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How loud is 85 dB? Pretty damn loud I say!

Todd Dodds said:
And I reckon most Flying V players would naturally lean towards the "Loud is Good" philosophy? ;)
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Never was able to get that V Todd though I look at it daily on ePay and dream

Dan helped me get my 1967 Fibson V done but I think the bridge pickup is wired wrong as I need to put the amps gain at 8 to get the same sound I normally would have with the gain set at just under 3 with my Gibson Explorer. It almost sounds like a weak single coil yet is a original 1st year made Dimarzio Super Distortion

The V now has a '67 Gibson V wiring harness, OEM Gibson V TRC, Gibson pots and Switchcraft switch. A Dimarzio Air Norton is in the neck position. Next up is a brass nut off one of my old 1979 Gibson e/2 CMT Explorer's and then I will address the bridge pickup wiring. Looking for some Gibson witch hat knobs also, thought I had a box full of old Gibson parts but can't find them (as usual). Might go with a Nashville or ABR-1 bridge yet. I have Gibson tail pieces and studs from some of my old Les Paul's in that same box if I can ever find it

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Accuracy in level measurements doesn't have to be expensive. Get a Umik-1 ($75) from Mini DSP and a free download of REW (Room Equalization Wizard) from HT Shack (you must register to download) or the REW web site. Each Umik comes with an individual calibration curve that can be plugged into REW.

REW is available for PC's, Mac's and Linux boxes.
 
I have Sound Meter app installed on my phone. The only real reference I have is an air compressor I bought last month. The compressor is rated at 60 db - checking it with the app gives me about 62-64 db while running in the garage. Not running, I get ~32 db (whisper, library).

I've checked while listening a few times and get 75-80 db, although I mostly listen at a slightly lower volume. Occasionally, if no one else is home, I crank it up well past that for a short time.
 
couple of inputs

I was once told that 85 db is where pain and eventual hearing loss from an audiologist (sp?) and
further look - depends on type of music (analog only like in live classical, or digitally channeled
through mixers, control units, amps, etc) - I suspect higher than normal secondary harmonics
volume makes the difference.

since hearing loss is at the higher end, I'd endure 100+ dbs of bass before any such treble.

I suspect tinnitus and eventual hearing loss (beyond genetic predisposition) is related
to the insane volumes at rock converts. I went deaf for a week and ringing for two
after my last concert many, many decades ago. I don't have tinnitus.

perhaps a poll (did you go to LOUD concerts and now have tinnitus and/or hearing loss)
 
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As an average, 85dB would be much too loud for me too.

When I listen "loud", for me, my average is in the mid to high 70's and peaks ate in the high '80's maybe rarely reaching 90-91dB peaks.
 
As pointed out, it doesn't have to be the db level that can cause damage...duration is paramount in the after effects. Distance from the sound source and environment too will be factors to take into account.

Also as pointed out, the types of frequencies can have varied effects on the ear. Some more damaging than others.

The structure of the ear can only take so much, which again can vary in individuals over time.


Q
 
Being a musician most of my life, I can't find anyone who will turn their system up loud enough for me, to get that live visceral feeling like you get being on/in the band /stage. Living in a condo sucks for loud music.
 
Hobie1dog said:
Being a musician most of my life, I can't find anyone who will turn their system up loud enough for me, to get that live visceral feeling like you get being on/in the band /stage. Living in a condo sucks for loud music.
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Next time you're in So Cal, come on by and we'll play it as loud as you like. The percussion transients are very visceral.
 
Hobie1dog said:
Being a musician most of my life, I can't find anyone who will turn their system up loud enough for me, to get that live visceral feeling like you get being on/in the band /stage. Living in a condo sucks for loud music.
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Aren't you supposed to wear hearing protection during performance?
 
Kreshna said:
Aren't you supposed to wear hearing protection during performance?
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Who the hell did that it in the early 80s? We could barely afford equipment not to mention the cost of renting a PA until we finally bought our own. Playing live is one of the greatest adrenaline rushes you can experience. When you see a sea of Bic lighters lit, you just want to play harder and louder
 
What kind of 85 db? 85 db rms A weighted continuous white Noise, Pink noise? 85 db of electrical substation transformer hum? Remember 85 db A weighted slow response pink noise contain over 95 db peaks and the meter has rolled off the bass frequencies and the high frequencies to approximate how the sound effects the ear and the to measure how this sound when exposed to the ear creates damage. . Above 85 db you use a different weighting scale and response time on the meter to approximate the sound effect for potential damage on the ear. Remember the ear is not a linear device either in respect to the width of the frequency spectrum or the sound level. Remember it takes 10 times the energy to make the ear think one sound is twice as loud as the previous sound. Who came up with that rule of thumb. Well it wasn't a musician! Math and physics aren't exact sciences when explaining human senses.

So That 85 db you measured might just end up being 100 db in full spectrum peak energy and depending upon the number of peaks and how often they occur the peaks and where they sit in the audio spectrum might be very irritating making the sound even seem louder. So sound level meters never tell the entire story.
 
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