paranoid listener-damaging speakers?


I am one of those guys who is always wondering if he is listening too loud for his speakers capability. my system briefly consists of a prima luna prologue 2 integrated, custom eton 2 way speakers with a silk dome tweeter and 8 inch midrange, with a mhdt labs constantine dac. my room is 15x12 feet roughly. i listen about 6 feet away.
I like to listen at a level where i can feel the bass and midbass and feel that the speakers are loud enough to recreate their original acoustic on the recording. is there a rough guide to know if i am listening too loud without a meter? i will occasinally think i hear some distortion on loud passages, but it may be on the recording, i may just be paranoid? advice please? thanks.
djwilbourn

Showing 3 responses by djwilbourn

so when i get this spl meter; any tips on how to correctly do the measuring? from the listening chair? at 1 meter from 1 speaker? thanks
guys, i really appreciate your input so far. i am surmising that 1. i need an spl meter and 2. i am hearing the distortion in the tweeter so maybe i am clipping the amp a bit, although i thought 40 watts of tube power would be more than enough to drive this fairly simple two way. feel free to continue the discussion and advice.
Well guys i got that spl meter and did some measuring mostly at the listening position (6 feet away). my peaks seem to average in the low 80's db. does this sound reasonable for my speakers 8" two way floorstanders? i just want to be slightly conservative on driving these as i like the sound of them and want to keep them damage free. thanks for all the input thus far.