Low volume - how low is low and how many db is it?

As far as I can tell my ears are in very good working order, and I would not necessarily describe an average 75db low volume, but it's quite a bit lower than the level I typically listen at when I'm in for a session.  I have three different db meters on my i-phone, and they seem to give believable and consistent readings in a variety of situations, and in my listening position I typically see an average around 80db - 85db and peaks in the high 90s, though much of this is dependent on the type of music playing as well as the volume position on the amp of course.  I would describe this level as properly loud, but comfortably loud, and it is at this level my system performs at its' best in my view, and that's no accident because this was the level used to position and set everything up.  I do find that much below the more easy going 75db volume, it looses its' engaging nature and musicality somewhat, so I guess my setup is definitely not what anyone would want for listening at low volume.  Or actually maybe they would, there is literally no telling round here, one person's low volume is another's deafening, and one person's engaging sound is another's too in your face....

dBA or dBC?

50-55 dB is more a backround listening experience. normal conversation is about 60-65 dB. So 50-55 dB seems very low, or the app isn't secure enough. To get emotional locked to the music you like, 70-85 dB is the way to go.

Chrissw19, noise with regard to what we hear is often calibrated to dBA, which means it's calibrated to the unlineararities of our ears at different frequencies... Here is a useful chart of levels 

http://www.noisehelp.com/noise-level-chart.html

dBC is used more for impulsive sound measurement.

agree 70 to 75 dBA is the way to go for immersive listening... I think 85dBA would be a little uncomfortable unless only for short periods of time. Sustained exposure at 85dBA could start to damage your hearing.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Chrissw19, noise with regard to what we hear is often calibrated to dBA, which means it's calibrated to the unlineararities of our ears at different frequencies... Here is a useful chart of levels 

http://www.noisehelp.com/noise-level-chart.html

dBC is used more for impulsive sound measurement.

agree 70 to 75 dBA is the way to go for immersive listening... I think 85dBA would be a little uncomfortable unless only for short periods of time. Sustained exposure at 85dBA could start to damage your hearing.

I can handle 85 dBA for a while, but Adele at 40 dB is too much 

A Jet engine at about 30 m does 150 dB. I think my ears will explode immediately and heart stops beating

The theoretical limit at 1 atmosphere is about 194 dB. The big bang is probably louder. 

Here's another useful reference point for mid level sound, using something most of us usually know quite well - our cars
The Car Interior Noise Level Comparison site.

Thanks to everyone for your contribution, looks like I listen at much lower level than everyone here!

For me:
Low level (neighbour friendly nighttime level) is about 55-60 dBA
Normal Level 65-70 dBA.
Listening at anything above 70 dBA is very rare, and this is where I start to feel that it's just too loud 
Above 75 dBA is beginning to get uncomfortably loud

These figures are sustained levels (rather than peak levels), all dBA (slow), and measured using a calibrated instrument microphone, hence are fairly accurate.

Thanks Huge, I feel a bit more 'normal" now!

Chris,

I also suspect that your phone / dB app are giving readings that are a bit on the low side (due to the use of an uncalibrated mic).  In reality, your levels are probably a lot nearer to mine than your measurements suggest, I think the app could easily be giving readings that are 5dB or more too low (errors of more than +/-10dB are not unknown for these apps).

Don't knock it, no matter what others suggest, being able to listen at low volume and still appreciate the music is a great gift.  Long may your hearing continue to be this good.

I have never done a proper measurement of my listening levels, but they are even for normal listening much quieter than most people I know.

And then there is my habit of listening very much quieter than this. some of the time. At a level where a passing car on the street totally obliterates the replayed music or speech. 

Proper decibel metres are not particularly expensive and can be bought from places like Maplin, or on the net. Equally many hifi retailers have accurate metres for setting up multi-channel replay for home cinema ...

Best wishes, George

I'm not sure, having read all the foregoing, if I might have an issue with my hearing!

Firstly, I don't have any problem with picking up all conversations in majority of social situations, so up until now haven't considered myself as having any 'problem'.

My normal listening level on the SU is at 40-45, occasionally going up to 50-55 when alone in the house!

The former equates to an average of 75-80 dB (using two different apps on iPhone, so appreciate they're not calibrated). I'm quite comfortable with indicated levels up to 90-95 dB, which is apparently uncomfortable, if not painful, for other contributors.

Ive tried listening to a variety of music at indicated levels of 30-60 dB, and find that whilst I can hear it perfectl welly, the music simply doesn't come to life until levels of 70 dB+.

Is this simply a normal difference in hearing between individuals, or perhaps indicative of a hearing issue? (I've always enjoyed loud music, both live and recorded, since my teens which are now over 40 years behind me!).

Any thoughts before I phone Specsavers for an appointment?

If you can her the music perfectly well at 30dB and at 90dB then your hearing is probably fine, but you should also check your HF limit.  A quick / approximate way to do this is to get a frequency generator app for your phone/tablet/PC and play that through your SU.

Listening levels are subject to cultural expectation, so aren't a good physiological guide.