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How loud do you listen to your speakers/headphones?

post #1 of 21
8/28/05 at 2:27pm
Thread Starter 
So long story short, I just got my dB meter and I've been doing some measurements.

Speakers: 85-95dB
SA5k: 75-85db
SR325i: 80db

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if that is too loud and could endanger my hearing. Thanks.
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post #2 of 21
8/28/05 at 3:46pm
i would say that I listen at lower levels than that.

I think those levels are a little too much for my enjoyment........however I can crank it up at times and really get to dancing.

i usually listen at coversation level volume. around 70 db

This is also in respect to my neighbors.

B
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post #3 of 21
8/28/05 at 7:51pm
~75-85 on headphones

70 on speakers
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post #4 of 21
8/28/05 at 9:04pm
Stereo speakers 82-85db average level from seating position (vast majority of listening with speakers vs headphone)

Headphones??????
I find it very hard to get accurate reading with hand held db meter and simulate the headphones in use. Headroom has dummy human head built with meters to measure things. But if you listen to headphones for more than 1hr a day be careful.......they are louder than you think and you can damage hearing eventually if too loud and used for extended periods of time.

There are tables published somewhere on web about exposure to various sound levels for various time periods and potential to damage hearing.
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post #5 of 21
8/28/05 at 10:29pm
Does anyone know approximately how many decibels 3.5 is on my SRM313?

I am using it with the SR404 and a 963SA CD player. That is where I usually listen, although when I turn it up to around 4.5 the sound starts to get so much better.
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post #6 of 21
8/28/05 at 11:04pm
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ghlight=raptor
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post #7 of 21
8/28/05 at 11:57pm
Up to about 12:30 on a Raptor... loud enough that Ray was concerned. And, that the rest of the room could listen in as well.
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post #8 of 21
8/29/05 at 12:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bhd812
That's really not an accurate way to measure headphone SPL, I bet the actual SPL would be 10 dB higher than what's reported if you measured that way... The key is forming a seal with the headphone like it would be on your head.

Try this method, substitute the weight with any other high mass object you have around:

http://www.seanmulholland.com/arc/08...headphones.php

--Illah
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post #9 of 21
8/29/05 at 12:33am
At sweet spot I used to listen to speakers at 80 to 85 dB. With headphones perceived volume was similar. I also once measured the volume from headphones at my listening levels putting the volume meter right in front of one of the drivers, and it also measured around 80-85 dB, consistent with my perceived similarity with speaker volume.
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post #10 of 21
8/29/05 at 7:00am
Thread Starter 
So is this at all dangerous for our hearing then, since we all seem to listen at around the same level? How high can I go before it starts being dangerous?
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post #11 of 21
8/29/05 at 7:07am
(ctrl v from another site)
Quote:
Decibel Exposure Time Guidelines

Accepted standards for recommended permissible exposure time for continuous time weighted average noise, according to NIOSH and CDC, 2002. For every 3 dBs over 85dB, the permissible exposure time before possible damage can occur is cut in half.

Continuous dB

Permissible Exposure Time
85 db
8 hours

88 dB
4 hours

91 db
2 hours

94 db
1 hour

97 db
30 minutes

100 db
15 minutes

103 db
7.5 minutes

106 dB
3.75 min (< 4min)

109 dB
1.875 min (< 2min)

112 dB
.9375 min (~1 min)

115 dB
.46875 min (~30 sec)
i'm not sure entirely as i use IEMs, but i'd say around 75dba
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post #12 of 21
8/29/05 at 7:14am
Thread Starter 
Ok, that helps alot, thanks
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post #13 of 21
8/29/05 at 8:53am
usually 10 o'clock tho sometimes I crank her up to 4 o'clock for short bursts.
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post #14 of 21
8/29/05 at 9:00am
Thread Starter 
10 o' clock is about the same as me
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post #15 of 21
8/29/05 at 9:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsaavedra
At sweet spot I used to listen to speakers at 80 to 85 dB. With headphones perceived volume was similar. I also once measured the volume from headphones at my listening levels putting the volume meter right in front of one of the drivers, and it also measured around 80-85 dB, consistent with my perceived similarity with speaker volume.
In John Borwick's loudspeaker and headphone handbook [focal press]
there is some interesting data related to the perceived loudness of headphones
versus speakers.
Generally it appears the average listener finds that to perceive equal spl between
the two of them the headphones have to be generally 6-8db louder than the speakers !

So [as mentioned by others here] one does have to be careful when measuring the
spl of a headphone to couple it correctly so as to best simulate the real acoustic coupling
of the ear/headphone transducer.
Failing to do so could certainly produce incorrect readings that may
lull the listener into a false sense of security.

Based on the above you may well be listening at considerably higher levels
than think you are.


.
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