sunburnwilly Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I finaly bought an SPL meter from the Rat Shack a couple of weeks ago , the digital one . Well I fired up some music and had it at what I would consider Loud . Hmm , a little over 90 db on the peaks , 40 on my processor . Egging myself on I progressively turned it up . When I am in a mood , 100 db peaks would not be uncommon . So then I aired it out to 115 db peaks and OMG it is like a Force of Nature !!! Fine for showing off , " bring your earplugs " , but over all a bit uncomfortable . Perhaps the first time I saw Judas Priest in 1981 was in the same ballpark . You know the scenario , loud metal band in a venue the size of a large high school gymnasium in my case it was the old Myrtle Beach civic center and the original Iron Maiden was the opening act , " Killers Tour " . Still the volume setting was only on 29 , plenty more to go !!! So to all of you out there that claim you regularly enjoy listening to your system in the 120 db+ range I must officialy proclaim you as NUCKING FUTS !!! Then again maybe I am just a Wuss . Dang , I guess this should have been a poll .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Never take mine past -10 on the dial. That is MORE than enough for me. I worry about blowing my 7s. Never bothered to see what that is on the SPL meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 Never take mine past -10 on the dial. That is MORE than enough for me. I worry about blowing my 7s. Never bothered to see what that is on the SPL meter. mOOn , there is No Way I could take mine into the teens . The Belles could handle it "probably " but I could not ... [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Anything over the low 100 dB. range and you are talking about hearing damage in the long haul. Its not being a wuss, its making it so you will be able to tell the difference between Klipschorns and Bose 161's in 5 years!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formica Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 So to all of you out there that claim you regularly enjoy listening to your system in the 120 db+ range I must officialy proclaim you as NUCKING FUTS !!! Then again maybe I am just a Wuss . Dang , I guess this should have been a poll .... I don't think anyone takes it into the 120db range esp RMS... that is dangerously loud. I do enjoy raising the volume every once and a while... can reach into the teens for that occasional song... BUT... this happens mostly because it is easier the hit those SPL with low frequency material than with classic rock. In other words a 40Hz tone at 115db does not sound anywhere as loud as a 2000Hz tone at the same volume... This, BTW, is the basis of the Fletcher-Munson Curves... ROb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Though the thought of 120 db is cool, so is owning a ferrari and going the claimed top speed. Sadly both events never really happen often. When was the last time you maxed your regular car engine out? or the last time you maxed the reciever. But when was the last time you maxed out your iPod? Probably more often then you think. Headphones damage ears I think more since there that size factor of how a tiny speaker can hurt your ears and the other is trying to drown the outside (subway/bus) noise with your noise (err music). But anyways the government claims 115 db should not be heard for more then 30 seconds a week. Past 120 there is no safe factor. So I guess a firealarm would probably be the 30 seconds . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I max my cars engine, brakes, suspension, etc. out on a daily basis [] Triple downshift into 2nd, tap the limiter, 3rd, up to 80, 85, into 5th. Another hundred HP would have been nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Seriously your smart... and be aware differnet movies, different cable stations, etc., are at different levels too. Watch "War Of The Worlds" with me... with 7 matched Klipsch La Scalas.... A Sunfire Theater Grand IV pre amp and a 200x7 Sunfire Signature Amp, with 2 Klipsch THX subs KSW 120's and the matching KA 1000 amp.. No need for bass shakers... trust me, your there... you feel it chest pounding too.. I jump at some of the ligtning bolts every time.. LOL You want more???? Oh My Goodness, Light listening is in the 50's.... 40's is great for most movies music 90% of the time... And 30's,,,, 20's.... Yes, Nucking Futs!!! I have done it.. The Sunfire/ La Scalas play material effortlessly too.. BUT like you said.. "Wow, too much!" Look, even if you could stand it for a longer period... Why would you? A great HT is about the dynamics... and the seamlessness of the timbre. If you like it this way, you can have chest pounding crescendos... and whisper quiet soft passages.... Trust me, you have to experience a perfectly matched system like this.. It is amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I max my cars engine, brakes, suspension, etc. out on a daily basis [] Triple downshift into 2nd, tap the limiter, 3rd, up to 80, 85, into 5th. Another hundred HP would have been nice. What do you drive? A Yugo [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 No, just a Porsche Turbo with a little help from RUF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I max my cars engine, brakes, suspension, etc. out on a daily basis [] Triple downshift into 2nd, tap the limiter, 3rd, up to 80, 85, into 5th. Another hundred HP would have been nice. no heel & toe, no double declutch.... tisk tisk btw the ruf 2nd gear would be able to hit 85 btw soooo hahahha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Me too [] I start to get uncomfortable around 95dB, though that number is slowly increasing [:@] I usually listen around 70-80dB, sometimes even lower. Of course at live concerts you're looking at volumes of 110dB+ (ya, even when I'm mixing too), but it doesn't seem as loud as when at home....I think it has to do with the fact that the noise floor is louder and the volume increase is more gradual so the ears have plenty of time to plug up with earwax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I am secure in my wussieness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I max my cars engine, brakes, suspension, etc. out on a daily basis [] Triple downshift into 2nd, tap the limiter, 3rd, up to 80, 85, into 5th. Another hundred HP would have been nice. You might max it out, but I think the original question meant topping out. I last topped out one my cars about 15 months ago at night (not smart, but I was lucky that 1. I didn't get caught, and 2. No other idiot was around to cause any problem.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodog Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 At the forum gathering last year, when the LaScalas reached 121db (there's a pic somewhere to prove it), it was NOT enjoyable. at all. Woo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I agree with Woodog, It's fun to show off how loud and how little distortion my system is CAPABLE of, but I'd never really listen that loud. Absent booming car stereos, my home has a very low noise floor, due in part to hydronic heat system. 65-75 db for music is usually fine for me. -20 for usually suffices for movies on my Yamaha 2400. Only occasionally for say a DVD concert do I crank it to -10 and really rock out. Maybe a half hour once a month or so. I just can't tolerate it. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 btw, slightly off topic. When I was in Junior High School in the 70's , our team was the Eastwood Eagles. They had a stuffed Eagle in the trophy case. Our class held a contest to name our mascot, the Eagle. By an overwhelming majority the student body voted to name it 'Wuss the Eagle', It was decades before administration caught on and made them change it. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Only occasionally for say a DVD concert do I crank it to -10 and really rock out. Maybe a half hour once a month or so. I just can't tolerate it. Funny...that's about how often we hang out. Ok, so maybe every other month...[] I think the only time I crank my system is when I have company over....and not because I'm trying to show off. Seems everyone wants to know how loud speakers will go.....So up goes the dial and my little puny sherwood 50W reciever doesn't get beyond 75% before the guests can't handle any more [H] Gotta love klipsch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I just like to crank it hard after playing moderately loud levels for a while. The capper is to crank the snot out of it for about 2 songs and go "wow!" Then, turn it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I just like to crank it hard after playing moderately loud levels for a while. The capper is to crank the snot out of it for about 2 songs and go "wow!" Then, turn it off. Be careful Jeff, I know a guy who did that and the sudden vacuum in the room caused his head to collapse! M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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