[vath]

When I listen to music... mostly pearl jam, I love to pump it up loud... to basically fill my head with the sound and drown out the world. This is while driving or just rocking at home at the computer or watching a concert DVD.

I'm trying to break into this high fidelity world and started with hearing more through vinyl records and a mixer.

I'm wondering however since it seems easier to hear the highier quality of sound you should use headphones and with that do you have to keep the volume low to hear it all or would a person like me still be able to crank it up and maintain the highest quality. Granted I do NOT want blood to spill from my ears.

Basically do you all keep the volume low to hear all the good sounds or can you really rock the v-dial?

 

[Zarathustra19]

I listen at a moderate volume which does not make other sounds overpower their brethren, but instead blocks out the outside noise which I detest.

 

[GreatDane]

Of course you shouldn't listen at high volumes (90dB+) for long periods but I do crank it when the songs calls for it. I do listen at 90dB+ for short periods but mainly in the low 80's most of the time. My favorite cans do sound smooth up until the blood makes bubbling noises

You shouldn't need to listen at loud levels to hear detail.

 

[3X0]

I use my iM716 or ER4P in noisy environments at ultra-low volumes thanks to their isolation. As for the KSC-75, I use moderate volumes; when it's the only 'phone I have on hand and I have to fight background noise, I do admittedly pump it up.

 

[enorganik]

I'm trying to tone it down as I believe I'm getting some tinnitus. Lately I will randomly just get a massive ringing in one of my ears for a few seconds and then it will go away.

So...I'm done with racking my brain with overly loud sounds.

 

[Corrupt^]

I crank it up to quite a high volume but when it starts to hurt I turn it down a few notches. Basically the loudest I can take without having my ears aching.

 

[Chris Tch]

Speaking of volume levels, how do you know how high you're actually listening in db? They always say never to listen to sound over 85-90db for more than a few hours, but how do you know what IS 90db?

 

[groovemoose]

I'd also say that I generally listen to my music at a moderate volume. To be honest though, I tend to listen at much louder volumes when I'm using speakers than when I'm using IEMs. I'm not sure what it is, but with the E500 I'm able to make out all the details of the music at much more sensible volumes. The isolation certainly has a lot to do with that as well. I couldn't imagine listening to music at painful volumes out of IEMs... seems like that could hurt a LOT.

 

[Purgatos]

I usually listen pretty quietly. I find that my 'loud' is most people's 'normal'.

It's because I'm so pretty.

 

[PYROphonez]

I listen quiet, until that one song comes up that just needs to be turned up. My ears are quite sensitive, though. When lying in bed, if I'm away from home, I listen to my zen micro with my ksc75s at a volume of 1 or 2 out of 25 I think it is.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Very rarely. I turn my volume up so that it is slightly louder than what I need to hear it clearly, which isn't much.

 

[vath]

i also would like to know how to measure the headphone db level...

 

[phergus_25]

i think alot of people take a rat shack DB meter and a peice of cardboard. take the sensor and poke it through the cardboard and then put the HP cup over that.
-greg

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vath i also would like to know how to measure the headphone db level...

1. Go to Radio Shack or other and buy a sound pressure level meter.

2. Cut a baffle from a thin flat material roughly 10% larger than the pads on your cans.

3. Trace the mic pattern of the SPL meter on the material(I use cardboard) and cut out.

4. Place mic through hole and fasten cardboard to either pad ensuring tight fit.( I use rubber bands)

5. Turn SPL meter on, set at desired level (70 or 80 dB). "A" weighted, slow is preferable.

 

[Lastlaff]

I would say that I judge my headphones or speakers at volume levels that would be similar to what I would experience at a live performance. I find that pushing higher volumes of an acoustic performance louder than it was when recorded sounds artificial. On the other hand, I also find that it is impossible to get the same physical feeling of the volume of a rock concert (generated by walls of speakers moving massive volumes of air) with a 53mm diameter driver on my ear.

no matter how loud I push them into distortion.