speakers not loud enough

[iluvsound]

I got this pair of sony ssb3000 bookshelf speakers (8 inch Kevlar woofer and a mid driver), which is supposed one of the best values you can find. When I listen to it on my own, the volume of the sound is sufficient and can be deafening. But last night I tested them at a party with about 25 people. I had to turn the volume almost to the max to hear any decent sound from the speakers. There was no distortion but the sound became very thin and did not generate any surround feeling as the voice of the crowd just smothered the sound of my speakers. My receiver is pretty good, it is Onkyo TX SR500 with 85 watts per channel. So was my speakers limiting the sound?

 

[markw]

Everything has it's limits.

When you're alone, you most likely don't have a lot of background noise to overcome. Ergo, your system is fine under normal conditions.

Now, when you have to overcome a lot o background noise, one'snatural inclination to "turn it up" and, to an extent, that is fine.

Since your receiver is rated at 85 wpc and your speakers are speced to handle a max o 120 watts, going up to an amp that would generate that would yeild approximately one measly decible of increased loudness.

So, I'd say that your limits are defined by both the receiver and the speakers, not to mention your unrealistic expectations.

For a party system you need more efficient speakers that can move more air with less power, and more power.

 

[yepimonfire]

i own those exact speakers and i can say that for me they are outrageously loud, they do take a good 100w of power to make them perform best, if i try and drive them with my 50 wpc amp i have like you said, at high volume the sound goes thin, maybe its because the amp wimps out on the peaks?, idk. i can crank the volume to the max on the 50 wpc amp without losing hearing, but i cant go past 3/4 volume on my 110wpc marantz and even at that level it is very uncomfortable to listen to. are you using 4 of the same speakers? if you arent doing so already enabling dolby pro logic II music mode would give you alot more sound.

just giving my feedback on these.

 

[highfigh]

I got this pair of sony ssb3000 bookshelf speakers (8 inch Kevlar woofer and a mid driver), which is supposed one of the best values you can find. When I listen to it on my own, the volume of the sound is sufficient and can be deafening. But last night I tested them at a party with about 25 people. I had to turn the volume almost to the max to hear any decent sound from the speakers. There was no distortion but the sound became very thin and did not generate any surround feeling as the voice of the crowd just smothered the sound of my speakers. My receiver is pretty good, it is Onkyo TX SR500 with 85 watts per channel. So was my speakers limiting the sound?

Bass and full range is what makes the music 'sound' loud. Lacking bass, it sounds harsh, shrill and screaming.

Yes, you did have distortion. If you had the volume control anywhere near max, especially if you cranked the tone controls, I guarantee it was distorting. 8" 2-ways don't fill a room effectively when you put 25 people in it and crank the volume. Also, everyone in the room absorbed a good amount of sound, mainly in the bass range.

 

[yepimonfire]

those speakers have very good bass for their size,enough that i can hear thumping upstairs when playing at normal levels downstairs. and they are three ways btw one woofer, one mid, one tweeter

 

[bandphan]

I love the perceptions going on Challenge that sony speaker just a bit with an accurate source and you will see that sufficient and good are two different measurements If you want some good extension out of bookshelve size speakers look for TLs

 

[Loren42]

Yes, I agree. Back ground noise level and the fact that bodies will act as sound absorbing material.

Every 3 dB of sound level increase requires 2 time the power in watts.

So, you only get +3dB if you have 170 WPC, which is not a whole lot.

For parties you can add more speakers or get bigger, higher SPL speakers.

My speakers are 93 dB/W/m efficient. I have 60 WPC and can drown out any party of 25 people.

 

[yepimonfire]

let me rephrase that, good for the price. only set of cheap speakers ive heard that dont sound awful.

 

[adwilk]

Jonathan Jonathan Jonathan, when are we gonna learn...

 

[yepimonfire]

why is my rep being attacked over an opinion on something i own?

 

[Seth=L]

Cerwin Vega would be one option for a party speaker. A lot of people stand by them because they appeal in looks and sound to a certain demographic. I can't say I enjoy the way they sound, but they'd sure be good for sound reinforcement at a party. Most of them are at least 95dB 1watt/1meter and many at and over 100dB 1watt/1meter, so you'll have no trouble filling a room with tons of sound with your TX-SR500.

 

[yepimonfire]

nvm i see what i did my apology

 

[TLS Guy]

I got this pair of sony ssb3000 bookshelf speakers (8 inch Kevlar woofer and a mid driver), which is supposed one of the best values you can find. When I listen to it on my own, the volume of the sound is sufficient and can be deafening. But last night I tested them at a party with about 25 people. I had to turn the volume almost to the max to hear any decent sound from the speakers. There was no distortion but the sound became very thin and did not generate any surround feeling as the voice of the crowd just smothered the sound of my speakers. My receiver is pretty good, it is Onkyo TX SR500 with 85 watts per channel. So was my speakers limiting the sound?

It takes enormous amp power and huge speakers to perform well under party conditions.

Back in the seventies we used to give raucous parties for reasons I will never know.

At thatg time I had a huge speaker system in the basement. There used to be an advert for Memorex tape, in those days, that said: - "Is it live or Memorex?" A wine glass would shatter as a singer hit a high note.

One night on our basement the system shattered a glass bowl containing peanuts. And everyone asked "Is it Memorex?" No it wasn't, it was reel to reel Ampex Grand Master on this tape recorder.

The point I'm trying to make is that a party is a difficult audio environment and precious few domestic speakers will cut it. Certainly no bookshelves that I'm aware of.

 

[adwilk]

Bookshelves not cutting it? Depends on the size of the room. When I had a some Klipsch RB75's, even in a medium sized room they easily "cut" it.

 

[cerwinmad]

I have the CV VE-12 fronts and the reason i got them was i like my movies LOUD, and they deliver, plus they are more than capable with a room full of people. Against popular opinion they are actually quite accurate while listening to music at normal levels, and i was actually very impressed at their ability. You need something along the lines of what i have i belive, I have the Onkyo Sr-503 and at about 3/4 volume you cannot hear a person talking next to you, but the sound is clear, chest thumping deep. the onkyo doesnt have the power to overdrive them, clipping is the main thing to listen for.

 

[TLS Guy]

Bookshelves not cutting it? Depends on the size of the room. When I had a some Klipsch RB75's, even in a medium sized room they easily "cut" it.

A speaker nearly 2 ft. tall with and 8" woofer and a 10" wide cabinet is outside my definition of bookshelf, no matter what label the manufacturer gives them.

 

[Seth=L]

A speaker nearly 2 ft. tall with and 8" woofer and a 10" wide cabinet is outside my definition of bookshelf, no matter what label the manufacturer gives them.

They need to be stand mounted, why is that outside your definition of bookshelf? IMO, any speaker that needs a stand, aside from short stubby stands, would be classified as bookshelf. I've got a pair of Boston Acoustics HD10 bookshelf speakers with a 1" tweeter, 6.5" woofer, and a 10" passive radiator and they are taller than 2 feet, but they need a stand.

 

[adwilk]

A speaker nearly 2 ft. tall with and 8" woofer and a 10" wide cabinet is outside my definition of bookshelf, no matter what label the manufacturer gives them.

Eh, fair enough I suppose. I do see your point. Technically a bookshelf, but not the typical bookshelf.

 

[highfigh]

why is my rep being attacked over an opinion on something i own?

I don't know why you got a negative mark but an opinion on why the speakers weren't perceived as 'loud' won't explain the cause. The science behind how we hear and how sound works does. Have you ever done a big car stereo that was entered in a contest? You'll never see a car that's entered in an SPL contest that wins without a buttload of bass. We hear better in the mid-range, not the low or high end and without low end, a room full of people will never be really filled with music without much stronger low end. There's also a lot of conclusion because of some of the terminology in audio. Loudness and intensity are often used for the same thing but one is measured, while the other is perceived by the listener.

A small speaker can't truly produce the same acoustic power in the low end and if a subwoofer was added to the system, it would be perceived as sounding much louder. However, this wouldn't happen with a passive sub- only a powered model will add substantially to the system's output level because there's no such thing as free power.

 

[highfigh]

Bookshelves not cutting it? Depends on the size of the room. When I had a some Klipsch RB75's, even in a medium sized room they easily "cut" it.

Add 25 people and I doubt that would hold up. People are great bass traps. The problem is, if you stand people in corners and various parts of a room, you need to actually want those people to be there.