How loud should you listen to music?

If the ultimate goal is the recreation of live music in the home, can you listen at the same volume levels as live musicians play?

[SolarMillUSA]

Watching this 2 years later... THANK YOU for that last bit at the end. Truly shows you are a compassionate human being.

[oysteinsoreide]

Listen to a level that don't destroy your hearing is the first factor. Much music is much louder than is good for the ears.

[matthewbarrow]

People adapt. If you are used to listening at one level, and you increase it, it sounds too loud. Above 80dB and your hearing will get affected. The louder, the more damage, until you can't enjoy the music the same way. I use a SPL meter at the listening position and go for between 75 and 80 dB. I then just get used to that level. The frequency also makes a big difference. I played a WAV file of pure frequencies starting at 24Hz, going up to 200Hz on my system. My speakers go down to 20Hz. Even though I had set the volume level to be 75dB with regular music, these low waveforms caused the walls and ceiling to vibrate (It freaked me out the first time I experienced it). When I used to turn the volume up (a long time ago), it was because I wanted to physically feel the music, not just hear it. When the drum got hit, I wanted to feel it in my body. That feeling was great. However, I get that feeling even at 80dB with the speakers I have (which includes two 12 inch subwoofers in each speaker enclosure). I do hear the size of instrument based on loudness. The problem with music being too loud is that you have less and less separation between the instruments. It is neat to be able to tell where every instrument is in the sound stage. I guess that this is why we spend a lot of money on such systems.

[davidhardy]

Peter Walker of Quad used to state that there is only one sweet spot setting volume for each recording or type of music. He also stated that we should think of the volume ( gain ) control like the lens of a good camera . Get the volume correct and almost everything should clearly be in focus . Stay safe and keep your hearing healthy too .

[humanitech]

Loudness for me is neighbour dependant and not music :-)

[salvadorrodenas]

Well explained Paul!
When I go to jazz live in a hall, 80dB is the measurement I get from row 7 o 8.

[findingninno]

As someone who is used to working and going to live events, I think music is good between 70 dB to 100 dB. 70 to 80 dB seems like a good range for listening on one's home system, especially if one listens for long periods of time. I think the only time it is usually appropriate to listen to music above 80 dB is if you're at a live concert or big party. For live concerts, anything above 100 to 105 dB is superfluous and can cause hearing damage.

[scottyo]

I average around 75 to 80 dB. If a song needs to be louder I turn it up, if not turn it down. with 650 watts per channel RMS I can blow everyone out of the room if need be. I have found with more power I can actually listen at lower levels

[odizcvw]

Great message. On volume and even better your sincere encouragement for people to contribute to the good of the community. I live north of the 49th parallel where things are OK. I wish all the best for my American friends, and your message is spot on.

Excellent topic for discussion. The goal of reproducing music as if the performance was live is just not possible unless it really is live. Best we understand that and move on with listening to music to enjoy at whatever volume we are comfortable with and not imagine being at an event.

[spacemissing]

Superb answer to an exceptionally difficult question.

[briansimmons]

I tend start my listening sessions with music that works well at lower volumes, or try to. Then through the session I tend to play stuff that sounds best louder. The other way around and I get, not really listener fatigue but sort of become numb to subtleties in tone an sound stage.

[m.]

There's no absolute answer to this question.
Some people when attending a concert like sitting right in the front rows where they get the full blast of a large symphonic orchestra.
They also get maximum stereo effect, where violins come from the left and chellos on the right.
On top of this, they're subjected to very high SPL that can reach the 100dB mark.
Other folk prefer sitting right at the back of the concert hall and so, the level they are listening to music is much lower, as well as, the stereo effect is minimal.
So who's wrong and who's right?
The way I understand it is, matter of preference, just like when you buy those tickets, front rows or way back.

[Finn-McCool]

If it's Wagner, it should be loud.
If it's Miles Davis loud and daily.
If it's DIO, turn it to eleven.

[andreasmoller]

I listen around 75-80 db peaks about about 85-90 db its loud enough for me and most hifi floorstanders can handle that volume levels

[johanneslast]

Thank you very much for this advice about the reproduction sound volume in a listening room. I can follow your reasoning, which seems logical and coherent to me.
Thank you also, for expressing yourself in an understandable, clear, calm manner, unlike some of your colleagues whose ideas are not really emerging (especially for people whose English language is not the first language).

[louisperlman]

In the balcony at Carnegie Hall, it is very easy to hear the toe tapping, humming along with the orchestra and candy wrappers (although the last time I was in CH, they gave out free cough drops with wax paper wrappers). These are not audible in the orchestra.

[glenncurry]

I like your loudness to size analogy. Yes I find there is a right volume level for every music. I enjoy being able to turn up the volume until it just sounds right. And yes size of the sound stage is part of that. The only problem being, yes my Maggies, which when those right conditions are met, just disappear and the performance is in front of you, but the power needed at

And thanks for trying to add some sanity into the crazy mess.

[pandstar]

Should the goal really be to be as if the musicians are playing live in MY room?

I don't think so. The goal should be to transport ME to the location of the original musical event. Why would I listen to Jimi live at Woodstock, and want it to sound as if he is in MY room? Or, why would listen to a Bartok piano concerto recorded at Disney Hall by the LA Phil, as if they are all in my room?

I don't want it to sound like the LA Phil is in my listening room (that just sounds like a silly goal to me), I would much rather have the reproduced audio sound as if I was transported to the original venue. Doesn't that make much more sense?

[tomfoolery]

As a semi retired guitar player, playing levels can differ alot . Thts done by the front of house person, the band has a sweet spot, and foh took tht up or dwn . Now i listen at home at 80 db to 105 db . I live in the country 4mi outa town . Yes i have tinnitus tho not bad . It is a real thing if anyone was wondering .