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Why do we like music loud?


pHEnomIC69

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What JJ said.

Also, what I just posted in another thread:

"When a system excels at low level and ambient retrieval (microdynamics and 'air'), is able to push the soundstage well out into the room (bloom), and can layer and separate the information in the recording -- the volume control goes down. IOW's, the more realistic the music sounds, the less the need to use high SPL's as a way to compensate for what's missing. Since there is so much there, the room loads up faster and the soundfield is immersive in nature instead of coming at you like a wave."

What Dean says is so true or at least I am expieriencing that with my new configuration of the perfect music machine(see profile).

For the first time in the evolution of my system I am listening at a much lower volume.This is crazy good!I think I would always turn it up to get that impact or hear more of the music.Now I have that impact at all volumes and the coherency of the system is so right...lots of changes lately and I am still getting a feel for the sound but the change that struck me was the reduced volume to achieve THE sound!!!

BTW it sounds awsome at higher SPL's,just have not gone there much in the last few weeks.

Greg

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It may be primordial instinct where the animal with the louder roar usually intimidates the lesser animal.

Also the rythm can be heard better, louder usually means more bass where you start to feel the music. Maybe we try to blur hearing and feeling to get a better sensory perception. Sort of like smelling the food before tasting it increases flavor (i.e. smelling wine then drinking it) Also to get bass you usally have to have in the pre speaker age something to beat on something. A Big drum, a gong, a big bell, a large hallow log to get bass.

I think there is truth in this statement as I relate to always turning the volume up to get that bass(rythym impact)goin in the past.With the BagEnd sub system in my setup its always there at any volume plus all the other changes to the topend and WOW!!! folks..Im very happy and listening at way lower volumes

Greg

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From my experience lower volume has always sounded better,its taxing

the entire system less.I think(and its only imo)the whole concept of

listening loud is knowing you're set up is up to the task.I could never

listen to my set up at 110db for long,even though its loud and

clear.But I could never be close to happy if I knew it would'nt go way

louder than I'll ever listen.Prolly some kind of "macho"thing I

dunno,what ever happen to Phil Donahue?

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Sure, you know you have a good system if you can keep the volume low to moderate and still enjoy all the transients, nuance, and complexities inherent in your music, buried "deep within the grooves of the vinyl..."

But the point of playing it LOUD is to mimic, and recreate the experience of being at a live concert. A total euphoria of mind, body, and soul. A true escape.

I do suppose, however, that classical (Max) and jazz (Alan, Gary, etc.) purists would prefer their music at less-than-blistering levels, as that is the volume at which those genres of music are played live.

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I like to listen to music, or singing at the volume I think it was recorded at. That doesn't necessarily mean screaming loud. I close my eyes and imagine Diana Krall in front of me playing and singing in a smokey bar for instance. I bring the volume up to her level (or as close as I think her level was). That make any sense?

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I knew this has been discussed before see this oldy....Started by me of all people...

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/262593/ShowPost.aspx

I think the best answer from that one is:

The response of the human ear is not flat, the ear is most sensitive to frequencies between 1000 to 5000 Hz. The threshold of hearing for say 50 Hz may need to be 50 dB louder than for 3000 Hz. The same is true for higher tones 15,000 Hz may need to be 30 dB louder just to hear it. So if you are listing to music at low volume the lower and higher tones are not even loud enough to reach your threshold of hearing. By turning up the volume you are now able to hear more of the lower and higher tones, in effect you have widen the frequency spectrum you are hearing. Stated another way, at very low volume the only frequencies you can hear is from about 1000 to 5000 Hz. By turning up the volume this can increase to 30 Hz to 17,500 Hz.

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Listening to loud music is usually the pass time activity of young folks and folks that want to reexperience their youth. Nicholt's explanation is as good as any for why the younger generations like loud music.

As we age, our threshhold of pain from loud sounds goes down in decibels while our threshold of hearing (where we start to hear measured in decibels) goes up. When we get older, the microdynamics become extremely important. The microdynamics allow older folks to hear all of the music without pain or fatigue. The very young do not need quality sound to enjoy music; they just turn up their iPod.

Bill

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This is an EASY one!

The short answer is: we are rythmic creatures (consider your heartbeat) and respond to rythmic changes in an emotional way.

Listening (rather RESPONDING) to loud RYTHYMS is pretty important in all cultures. It's part of being human. Add to that the inate sensitivity to timbre and mathematics, and there's your answer!

DM

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I agree with D-man and Daddy Dee. It surely is linked to genetics. Dtel and I both love music, our three daughters all love music and our three grandchildren all love music. Our fascination with music/rythms can be traced back thousands of years.

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