Does loudness play a part in your appreciation?

I listen mostly at 70-80dbs at my listening position and every now and then I’ll crank it up to 90db peaks, but that’s rare.

Went and saw a local Pink Floyd cover band a few weeks ago.  Really excellent show with a crazy amount of special effects and props. The ear plugs only came out for the intermission and then they went right back in.  
 

I sure don’t remember my ears hurting like this in my teens and twenties.

@rvpiano ,

I don’t think 70db is “loud”. I designate that as “enjoyable”. I listen to anywhere between 65db to 75db, like you rightly said, to “make me get more involved in the music”.

Probably because of scar tissue on both eardrums, but even with hearing aids I need peaks at 85db to absorb all I'm capable of hearing. That's an improvement just in the past year, attributable to to an amp upgrade, 85 has now become the new 95.

Under 65 db my system doesn't really come alive, due perhaps, to the size of my space. Over 75 db is too loud for me. 70 is about right.

For me, the perception that the volume could be recreating near the original volume makes listening real. I realistically also listen to most music at that 70 to 75 db range, but I have pulled the meter out to occasionally find myself in the low to mid 80s. So it depends on the music.