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Why magic at 80 db?

I have Salk SoundScape speakers that have an Accuton midrange driver. When I listen to music at moderate levels, the music sounds plain. There is little that would make me think that I was listening to a great speaker. When I turn the music up till it reads 80 to 85 db on my Rat Shack meter, magic happens. I guess it is like that with live music, but I am not sure. I never take my meter with me. I am just confused. Anybody have any comments?

Bob
rsimms
almarg's avatar
almarg
8,673 posts
 
One factor that is probably involved is the Fletcher-Munson Effect. The sensitivity of our ears to low and high frequencies, relative to their sensitivity to mid-frequencies, decreases at low volumes.

Regards,
-- Al
rsimms OP
150 posts
 
You are probably right that it is a strong factor, but why did I only notice it with my new speakers!? Is it just that I am slow? LOL

Bob
drubin
3,240 posts
 
What were your previous speakers? Some, like Quads, do a better job of delivering the goods at low volumes than others do.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
It's funny. I think of 80-85db as rather quiet. And, of course, Fletecher and Munson got the high frequency varience with loudness more than completely wrong, which lead to many crappy loudness controls. The Robinson-Dadson equal loudness curves corrected this error and also refined the low freqency sensitivity.
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,333 posts
 
If your speakers can deliver clean undistorted sound it will generally get better and better as the SPL inceases, up to a limit of between 95 and 100 db SPL. Generally 105 db SPL and higher at the listener is becoming uncomfortably loud.

The better the recording the more you can enjoy the music at louder (peak) levels.

It is likely that your previous speaker was so distorted that it did not sound good at increased levels.
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