How do you listen to your system?

[Powertech]

Do you set up the listening chair in the perfect position on your own in 'the listening room' and crank it up - true audiophile type of person? Or do you normally listen at a volume where you can also hold a normal conversation? Somewhere in between?
I'm just interested in what other people do. Special chair or just sat on the sofa relaxing?

Myself - It depends. If I have modified or reset something, I want hear if there is a difference (good or bad) so I will turn it up a bit to a kind of known test volume with a regular test record or CD. If I'm doing something else, like right now writing this while enjoying some Spyro Gyra - on vinyl of course - the volume is lower, but still slightly above quiet conversation level. I guess that is normal for me. How about you.

 

[nj pheonix]

Most of the time I'm by my desk , outside of one speaker.
If I sat in the sweet spot I'd have to start system building all over again

 

[quiet]

I sit in the middle of the facing sofa until I stretch out and fall asleep. My tunes are rich, full and tight from the bottom to the top so the volume is set to mostly moderate.
If a passage that I just must have comes along it get's cranked for a short time, then back to low. I got my game down on this one.

 

[jameswei]

I have different systems for a different room, one is for coffee with friends so the volume is low and conversation could be heard. Another system is in the gym and its crank up when I am in there alone. For critical listening, I have the Kaorake room to go to where the room is treated.

 

[Condorsat]

Mostly active listening ... not really into musical wallpaper. Not saying I never engage in passive listening (everybody does sometime) ... just not my preferred method of musical consumption.

 

[cason]

Totally mood dependent. But mostly I sit in my listening chair, which stays in the sweet spot. Usually moderate volume.

 

[Oerets]

Mostly listen while busy doing other things.
An active listener very rarely will be sitting back, still do once in awhile. Like when a great song is playing that will need/require special attention.

When wanting to vegout it will be to the TV on in the background.



Barney

 

[whoaru99]

Not always but, usually, in a sweet spot with the volume at a moderate level.

 

[mjw21a]

Middle of the couch is the sweet spot so that's where I sit when music is playing. Music sounds plenty loud at conversation levels though it's louder if my wife isn't home.

If we're watching telly however it's the right side of the couch as she like to snuggle up to me

 

[JoeESP9]

Not always but, usually, in a sweet spot with the volume at a moderate level.

What he said.

 

[jritchie1980]

When Testing a mod to current system, I listen in each position (Sweet spot, off left, off right) and see how it affects all areas. When listening while doing other things it tends to be cranked for cleaning, mid-level for computer work, and quiet for conversation and technical things like soldering and woodworking.

Meditation in the sweet spot before I go to work would be my favorite way. Volume at 12 oclock with music featuring piano and or strings preferably. Makes me appreciate all the work that was put into making my quality components, all the work I put into setting them up properly, and all the beauty of music when it all comes togeather

 

[asilker]

What he said.

What they said!

 

[teal'c]

Everywhere from sitting ideally positioned to electric guitaring to walking around the house.
Doing nothing but listening to cleaning to working on the car.
Volume set to where Sade is sitting there, singing just to me or to the level of an open air Who concert .

 

[4-2-7]

I don't listen to the gear, I enjoy the music and if I have the time to sit in the sweet spot that's what I do. Other times music is playing and I'm doing other things or needing to sit off center. I might be watching TV and the sound is going though my system, or it's my computer sound.

I guess the point I'm making is, I built my system as a tool to enjoy sound through it that I want to hear. I don't over analyze or be anal about it as that takes all the fun out of the intent in the first place.

Does it sound better in the sweet spot? yes but I don't want to live my life locked into a chair in order to say I'm content with the SQ.

Sunday my sister came over to help me with my taxes, we where sitting on the left side of the room near the speaker and I had youtube playing in the back grown. About an hour into the work out of the blue she said, "Dan your system sounds good" I said what? because I was thinking about what we were working on. "The stereo, it sounds really nice", I said yeah it does but your really only hearing the left side, it sounds better there as I pointed to the sofa in the center of the speakers.

She's heard my system quit a few times before but hasn't been here for long time this past year. She had enough time away from and to re- absorb the quality of it again.

 

[mgosdin]

Since I work on computer from home I will listen on my nearfield setup whenever I'm working on something / reading endless email chains. For the main system, since it is in the master bedroom and there are no chairs as such, I've got it setup so that when you are reading in bed you are in the "sweet spot".

Mark Gosdin

 

[twiiii]

Its all depends on whats on the Honey do list. Except now its my list. But I try to listen 3 or 4 hours every day. And since TV is absolutely hopeless on Monday's and Thursdays The system is on close to 10hours. Now when I'm really listening. The loud passages are around 97 db with 6 db peaks at 1 meter which means about 90 db with 6 db peaks for Pop music at the listening position C weighted. Other wise for back ground noise about 15 to 20 db less. Go the HT mode it all depends on the DVD I'm watching. I try to set the voice levels around 70 to 75 db and let her rip. Was watching "Interstellar" the other day and with Matts soft spoken voice I had to back down the system a bit. The poor center channel was really working over time.

 

[Drum]

My main system is in my office ( really just Home Theater at home). I listen from my desk with speakers in more or less headphone orientation. Sounds very good actually. The vast majority of my listening is at a low level for an office environment, but when am working in the evenings (almost every evening) I turn up the volume a bit, then when I am about to go home I listen to 3 or 4 songs at live music type levels.

 

[judsonw]

I am generally on my bed either with headphones or the speakers that are pointed at my bed. Sometimes headphones in the living room. Depends on the situation and what I am listening to (the better system is in my bedroom though).

 

[jami w.]

either sitting on my couch laying back watching tv, or the same while listening to music.
that is unless im up and about house cleaning.

 

[Anti_Skate]

Usually with some kind of alcohol.