Does loudness play a part in your appreciation?


I wish it weren’t so but listening at high volume (around 70 decibels) tends to make me get more involved in the music.

How about you?

rvpiano

Showing 1 response by jsalerno277

I normally listen at a 70db average with percussive or fff to ffff passages reaching 80 to 90db.  I find this level enjoyable and not triggering sever adverse reactions from my wife and family members (no dedicated listening room, formal living room serves as listening room).  However, they may still react to louder peaks.  This is below mid orchestra/front first tier seating where the average sound level is 70 to 90db with peaks of over 100db (see references and my own iPhone measurements that are not posted, as inaccurate as they are).  When in the mood for reproducing the concert experience, I will raise the average to a 90db level.  Rock concerts average 100db and 120db peaks.  I do not find  that enjoyablevat a concert or in my home.  See some peer reviewed literature:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8073416/#:~:text=Clark%20%5B103%5D%20measured%20average%20sound,risk%20of%20NIHL%20for%20anyone”.
https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article-abstract/55/8/893/264708?redirectedFrom=fulltext
 

https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/352277/9789240043114-eng.pdf?sequence=1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7050229/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/01/11/the-decibel-debate-sound-and-the-symphony/

https://www.earpros.com/blog/how-loud-are-concerts#:~:text=Classical%20music%20concerts%20range%20from,levels%20often%20exceed%20120%20dB