Listening Levels

[skonopa]

Well, some bands play really good music, but they play it really loud. If you get stuck near the speakers, you should protect your hearing. In an arena situation, the music will be pretty loud in some places and really loud in others.

As well, most people go through a phase where they like the music to hit them in the chest. They like roller coasters, too. Eventually, they find that entertainment doesn't have to be extreme to be good. Hopefull, they still have some hearing left by then.

Preach it Brother Pat!

My point with that post is obviously it doesn't look as if I will ever be to old for roller coasters. If I live long enough even my great grand kids will have a blast with me at the amusement parks. And as far as "Rock Shows" I too am smart enough to wear hearing protection. At home I can contrlol the insanity but on someone elses turf I am victim to what ever they see fit. But also at home it doesnt have to be loud to be felt.[Y]

Don't get old guys !

A-FRIGGAN-MEN brotha!

I am never to old to enjoy roller coasters:

And as long as I still got two good legs underneath me....:

And as long as I got two good ears (with good hearing protection) and a nearby venue putting on some kick-*** shows....

I am damn near 40 and I have no plans to stop anytime soon! [<)]

If you are ever in the area during the summetime, look me up - we'll have to go to Kings Dominion, a mere 1/2 hour away from my place!

[masterxela]

are we talking about levels during "background" music, or level when you just sit in your chair to listen to music. If I'm on the computer, I have music at around 80. If I'm doing a routine "listening session" I have levels in the 100-115 range for about 30 minutes, maybe an hour on a concert dvd.

In my car, it hurts my ears to have 100db for 20 seconds, just so much distortion. The rf-7's are so effortless and clear. 0 cringe factor

during the 20th anniversary of the construction of my dorm last semester, they had a big party/carnival thing out front, but had no tunes! I went to my room on the 7th floor, opened the window and put on guns 'n roses. Put the rf-7's on small at 80hz to be safe, and had sustained 120+ db in my room for an hour. Out front I converted 500 people to klipsch............

if you're only after sq and not the physical sensation of 110db+, why not spend $100, put loudspeakers to shame, and buy some headphones

Might have a bridge collapse under me tommorow - carpe diem

[DrWho]

The rf-7's are so effortless and clear. 0 cringe factor

That's when the hearing damage is going to happen... []

[stormin]

Hey Steven I'm with ya man. Everything but the skiing. That would ge me killed.[]

The coasters and the rock shows are the only way to roll.[Y]

[jacksonbart]

Is it true that listening to loud music also makes you loose hair on your head?

[skonopa]

Hey Steven I'm with ya man. Everything but the skiing. That would ge me killed.[]

The coasters and the rock shows are the only way to roll.[Y]

Been skiing for 25-plus years..

Anyway, I typically listen to my own system at around the 80 to 90db mark (I think, been too lazy to dig out the SPL meter) - loud enough to still get a visceral experience out of the music, but not so loud that it will kill my hearing. I'll crank it up a tiny bit louder for movies, so that I can truly get that "you are there" experience out of it. I also got a pretty robust sound system in my car as well. I tend to turn that up loud enough to drown out the jackass thumping his rap crap at the light next to me [6]. I made the mistake once of not wearing earplugs to one of the concerts that I like to go to (it was a Sonata Arctica show at Jaxx in Springfield, VA). Never again! My ears rang for the next 3 days afterwards. I now always have ear protection when I go to these shows. And speaking of shows - friggan Symphony X on the 8th and then Kamelot on the 17th! - can't friggan wait! Reminds me, still need to pick up tickets for the upcoming Epica and Edguy shows as well.

[paully]

I spent a grand on my headphone system and I love it. But I don't

think you need to run your main system at 110db to get out of it what

is intended, though I recognize the pleasure involved in doing

so. My buddy always comments (because it drives him nuts) how low

I listen to my music. Apparently he has never met anyone who

likes music at the "whisper" levels I do. It is physically

painful for me to listen to music at the levels you speak of, actually,

but nonetheless I still think that having a main, room based system

does different things that a headphone system can't reproduce

regardless of volume. That is part of the reason that I have been

exploring Klipsch, I was under the impression that horns bloomed at

lower levels than regular speakers. It doesn't seem that is

totally true, but I am still listening and trying to figure that out

but it is one of the two main reasons that I gave Klipsch a shot in the

first place.

[Islander]

With all the debate about hearing protection, I never did answer the original question. Depending on my mood and on the music, it's usually around 80-90 dB at the listening position (perhaps 100 dB momentarily during movie explosions and such), but sometimes as low as 60 dB late at night, maybe listening to Sigur Ros or something like that.

Today, while the music was playing at 85 dB (90 dB 1 meter from the speakers) in the living room, I went out to the apartment hallway and listened at my closed door. I was pleased to notice that I couldn't hear anything out there. No-one could even tell I was home. Putting lots of weatherstrip around the door and a triple-row door sweep under it has benefits other than getting rid of drafts. Replacing all the window weatherstrips also lowered the noise floor in the living room.