skeg1967 Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Last week I was playing some CD's in 2 channel at reference level in the dark and when I went to shine the torch to see what time it was the clock had vanished off the wall. I got up to investigate what happened to the clock and found it in many pieces behind one of my subs. I'm constantly straightening pictures on the wall after some of my listening sessions but the clock is the first victim of my sound system. I also have checked the walls and cornice but there is no visible cracks showing yet. What damage has your sound system done to your house and contents? Regards Skeg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Hey dude, I'd would be worrying more about my ears than my house. - Do you really need to listen at levels that have been proven to damage hearing? It's not worth it! - I attend the occasional rock concert, but listen in my home with peaks in the upper 90s db. Save your hearing, you'll need it later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 How loud is 'reference level'? If its busting things in your house, don't you worry what it is doing to your ears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete almquist Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 hi all, well as far as i can tell, no damage to the house. however, my wife complains that i'm always turning the volume up so i have to wonder if my 50 year old ears are what are taking the damage. oh well, so far the farthest up the volume knob needs to be turned is about 45 degrees. that leaves me more than 3/4's of a turn before i run out of head-room. besides, i only have a 35 wpc amp. there's always higher power amps available. wow...sky's the limit!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsched with Yamahas Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I have a love/hate relationship w/my Cornies.........start @ 9 o-clock and shortly afterwards, I find myself @ 1 o'clock. Those loudspeakers will just scream "turn me up"........I can relate, but DO BE CAREFUL. Yes, the pictures sometimes get vibrated into awkward positions.[] Where do you think the phrase "rock the house down" came from? .....lmao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Sometimes............. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Is your sound system destoying your house or contents? - No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeg1967 Posted April 13, 2007 Author Share Posted April 13, 2007 I only listen to music at this level for maybe 3 songs twice a week not every time I sit down to listen to my sound system. The Denon AVC- A1SR puts out 170 watts RMS / channel and two Velodyne CHT 15" puts out 300 watts RMS each. I enjoy listening and feeling the music at these levels for short periods after spending lots of money to build this system and being surrounded by absolute clarity, it's a bit like owning a sports car and doing 100mph when you should be doing 55mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I only listen to music at this level for maybe 3 songs twice a week not every time I sit down to listen to my sound system. The Denon AVC- A1SR puts out 170 watts RMS / channel and two Velodyne CHT 15" puts out 300 watts RMS each. I enjoy listening and feeling the music at these levels for short periods after spending lots of money to build this system and being surrounded by absolute clarity, it's a bit like owning a sports car and doing 100mph when you should be doing 55mph. Not really! - In the sports car you damage your body IF you have an accident. With the sound system cranked up you ARE damaging your ears. It's the most important component of your audio system. Take care of them. - I assume you are under 30 years old? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Pictures rattle, corner wall boards, door bell chime, shelf nick knacks, ceiling tiles, door glass, wall mirror, nick knack cabinet, and various items on the other sides of the walls. Right around 100 db spl. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I've had a couple paintings get kitty-whompas after a good session, but not fall off the wall yet. Another vote for being careful with the volume. I just turned 46, and noticed recently that when I'm in the bathroom at work, doing whatever takes more than 15 seconds to do, I'll hear the sound of the phone cord being pulled along the door jamb on the opposing door to the bathrooms as someone goes to get the schedule pad, but I never heard the phone ring in the first place. 90-95 dB is about as high as I go when the house is empty, though if it's a particularly good selection I might bump it a bit. I believe my high end loss is due to 25+ years of the automotive repair business, especially air hammers. Ear protection is a must if you want to hear all the good sounds once you get older. I've told myself I need to get my ears cleaned and tested for a year or so, but seems I chose to watch the paint dry instead. Hopefully a good cleaning will bring back some of the higher registers. [:'(] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 13, 2007 Moderators Share Posted April 13, 2007 Sometimes............. Dude it was time for that vase to go they had weeds growing in it ! [:|] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I often wonder if my sub could slowly vibrate my house loose. How many of you wear earplugs to live shows? I almost always take a pair. The last show I got caught without earplugs it was very uncomfortable and I had to hang out at the back of the venue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsched with Yamahas Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Speaking of Sub-woofers, even though I was only hitting 145.0 db in the car w/dual 10"s and 600W, I always used hearing protection. AND YES TO ANSWER THE PRIOR QUESTION........seen many cars loosened up due to subwoofer output (generally 150+ db levels). Takes time, but it will happen even to the best of them. LMAO.......every time I reach the 144.8 db level, my rearview mirror falls too. Even doing drive-by @ 118.5 db, I still used it! Some people (especially younger generation) don't really place a large value on their hearing IMO, but I thought the same while attending all of those "live" concerts during the 70's. Yes, subs IMHO are the worst, only b/c they'll degrade your entire hearing, not just specific low-end frequencies. In fact, that is part of the reason I am restricting my MECA judging this year. After listening to 8 cars w/clinics (16 times), it takes my hearing 2 days to recuperate. Constant intense listening does come at a price. Yes, I am very, very fortunate and now want to retain what good hearing I do have. Not slamming the younger generation, cause most of us have already been there and done that! No substitute for experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Speaking of Sub-woofers, even though I was only hitting 145.0 db in the car w/dual 10"s and 600W, I always used hearing protection. AND YES TO ANSWER THE PRIOR QUESTION........seen many cars loosened up due to subwoofer output (generally 150+ db levels). Takes time, but it will happen even to the best of them. LMAO.......every time I reach the 144.8 db level, my rearview mirror falls too. Even doing drive-by @ 118.5 db, I still used it! Some people (especially younger generation) don't really place a large value on their hearing IMO, but I thought the same while attending all of those "live" concerts during the 70's. Yes, subs IMHO are the worst, only b/c they'll degrade your entire hearing, not just specific low-end frequencies. In fact, that is part of the reason I am restricting my MECA judging this year. After listening to 8 cars w/clinics (16 times), it takes my hearing 2 days to recuperate. Constant intense listening does come at a price. Yes, I am very, very fortunate and now want to retain what good hearing I do have. Not slamming the younger generation, cause most of us have already been there and done that! No substitute for experience I agree with the sport car example as related to SPL. I have owned cars that would exceed 150mph and I pushed them to that speed, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. When I did, it was short lived. As I run up SPL's over 120db peaks, it is not for long. My EN&T Dr. tells me that high SPL's are damaging only when listened to for extended periods of time. Another thing is what I call "selected abuse". A matter of worth. Example: If I could sit center stage, five rows back from Jimi again, it would be worth it. To sit in a car with 145db for an extended time.......well for me, it wouldn't. However, for the guys who enjoy mega SPL's, for the guys that are 55 to 65yo, What would we be saving our hearing for? St. Peter's horn? I think the deaf will hear that. No, lets save our hearing for sounds from the grave!!!!???? IMHO, and at my age, I would rather waste my hearing than waste my time. What is it that was said....."better burn out than fade away'???? Just me. tc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I often wonder if my sub could slowly vibrate my house loose. How many of you wear earplugs to live shows? I almost always take a pair. The last show I got caught without earplugs it was very uncomfortable and I had to hang out at the back of the venue. I wear earplugs for everything OTHER than music!!!!! tc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudeJ1 Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I often wonder if my sub could slowly vibrate my house loose. How many of you wear earplugs to live shows? I almost always take a pair. The last show I got caught without earplugs it was very uncomfortable and I had to hang out at the back of the venue. I wear earplugs for everything OTHER than music!!!!! tc I remember taking my nephew to a Rush concert at Cobo Hall in Detroit. They must have been using 100 Kilowatts on those Taurus Bass pedal sub-woofers because you could feel it in your chest my Radio Shack db meter was PARKED at 107 db for 2 hours. I certainly wore earplugs. I also heard Stravinski's ultra-dynamic Rite of Spring and no db meter was required as a Symphony orchestra has level way below 90 db average but they can hit some pretty dynamic crescendos. I keep a db meter on the coffee table since the level or DVD and CD recordings can range from a 30-50 setting on my receiver's volume knob to get to the same 90-95 db level (on fast response). OSHA says you can handle 90 db for an 8-hour shift, but should cut your exposure in half for every 3 db beyond that. So 96db listening gets you 2 hours of play time, no more. Sure is nice to be able to do it now and then, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I have knocked pictures off the wall.... vibrated remotes off of coffee tables, and knocked over candleholders. Mains are capable of 118 db, subs 105 db @ 20 hz. I have cranked it a few times...... and each time I have a smile you couldn't wipe off with a shovel. I have hit 120 db @ 6 feet from the main L&R playing music ( short duration ) on the rat shack meter. In the room I have now, I have a bit more cancellation and can't quite seem to get the spl's as high. Granted, this is few and far between. I always wear ear plugs when doing a lot of things that are injurious to hearing, such as grinding, welding, impact, air hammer, hammering, etc. Mowing the lawn is another bad offender. Many years ago with a pair of cheap Jbl P1000, and a small kenwood amp I hit 127.4 on the meter. Granted this is not loud as today's insane stuff out there, but still pretty darn loud. I would listen to about a half a song at that level before I would turn it down to a more friendly 80- 85 db. I had screws that loosened, and after a few months, the rearview was pretty much useless..... if you tried looking in it you would think you were on some sort of cheap drugs.... shaking like a crack head looking for a fix. Then the squeaks started.... plastic on plastic. Today's cars are built better..... with less screws and better tolerances. On my '91 olds, I found there were only a few spots I needed the thin foam gasket tape to stop squeaks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 (edited) nope Edited April 8, 2015 by sunburnwilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 You people are crazy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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