How do you listen to your system?

What I do with my gear depends upon the situation. If the classic stereophonic experience is desired, I sit in the sweet spot. If I have company, and we are talking, I turn down the volume to a level that facilitates conversation. If I'm cooking, cleaning, working in the studio, soldering, etc., I adjust the volume so that I can hear the music wherever I happen to be in the house.
 
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Always sit in the sweet spot on the couch with light off, and glasses off, and listen at realistic ---> moderately loud levels. I sit forward/upright when listening critically.

When you have big speakers it is easy to listen to them loud without realizing it because everything is so effortless.
 
I like to listen in the sweet spot with the volume that is appropriate for what I'm listening to. Most of the time it's jazz in trio form so not too loud. Occasionally I'll crank it way more than normal on a rock or metal album but I can only handle it for a song or two before it starts to bug me. My aging ears just don't like super loud music anymore.

I don't really do much back ground listening though I do keep a tuner in the system for some music while I cook if the mood strikes.
 
For me I'd say 30% of the time sitting in the sweet spot. 70% of the time walking around going about my business.
 
Living room system is usually first thing on in the morning and last thing off at night. Sometimes I just leave it on all night. Generally amt moderate levels but sometimes I crank it up a bit. The garage system is on when I'm out there generally at moderate levels but if I'm outside it'll get turned to 11 sometimes. The system in the exercise room is loud. Nothing I like more than listening to loud heavy metal while running miles on the treadmill.

And when I have time I like to sit in the nice recliner in the living room sweet spot and just have a cup of coffee and listen.
 
I listen in my recliner, a couple feet to the left of the sweet spot and about five feet behind it, yet find it completely satisfying.
 
Interesting. I was kind of expecting a stream of audiophiles saying audiophile things. It's refreshing to hear that most people here actually live in the real world.
On some sites (no names) if you don't have the latest and greatest they're not interested as you can't possibly hear the music properly.
After all, at the end of the day it's all about listening to your favourite music, whatever that is.
Being able to do that using a carefully assembled high quality sound system just a bonus as far as I'm concerned - and it makes a great hobby - and you make lots of long distance friends with interesting opinions here on AK.

Thanks people for the pleasure you bring.

John.
 
About 70% of my listening is done in my workshop so I'm moving around fiddling with stuff and it's usually pretty loud. I try to set aside an hour or so every evening for listening to my main system. That involves sitting in the sweet spot and listening at moderate levels. When you only got 4 watts even efficient speakers won't get real loud.
 
There are times when my system is playing at low volumes while I am engaged in something else, when we have company over for dinner, etc...

However, since my chair is, and always will be, in the sweet spot, that the volume goes up and I am engaged in only one thing...listening.
 
Lately, put on an album, close the door, shut off the lights, (at night), and just listen at low levels. The only light in my listening area are the meters on my amp.
 
I listen sitting in my leather desk chair in a near field arrangement, Polks a little more than an arms length away and the Sony sub tucked down to the right side of my desk but about the same distance away. Volume level depends on time of day and whether family is home or not.
 
Objectively, it’s dependent on different things. Is the sound being emitted from the speakers directionality towards a sweet spot.....or is the sound culminating in the center of the room ?? Are the speakers just half of what’s going on or is there a combined effect where you have to get close to a speaker to see if the speaker is functionally contributing ???
 
My listening chair is in the sweet spot and that is where I plant myself if I am listening unless I have kitchen chores which is at the opposite end of the open floor plan so still in a pretty good place to enjoy it.
 
Dedicated listening is usually late between 11-2am, I haven’t any neighbors to worry about and it’s REALLY quiet. This is while relaxing in my bed. I have another set up that I use while doing things around my house. If I’m busy I have to be mindful, if a song I like comes on I’ll stop what I’m doing and just stand there listening.
In my shop I have a pair a pair of late 70’s Cerwin Vega 8 two ways, outside the shop in the breeze way I’m using some Tannoy dual concentric 5.25’s that will stop me from working occasionally.
 
Chair.

Only thing in the room besides the stereo. And the 2500 albums. Ribbon speakers are going to require a triangle type setup---I use the Jim Smith guidelines. And I will crank it up & and enjoy dynamic music anyway.
 
depends. if i'm in the garage then i'm working on something and it is in the background, mainly. in the living room, i'm at the apex of the triangle. in my recording room, it may be creating, listening intently or background.
 
I have a nice leather chair and ottoman set up in the room but, it seems I listen to music more when I'm occupied doing something and not necessarily in the same room.
I don't usually listen to it at a blasting level and prefer about a 1/4 the way up give or take a mark (that level can be heard all through the 4 bdrm house).
If I find it to be bothering someone I bring it down a notch. Sometimes, specially when listening to Moody Blues, the headsets go on and I relax, close my eyes and go with the music.
 
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