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Listening Volume

post #1 of 35
8/17/09 at 11:49pm
Thread Starter 
What is your listening preference

I usually listen to low volumes - partly because I'm reading or thinking or working. But I go medium - rarely high volume.
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post #2 of 35
8/17/09 at 11:53pm
I voted medium, but I've noticed from meets and showing people my amplifier, that I listen much lower than most people I know. I'm generally about 25-40% on a tube amp, and I'm guessing somewhere around 75-80 Db.
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post #3 of 35
8/17/09 at 11:58pm
I confess that, while I listen to speakers ambiently at low or medium volume, I find it hard to listen to good headphones without wanting nearly complete attention to and engrossment in the music. I tend to want to crank it.
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post #4 of 35
8/17/09 at 11:59pm
I've already got some tinnitus from too many concerts with no ear plugs and working around jet engines for 14 years so I rarely turn it up very loud. Then again, what is loud to me may not be to someone else.
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post #5 of 35
8/18/09 at 12:16am
I'm normally pretty low. I think my IEMs are at around 50dB. Lately I've been turning up my headphones a bit more to get more detail out of them, maybe 60 or 70dB. Can't be sure what it actually is, however. I'm just going by those common reference charts.
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post #6 of 35
8/18/09 at 1:02am
around 75 db's most of the time. Sealing it best i can to my db meter reads 72db's at my normal volume so i figure add a few db's to be safe and i know im under 80 for sure. I turn it up a bit more on occasion but that is plenty loud for me most of the time.
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post #7 of 35
8/18/09 at 3:08am
No clue how many db's but I usually have my iPod on at a quarter or less, which apparently to my friends is ridiculously low. I dunno, it just stuck with me ever since my parents told me I'd go deaf if I turn my volume up too high. While I'm not really worried about that now, I think it just stuck with me as a habit.
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post #8 of 35
8/18/09 at 5:54am
i voted high volume as is the case. though the clip is not the most powerful dap around but i listen to nearly full volume through IE8. at times on max volume (depends on tracks).
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post #9 of 35
8/18/09 at 6:54am
I usually tune it to medium + position of Volume. i don't know i don't use to the low volume for musical details.
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post #10 of 35
8/18/09 at 7:02am
This thread is stupid as it depends on a number of things such as resistance in the cable, the player, how loud the source file is, the resistance of the output.....
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post #11 of 35
8/18/09 at 8:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chinesekiwi View Post
This thread is stupid as it depends on a number of things such as resistance in the cable, the player, how loud the source file is, the resistance of the output.....
X2!
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post #12 of 35
8/18/09 at 11:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by catachresis View Post
I confess that, while I listen to speakers ambiently at low or medium volume, I find it hard to listen to good headphones without wanting nearly complete attention to and engrossment in the music. I tend to want to crank it.
X2...About 75-80% of Ipod volume capacity but rarely for more than an hour at a time.
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post #13 of 35
8/18/09 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 
I feel the same way. I do let them rock - but without knowing the true dB, I am conservative and limit the duration. I've already been exposed to loud concerts and performed in them, too. Had I been more aware of hearing loss prevention, I would have used plugs more often!

However, I also believe that there is a relationship between volume and preferred sound signature (and music genre).

From what I noticed so far, high treble energy seems to be acceptable in both low-high volumes in dance/electronica.

But in other genres, warmer signatures are probably preferred at relatively high volumes to control the spikes inherent in wind, wood, and string instruments.


Quote:
Originally Posted by catachresis View Post
I confess that, while I listen to speakers ambiently at low or medium volume, I find it hard to listen to good headphones without wanting nearly complete attention to and engrossment in the music. I tend to want to crank it.
Reply
post #14 of 35
8/18/09 at 2:14pm
Quote:
Orginally posted by chinesekiwi
This thread is stupid as it depends on a number of things such as resistance in the cable, the player, how loud the source file is, the resistance of the output.....
Sort of ... If you can give listening levels in dB by relating it to known dB levels, OK. Or if you indicate source, phones, etc. then levels have some meaning. Otherwise no.

Personally if I listen with with my PX100 or ER6i the iPod level stays pretty low but with my HD580 or iM716 the vol control has to go up significantly to keep the same perceived listening level.

To make the preceding meaningful, I usually listen at a relatively low level most of the time (estimating sub 60 to 70dB) but I will crank it up for a song I really like. I based my estimated dB listening level on comparisons using charts like these:

Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart

Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart

http://www.reliabilitydirect.com/RDI...cibalChart.pdf
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post #15 of 35
8/18/09 at 3:48pm
High volume all the time! I don't use music for background noise, I want to be taken away, and live with the music. Feel the bass, feel the rythm.
I play music myself to, and have that feeling that it has to have a certain volume, otherwise the excitement aint there, at all.

I usually don't listen for long times at a time, and don't have tinitus or other nasty things. And I'm 41 now.

My source is Sony X and Sennheiser IE8, and the volume mostly is 20-25 out of 30. Genre is typical electronic stuff, metal, rock, worldmusic, jazz.
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