Does It have to be loud?

It needs to be as loud as you need it to be, no more and no less. I'm also in the camp that says each type of music and recording can determine what that level should be.

Every recording was mixed and mastered at a certain volume. Good engineers will then check and make sure that the end product holds up at different volumes. That is not always the case, though. To get it to sound right often you need to match the levels used during the mixing and mastering process.

However, in spite of everything, in the end the sweet spot is were the music hits you as right. For me it is usually 80 through 110. Rock and pop is generally louder, jazz in between and folk or singer song writer lower. 

Elizabeth,

In those days (80’s), I would drool over SAE amps driving large Infinity speakers!

That was an awesome system you had back then even by today’s standard - what happened? Where did you go wrong? How can you say you prefer headphones over your own main system?

I can’t say what dB level I consider to be loud, but I am pretty sure it would not exceed 90 dB. 

A lot lot of my listening is done after the kids are in bed and with a small house loud volumes are not an option. 

One thing that that I have really enjoyed with my new Pathos Classic One mkiii over my previous Yaqin MC-30L or even my Integra 50.1 (with a subwoofer) is the low volume level dynamics. The realism of a kick drum or tympani is fantastic even at low levels with an excellent recording. It’s great at higher volumes as well, of course. 

I'm actually surprised how many people admit listening at levels up to 100 or more dba at the listening position. I'm not sure how they measure, but believe me, most speakers won't even go that loud, or if they do, they will distort tremendously, unless the room is very big, or very well acoustically treated, room interaction will spoil the listening experience. Or do we all own huge horn systems, known for their ability to play very loud...or is it more like those car owners, bragging about how fast their cars go? But, on the other hand, for all those who regularly listen way above 100 dba levels, please enjoy the music as you like it...in the end that's what counts I believe. For me that's between 70-90 dba at the listening position, measured with an Extech SPL meter, for others it's between 90-110 dba...(and soon someone will indicate levels of 100-130 dba ;)

@han_n 

Audiogon is for audiophiles that supposedly seek high fidelity. Part of realistic sound reproduction is clear clean dynamic range that equates to real instruments and real live music. SPL is part of what is real about musical instruments.

I am actually surprised how many people here admit to having no real interest in high fidelity. They happily prefer a form of sound reproduction only modestly above that of a good radio in sound level.