How loud is loud....

[Grey Ghost]

Silly questions....I was playing with My Radio Shack digital DB meter last night.
I put it 10" from my sub at loud volume and my sub was hitting 121db. My volume level was at 0. From my listening seat which is 9 feet from my main speakers and with only my front speakers playing my meter was at 110 DB is this considered loud? I know this is a stupid question just curious. At this volume my ceiling fan light will slightly dim. Could this power drain cause any clipping to my speakers through my amp? Thanks for your coments ahead of time....

Grey Ghost

 

[plhart]

Two items:

1. With the RS meter you are seeing near peak readings of broadband sound. The RS meter is "C" weighted which means for low bass frequencies it is showing a reading quite a bit less than actual.

2. For every doubling of distance from a speaker the sound drops 6dB. This dictum does not apply to very close microphone measurements such as going from 1/2" to 1" from the woofer cone.

OSHA defines prolonged exposure to specific SPLs in terms of a broadband average, not a peak reading so we need to know if the 110dB reading you're giving was in the fast or the slow mode. Fast mode will be measuring peaks and slow will be measuring average SPL.

If the 110dB figure you're quoting is average SPL then OSHA says that you can only sustain this level for 30 minutes or so without sustaining hearing damage.

 

[Grey Ghost]

It was in the fast mode....I will check it in the slow mode to get an average. I appreciate your knowledge it was very helpfull....

Grey Ghost