Values for home listening - not in vehicles:
background or mellow music: around 80 dB
“rockin’ out”: around 106 dB
showing off: around 128 dB
Has anyone else either measured this with an SPL meter, or otherwise have some idea of how loud you listen at home?
I’ve never had the opportunity to measure how many decibels my stereo is putting out, but I rarely crank anything up very loud. I’ve never liked loud music, even when favorite songs are on and I’m “rocking out”. Hey, at least I never have to worry about the neighbors complaining.
But it would be fun to measure, and now you have me curious…
Where did you get those numbers? Are those your own personal listening levels? Can you get numbers for vehicle listening too? What’s the cheapest way to measure the levels?
I looked up SPL meters on the web when I saw this thread earlier today. The most affordable (and least accurate) meters seem to be in the $40 range, unless I’m overlooking some cheaper ones. The meters look to be pretty small, run on batteries, and can go pretty much anywhere your ears can.
I measure how loud I should have things, judging from whether or not I can hear my music or tv from the elevator outside of my door.
Where do you figures come from? Lots of explaination about power/SPLs here. 128 dB is very loud indeed To get those sorts of levels in a room of any size (ie: not inside a closed space like a car) you need a lot of power and efficient (probably horn-loaded) speakers. Unless you have an extraordinary setup you’re not going to get near 120 dB
Small Clanger who used to run his stereo with a 2*400 Watts (RMS) PA amplifier.
Those figures are based on the readout of a Radio Shack digital SPL meter, on “C” weighted analysis, averaging over a number of positions within the room.
The system is digital (CD) source, 31 band EQ, compressor/limiter, 3-way stereo crossover, bi amped through separate QSC power amplifiers to high efficiency drivers - a horn loaded compression driver for HF, and a 15" bass reflex (vented) LF, but I’m currently working on a bass horn enclosure.
I suspect the system will go louder than that, but there is the issue of structural damage to be considered. I never listen at such elevated levels indoors, other than brief bursts when demonstrating the system to visitors.
Yeah, sounds like you’re trying to blow your windows out 
Looks like you do have an extraordinary setup, more like a small PA system than a home stereo. Are you thinking of adding a sub-bass unit for the full earthquake effect?
My SPL meter belonged to a previous life as a sound guy so I can’t say how loud (or not) my current puny stereo is. I only ‘listen’ really loud when I’m playing along on guitar - then things get a bit roudy.
It seems I made a small mistake - the highest reading on the SPL meter that I attained was 126 dB (128 was a typo), but apparently, that is the upper sensitivity limit on the meter, so I don’t actually know what the value is. It looks like I’m going to have to use something better than a $50 meter to find out.
** Small Clanger **: I have pretty good extension on the two ways, but this will get much better when I finish the bass horns. I have a separate sub cabinet with 4 15" LF drivers in it, which gets very low and does manage very impressive SPLs, but can not compete with the horns for musicality and transient response. Fun to play with, but not really for listening. I had considered building a sub only cabinet using 18s, but I don’t see the need now - a well optimized folded horn with efficient 15s should get me everything I need.
** anyone else following this thread **: Maybe expecting anyone to have measured their listening levels was a bit of a stretch for this board, but I wonder if you could compare it to other noises - i.e., when you are listening to music at home, could you simultaneously carry on a conversation, hear your telephone ringing, notice the demolition of the house next door, etc.?
Be glad you don’t own a business in NYC.