Why magic at 80 db?

Tell those people to stop talking over your speakers.

Answer: DVR. I refuse to watch commercials EVER.

I live next door to Bob and I really wish he'd turn his damn speakers off. They've been on 24/7 for almost a year!

Doesn't the listening level depend on your mood, the type of music, the time of day, the ambient sound level in the room (cat snoring, young starlets calling my name from the hot tub outside), and humidity? (I tossed that one in). I have one of those Studio Six iPhone SPL meters (they claim it's WAY better than the Shack meter...but then why wouldn't they?) and it's almost interesting to see what playback level I need. I discovered I'm all over the map, my speakers sound great at low levels (surprisingly), and I still practice electric guitar a bit too loudly (albeit with a 5/15 watt tube amp...so sue me...my "Bob" revenge).

I've been a professional musician for many years...guitar, loud bands, live sound mixing...blah blah blah...I was sitting in a movie theater a couple of years ago (rare for me as I usually wait for films to be available for home) waiting for the film to start and I was ASTONISHED at the high sound level of the previews...wow. I looked around thinking people must be stunned...and the crowd seemed oblivious. Amazing. The features seem a to run less hot, but still...wow.

Sound higher than 85db sustained over a long period can strip your aural gears, so to speak. Peaks in music can get somewhat higher and cause no harm, other than making you boogie around the room bumping into things.