2. music
  3. 1276730850

What decibel level do you listen at?

poor grammer on the question, I know, but I recently downloaded the SPL Meter app for my iPhone and I am shocked by how low the volume level actually is when I listen to music.

I thought I was normally listening at high SPL levels, but I have found that at about 85 it's too loud to think (when it reads 65, you can't talk to someone else in the room). I checked it against my real SPL Meter and the readings are pretty accurate.

I thought I was listening at about 90+ dbl on average, but I have discovered it's actually about 60 to 75 db, and that actually seems loud to me. I guess I'm happy about that, but does anyone else check the Decibel level, and what's considered "Reference Level"?
macdadtexas

Showing 1 response by bryoncunningham

bryoncunningham
890 posts
 
My average is around 85dB, with brief peaks, on some recordings, as high as 100dB.

As several people have pointed out, my volume level is largely determined by the quality and dynamic range of the recording. I have also noticed, as has been mentioned, that when I "improve" my system, particularly my room, I can usually listen 2-3 dB louder with the same comfort level.

The other factor that seems to determine how loud I listen is the level of ambient noise inside and outside the house. Late a night, when the house and the neighborhood are quiet, I get the same impact with lower volume levels.
More to discover