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Are your listening levels healthy? Doing damage?

Do you know decibel levels when listening to your system, and how loud do you go?

Since upgrading my system, again, I find my listening levels have tended to increase. Not because I'm slowly going deaf but because it's more enjoyable.

I measured the decibel level with a few iPad Apps, and there was lots of disparity. Plus or minus 25 dB. 

Certainly if it's too loud I sense things are not healthy but I'd really like to know how loud things are since Google tells me prolonged listening above 70 dB could be damaging my hearing.

The apps on an iPad are clearly unreliable and now I have to contemplate spending several hundred dollars for a sound meter as well as a calibration device so I can know what my limits are and so I can be in compliance with Google.

Anyone know a good sound meter, and do most serious listeners get one of these things?

 

emergingsoul

Showing 1 response by jaytor

jaytor's avatar
jaytor
745 posts
 

I certainly listened too loud when I was younger and my tinnitus today is the result. Actually, I started having tinnitus symptoms when I was about 40, (~25 years ago). I really regret not paying more attention to my hearing in my 20s and 30s. 

I listen to my system a LOT - Roon says 200 hours over the past 4 weeks. Since Covid, I have been working from home most of the time and I have my "office" set up at the back of my listening room. Most of the time, I'm listening at 55-65 dB-C. My system sounds very nice at this level, with excellent dynamics and plenty of detail. Occasionally, I'll turn it up a bit, but it's pretty rare to exceed 80db peaks. 

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