DizRotus Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 It must be a geezer thing (56 yo), but a trip to AKFest has me thinking that too many people listen to music that is too damn loud. Next I'll be yelling, "Hey you kids stay out of my yard." I've come to the conclusion that most music has an optimal volume beyond which the sound is not improved. The danger with highly efficient Klipsch speakers is that excess volume does not bring some of the cues, such as distortion or clipping, that are present when inefficient direct radiators are played too loudly by underpowered amps.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> More frequently I find myself listening to music at lower volumes which allow the dynamics to shine through. The difference between the quieter and louder passages seems to be more apparent when everything is not too loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I would tend to agree, and not just because, I too, am a "geezer" from Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgeraci Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 ---------------- On 4/11/2005 1:40:29 PM DizRotus wrote: It must be a geezer thing (56 yo), but a trip to AKFest has me thinking that too many people listen to music that is too damn loud. Next I'll be yelling, "Hey you kids stay out of my yard." I've come to the conclusion that most music has an optimal volume beyond which the sound is not improved. The danger with highly efficient Klipsch speakers is that excess volume does not bring some of the cues, such as distortion or clipping, that present when inefficient direct radiators are played too loudly by underpowered amps.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> More frequently I find myself listening to music at lower volumes which allow the dynamics to shine through. The difference between the quieter and louder passages seems to be more apparent when everything is not too loud. ---------------- Neil, I guess I happen to be one of those that frequents here that prefers both: lower volumes and pretty damned LOUD (Smilin' and Dean - help me out here). I am about to turn 40 and still enjoy the volume. Have to disagree a bit with you on the your dynamics comment. More of a caveat, actually. It is true that the vast majority of systems I have heard at higher volumes lose most of their dynamics and sound quality at higher volumes. But......with nice equipment, certain Klipsch speakers, and the right room, it is great to hear detail, separation and dynamics - even at very high volumes. Just that the lower parts or passages of certain songs are just a bit louder. It also helps to have a low noise floor. On the other hand, I have also heard Klipsch speakers sound like %$#@ at higher volumes, and the owner appeared blissfully unaware that it sounded like a pile of mush. Yes, kids, even Klipsch Heritage can sound less than great at higher volumes if run by interesting equipment. In fact, early on, my various Klipsch systems sounded that way until I decided to do something about it. Tubes and better preamps (and crossovers) help...... But, yeah, I still probably listen to music too damned loud. Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnBob Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Unfortunately, a lot of sound reinforcement guys are brought up on rock bands that want to be really LOUD. This transfers to other types of music (bluegrass, or small group jazz, for instance) that don't really translate well to high volume levels. My mother-in-law came back from an Andy Williams concert terribly disappointed because the volume was loud enough to peel a grape, and quite painful to listen to. Andy Williams! What were they thinking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 Don't get me wrong. I too listen to loud music at times. Nevertheless, more often I find that the volume level chosen by others is louder than I would choose on my own. Perhaps it was 1 1/2 years (74 -76) of listening to rock/pop/disco at ear bleed levels from my mobile DJ business. Four Speakerlab SK-Horns powered by 600 watts of Dynaco SS power could never be too loud for the crowd. I speak from experience when I say that EV tweeters (Klipsch Heritage) are easily repaired. I did it monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I always hoped that being a geezer was determined by attitude, not age! But the older I get, the more inseparable they seem to become! The TYPE of music determines its required VOLUME. Like ROCK, METAL, PUNK, etc. - that's GOT TO BE LOUD, it only makes sense. After all, it's MADE that way. However, jazz (small ensemble) and chamber music, THAT should NOT be loud, it's not made that way. Symphonic should probably also be loud (at least in the loud parts) becasue that's what you'd hear if you were sitting in front of one. Also, if you are the parents, and you hate it, of course, THAT's gotta be played EXTRA-LOUD and as much as possible. I like to show off the system LOUD a bit here and there because some chest-thumping is a hunter-gatherer thing, but for serious listening or escape, I use a low volume with an amp capable of extremes of dynamic range, which allows you to get swept along with the flow of the music, not just pummelled like a rock concert. So I guess it boils down to the type of music. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 ---------------- On 4/11/2005 3:23:18 PM D-MAN wrote: So I guess it boils down to the type of music. DM ---------------- Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Rock music needn't be loud by nature. How loud do you think Chuck Berry could'a been with a couple of small Fender amps for him and his bassplayer and the vocals going through some Shure columns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 ---------------- On 4/11/2005 3:39:33 PM TBrennan wrote: Rock music needn't be loud by nature. How loud do you think Chuck Berry could'a been with a couple of small Fender amps for him and his bassplayer and the vocals going through some Shure columns? ---------------- Those were the days, Tom. Setup was a LOT easier then too. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 ---------------- On 4/11/2005 3:39:33 PM TBrennan wrote: Rock music needn't be loud by nature. How loud do you think Chuck Berry could'a been with a couple of small Fender amps for him and his bassplayer and the vocals going through some Shure columns? ---------------- Good point, however stuff like TheWho : Who Are You, absolutely must rattle the windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnyholiday Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 it has to be loud so the fog,smoke,laser,pyro,water cannon,bubbles, an spinning drum kit, dosen't distract the listener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 ---------------- On 4/11/2005 4:29:31 PM johnyholiday wrote: it has to be loud so the fog,smoke,laser,pyro,water cannon,bubbles, an spinning drum kit, dosen't distract the listener---------------- If you're referring to the mobile DJ business that paid my tuitionand stole my high frequency hearingnone of those distractions was present; just four huge fully horn-loaded speakers, two turntables, a mixer, hundreds of adolescents and a pile of sweaty one dollar bills. The "music" was so loud they failed to notice the absence of "fog, smoke,laser, pyro, water cannon ..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsl Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 My living room is 15 X 15 X 8 and when I had KLF 20s I could turn the volume up very very loud before I considered it too much. Now with my 2004 La Scalas they overpower the room at lower levels. By overpowering I mean they sound incredible up to a semi loud point and then you go into the not able to talk to the person next to you point which the KLF 20s still sounded incredible but the La Scalas just overpower you. I'm probably going louder than when I had my KLF 20s but don't realize it. Also the La Scala has bigger horns and DB. Xman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 For those of you who still have not seen The Asylum Street Spankers live, need to treat yerselves. They're on tour, coming to your town soon. Eschewing amplification, they've been known to have to reprimand the crowd ("Shut the f**k up!!") in order to be heard. Good stuff for geezers and farts, young and old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 Hell, Fini, I clicked on your link, fully expecting to be able to complain that they were going to be nowhere near me, and no time soon. Lo, behold and whatnot, they are an hour away, 4 weeks from now. ****e venue, but worth a shot! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 Whaddaya know! I must be psychotic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 erm... In that case, disregard what I was thinking 4 minutes ago. I was just kidding. DeLay doesn't turn me on at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 At times I had two of the Khorn knockoffs in service in my parents' basement. From upstairs the bass coming through the floor sent the message that the music being played in the basement was extremely loud, i.e., too loud. When you went into the basement, where you were able to hear the entire frequency range, the music was still loud, but not too loud as anticipated from upstairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 Loud is only loud when you can enjoy your normal listening levels from down the hallway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.cherry Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 lot's of times it isn't so much the volume that makes music "too loud" for me. certainly once the distortion sets in it is too loud, painfull to listen to in fact. usually when i have the volume cranked to even moderate levels is when i am alone and don't have to carry on a conversation or worry about what others think. i like to feel the music at times...drive it right through my body. but it takes a good system for that so i need to visit friends! most times i think live music could be turned down, way down, not because it is distorted but because i am out to socialize and who wants to scream directly into the ear of the person next to you so they can hear. one of the lovely things about klipsch speakers is their ability to be played at a higher volume and not be too loud, i think it is just the high quality of the output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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