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How Much Is Too Much?

i was musing over the recent review by m.fremer of the SF Guarneri Memento speakers as he described their wonderful sound; naturally for a small monitor, they "almost" reproduce the full impact of large scale classical music. they "almost" do justice to hard rock. and of course, they're ideal for smaller jazz groups and chamber music- so much so, that even with the $14k price tag, they would still be perfect for certain people. as i get older (i just turned 55), i am on the fence when i listen to music- i don't like it at realistic volumes as much as i used to. recently i auditioned Wilson Alexandria's, which really put the music right up in your face (i mean this in a positive way of course), whether it's Beethoven #9 or Bill Evans, AC/DC or Segovia. they are astonishingly resolving so you're not missing ANYTHING. you simply dial in the appropriate volume level for the type of music and sit back (you may want to grip the chair firmly for extra support). my impressions of those speakers spilled over in my head for days. ever since high school, i had a desire for a system that could reproduce music on a realistic scale. but NOW otoh, do i really want to listen to music hour after hour as if i was in lincoln center, or a jazz club, or a black sabbath concert? or would i rather listen to the guarneri's- maybe even turn DOWN the volume control on the amp every so often? or am i just getting too old and cranky? in addition to these other blasphemies, i can listen to my tivoli radio at my bedside for hours and not feel i'm missing that much, especially on jazz. so i humbly ask again- are there others here as well that, after you've heard alot of what a great (big) systems are capable of, you still want (alot) of music in your life, but increasingly you don't care as much about "slam" or IMPACT as you used to? come to think of it, if i go all the way back to when i was 9 or 10, my "system" consisted of a transistor radio with a 2 inch speaker; as i remember it sounded "good enough"- but then i started to want FM too...
french_fries
plato
1,543 posts
 
I am likewise over 50 but have a different opinion. I do like my music loud and dynamic at times. It's an essential component of what makes it sound real. The key words being "at times". Other times I enjoy putting on more mellodic and less dynamic recordings and just relaxing.

I have one system that is great at providing dynamics and slam, and a couple of other systems that I use more for relaxing background type of listening. In other words, you CAN have it both ways. And I don't even feel guilty. I don't think I could tolerate a steady diet of either extreme.
calbrs03
184 posts
 
I live in a small town (pop. 3500). Every year at this time the Chamber of Commerce holds a blues festival, which doubles the population. The acts that play are generally very good, and the event last from 10 in the morning to midnight. My house sits two blocks from the stage. There's a large Masonic Temple between us along with several large oaks, elms, pines, other houses, etc. The music is LOUD. It is very LOUD. I can feel the walls vibrate.

My system is modest, Thiels and McIntosh gear. I don't play loudly. The music doesn't sound live. It does sound real, however, and extremely enjoyable, and there's no one to cut across my lawn to get to their car when I listen. Am I cranky? Yes.
jb0194
476 posts
 
Now, at age 53, 65-80dB (verified w/spl meter) is my volume "sweet spot".
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
3,650 posts
 
I too have found myself not playing music quite as loud as I used to. Also, my tastes in music is changing. I am 54.

Some of this is attributed to having better equipment now that can pull me into the music rather than the music blasting at me.

However,... I still like to crank it up with Led Zepplin, ACDC, BTO, CCR and others from my teenage days from time to time. You know "Kick out the Jams" ! That music just doesnt sound right played softly.
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saygrr
72 posts
 
I am 52. I cannot listen to music on a car radio not even those expensive car stereos or a reciever system. Radios are for talk shows or ball games for me. About 3 years ago I bought a SPL meter. I listen to music at peak levels about 88 to 92 decibles. I listen to mostly classical that has wide dynamics.I do attend live classical events and have not found them to be any louder than when I listen at home but I'm sitting about 25 to 30 rows back. Louder than 92 decibles I think would be excessive what is important to me is demensionality, tonality and detail. I find the older I get the pickier I get on the quality of the sound. One note bass is like listening to finger nails on a chalk board.When I was in my teens early 20s I thought my car stereo and JVC receiver was really something. I changed a lot at age 26 when I heard a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10s and have been refining my system ever since.
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