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Master volume ? (1 Viewer)

DavidV

Grip
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
16
When I calibrate my speakers with the recievers test tones. The master volume readout goes to 00. When I listen to movie,music and watch TV I have the master volume set at -40 on average. Is this normal to listen to the master volume this low. I seens other people post that the are at like -15 or so. Am I doing something wrong or is this normal. I have a Denon 3600 reciever if it helps. Any help would be appreciated.
 

Brae

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 25, 2002
Messages
509
David, to answer your question: no really. When its about 10-11pm on a Sunday evening it will usually be quiet in my house. The little women seldom stays up later than this as she is an educator and rises with the sun--or before it.
My Pioneer Elite VSX-45TX does the same thing during its MCACC auto-calibration and sets the Master Volume to 0dB. During these late Sunday evenings I'll put the volume at -40 to -45dB as I can hear the regular broadcast television just fine.
Now, I have noticed that when playing a DVD its another story. First, I've noticed the sound seems lower, but this could be attributable to listening to DVDs in THX Cinema mode vs. the music/tv in DPL2 mode.
Also, it depends on the efficiency (i.e. sensitivity) of one's speakers. A more inefficient, or less sensitive, speaker will require more power to produce the same level of volume a more efficient speaker would.
Then still there are other factors that play into this volume-setting game, like room size and volume, whether the walls, floor and ceiling are dead or alive, layout symmetry, etc.
Heck, I know others with the same receiver that I have and with almost the same speakers and find ourselves listening to reference levels, we think, but at different master volume settings.
As long as you are not overload/shutting down your receiver or sending distortion to your speakers don't sweat the small stuff. :)
 

Bob McElfresh

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 22, 1999
Messages
5,182
Is this normal to listen to the master volume this low?
Yes. The volume you hear depends upon:

- How far away you are from your speakers/how big the room is
- The angle your speakers are at with respect to you
- How efficient your speakers are


If you moved that same equipment into a smaller room, you would typically listen at a LOWER volume. Put it in a bigger room, you would typically listen at a HIGHER volume.

So the numbers are UNIQUE to your system. Mine is different as is everyone elses.

Hope this helps.
 

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