is my listening volume normal?

Here is an online hearing test.  The directions are below the graphic and be careful not to click on anything in the top third of the chart unless you understand what you are doing.  You could damage your hearing!

 

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

 

If you have a yonger sibling let them listen to that level and tell you weather they think it is too loud.  If they say yes then the listening level is probably above 70dB and could be hard on your hearing if you listen at that level for more than 2 hours.

That volume definitely won't damage your headphones.

 

NA Blur's link won't actually tell you the volume you're listening at. For that you'd need something like an SPL meter. You probably won't want to shell out $50 for one right now. The alternative is to figure out how many milliwatts your card is pushing at that volume level. If you have an iPod or some other portable it would be easier to figure out, because not many people are going to know what kind of power that card puts into your headphones.

 

Your ears never lie. If they seem above normal to you then they are. Adjust to your comfort level.

Your ears lie all the time, but if they're uncomfortable then turn it down 

 

Of course, with me I was accustomed to low listening levels (around 65dB) for a while. I turned it up to 70dB when I upgraded, and it was uncomfortably loud at first but far from dangerous. I've since gotten used to it.

With or without ReplayGain?

Then yeah, you're probably listening too loud, maybe not dangerously loud but uncomfortably loud. Modern music in particular will be very loud without ReplayGain. I'll check with my Grados and Clip+, they have the same sensitivity and impedance.

 

With ReplayGain ON on a loud track (Foo Fighters), I'm measuring around 70-71dB average with a 73dB peak. With ReplayGain off that song would be in the 80dB range, which is technically safe but pushing it. I'd turn it down to maybe half volume on the Clip+ and volume match that with your card, or consider using ReplayGain.

Edited by Head Injury - 9/23/11 at 10:13pm

Head Injury with the Avatar of a PONY! Your glorious truth is beyond my minds comprehension as it expands to enter the acceptance zone only to explode into a new reality with a rainbow smile upon my face. Thank you for this brain altering moment equal to a virgin listen of Pink Floyd's DARK SIDE OF THE MOON. I will never be the..same.

 

Yes your right Head Injury our ears do lie. All throughout my life i have fluxuated with what you mentioned about volume differences enjoying both loud and low volumes as my ears adjusted making low volume seem loud and loud seem normal or not so loud :D 

 

Anything under 90db is fine. Get an spl meter from radio shack if you wanna know how loud youre listening. 80-85db is a good place to be for lenghty listens though.


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Edited by jasonb - 9/24/11 at 8:50am

Most headphones that I know of can handle volume far in excess of 100dB. I think the Denon D2000/5000/7000 can handle nearly 140dB, which is insane.

At anything over 110db, you will damage your hearing. 140db is insane indeed