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
100dB is as loud as it gets for me on most days. Occasionally I'll go for louder, but just because my system will hit 118dB peaks at my listening position before clipping doesn't mean I want to go there all the time!
On every single song I play, I ask myself, "If I were listening to this live, at what volume would it be played at?", and I adjust it accordingly.

I've been to a certain audiophile's house a few times. His system retails for well over $300K. Every time I go there, he plays everything back at very loud volume levels which sounds COMPLETELY unrealistic. Listening to his system leaves me wanting to hear my own instead.
85dB is the threshold of damage only if you're listening to that continuously for several hours a day. And this threshold probably varies quite a bit by individual. For reasonable listening sessions, this level is quite safe for most folks.

Anyone near a city and/or with yappy dogs will experience sounds that exceed 85dB several times a day.
My average listening level is in the upper 50's to low 60's. Rarely do I get it up into the 70's. So, loud for me is into the 70's and up. Depends on the room, the system, and the listeners threshold levels.
Rarely is the time I can listen to anything loud. I don't go to conerts hardly anymore due to it being so loud.

It's little girls with guitars for me :-)

All the best,
Nonoise