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Author Topic: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?  (Read 4408 times)

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Offline jacallery

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Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« on: July 20, 2004, 03:32:20 AM »
Just bought a SPL pressure meter and tested it on my home stereo.
I got it to hit 108 db, C weighted in the sweet spot 8' from my speakers
  Anyone else done this?


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Offline Nick's Picks

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2004, 08:11:46 AM »
yes...Carl and I do it quite regularly.
its a good thing to do as it teaches you what your listening levels are, which in turn helps you to make informed decisions about future gear purchases (amp power requirements, speaker efficiency..etc).


Offline Tim

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2004, 12:17:03 PM »
I asked this awhile back. I'd love to know what other people are hitting.. I'm going to borrow a meter tonight.
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

jpschust

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2004, 01:26:51 PM »
what meters are you guys using and how much were they? i've seen some pretty expensive ones, but ive been looking for one that is a little more on the cheap end.

Offline scervin

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2004, 01:48:03 PM »
I imagine they are using the Rat shack meter that is $50.  Not sure they still sell the analog version though.  There are correction charts when loking at low bass <60Hz.   Just beware of clipping the amp, wouldn't want any smoking tweeters!  :D   I listen at around 80dB with peaks to near 90.  Never tried seeing how loud it would play though and probably never will.

jpschust

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2004, 02:19:36 PM »
yah the low bass i could care less about since my sub came with a mic to adjust for the room, problem is, the metering above the bass levels isnt anything worthwhile

Offline Lee

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2004, 03:50:19 PM »
this is the one I have for the PA I run on the weekends.  Guess I'll have to bring it home and check the hifi sometime...
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Offline BCostigan

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2004, 06:05:48 PM »
I'm curious what I'd be getting as well.  Is there any use for this info?  I know Nick mentioned a bit but I'm not sure how I'd interperate the info....if I want it louder I just get bigger equipment right? :P ;)


What is the typical spl at a show? (Phish, WSP, DMB, moe., etc.......)
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Offline Nick's Picks

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2004, 06:13:39 PM »
I'm curious what I'd be getting as well.  Is there any use for this info?  I know Nick mentioned a bit but I'm not sure how I'd interperate the info....if I want it louder I just get bigger equipment right? :P ;)


What is the typical spl at a show? (Phish, WSP, DMB, moe., etc.......)

You interpret it by knowing how loud you like it, and how well your gear performs at that volume.
for example, a 50wpc amp is going to have a hard time driving 87db speakers to something like a loud concert volume.

a loud concert volume is in the 100-120db range.
SPL measurements i've done at stage lip for bands like Garaj Mahal or SKB have been in this area with peaks hitting above 120db.
that is fuckin'-A loud.

Offline Tim

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2004, 07:14:33 PM »
over 107db or so is too fucking loud for me.
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline Nick's Picks

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2004, 07:04:24 AM »
shit ya!  me too.
my average listening levels are around 78 > 90db, but more usualy in the 80-85db range.

Offline Lee

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2004, 03:38:09 PM »
just tested mine... full blown without distortion I can push about 104 peak C weighted and about 97 peak A weighted.  It can go louder, but the bass drivers in my little paradigms start to distort since I don't have a sub or crossover yet.

Comfortable listening levels are around 83 C weighted in the sweet spot
Denon AVR 3808ci > Paradigm Reference Studio 20 + Velodyne DLS 3750

jpschust

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2004, 04:07:16 PM »
over 107db or so is too fucking loud for me.

probably too loud for your neighbors too

i tend to play my music a LOT softer than that.  IMHO the best equipment sounds as good with little gain applied as with a lot of gain applied, but every piece of gear has that threashold where it really opens up.

Offline Lee

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2004, 10:19:53 PM »
over 107db or so is too fucking loud for me.

probably too loud for your neighbors too

i tend to play my music a LOT softer than that.  IMHO the best equipment sounds as good with little gain applied as with a lot of gain applied, but every piece of gear has that threashold where it really opens up.

Not if it's in the basement in a room surrounded on 2 sides by earth.  I can run it full blast and not even wake the dog up :)

now, when it goes back to the dorm in the fall....
Denon AVR 3808ci > Paradigm Reference Studio 20 + Velodyne DLS 3750

Offline Tim

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Re: Anyone ever measure Stereo SPL?
« Reply #14 on: July 31, 2004, 11:35:30 AM »
:lol:

go get em Mike!
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

 

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