Dumb Q on DB & Vol with the V2600

[jmone]

Hi,
When I change the volume on my Yami V2600 displays it in DBs on the TV which makes sence. What I don't understand is that it does not start of 0db (which I would of thought would be No Vol?), but instead -80DB (and 0DB is loud!). Can anyone shed any light on this?
Yours in ignorance,
Nathan

 

[jcPanny]

Receiver volume level

On most receivers, 0dB is near the maximim volume level. On some it represents the "refrence" level required to achieve 100+ dB SPL levels in your room. It also may represent the level at which the analog input signal is sent to the amplifier stage with no atenuation or reduction in level. The negative dB numbers represent reduction of the input signal by the specified amount, thus, larger negative numbers are lower volume levels.

Tell your friends that it has negative numbers because of your new audiophile HT system.

Those Axoims and your receiver should make a great system. Check out the 10" and 12" subs from SVS and HSU to fill in the low end.

 

[jmone]

Thanks jcP

 

[tbewick]

I think the only use you can have for the dB scale is that for many speakers, an increase of 1 dBV (I think it's dB voltage or something like that) on the receiver will usually correspond to roughly 1 dB increase in volume (SPL). The numbers do have technical meaning but without knowing about the electronics (line input levels, for example) of the receiver they are useless. Whatever you do don't assume the maximum volume level equals maximum output.

The reason why you can have negative volumes is related to the fact that dB's are like powers. e.g. 10 raised to the power -1 is 0.1, 10 raised to the power -2 is 0.01 etc.