. Spock)! Best in horns, triceratops ---------------- That would be nice. I believe they are making some headway in resonctruction of hearing damage. It may not be realistic in the next 30 yrs, but one never does know. The trouble is that hearing damage is a result of tiny little hairs actually breaking from mechanical stress. Tinnitus is our brains' attemps to make sense of the the screwy data being sent by the resultant misfiring of the associated nerves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 With my Cornwalls being driven by my SS McIntosh MC250 I could peak at 120dB levels (112dB+ average) on my bro's digital RadioShack SPL meter. But that was as far as I ever wanted to go, or earbleeding could occur! My current 300B SET 8 watter will drive my Cornwalls comfortably at 107dB max output before clipping occurs, and that's more than loud enough for me in my small room. It's not at live levels anymore when I listen to my favorite pipe organ recordings dammit, but it'll do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 I did it with my Klipschorns a few weeks ago. Peaks of 115db. It was scary! And the Klipschorns were just cruising. No other speaker can do this with such grace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_L Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 What were you listening too? I know if I was in that groove it would need to be some J Geils, or maybe Stones Sticky Fingers. Something with some real raunchy guitar! Maybe some Paul Butterfield East-West? C'mon, fess up?! I at least want to know? Oh ya, how close is your nearest neighbor? They like you? LOL?! Rock on and Ride safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonecj Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 Back a few months ago, when I had the industrial La Scala's here, I had to play. I have an Adcom GFA-585 that runs 250wpc, so I had some fun. This pic was taken about 10' from the Las. I had to run in & take the pic & leave, then turn it down by remote. Even at that level, it was still crystal clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rdmarsiii Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 When I measured the Heresys, I had it A weighted... I only use the C when doing the lower freqs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonecj Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 Wow... I missed that.... Must have been setting it up to fast.... Must have been too loud to think in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkot Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 i was in the metrodome yesterday watching my vikings loose i was thinking id go play it loud and take a pic of the meter but my ears are still ringing pretty bad from the croud noise, may do it tomorrow jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illthreat Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 what? ok, now what was that? (you know it's loud when you can't read cause the monitor is shaking so badly) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 Huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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