[Caution]

below talking level, else my ear drums start hurting.

 

[feNcheL]

Wow, Panorama, you must be half deaf by now..

Actually, I would have thought that most of you guys on Head-Fi have it above talking level because every so often I read about people who notice minor sound changes or clipping which I only notice on higher volume levels. Or is it because of my phones (HD555) or even my ears??

 

[jernmo]

Right around talking level, however if a killer song is on I tend to crank it up a couple of notches.

 

[Tridacnid]

Grados aren't hard to drive, so my amp can be cranked a third up, and I'm going deaf.

 

[nor_spoon]

It depends, but usually about talking level. I tend to turn up some songs, especially if I play live recordings.

 

[yashicaman]

I listen at conversation levels. I like my ears and have done enough damage to them with a childhood/adolesence of blasting ducks and geese and prarie chickens sans ear protectors (some grew up in the dark ages, I grew up in the deaf ages). If I'm in a noisy environment, I switch from open to closed cans. Most of the time I'm listening in my office where I have low traffic and not too much noise (if my colleague in the next door office is out, I just use my speakers and forgo the headphones, unless I"m listening critically for a lecture or a writing project).

No more loud headphone sessions for me.
No more loud rock concerts sans ear plugs.
No more blasting birds out of the sky sans ear protectors.
But I still wear loud Hawaiian shirts.

Cheers!

 

[MASantos]

I voted for talking level, because that's the one I use the most, but some music you just have to listen a bit louder!


I think you should have included a few more options. There's a big gap between talking level and having the volume way up.

 

[feNcheL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MASantos /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think you should have included a few more options. There's a big gap between talking level and having the volume way up.

Really?
Please elaborate!

 

[Akabeth]

These days (post-headfi) I usually listen at talking level... or slightly below that.

 

[Henmyr]

60-70dB

 

[progo]

Nobody talks with me so I'm not sure about the talking level

 

[mrarroyo]

Just measured using a Radio Shack Sound level Meter. 55-60 dB

Anything higher and it is too loud!

 

[chzplz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ~75-80 dB range for me when I do "serious" listening. I guess that is pretty loud, but should still be in the safe range. On the go I put it low so I can still hear my surroundings.

Hey TK, Henmyr, MrArroyo --

How do you measure sound level with phones? I have a sound pressure meter (radio shack), but don't understand how you can get an accurate read on headphones -- I have all circumaural phone, mostly closed, but if I just put the SPM in between the cups and squeezed them together (not that I particularly want to do that, especially to the Denons which would probably crumble into a cloud of dust

), I don't see how it would equal having the phone sealed around your ears with the drivers an inch or so away.

I'd love to know how loud my listening levels are... I tend to listen L O U D, but obviouly don't want to do (more) damage to my hearing. I'd also love to see the differences between phones in terms of perceived vs. actual loudness - especially to test Ultrasone's theory that the Natural Surround on their cans let you listen at a level 3-4 db lower than equivalently-loud-sounding conventional phones.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chzplz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey TK, Henmyr, MrArroyo -- How do you measure sound level with phones? I have a sound pressure meter (radio shack), but don't understand how you can get an accurate read on headphones -- I have all circumaural phone, mostly closed, but if I just put the SPM in between the cups and squeezed them together (not that I particularly want to do that, especially to the Denons which would probably crumble into a cloud of dust ), I don't see how it would equal having the phone sealed around your ears with the drivers an inch or so away. I'd love to know how loud my listening levels are... I tend to listen L O U D, but obviouly don't want to do (more) damage to my hearing. I'd also love to see the differences between phones in terms of perceived vs. actual loudness - especially to test Ultrasone's theory that the Natural Surround on their cans let you listen at a level 3-4 db lower than equivalently-loud-sounding conventional phones.

I use a piece of cardboard w/ a cutout the size of the measuring tip. The cardboard is used to cover one earpiece at a time, then I insert the tip through the hole (man I could get in trouble if this is read out of context

). See pic below.

 

[chzplz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use a piece of cardboard w/ a cutout the size of the measuring tip. The cardboard is used to cover one earpiece at a time, then I insert the tip through the hole (man I could get in trouble if this is read out of context ). See pic below.

Thanks for the info. I guess this way'd be useful for checking for imbalances in the phones as well since you're testing one cup at a time.

Ira