question about HK decibal levels (1 Viewer)

[JamesL]

I just upgraded to a HK AVR520 from my AVR65 and I must say the sound is much crisper. The AVR65 is an excellent receiver but I found myself adjusting the volume up and down much more.

My question is this - on the 520 I put the volume level much lower (approx. 10 db) then I did with the AVR65? I'm not an expert but I would have expected it to be the other way around.

Can anyone explain this?

 

[Paul Clarke]

James,

Why is that? The 520 is more powerful (85x2, 75x5) than the 65 (75x2, 65x5), 3lbs. heavier (you have to expect a good bit of that to have gone to the amplifier stage). Admittedly, the rated power difference would not normally signify that great a drop in volume setting to achieve equivalent performance on a comparative basis. But I suspect it is due to the general combination of H/K design amplification improvements.

Also, I'm assuming the volume scale is the same -80 to +10 on both.

Or do you mean to say by 'lower' that the (-) number is lower on the 520 to get the same performance as a 'higher' (-) number on the 65?

 

[Camp]

Are you measuring the volume by a sound meter or by the display on the receiver? The display on the receiver means nothing (unless you calibrated it with a sound meter).

So, the 12:00 position on one volume knob isn't necessarily the same as the 12:00 position on another volume knob.

 

[JamesL]

The volume scale is not the same on both units - the AVR520 is -80 to +10 as indicated and the AVR65 is -65 to +10. And YES I am saying that the (-) number is lower on the 520 to get the same "volume level" as a 'higher' (-) number on the 65.

I do have a sound meter but I am just measuring by the volume level (-) on the receiver. So I guess I can conclude that the volume differences mean nothing.