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SPL meter results relative to Magnepan's (supposed?) craving for power/current

Hi all...
My thoughts are; if my ambient/background level is about 40dB and readings of "music" at my typical SPL from my listening position show about 75dB, that means that what I'm actually hearing is mostly noise and not my Maggies? Surely yes... Right? 

Even though my Maggies are in a very big room, do I need to rethink my amps power output of 400 WPC if I prefer a lower listening level? Overkill? I understand the benefits of "headroom" and amp/speaker "synergy".

At which SPL do your Maggies wake up and sing?
Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks!
mkh1099

Showing 1 response by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
You’re looking at a meter to see the difference between music and noise? I can’t hear your system. Does it sound like noise to you? If you can’t hear the difference what are the odds the meter will?  

Anyway technically no, not even close. Sound pressure levels are logarithmic. 40 is more than half of 75 in linear terms. In log terms 40 is closer to a thousandth of 75. In other words not even close.




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