how loud do you go?

krabby5

How loud do you all listen to your dvd movies?

I'm talking to those with receivers where it goes from -80db to +??

I pumped the Pioneer Elite up to -26db last night on "Empire Strikes Back"

With all my upgrades, it was like seeing the movie for the first time again

Although when watching cable, I usually am in the -30 to -40 dbs

heiney9

How loud do I go? I can yell pretty loud, you could hear me way across the yard.

H9

Willow

heiney9 wrote:

How loud do I go? I can yell pretty loud, you could hear me way across the yard.

H9

:eek:

Ricardo

I have a Denon 3803 which I calibrated to 75 db at "0"; I normally listen to DVD movies between -15 and -10 (loud); Sometimes I might go between -10 and -5 if sound effects call for it

For TV, there is so much difference between different channels that it is anything between -25 and -10

cfrizz

I generally listen to movies @ -20 to -30.

Willow

depending on the source, -25 to -50

unc2701

I go to 11.

*Seby*-Polk-

Music at high levels (saturday afternoon) -15 to -5 db. Normal: -30 to -20db

Movies at night -45 o -30 db .. Enjoy the power !!!!

krabby5

HTrookie wrote:

I have a Denon 3803 which I calibrated to 75 db at "0"; I normally listen to DVD movies between -15 and -10 (loud); Sometimes I might go between -10 and -5 if sound effects call for it

For TV, there is so much difference between different channels that it is anything between -25 and -10

holy crap....that's fricken loud!

reeltrouble1

Krab,

The type or scale design of the gain measurement is irrelevent. If not already done consider calibrating the system to THX reference level then talk db down from or above reference level to have a meaningful number to compare to others.

RT1

danger boy

lots of things come into play though for volume settings.. we all have different speakers, different amps/receivers/rooms acoustics, seating positions, hearing abilities... so what may be loud to you is quite normal volume to another listener.

It's easier and more accurate if you use a sound level meter and measure your volume that way. that is a measurement we can all relate to. IMHO

Ron-P

Calibrated at 75 db I usually watch movies between -18 and -15.

McLoki

My system is calibrated to reference level (when at 0) and family movies are usually -25 to -30, My wife and I watch at -15 to -25.

I usually demo my system at -5 to -10 (depending on the movie playing).

Michael

heiney9

I don't have an HT system. My dedicated pre-amp has a stepped attenuator (vol pot.). It has 30 "steps", loudest I will go is 6 perhaps 7 steps and that's loud. Normal running is between 3 & 4 "steps". It is a pretty high gain pre, so much movement is not needed on the vol. to get it loud. Plus my 11's are fairly effecient and I sit pretty close, about 7 feet.

H9

seo

Nigel: ...the numbers all go to eleven. Look...right across the
board.
Marty: Ahh...oh, I see....
Nigel: Eleven...eleven...eleven....
Marty: ..and most of these amps go up to ten....
Nigel: Exactly.
Marty: Does that mean it's...louder? Is it any louder?
Nigel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see,
most...most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten.
You're on ten here...all the way up...all the way up....
Marty: Yeah....
Nigel: ...all the way up. You're on ten on your guitar...where
can you go from there? Where?
Marty: I don't know....
Nigel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is if we need that extra..
push over the cliff...you know what we do?
Marty: Put it up to eleven.
Nigel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Marty: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the
top... number... and make that a little louder?

Nigel: These go to eleven.



From Spinal Tap

adam2434

Levels also vary from DVD to DVD quite a bit.

I usually run -15 to -20 for DVDs.

Ricardo

For me, -10 is about perfect; I like to enjoy the sound effects as if I was in a good theater. Most movies will have an average of (guess) 65-70 db heard at the listening position, with peaks going up to 95-100db or so. I know that at the -10, the first battle of Master and Commander has a peak of 105db at the listening position. That is LOUD, but that's exactly how it should be, and it only lasts a second.....

krabby5

reeltrouble1 wrote:

Krab,

The type or scale design of the gain measurement is irrelevent. If not already done consider calibrating the system to THX reference level then talk db down from or above reference level to have a meaningful number to compare to others.

RT1

What is THX reference level?

I had my volume at -30db and used a spl meter to set all speakers at 75db (a little higher for sub) when I had my Kenwood receiver

when I got my new Elite receiver I just used the auto setup and made sure all speakers were set to "small"...I liked the setting, so I kept it..

seo

danger boy wrote:

It's easier and more accurate if you use a sound level meter and measure your volume that way. that is a measurement we can all relate to. IMHO

Exactly. Also need to know if it is A weighted, C weighted, etc.

Drumingman

I probally listen at 80 to 95 db.
Which is anywhere from 15 to 5 depending on the source

adam2434

I always thought that the Pioneers calibrated a 75 dB reference level to be "0" on the master volume.

Since you have a spl meter, you can check this.

Run the receiver's test tone manually and increase the master volume until you hit 75 dB on the meter. See if this is "0" on the volume.

wingnut4772

I usually like to go about -10 below reference dependng on the source.

Ricardo

Good girl......If you ever come around Cincinnati you're invited to watch a movie in the way it is intended to be heard

RuSsMaN

-182, with 0 being 'Tour2ma' reference level.

McLoki

krabby5 wrote:

What is THX reference level?

Reference level is 85 db dialog with 105db peaks from each channel. Your sub (due to all other speakers set to small and just cuz it can) gets average levels of 95db and peaks of 115db.

The test tones on Video essentials are calibrated to be 30db under reference (that is why you set them to 75db) The test tones on Avaya are 20db under reference (that is why you calibrate them to 85db.)

Movies themselves can run over or under reference. Usually they are close (+ or - 3 to 5 db) but it can make a big difference. That is why if you have not heard a movie before and listen close to reference level, you may want to turn it down a bit for your first viewing.

Michael

Pablo

I would assume everyone here listens to it pretty loud (that's why we spend that much on equipment). But it depends on the movie. Anything with "things that blow up" goes pretty loud (as loud as it takes for someone to come down stairs and say it's to loud. Then it goes down by 1). for other movies, just loud enough that I don't feel there voices vibrating my body (who needs to feel Rainman saying "it's very sparkelly").

adam2434

Yeah, I like -10 too, when I'm by myself and want to shake things up a bit. The wife and kids won't tolerate that level though.

cfrizz

:eek: Dang Darla, you must be deaf as a stone or well on your way there!!! :eek:

wingnut4772 wrote:

I usually like to go about -10 below reference dependng on the source.

ward91

when nobodys in i safely leave the volume at "0dB" as that is 80wpc with low distortion(0.08% 20hz-20khz), when i realy pushed it i maneged to get 112db at my old listening position about 2.5m avay from my mains. wit movies i usualy am forced to listen at about
-24db by my parents but when they are not in i crank it up to about 0db and sometimes +3db on the good bits and usualy about -3dB elswhere

with music u can crank it up to +3dB and leave it at this for about 2hours (thats how long i have when i get home from school to when my mum gets in)

ward91

Drumingman wrote:

I probally listen at 80 to 95 db.
Which is anywhere from 15 to 5 depending on the source

you mean -5 to -15 not pluss ??

GATOR3000

Depends on the DVD source DD or DTS. I play most of my movies at 85 to 90 db. Which is in -12 to -6 db range on my receiver.