View Full Version : "How loud can it go?"
Do any of you get exasperated like me.
I spend a small fortune searching out the best sound quality from my Hi Fi of which I'm rightly proud. When visitors catch sight of it, the almost overwhelming comment is "how loud can it go?". If you've got nothing more constructive to say then don't bother.
I've never had anyone ask that, maybe they were happy with how loud it was already going, I don't know. I've had a fair few people ask me if my neighbours ever complain.
Do any of you get exasperated like me.
I spend a small fortune searching out the best sound quality from my Hi Fi of which I'm rightly proud. When visitors catch sight of it, the almost overwhelming comment is "how loud can it go?". If you've got nothing more constructive to say then don't bother.
Would you prefer.... "That sounds pish"
[emoji6]
Or: "It's ok, but I prefer my Bose alarm clock."
Marco.
Could be even worse and they say things like...
"The bass is a bit woolly"
"The Midrange seems a bit flat"
"That treble sounds like nails on a blackboard"
"My dad had an Amstrad system back in the day and it sounded much better, and boy was it loud!"
If all they said was "how loud can it go" then I'd actually take that as a compliment and whack up the volume and let them hear what it can really do !
I've always struggled to get the volume, make that the SCALE, of sound from my hifi that I felt was natural until I got my current speakers (15" HPD Tannoys in sealed cabinets). As Martin says, if the system is demonstrating that it can produce a natural, effortless, big scale sound the question doesn't come to mind. I've always stuck with small to medium speakers to match the room proportions as bigger floorstanders tended to boom (Proac d28, Spendor S8) so they were no good for my application and I think to get scale out of small speakers is *very* expensive and puts demands on the amplifier but now it's a different world for me with these speakers. Maybe it's a big driver thing, I don't know.
jollyfix
10-09-2016, 08:02
How loud, never been asked that. "Whats that", "why is it so big" ( er um, pardon the expression), are the type of things people ask. "How much" is another, my gear,all bought on the cheap, but still people can't get over how much i have paid for things. Many friends into different things, one said to me one time, " that record player cost how much", it just plays records right? I had a record player with my music centre years ago cost me £50.00 , you know how it goes, .... Well i said, you have just spent almost £3000.00 on a mountain bike, you just cycle around on it .. i had a mountain bike years ago, cost me under £65.00... etc..
Don't get me started on the people i know who say "i have a BOSE, does it all, no wires too..... they play music, they don't listen to music, big difference..
Last week, I had my wife say to me 'I don't know why you bother with all that stuff. It sounds better through headphones you know'.
Actually, she may have a point ...
surprisingly, very few ever comment on it, and if they do, it is usually, "it takes up too much space" or if on, "its very loud" even when its fairly quiet.
A lot of folk seem to listen to music at low tv levels and have no furniture to speak of, preferring to show off their lovely bare walls..:mental:
Yes, in a world where your mobile phone gives you all you need ... why clutter the room up with hifi, CDs, vinyl, books, clocks, landline phones, even televisions?
One lady friend asked, and I replied by asking her how loud her children went. She looked at me strange and said there's much more to them than that. QED.
walpurgis
10-09-2016, 09:47
I once had a pair of 102db horns working with a 200 watt power amp. That was louder than anybody could stay in the room with!
jollyfix
10-09-2016, 09:50
Last week, I had my wife say to me 'I don't know why you bother with all that stuff. It sounds better through headphones you know'.
Actually, she may have a point ...
My father once said to me whilst we were listening to my set up, "its like I'm listening to headphones". This was for me a great complement about my hifi.
Audio Al
10-09-2016, 10:30
Well come on then
How Loud Can It Go
:D
Well come on then
How Loud Can It Go
:D
12?
walpurgis
10-09-2016, 11:35
12?
No No No. That's just being silly. 11 is more than you need. ;)
'You paid how much for that CD player?, the one in my car does the same thing...' (I didn't enter into a dialogue)
Ah, but
DOES IT HAVE A NICE TONE?
Beobloke
10-09-2016, 13:00
If visitors ask me how loud my system goes, then I show them. They don't generally ask again...:D
I have heard someone say their iPhone was the best thing they heard with them crappy little headphones and I just could not get through to them about the sound quality they are missing...
I think people have ever so slowly been moving away from what audio is supposed to sound like and have accepted the status quo with small tinny sounds that they don't realise true hi-fi till they are made to listen to it and not just play music in the background
I've had 'why do the speakers have to be so big? That's ridiculous'
But she was an attractive young lady so I let it go. Thought it best not to mention that I regretted not getting the next model up that were twice the size.
'You don't need all that stuff just to play a CD' was another classic.
My favourite was a bloke who had a JVC midi system and was highly sceptical that it was possible to improve on it. After a long listen to one of his favourites he reluctantly admitted, 'Yes, it does sound a bit better on yours'.
I have heard someone say their iPhone was the best thing they heard with them crappy little headphones and I just could not get through to them about the sound quality they are missing...
I think people have ever so slowly been moving away from what audio is supposed to sound like and have accepted the status quo with small tinny sounds that they don't realise true hi-fi till they are made to listen to it and not just play music in the background
Sad isn't it
I've had the 'it's like headphones' comment and 'it's like cinema without the picture', 'I feel I'm there', 'I can almost touch the musicians' etc. I've also had 'do the neighbours ever complain?' :). I don't think anyone has ever asked me how loud it will go; 'why are there so many boxes?' is the most common question (to be fair, there are a lot of boxes).
100% Analogue
Clive197
10-09-2016, 13:56
I think the comment "yeah, nice tone" was the one that upset me the most.
Pete The Cat
10-09-2016, 14:14
"Couldn't you have one of those small silver units instead ? We got ours from Currys..."
Pete
Arkless Electronics
10-09-2016, 16:05
It always surprises me how they hardly notice or comment on sound quality... even though it's probably the first time they may have heard true hi fi sound! They usually want it turned down so they can drown it out with there inane thoughts on last nights "Strictly baking cakes on ice"....
walpurgis
10-09-2016, 16:10
I think many people just don't understand good sound quality when they hear it. You get comments like 'it's very shrill' or 'it's very tinny', merely because they've never heard treble before.
It always surprises me how they hardly notice or comment on sound quality... even though it's probably the first time they may have heard true hi fi sound! They usually want it turned down so they can drown it out with there inane thoughts on last nights "Strictly baking cakes on ice"....
Lol, don't you just love gobshites who only like the sound of their own voice!
Some cars I hear in traffic do seem to like it loud but the sound... clipping and not pleasant at all
Some cars I hear in traffic do seem to like it loud but the sound... clipping and not pleasant at all
Was next to one at the lights the other day. Builders in a transit, Bangin' choons, Some ICE can be good though. I was walking through the town one afternoon, past a closed nightclub, hear this fantastically good sound, some modern R&B but just superbly clean and sweet, perfect bass. I thought the club was re-opening and they were testing the sound system and had the doors open as it was a warm day. I was thinking it sounded fantastic. But it was coming from a car parked outside with doors open and some youths trying to act tough. Still one of the best sounds I've heard.
Was next to one at the lights the other day. Builders in a transit, Bangin' choons, Some ICE can be good though. I was walking through the town one afternoon, past a closed nightclub, hear this fantastically good sound, some modern R&B but just superbly clean and sweet, perfect bass. I thought the club was re-opening and they were testing the sound system and had the doors open as it was a warm day. I was thinking it sounded fantastic. But it was coming from a car parked outside with doors open and some youths trying to act tough. Still one of the best sounds I've heard.
Brings back memories that does...I used to wire car stereos back in the 90's, had lots of fun and some crazy bass projects that people don't try anymore. We used to have this one Citroen estate where the guy took out all the seats but driver and passenger then had 4 18" subs in custom MDF boxes, bass used to make passers by piss themselves :lol:
Brings back memories that does...I used to wire car stereos back in the 90's, had lots of fun and some crazy bass projects that people don't try anymore. We used to have this one Citroen estate where the guy took out all the seats but driver and passenger then had 4 18" subs in custom MDF boxes, bass used to make passers by piss themselves :lol:
It doesn't seem to be as popular now or more likely I am out of touch. Recall one bloke used to give a few of us a lift home from the warehouse in his Lada Riva. He'd installed a huge bass tube in the back passenger footwell and would play techno at ludicrous levels. The vibration was so great that the car would literally be shedding parts as it went down the road. We had to stop one time and pick up the back bumper.
It doesn't seem to be as popular now or more likely I am out of touch. Recall one bloke used to give a few of us a lift home from the warehouse in his Lada Riva. He'd installed a huge bass tube in the back passenger footwell and would play techno at ludicrous levels. The vibration was so great that the car would literally be shedding parts as it went down the road. We had to stop one time and pick up the back bumper.
Today's cars are more difficult to get sounding right when it comes to the bass side, mostly because of the side impact bars (leaves no space for speakers) and air bags that you have to be careful not to set off by accident. I've still got couple of boxes, 1 has two 12" pioneer subs and the other is a 12" magnat... No idea why I still got them as you can get bass sounding as good from smaller drivers now..
But I can just picture the lada, my friend had a 1982 Nissan Micra that he had me install a 12" Rockford fosgate with a 1000w amp then 4 6×9s running with their own 600w amp.... Could hear him coming a mile away... Was really funny watching the looks on people's faces when they were looking for a nice motor to drive down (maybe a BMW) then this shitty little 2 door Micra would pull up like a mobile disco
I usually get the comment "how many watts are your speakers", but can't be arsed to reply :doh:
I always say a thousand. Then they say 'Wow! A thousand!' and are happy.
I always say a thousand. Then they say 'Wow! A thousand!' and are happy.
Nice one.
You can get nicked for loud stereo in car. You can get nicked for pretty much anything in a car, its becoming a seriously pointless thing to do. Those that dont drive i usually tell them to never learn.
As an ex bass player I can say that my twin 15" folded horn, 4x10" and double horn rig powered by a Trace Elliot 2500 watt amp set up was LOUD!!!. My hifi can be loud enough to enjoy without the pain. Oh and yes I have got muso's Tinitus :guitar:
Arkless Electronics
12-09-2016, 15:57
You can get nicked for loud stereo in car. You can get nicked for pretty much anything in a car, its becoming a seriously pointless thing to do. Those that dont drive i usually tell them to never learn.
You can get nicked for standing still and minding your own business if you're unlucky enough to meet a real jobs worth copper who's having a bad day!
Do any of you get exasperated like me.
I spend a small fortune searching out the best sound quality from my Hi Fi of which I'm rightly proud. When visitors catch sight of it, the almost overwhelming comment is "how loud can it go?". If you've got nothing more constructive to say then don't bother.
Nobody's ever asked me that. One visitor was a bit baffled when he realised there were no tone controls on my then amplifier, as he wanted to turn up the bass on a particular track ('Black Cow' by Steely Dan, if memory serves).
paulf-2007
12-09-2016, 18:06
Most visitors say" it's very clear " jeez, there's more to it than that. My youngest granddaughter is 6 and frighteningly articulate. She asked me what's that? I said it's a record player, would you like to hear something, I put on an album and she asked " is that your playlist? " I said shall I turn it off, she said no leave it on.
lol... a convert maybe.
my grandson asked me yesterday how the sound got to the speakers and gets out...... I said, good question; when you find out, tell me ;)
A news Item a decade or so back.. remains as memorable
Stanford University researching the depth of technical knowledge of the American citizenry..
Asked a few questions..One being: How do telephones work?
Majority had no clue, more than a few speculated that the Wires were Hollow and the sounds travelled down them.
Not to be too smug though as there was also a news clip about British students unable to locate the UK on a map .
Education system is clearly a shambles, with small visible hope for reversals.
Moderne times indeed.
paulf-2007
12-09-2016, 18:20
My 19 year old grandson showed me his portable record player he recently bought because his girlfriend had bought him a record. I wasn't sure what to say and I think he noticed and he said he'd seen the photos of my DP80. I am going to ask him to bring his record over to hear a different presentation than his player and mini system.
Have a look at some of the in-car sound off madness on YT. 160 - 180db! with a million inches of bass cones. How they stay in the vehicle beggars belief......no sense-no feeling perhaps. God know what it does to your ears or internal organs.
Have a look at some of the in-car sound off madness on YT. 160 - 180db! with a million inches of bass cones. How they stay in the vehicle beggars belief......no sense-no feeling perhaps. God know what it does to your ears or internal organs.
there will be a nation of deaf folk for a start. as you say, what those low freq do to the body, i'd say destroy it.
"How loud can it go?" is a question I have never been asked about my audio system. But when I have answered the door, whilst there has been someone talking on the radio tuner playing through my system, the caller has apologised and said "Sorry to disturb you - I didn't realise you had company."
The only questions I have been asked were:
"How does organ music sound through those?" (referring to my speakers);
"What is that?" (referring to the Radford STA 15 valve amp)
and
"Oh you still have a tourne disque?" (referring to my turntable; appropriately enough a Thorens TD124. The ‘TD’ stands for tourne disque, the French for turntable.)
walpurgis
12-09-2016, 21:36
I've had visitors thinking there was somebody in the other room when the tuner was on.
In any case. How do you describe to the uninitiated how loud something is?
Lawrence001
14-09-2016, 22:49
I always say a thousand. Then they say 'Wow! A thousand!' and are happy.
You were probably telling the truth in PMPO terms like the midi systems I looked at in currys in the 80s.
walpurgis
14-09-2016, 23:12
If you don't know. For a stereo amp, divide PMPO by twenty and you are probably around the RMS watts per channel into an 8 ohm load. Although there is no real conversion factor, as PMPO is a 'gimmick' value designed to inflate the perceived spec.
If you don't know. For a stereo amp, divide PMPO by twenty and you are probably around the RMS watts per channel into an 8 ohm load. Although there is no real conversion factor, as PMPO is a 'gimmick' value designed to inflate the perceived spec.
Yep the new Devialet Gold active speakers are quoted at 4000W peak, each. :eek:
Lawrence001
16-09-2016, 22:34
That reminds me when I bought my mum a pure evoke radio for her kitchen she said it had a lovely tone. I think that expression goes back to the days of the mono wireless when tone was probably the key factor of choice other than volume level.
Ah, but
DOES IT HAVE A NICE TONE?
Agree it goes back to the wireless and radiogram days. On the other hand I think it is important that a proper hi-fi system has a pleasing tone. Heard lots that just don't. They may be super-accurate and transparent but if they are a chore to listen to then what use are they? A hard line to walk.
Lawrence001
17-09-2016, 12:59
Yes I agree and the tone I like seems to involve a large woofer in a big box, which tends to mean vintage if you don't want to spend lots of money on a spendor or harbeth style BBC monitor
Our last visitors thought my Focal's were very old school and kindly suggested that I ought to get some Bose cubes. Adding that Bose are the best you could possibly buy and so much less intrusive than my current speakers.
walpurgis
17-09-2016, 17:11
Our last visitors thought my Focal's were very old school and kindly suggested that I ought to get some Bose cubes. Adding that Bose are the best you could possibly buy and so much less intrusive than my current speakers.
How does the saying go? 'You can fool most of the people most of the time..............'
How does the saying go? 'You can fool most of the people most of the time..............'
think it goes.. "On your bike "
337alant
17-09-2016, 17:49
I once had a visitor looking at my Reel 2 Reel player and said he had a video tape reel at home and could I copy it on to a DVD for him :scratch::D
Alan
My wife educated them on their idea's, I sat back and watched with interest. She did suggest some interesting uses for the cubes, but it shows the power of advertising on the general public. I might have been less grumpy if they had suggested B & O, but Bose!
Firebottle
17-09-2016, 19:29
Adding that Bose are the best you could possibly buy...
FFS are people really that easily brainwashed. Had they actually heard Bose cubes?
I have, with the little bass unit all set up. it isn't that bad, but nothing like a proper hi-fi. It's tinkly with fat mid-bass, very much designed to grab a civilian in a dealer demo. Any semi serious enthusiast couldn't really live with it long term and it is expensive for the material quality on offer. High WAF, though.
walpurgis
17-09-2016, 19:56
FFS are people really that easily brainwashed. Had they actually heard Bose cubes?
And if they had. Had they heard anything else?
TBH if you want to go that way then a zeppelin is better than a bose and cheaper probably too. If I decided to lose vinyl, I would probably get a rpi with amp in and just use that with a couple of smallish speakers.
Not heard a Zeppelin but have had a listen to a fancy ipod dock and I would take the Bose Cube system any day, its comedy bass hump notwithstanding.
Worse still the room was part of a converted chapel and was vast. Total wasted opportunity.
Not heard a Zeppelin but have had a listen to a fancy ipod dock and I would take the Bose Cube system any day, its comedy bass hump notwithstanding.
Worse still the room was part of a converted chapel and was vast. Total wasted opportunity.
was quite impressed with the one I heard considering what it was. I guess its audiophile for the mass ipod generation. A lot of those people dont appreciate the way our systems sound, and think its just too loud, too ugly and the money would be better spent on xbox and carpets ;)
Well that's always been true of some people. Listening to music is a habit, like any other habit, and if you never acquired it you don't miss it.
The key to getting lots of youngsters becoming at least semi-serious is to expose them to quality presentation of music from an early age. That way they will never be happy with their earbuds.
Lawrence001
17-09-2016, 21:12
I've never heard them but I checked out the website and it says "better with Bose (R)" and Nico Rosberg and Rory McIlroy swear by them so they must be pretty good.
FFS are people really that easily brainwashed. Had they actually heard Bose cubes?
Well that's always been true of some people. Listening to music is a habit, like any other habit, and if you never acquired it you don't miss it.
The key to getting lots of youngsters becoming at least semi-serious is to expose them to quality presentation of music from an early age. That way they will never be happy with their earbuds.
Wise words there Macca. It's a habit some never acquired.
I seem to have acquired a few over the years though ;-)
Floyddroid
18-09-2016, 06:59
Well that's always been true of some people. Listening to music is a habit, like any other habit, and if you never acquired it you don't miss it.
The key to getting lots of youngsters becoming at least semi-serious is to expose them to quality presentation of music from an early age. That way they will never be happy with their earbuds.
Bang on. I took my kids to gigs from a young age too which exposed them to different genres of music as well as appreciate it played back properly. As a result none of them joined the smart phone culture with regards to music playback.
Bang on. I took my kids to gigs from a young age too which exposed them to different genres of music as well as appreciate it played back properly. As a result none of them joined the smart phone culture with regards to music playback.
Not sure what you mean about smart phone culture though Steve. Whilst not perfect by any stretch, my smartphone, apps and a decent pair of headphones is an essential part of my daily kit because I travel around and couldn't survive the many hours of train journeys or bland hotel rooms without music. In fact this is my main source of music discovery and many things get playlisted for when I finally get home to my system.
Well that's always been true of some people. Listening to music is a habit, like any other habit, and if you never acquired it you don't miss it.
The key to getting lots of youngsters becoming at least semi-serious is to expose them to quality presentation of music from an early age. That way they will never be happy with their earbuds.
Which is odd, because the way I was exposed to music was via either a cheap Japanese transistor radio or, later, a Dansette record player, neither of which was particularly 'quality', though I listened a lot to both. I expect the same is true of the vast majority of us, going by the age poll. I'd guess only a fraction of us in the 50-60-ish age group had parents who were into anything remotely resembling hifi. By contrast, despite growing up in-house with two hifi set ups my two children never got into hifi at all and are just as happy listening to music via an iPod or a laptop. But then, they're girls.
Which is odd, because the way I was exposed to music was via either a cheap Japanese transistor radio or, later, a Dansette record player, neither of which was particularly 'quality', though I listened a lot to both. I expect the same is true of the vast majority of us, going by the age poll. I'd guess only a fraction of us in the 50-60-ish age group had parents who were into anything remotely resembling hifi. By contrast, despite growing up in-house with two hifi set ups my two children never got into hifi at all and are just as happy listening to music via an iPod or a laptop. But then, they're girls.
Same is true of me, a Ferguson transistor radio was the only source of music in our house until I was about sixteen and we upgraded to a Saisho music centre. They were crap, although they did not prevent me acquiring a love of music. But I had several friends with more discerning (and wealthier) parents so was exposed to 'proper' hi-fi in my teens. Once you hear how it can sound, there is no going back. I suspect a lot of us in the same boat were exposed to quality sound that same way.
Thing was in those times it was pretty customary for professional people to have a decent hi-fi, even if they didn't actually use it that much. Like the hostess trolley and the fondue set, it was just another thing those with the disposable income acquired as a matter of course. Nowadays a hi-fi is no longer on that essentials list.
My young grandson is now into rock via his phone. Acdc and queen at moment...not bad for 8. Sure it sounds crappy but its all supposed to be the music.
I had a philips cassette player that i loved when a teen. Took it everywhere.
I'm happy with a hamburger but if I've got the choice of hamburger or fillet steak, then I'll take the fillet steak. if I never had fillet steak I'd probably look a the price and pass.
That's what does my head in with the magazines, too much showcasing of kit in the thousands of pounds an item category. One browse is enough to convince people that this is a world they will not be entering.
Now if you buy second hand then you can have fillet steak for the price of a hamburger but they don't know that and even if they suspect it might be true they have no idea where to start and so they don't.
I don't know about other countries but in the UK I suspect if we did not have Richer Sounds the AOS age poll would be 90% over 55 instead of 50%. Okay, so Richer sell gourmet hamburger, not the fillet steak, but it is good enough to give people an idea that better quality can be obtained within their budget.
I'm pretty sure the Manufacturers and Retailers know what questions need to be answered to sell HIFI...
And, although I haven't been to a HIFI show for a year or two, the main question they all appeared to be trying to answer was indeed: "How loud will it go?"
And the answer always seemed to be "Too F***ing loud!":lol::lol::lol:
Rock and a hard place with shows. There is another thread on here with a picture of a demo at this year's National show. Dinky little speakers that would sound lost in my room, let alone one that is probably 30' by 40' with maybe 20 people in there. So what do you do? Crank it up beyond the loudspeakers capabilities. And the amplifier's, in some cases. It will sound bad but a least everyone can hear it.
Rock and a hard place with shows. There is another thread on here with a picture of a demo at this year's National show. Dinky little speakers that would sound lost in my room, let alone one that is probably 30' by 40' with maybe 20 people in there. So what do you do? Crank it up beyond the loudspeakers capabilities. And the amplifier's, in some cases. It will sound bad but a least everyone can hear it.
A 5 * 4 seating row is a big, well damped group to play to, without a doubt. But, modern bookshelf loudspeakers can make a good fist of playing loud, in my opinion. My beef is with those demonstrations that drive the loudspeakers way beyond their capabilities (and the listener comfort in my opinion), to try and develop Rock Concert levels...
Rgds
Mark
walpurgis
18-09-2016, 11:19
I'm pretty sure the Manufacturers and Retailers know what questions need to be answered to sell HIFI...
And, although I haven't been to a HIFI show for a year or two, the main question they all appeared to be trying to answer was indeed: "How loud will it go?"
And the answer always seemed to be "Too F***ing loud!":lol::lol::lol:
That reminds me of a visit to the Heathrow Penta exhibition years ago. Cerwin Vega had some big speakers on demo and it was so loud, you could feel the bass shaking the building two floors down.
That reminds me of a visit to the Heathrow Penta exhibition years ago. Cerwin Vega had some big speakers on demo and it was so loud, you could feel the bass shaking the building two floors down.
There was a point, many years ago, when I thought of taking on the Cerwin Vega! franchise and selling them under the concept of 'Hi Infidelity"
Is there anything more engaging for modest pop music than a CW 15" loudspeaker? :)
I was toying with the idea of buying some of the big ones but the nearest dealer is in Belgium (or Germany, I forget which). So you'd have the land to yourself :)
They are fun and don't sound like someone banging two dustbin lids together when you whack them up a bit. But they don't do the 'beautiful delicacy' thing so well.
I was toying with the idea of buying some of the big ones but the nearest dealer is in Belgium (or Germany, I forget which). So you'd have the land to yourself :)
They are fun and don't sound like someone banging two dustbin lids together when you whack them up a bit. But they don't do the 'beautiful delicacy' thing so well.
That is SO true... Fun before fidelity...
And what's wrong with that?:lol:
Rgds
Mark
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