Do you use loudness?

[Skagarack]

Yes, that´s it.
Every amp sounds a little bit different with LOUDNESS on.
I´ve got a big bass speaker(10") in a big box (100 litres).
It really needs some more energy. Especially with rock music.
I think that the worst Loudness control is in amps from 70´s.
I´ve got Pioneer SX450, 535 and I had Sansui 210.

 

[egellings]

I don't use loudness button because my equipment does not have one.

 

[JoeESP9]

I don't use loudness button because my equipment does not have one.

The last time I even had a loudness control on anything was in 1984 when I traded an ARC SP-3 in for an ARC SP-9. I don't miss it. The loudness control on an SP-3 is completely variable and an order of magnitude better than a switch.

 

[zenith2134]

I used to use it a lot. I had a lot of gear come and go over the years. I also had a Pioneer SX-838 which only worked when loudness was engaged for some reason. It was before I had ever opened a piece of equipment for repair.


I have a Yamaha A-S501 integrated which has the variable loudness feature. I never use it but have toyed around with it a few times.

 

[Skagarack]

Yes, the variable loudness is the best.
If I had it on my amp, it would be even better.

 

[Mr Boochie]

The only piece I always used it on was my Sansui 1000A.

I used to turn off my LOUDNESS selector when my audio friends came over. Then, turn it back as soon as they leave.

 

[tourmax]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Sometimes yes is the higher percentage of use though.

It all depends on what my ears are telling me at the time.

 

[jheu02]

Depends on the volume, etc. Yes, but then I sometimes tweak the Bass knob a little lower. IF it's done right, loudness can help. Some use a frequency and boost I don't care for much (Kenwood Basic C-2) so it would be nice to mod the frequency and level of boost. This is all low-level listening with bookshelf monitors. Louder volumes and larger drivers make it not needed.

 

[ernieb1536]

I have a "variable" loudness control, which I use as I would a tone control. I am not one of those folks who believes that either my equipment or the mastering of my records and cds is so perfect (or sacred)
that using some slight adjustment to what I am hearing is somehow "wrong".

That being said not all loudness and tone controls are created equally ! In certain units it’s great others just muddy up the sound !

 

[rothwellaudio]

Wow - the thread which just won't die. Nearly eight years, and still going. After three years with no activity you might be forgiven for thinking it had run its course, but no, it springs back to life as if nothing had ever happened.

 

[ernieb1536]

Wow - the thread which just won't die. Nearly eight years, and still going. After three years with no activity you might be forgiven for thinking it had run its course, but no, it springs back to life as if nothing had ever happened.

“it’s the gift that keeps on giving Clark”

 

[Swokie63]

Wow - the thread which just won't die. Nearly eight years, and still going. After three years with no activity you might be forgiven for thinking it had run its course, but no, it springs back to life as if nothing had ever happened.

I've seen older ones pop back up..

new members(I still consider myself in that group), but mostly google searches asking a somewhat specific question leads someone to a past AK thread and....

 

[Mr Boochie]

Wow - the thread which just won't die. Nearly eight years, and still going. After three years with no activity you might be forgiven for thinking it had run its course, but no, it springs back to life as if nothing had ever happened.

Loudness is the audio's shaggy dog story.

 

[bluesky]

'Always' - Loudness & 'Source Direct' mode.

But I don't play at loud volumes. I have neighbors.

Loudness works perfect for me! Sounds fine!

 

[bluesky]

I don't use loudness button because my equipment does not have one.

That's no excuse!

 

[Mr Boochie]

'Always' - Loudness & 'Source Direct' mode.

But I don't play at loud volumes. I have neighbors.

Loudness works perfect for me! Sounds fine!

Has there ever been a car radio with a loudness button?

 

[painttoad]

Has there ever been a car radio with a loudness button?

yup

i had a nice panasonic head unit that had it. was called s-hdb. super high definition bass.

i had a pioneer premier unit that had it as well but can not remember what it was called for sure.it was programmable. that head unit had dsp built in.

 

[H2oman7.62mm]

What's stopping you from using the loudness button if you have one?

 

[Mr Boochie]

What's stopping you from using the loudness button if you have one?

Audiophile guilt.

 

[Russ87]

I’ve been toying with my loudness button in the past few days and this is what I’ve found:

I’ve been chasing full, rich highs from my tweeters. Bright vocals, peeling guitars, and trumpeting fulfillment from horns. I crave it…

I always thought in my adolescent ears that loudness was the way. It made everything sound better. More room filling. And that’s partly true. But it sounds more like a party than a well recorded track or intimate concert. So I’ve been back and forth between loudness button on, bass turned down and treble turned up…or loudness turned off with treble completely flat and bass turned up just a quarter.

This is all on a fisher CA-120 on Electro Voice Sentry V’s so I’m excited to try this when my Harman Kardon gets repaired and possibly add a power amp to the mix.