Volume Setting

deronb1

Got a new Pioneer Elite VSX-23 (110x7). The Volume is in "relative" only. What would -33db be on a standard volume? Just so I have a reference.

Would it be "2" or "3"? What?

pietro944

deronb1 wrote: »

Got a new Pioneer Elite VSX-23 (110x7). The Volume is in "relative" only. What would -33db be on a standard volume? Just so I have a reference.

Would it be "2" or "3"? What?

I have the 74TXVIS.....I'd say on a scale 1-10,it's a 4.I listen to TV and movies at-34,and that's not very loud.....Hope this helps...peter

BlueFox

Volume settings on a piece of gear mean absolutely nothing. They are only useful for that particular piece of gear. Buy a Radio Shack SPL meter to get an idea as to what sound pressure the various levels produce if you really want to know.

EDUBAG

I have the same receiver you got, I would say that most of the time you will use it between -25 to - 15 at least I usually do, but would say that depending on your speakers -20 would be enough.

I believe the loudest I have heard my system with the receiver is minus five but that is for short periods of time when I am testing something

Good luck

leftwinger57

I have a Yamaha RX V665.It's volume scale goes from an inaudable -79 to the high of the +16. My main tv and movies are at -24>-21.
When listening to my 2-chl system I set the Onkyo P301 at the 9 0clock position and any louder would blow the neighbors away. I always wanted an amp that could over power the room I'm in and now I've got it. Adcom gfa555>>OnkyoP301>>InfinitySM112>>Samson ps80.8 surge/outlet>>YDS11Dock>>Denon1940ci>>Shure pro240 pro heaphones.

leftwinger57

Sorry to repost. I actually have no idea how the Yamaha volume control setting works. Someone tried to explain some mathamatical formular which I had no idea what he was talking about and for me failing algebra 1 multiple times just does not get through the old grey matter.Now the around the clock system is oh so easy and all vol controls should be set up like this.I do not know how to look at past posts so that's also a lost cause. If someon could VERY VERY easily explain this system to me I would be forever greatfull.Even the Yamaha techs couldn't explain it where a neophyte could get hold of it....LW

tonyb

What exactly do you want to know ? A scale is a scale, thats all the volume dial is and it varies between gear. Whats the big deal, turn up the volume to what your comfortable with and relax. In your case, I would keep the volume dial no higher than -5 on the dial which would be pretty darn loud. Does it really matter if the dial has numbers, +or-, or some alien language ? Your ears are the volume control no matter what is on the dial. Don't sweat the small stuff LW, your going to drive yourself nuts over it.

decal

tonyb wrote: »

What exactly do you want to know ? A scale is a scale, thats all the volume dial is and it varies between gear. Whats the big deal, turn up the volume to what your comfortable with and relax. In your case, I would keep the volume dial no higher than -5 on the dial which would be pretty darn loud. Does it really matter if the dial has numbers, +or-, or some alien language ? Your ears are the volume control no matter what is on the dial. Don't sweat the small stuff LW, your going to drive yourself nuts over it.

^^^^^^ Ditto ^^^^^^

Glowrdr

leftwinger57 wrote: »

Adcom gfa555>>OnkyoP301>>InfinitySM112>>Samson ps80.8 surge/outlet>>YDS11Dock>>Denon1940ci>>Shure pro240 pro heaphones.

Funny thing is, before I even saw who posted, in the back of my head a little bell rang and I thought "This looks exactly like a LW post with the list".. I had to chuckle when I saw it actually was.

LW - This is probably the easiest way to understand it. When they rate speakers or any other gear - you've probably heard the term "reference level". This is the point at which they are rating said product. Reference level is 0 on the receiver. If you turn the volume to -25 while watching TV, you are -25db below reference level

The problem with rating anything on a volume scale, is the scale is different to everyone. Again, back to cars - it's like asking someone how fast (all) cars are at half throttle. That cannot be answered, because a Geo Metro and a Mustang have 2 different "scales" they are dealing with.

There really is more to it than that, but that's the easiest way to explain the new volume scale vs the 1-10.

stuwee

leftwinger57 wrote: »

Sorry to repost. I actually have no idea how the Yamaha volume control setting works. Someone tried to explain some mathamatical formular which I had no idea what he was talking about and for me failing algebra 1 multiple times just does not get through the old grey matter.Now the around the clock system is oh so easy and all vol controls should be set up like this.I do not know how to look at past posts so that's also a lost cause. If someon could VERY VERY easily explain this system to me I would be forever greatfull.Even the Yamaha techs couldn't explain it where a neophyte could get hold of it....LW

Throw in the Yamaha 'loudness contour' and really blow your mind

Seriously, like the others said, too many variables to really matter. I'm old school and have always thought of it as a clock face...11'oclock loud...2'oclock very, very loud.

deronb1

stuwee wrote: »

Throw in the Yamaha 'loudness contour' and really blow your mind

Seriously, like the others said, too many variables to really matter. I'm old school and have always thought of it as a clock face...11'oclock loud...2'oclock very, very loud.

I am kinda the same way. All I wanted to know is what, for example -33db would be as an "o'clock" or percentage setting.

This way I can know roughly how hard I am driving the new AVR to achieve a similar volume as compared to my old AVR.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I have owned a number of different AVRs and the scale has been different for all of them. Some went from 0 to 100, some 0 to 60, some 0 to 80.

That didnt really matter because I could always figure out approximately where the dial way. 50, 30 and 40 would be half way respectively.

With this decible setting, I dont know how far the dial is up.

angelsfann02

I agree with others that say to use your ears as a guide. Whats loud to me may not be loud to you. Also,ever since I bought a separate amp, the volume on my Pioneer vsx-23thx doesn't get turned up so high. I used to dip into the -15 to -12dbs when I had the avr straight to my speakers. Now I dont usually stay in the -35 to -28 dbs range.

BlueFox

deronb1 wrote: »

I am kinda the same way. All I wanted to know is what, for example -33db would be as an "o'clock" or percentage setting.

This way I can know roughly how hard I am driving the new AVR to achieve a similar volume as compared to my old AVR.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I have owned a number of different AVRs and the scale has been different for all of them. Some went from 0 to 100, some 0 to 60, some 0 to 80.

That didnt really matter because I could always figure out approximately where the dial way. 50, 30 and 40 would be half way respectively.

With this decible setting, I dont know how far the dial is up.

As mentioned above:

"Buy a Radio Shack SPL meter to get an idea as to what sound pressure the various levels produce if you really want to know."

deronb1

Thanks for the input guys. Either I am not asking the right question, or it cannot be answered.


The SPL meter would mean nothing to me because I never used one on any of my old equipment. I guess I could hook up the old AVR and measure it too, record the results and compare it with the new one.

I don't really care THAT much. Just wanted to know if there were any kind of conversion that would make this easy.

With the Pioneer, it goes from -80 to +12. Halfway between these two numbers is -34. I have had the unit to this level a lot, and it is not near as loud as the old AVR at 50% (12 o'clock) whatever. So this leads me to believe that the increase is almost exponential as the volume is raised. Still doesn't tell me where the dial is.

I see your points as to it really doesnt matter and its all relative anyway, but I would still like to know. I know it can be done because on the old Denon, I could switch back and forth between "relative" and "absolute". So whatever relative setting the Pioneer is on, there has to be an absolute value.