Quote:
Originally Posted by AstralTraveller
Yesterday afternoon I left work and of course it's TGIF. So I stop off at that Irish vendor of fermented grape juice and other water/ethanol solutions. Upon arriving home I pop a cork (well twist a cap but that doesn't have the same ring) because, you know TGIF, and put on some suitable relaxation music. Towards the end of side one I thought to myself that it could be louder but the gain control suggested otherwise, so I put a meter on it. It measured in the 117-122dB range.
Am I a rev-head?? 
Disclaimers/excuses:
I let rip for about 1 album every week or two and it's in the afternoon. I'm neither as loud or as consistent as the kids over the road (or me decades ago).
It was Emerson Lake and Palmer 'Pictures at an Exhibition' after all. My uncle was in London in the early 70's and he saw Pink Floyd and Deep Purple but said ELP was _loud_, so I was just being authentic  . Also these early 70's recordings just don't have the bottom end of today's recordings and no amount of computer enhancement really fixes that. So the tenancy is to turn it up to compensate. [I have some modern jazz recordings where the double bass is very full and clean, so it's not the sound system that is lacking.]
So come on, tell me the worst; I'm deaf to your insults  . |
Sounds good to me David . No insults here. There is something about rock concert / discotheque sound pressure levels that at times are just what you need. That percussive effect on the body is often what we crave and missing in headphones or when listened to at much lower levels. That coupled with the ear's non linear response with SPL, refer Fletcher-Munson Loudness contours is another reason we like it loud or louder - The frequency response/sensitivity of the ear becomes more linear as SPL increases. I used to use it (I'd just say "Fletcher-Munson") as an excuse to the folks to play the music loud, much to their "amazement".
Of course with longer exposure at higher SPL not so good, so we need to exercise care to avoid hearing damage or at the very least, reduce listener fatigue.
Best
JA
PS: In my other life I was/ am a music lover/audiophile or maybe the other way around.