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.
128x128zavato
For me, once it gets in the mid 80's, (at the listening chair) it's loud.

I've found that as my system has gotten better, I listen at lower levels. I no longer have the need to turn it up as I get everything I want at a lower volume.
I blew Aerial 10t woofer with Dead Kennedies all the way cranked. I wasn't sure how far did it go in terms of db/distance.
Still love to crank some hard-core punk.
The "correct" loud is how loud it was when it was originally performed live for recording since that's what the performers intended.

As for digitally produced stuff (Boomba Boomba music!)....who cares!
Being a live concertgoer, I like to be able to enjoy fully at lifelike volume levels. How loud that is may vary, but do not want to be limited. Most of the time though, I will not go that loud though. Sometimes, background music levels suffice.