Mid Volume Level

janmike

How can I tell where the volume mid-point is on my Yamaha RX-V1500. There are no markings on the dial and the only sound level indication (-20dB...) is displayed on the front panel. I did not see anything in the manual to indicated a volume range. Thanks.

TheReaper

Switch your receiver to an unused input, so that you don't blow your speakers (note: If you want to be doubly sure that you don't blow your speakers, disconnect them). Turn the volume all the way down and get the lowest reading (mine is -81). Then briefly turn the volume all the way up (and then right back down) to get the highest reading (mine is +18).

Remembering my high-school math, to find the midpoint between two values, add them together and divide by 2.

For example my midpoint:

-81 + 18 = -63
-63 / 2 = -31.5

so my volume midpoint would be around -31

janmike

Thanks. Boy do I feel stupid. Next time I'll think before I type.

hamzahsh

Originally posted by janmike
Thanks. Boy do I feel stupid. Next time I'll think before I type.

Modern receivers and pre/pro use digitally regulated volume system which reads in db (decibals) increments

-31.0 db is below REF level

0 db is REF level

+1.0 db is above REF level

Enjoy safe listening!

kberg

Originally posted by TheReaper

Remembering my high-school math, to find the midpoint between two values, add them together and divide by 2.

For example my midpoint:

-81 + 18 = -63
-63 / 2 = -31.5

so my volume midpoint would be around -31

If you were using this method, wouldn't the mid-point be 49.5 (or about -49 on your receiver)? You need to consider the two numbers as absolute numbers and divide the difference between the two:

-81 to +18 = 99 (absolute number)
99 / 2 = 49.5 (so about -49 on the receiver would be your mid-point, right?)

TheReaper

Originally posted by kberg
If you were using this method, wouldn't the mid-point be 49.5 (or about -49 on your receiver)? You need to consider the two numbers as absolute numbers and divide the difference between the two:

-81 to +18 = 99 (absolute number)
99 / 2 = 49.5 (so about -49 on the receiver would be your mid-point, right?)

By using the absolute values, you are comming up with the range 0 -> 99. The mid-point you got 49.5, is the mid-point within the range. You then have to add your range-mid-point to your actual zero point -81, to get your actual mid-point:

-81 + 49.5 = 31.5

By the way, that is the type of technique you would use if you wanted to calculate a percentage value (eg. 60%).

*** oops *** edit delete
*** oops abs(-81) + abs(18) = 99
*** oops *** edit delete
*** the mind gets slower as one gets older
*** fixed below, should be the absolute value of the differance between the high and low, to get the range

abs(-81 - 18) = 99
.60 x 99 = 59.4
-81 + 59.4 = -21.6

so the 60% point would be around -22

gregure

I was under the impression that it was a bit more complicated than simply finding the 1/2 way point between min and max. After all, aren't most recievers now programmed to give you a lot more play in the lower volumes than higher? For example, the difference between -40 and -30 is not as much as the difference between -30 and -20. The louder you get, the more drastic the volume difference between each step up. If this is the case, like with Onkyo's, it is hard to find the 1/2 way point, as 0-60 only goes from silent to semi-loud, but 60-70 is semi-loud to way-too-loud, depending on the size of the room.

F1nut

A simple way to find the level at which it is wise not to pass is this. Turn it up until the sound becomes shrill and compressed and that's it, any further increase will most likely result in unpleasant things happening. Of course, this will vary from recording to recording.

unc2701

dB is a log scale... +3dB is usually associated in doubling the perceived volume and +10dB is associated with 10x the volume. So a change from -40 to -30 would mean you go from, say, 1 to 10 watts output, but a change from -30 to -20, would give you a change from 10 to 100 watts output.

It's a bit more complex than this, but in theory, 1/2 volume is 3dB below where your wife starts screaming "THAT'S TOO F---ING LOUD!!!"