Thanks guys,
I do believe the chart I posted was boosted to make a point. I believe WWeiss' findings are much more in line with my experience.
And YES, Rick, poor bands do tend to play WAY too loud to cover their ineptitude.
And Art, sorry you don't like Rock, I love it but cannot stand loud concerts that make the ears bleed. Bro T. you are right about the distance, but still I cannot believe full orchestra on stage in the director's face is over 120 dB. Wouldn't just be Beethoven that was deaf!!!
In fact, I am ordering some hearing protection just for church!!!! The POS PA speakers at our poor little church are horrible, that POS does NOT stand for stereo!!! They distort badly and everybody over here thinks the louder they shout the holier they are, closer to heaven they are!!!! They don't know just how close I am to sending them to heaven!!!!! It is a Thai thing too. So if my ciems fit well, I will ask them to use the same mold to make me some in ear plugs to cut the volume 15 dB.
Spendy though, but you have to protect your ears. And my wife gets upset with me when I sit in church with my fingers in my ears, which I have to do most weeks.
Tomorrow I hope to throw on some good sym. concert and get the SPL meter out and measure, will hope to get back to you. Got some football to watch.
My Texans actually won a playoff game, can you believe that?????
God Bless,
Wayne

Just to add a bit more data to this interesting discussion: I have a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter. My listening spot is about 12 feet from my Triton Ones, about 6 feet from my Altec Sides and about 8 feet from my Triton 7 Rears. I'm listening in all channel stereo. My Onkyo AV Receiver volume control is set for -15 db. My DAC output level control is set to 74%.

Playing Bach's Christmas Oratorio and listening to a chorale section (orchestra plus chorus). My Sound Level Meter is set to A Weighting and to 70 db center range. Loud portions of the sound pegged the meter at + 6 db, while soft portions failed to register at -10 db, Much of the sound registered around 70 db.

Before taking readings, I had set the sound level for this recording to a pleasingly loud listening level for my tastes. This level is fine for just listening, but would be too loud for conversation and my wife would think the sound to be too loud for comfortable listening.

I was surprised to observe the wide dynamic range of the sound level (at least 16 db as observed). Also, this particular recording features a baroque-sized orchestra with relatively little brass. The 76 db peaks I observed occurred during full orchestra and chorus, but without much brass.

My room is relatively hard and lively, so not much sound is absorbed, other than by soft-covered furniture. I know from listening memory that full orchestral sound I have experienced at a live concert is much louder than the level at which I am listening at home.

Interesting stuff....

Best,

Art

PS: GO PACK!!

Wayne I'm with you on this! I went to my daughter's talent show and my phone db App was reading 110db! I took a screen shot of it and went up to the Dj and showed it to him- he got very defensive. My wife said she was embarrassed because I had my fingers in my ears.

After a scary bought with Tinnitus(I'm fine now) I play my music with a Radio Shack dB meter next to my listening position.Can be mounted at ear level with a camera tripod. This might sound extreme and some might say this would take the joy out of the hobby but I learned it only takes an exposure of a few minutes at high 100dB+ and the hobby and all the expensive gear is gone because Tinnitus often lasts a lifetime! I feel I am blessed because the Lord gave me a second chance. Playing and listening to music is my passion.

I agree low volume less than 70dB just does not sound realistic. I find the sweet spot for my Triton 2's is 80dB. When peaks start pushing past 85dB I back down the volume a bit.

Another measurement here.. Same setup as my previous post, except that DAC Output Level Control is set to 50%. The music playing is a recording of "Symphony on a French Mountain Air" by Vincent D'Indy - recording is a digital remaster of a 1960s RCA recording by the Boston Symphony under Charles Munch. Loud passages peaked at 80 db. This piece of music is scored for full orchestra plus piano.

Even with the DAC level reduced from 75% to 50%, the sound peaked at louder levels than the earlier Bach oratorio. My wife is now in the room and the music is too loud for conversation, except when soft passages are playing. She says too loud period. I just reduced the DAC level to 30% for her.

Art

Good comments guys and I really don't feel the need to add to them, except that I said I would, for the sake of completeness.
I put on the Beethoven 5th Symphony so everyone will know what I am listening to. I set it to Stereo in Direct mode. I started off with the opening da da da dum at 75 dB. And, honestly that was a little louder than I usually listen to it. I was a little pressed for time so searched through to the end, figuring that would be the loudest, but it was not. Anyway, I never quite recorded a peak of 90 dB, just under. And the symphony was plenty loud, wonderful really.

Wweiss, I have tinnitus for real, it will not go away. It is a bummer, but does not keep me from enjoying music. I just get to enjoy an instrument playing all the time that the rest of you cannot hear, ha ha.

You GB fans must be happy that Randall Cobb was able to play yesterday!

Who cares what Meryl Streep thinks? (OK, I just wanted to say that and did not have anybody else to say it to, sorry!!!)
God Bless,
Wayne

ArthurDaniels wrote: My Sound Level Meter is set to A Weighting

"C" Weighting is preferred, it is for higher volume reading of full range audio playback.