Can a person go deaf by listening at Reference Level? (1 Viewer)

[David Ruiz]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if a person go deaf by listening to many movies at reference level all the time? I usually watch most of my movies at full reference level (according to Video Essentials), and even though it's extremely loud, it really doesn't bother my ears, and I was wondering, if it would cause permanant damage over time. Movies that I've seen at reference level include FIGHT CLUB & The most infamous of all "U-571"...And let me tell you, they are *EXTREMELY* LOUD, but I watch the whole movie at the volume.

 

[RobR]

Could you repeat that? I didn't hear you
It depends on how long you are exposed to the loud volume. Just because your ears don't hurt doesn't mean damage isn't occuring.
According to OSHA, the maximum safe exposure at 85 dB is eight hours. The exposure time allowed is cut in half for every 5 decibel increase. You do the math.

 

[Steve Y]

This may sound crazy, but if anyone is truly concerned about his/her hearing I would suggest wearing foam earplugs at reference levels (or even slightly below)... that way you'll still "feel" the sound and hear most everything you need to hear (dialogue, explosions, sound effects)... some sound effects, like quiet bird chirps or the subtle scraping of tires on pavement, might be lost.

I actually wear earplugs in the theaters occasionally, especially during those horrible low-fidely television commercials (e.g. the annoying/screechy minivan spot with the "magic shortage")... but wearing earplugs during the movie itself has a nice side-effect... you can't hear people talking around you or munching popcorn! Even the sound of crying/squealing babies, a sad staple in many violent R-rated movies, are deadened by earplugs, yet the movie's necessary sound information makes it to my brain.

My ears begin to hurt below the -45db range. For night viewing I'm anywhere from -50 to -85. Maybe that means my hearing's still good!

All right, I AM crazy!

Steve

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

The heck with VE; reference level is way too loud for me.

 

[Peter Overduin]

I don't care; I can always come here and READ about it! As I recall, Beethoven couldn't hear his stuff either, and it was never half as loud as mine is

 

[Butch C]

If you have to wear earplugs you might as well lower the volume

 

[Jeff]

Calibrating your speakers at reference level is just that, a reference. Just because you calibrate them at 75db doesn't mean you have to play your DVD's at that level.

Jeff

 

[Douglas Bailey]

Room size is also a factor here: I tried watching Fight Club at reference level in the small front room of my previous apartment and very quickly had to scramble for the remote to turn it down.
In my current house, with a larger HT room, reference level on Fight Club is survivable but still a bit overloud for the room. In general, I start movies off at about -20dB and work up or down from there to find a comfortably loud level for the specific track.
doug

 

[David Dennison]

Is reference level 0 on the receiver volume? I find I listen to most movies around -35db give or take a little. I don't know why I settled on this volume because it is still quite loud for some movies and not enough for others.

 

[Joe Schwartz]

Why the obsession with playing movies at reference level? Why not just play them at a comfortable volume?

 

[Douglas Bailey]

David: reference level should indeed be 0dB on the amp.

Joe: the reason some people want to play soundtracks at reference level is that that's the level at which they're mixed (theoretically), so that's also the level at which they ought to sound most correct. Reducing that level introduces some changes: the ear is less sensitive to bass frequencies, for example, so the same track at a lower volume will be perceived as more bass-shy.

This is fine for those seeking true audio perfection. Me, I agree with you that a comfortable level is more important: I'm usually happy to listen at -20dB and raise my subwoofer level a bit to compensate.

doug

 

[nolesrule]

reference level should indeed be 0dB on the amp.

Maybe that's in theory, but in practice, it has more to do with the size of your room, the speaker size and efficiency, distance between speakers and listening position, floor and wall surfaces, etc.

My room is 12x17x7.5 and 0 is way beyond reference level. In fact, I have to set my receiver to -17 to be at reference level. I usually listen at around -21.

If my room was a few feet smaller, reference level would be a few notches lower on the volume control.

 

[Jamie E]

Actually, room size should not be a factor, if your HT is properly calibrated to the reference level. A reading of 0 on your amp should be the same volume at your listening position no matter whether you calibrated it in a large room or a small room.
Play test tones, and using an SPL meter at the listening position, set the amp so the volume from each speaker is 75db when the amp reads 0. You might want to set the subwoofer higher than 75db to get more "punch" (mine is set to 80db at reference level). Avia Guide to Home Theater or Video Essentials will walk you through this process.
According to Avia, the actual Dolby recommended reference level is 85db. I gave that a shot during calibration, but it was far too loud. I went with the Avia recommendation of home calibration to 75db, and it's just right.
Even with correct calibration, I find that some DVDs are mastered at a higher volume than others. I generally watch movies between -3 and +3, with most set at 0. I do seem to remember Fight Club being mastered a little "hot," but that has nothing to do with room size.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Joe: the reason some people want to play soundtracks at reference level is that that's the level at which they're mixed (theoretically), so that's also the level at which they ought to sound most correct.

The level at which they ought to sound most correct to the mixer.
The problem is, I know the mixer. His name is Bob, and when he was in college he used to work the board for a lot of local rock bands. He didn't use hearing protection, and his ears aren't as good as they used to be.
The correct level for you to listen to your home theater is the one that sounds the best for you. Not for Bob. Many of you have better hearing than Bob, and you should try to keep it that way.

 

[Scott Page]

OSHA levels are for continuous sounds. Your ears can take short-term bursts (like movies have)of quite loud sounds without damage. Reference level should have have any perminent effects unless you listen to the opening battle of Gladiator over and over for 8 hours at a time.

That being said, reference level using VE or AVIA is too loud for me and occasionally causes some pain. If it hurts, don't do it. I use my recievers internal tones to calibrate to reference and it results in approximatly a 5 to 7 db reduction over VE or AVIA which is just perfect for me. Rarily too loud or too quiet. Like the baby bear said, "This one is just right".

 

[Ike]

I don't even think my receiver goes to 0. I usually keep it at -25 DB to -35 DB.

 

[Bill Catherall]

A 0dB readout on a receiver/amp is not always reference level. When I'm using Video Essential's test tones and my Radio Shack SPL meter is reading 75dB (reference level) in the sweet spot, my reciever reads -20dB. Probably because my sweet spot is only about 10 feet from my front speakers. I usually set the volume to somewhere between -30 and -35dB. If I listened at reference levels then my wife would kill me.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Use common sense, and preserve your hearing because when it's gone, it's gone!

If your ears ring after the movie, you were listening at a volume that's too loud. If they still ring the next day, you could have become afflicted with tinnitis.

Value your hearing, and forget about all that youthful boastfulness of listening at reference levels. Just because you can doesn't mean you have to.

 

[Jack Briggs]

What Mr. Sun said, with a vengeance.

I used to review bands for several area music and alternative publications. Because I needed to see what the musicians were doing (i.e., chord changes, technique, etc.), I often stood way too close to the stage, sometimes in front of the monitors.

Man, did my hearing ever take a pounding. I've even felt physically ill after some shows. And the ringing in my ears would last a day or two.

Definitely not good.

As our 9,000+-post friend says, protect and value your hearing. Once gone, it's gone for good.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

65db is my reference level for the small bedroom I'm in. Plenty of thumping and rattling at that level