Essentialaudio has just made a good point.
I should have said "realistic" not "high" and it it is silly to suppose anyone in his right mind would expose him or herself to constant aural exposure of over 95dbs in his own home. It were peaks I had in mind and a good system will take those easily without distortion at well over 100db level. Generally those peaks don't last long of course and ear damage will not occur under such circumstances. I have big orchestral music in mind here, not listening to hard rock at "realistic" levels, which by their very nature carry distortion to sound "right".
I should have said "realistic" not "high" and it it is silly to suppose anyone in his right mind would expose him or herself to constant aural exposure of over 95dbs in his own home. It were peaks I had in mind and a good system will take those easily without distortion at well over 100db level. Generally those peaks don't last long of course and ear damage will not occur under such circumstances. I have big orchestral music in mind here, not listening to hard rock at "realistic" levels, which by their very nature carry distortion to sound "right".