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
My remarks were based upon where I sit, approx. 10' from the speakers.

I assumed the other remarks were based on seating position as well, but a good question to ask!
bombaywalla,

When we say at seating position, I assume we measured the db using the SPL meter while seated. At least I did. This means speaker distance is irrelevant because it is measured where you are at. Simple logic.
bombaywalla,

When we say at seating position, I assume we measured the db using the SPL meter while seated. At least I did. This means speaker distance is irrelevant because it is measured where you are at. Simple logic.
no, I don't think speaker distance is irrelevant - it is very relevant. True, the SPL meter measures sound pressure where you are physically standing/sitting in the room but still it is at a certain distance from the speaker. If you take 1 step closer to the speaker, the SPL will go up. If you take 1 step back, the SPL will go down. If you raise yourself 1 foot off the floor, the SPL will change (I think it should go down as the distance to the speaker is more. You have to calculate the hypotenuse of the triangle which is greater than the 2 other sides).
Distance from the speaker matters.....
08-21-14: Bombaywalla

If you take 1 step closer to the speaker, the SPL will go up. If you take 1 step back, the SPL will go down. If you raise yourself 1 foot off the floor, the SPL will change Distance from the speaker matters.....
I believe the point of the other posters is that they give the db reading where they listen, and one step closer, one step further away, one foot off the floor are pretty much irrelevant because they don't listen from there.