How loud is loud?


Seems like a rhetorical question, but I'm curious what other folks think is "ok, now that's loud"

For me, if something's hitting 100dB as measured from where I'm seated while listening, and not just for a brief moments, but with some regularity, that's loud.

I used to listen at higher average volume than I do these days. Typically, I'm finding that at the right volume, the recording is more nuanced then when it's running full throttle.

If I'm not mistaken, the late Peter Walker observed that every recording has it's one correct or optimum playback level. I think generally he was correct, though once we are willing to forge optimum there's a range of acceptable.
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Showing 3 responses by charles1dad

Hello everyone,
I do get Bombaywalla's point, distance from the speaker is a factor and a relevant variable. If you sit 5 feet from your speakers vs say 12 feet, the SPL in db will change as a result of the distance. That's all he is pointing out.
Hi Mulveling,
Ok, guilty as charged, you're right it is a simple topic regarding loudness
and nothing more. I do understand Bombaywalla's post in the technical
sense as he presented it. I have no intention to muddy the waters and
introduce chaos.
Thanks,
Charles,
Al,
I've observed that as the system and recording quality improves it "expands" the usable listening spectrum. You are able to listen at higher levels comfortably, but lower volume listening is much improved as well. The urge to want to crank it up is diminished.
Charles,