What is Reference Volume?

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by sinister184

lol no its more like this

That is a pretty sexy look.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by sinister184

lol no its more like this

She better quit that nonsense and go make me a sammich

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by Sir Terrence

The ambient noise levels in theaters are much lower than in the home. Much lower!

By design, yes, but not with teenagers and other dillholes jabbering and snickering the whole time. That's why I watch movies more and more at home instead of at the theater.

Thank you for clarifying the reference levels for near field and far field testing. That sounds more like what I remember reading, including calibrating at 75 dbl for home systems.

[Sir Terrence]

Originally Posted by kingofgrills

By design, yes, but not with teenagers and other dillholes jabbering and snickering the whole time. That's why I watch movies more and more at home instead of at the theater.

When measuring ambient levels, you do it with no people in the auditorium.

[GoYanks]

What would be the reference volume for an onkyo 605?

About 65 for lossless and 70 of lossy?

[haste]

Originally Posted by GoYanks

What would be the reference volume for an onkyo 605?

About 65 for lossless and 70 of lossy?

lossy for me is 82

lossless im guessing is around 78

[srrndhound]

Originally Posted by Squozen

Reference level is the level at which a film was mixed to be listened back.

This is correct.

Originally Posted by Ubermod

SPL is relative. In calibrated movie theaters, the SPL should be measured at 85db white noise at 50ft from the screen. If you were to sit closer, it would be above 85db. Likewise, in your home 85db at 6ft wouldn't be the same on your AVR as 85db at 15ft. So, yes you need to use a meter. Play white noise at 85db and remember that AVR volume setting. Then playback a movie at that volume. Careful because it could be painful for you and/or your equipment.

Aside from using an SPL meter, you need to use a noise test signal with a known modulation level. In home AVRs, the internal level generators are set at –30 dBFS, which would correspond to 75 dB SPL. Many AVRs are designed such that rather than displaying some arbitrary “0-11” value for the volume control, they actually read out in dB relative to reference level. This is especially true of THX compliant products, wherein reference level (0 dB) is 85 dB SPL when playing their -20 dBFS test signal.

If you use the noise from a test disc or PC, you must first determine what level that noise is recorded, and that the player and interconnect means is not altering the level, or else you cannot know how loud it should be played.

Also, I’d recommend not using wideband noise (either pink or white) as the SPL meter will not accurately represent the loudness due to frequency errors in the extreme bass region. THX and Dolby designed their noise cal signals with narrow spectra for this reason.

As far as playback levels go, y’all are correct that reference level at home is perceived to be louder than in a theater. Tom Holman did an informal survey of users with calibrated THX home theaters. He found the average playback level for movies was –10 dB. Don't be afraid to play below "reference."

Originally Posted by rogman

Another factor is your speakers. Speakers with a higher resistance won't play as loud as those with lower resistance. In my upstairs 'mini theater' normal volume for movies is about -35 to -30. In the basement theater (granted much larger room) with tower speakers, we watch movies at around -18 to -20.

The ability for a speaker to play loudly is not strictly dependent on its resistance (or impedance). It has to do with many other aspects of its physical design.

What you seem to be describing here is speaker efficiency—one of your sets plays louder than the other with the same drive level. If you were to calibrate master volume controls on both systems using the AVR’s internal facilities, you would find that both would have the same loudness at the same reading on the volume control.

Originally Posted by Sir Terrence

I think many here are mixing some things up here. Reference level is 105db at 0db FSD. For the home this is based on a 75db calibration level. The theaters use 85db as a calibration level, and reference levels are still 105db because it must account for the X-curve EQ applied during playback, and far field listening. The level for the home is lower based on near field listening, and the overall volume of the room and the lack of the X-curve EQ.

The home reference level of 75 dB (-30dBFS) was arbitrarily selected by Dolby as it was a good match to the average loudness of movie soundtracks—in other words, if someone was listening to a movie at a comfortable volume, then switched on the noise signal, it would not be so loud as to scare them or cause a jump for the volume control. I suspect the theatrical signal of –20 dBFS came into wide use since –20 dB FS is also “0VU” or “0dBr” so it was quite convenient. These calibration level differences between home and theater have nothing to do with the X-curve, or near/far field issues.

[timcat4843]

Originally Posted by rogman

In my upstairs 'mini theater' normal volume for movies is about -35 to -30.

My "reference volume level setting" in my small home theater is -34.0db.

[timcat4843]

Originally Posted by srrndhound

Tom Holman did an informal survey of users with calibrated THX home theaters.
He found the average playback level for movies was –10 dB.

WOW!!!
-10db is way to loud for a small home theater like mine.
That would make my ears bleed.

[solarrdadd]

i have mine set to between 55 & 60 on my volume indicator on my 5507 pre-amp. don't remember if it's relative or absolute either. it does not show db i.e. -10 and i have mine set so that as the volume gets louder the numbers go up. again, i can't remember which scale it is but that makes it easier for everyone to understand when looking at the system.

i'll see what 60 is at the other scale when i get home since i can switch between the two and it will show the value for that figure in the other scale.

55-60 depending on the mix given is perfect for us. again, sometimes the movie is mixed at such a high level i have to turn it down to 50.

[MrFattBill]

I have mine calibrated with "0" being 75dB and I watch between -15dB & -20dB on the dial, which is PLENTY loud in the sealed space

Bill

[timcat4843]

Originally Posted by MrFattBill

I have mine calibrated with "0" being 75dB and I watch between -15dB & -20dB on the dial, which is PLENTY loud in the sealed space

Bill

Bill what's your favorite demo disc?

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by timcat4843

Bill what's your favorite demo disc?

I do love the opening sequence in Master & Commander for an all around demo (sounded like someone was walking on the top of the garage). I found the LFE in the final scene of "Quantum of Solace" to be SPECTACULAR as well as "Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2". With the addition of the new sub's I am starting to go back and watch things again. Of course once I finally do the room treatments I will need to watch them again....poor me

Bill

[js666]

Originally Posted by MrFattBill

I have mine calibrated with "0" being 75dB and I watch between -15dB & -20dB on the dial, which is PLENTY loud in the sealed space

Bill

Same here.

[solarrdadd]

my system calibrated with Audyssey and using absolute (not the drink ) i watch movies between 50 & 60.

absolute relative

50 = -32db
55 = -27db
60 = -22db

82 = 0.0db



i would be so afraid to watch anything at 82 absolute! 60 is as loud as i can take it and sometimes i have to turn it down to 55!

movies vary depending on the level they are mastered at. some movies 50 is plenty and some 55 to 60 is where they need to be.

i get plenty of impact and quality from movie soundtracks and music and well mixed SACD/DSD i only need 40 absolute!

it has been really interesting to see what some of you guys have your volume set to for sound. i don't think there is any right or wrong. well that's not true because hearing can be damaged and lost.

i may be a long way off from reference level volumes but in this place 50 to 60 is the absolute magic range!

[progers13]

Wow...either you guys like it soft, or I'm hard of hearing

0 = 85 on my system
I watch at -12 or -8 depending on the dial norm value

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by progers13

Wow...either you guys like it soft, or I'm hard of hearing

0 = 85 on my system
I watch at -12 or -8 depending on the dial norm value

I think I just saw a ghost HOW IS IT GOING PAUL?

Bill

[progers13]

Originally Posted by MrFattBill

I think I just saw a ghost HOW IS IT GOING PAUL?

Bill

Hey Bill. How are you buddy? Did I see you got some new subs?

[Audiophile_At_Birth]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

my system calibrated with Audyssey and using absolute (not the drink )

Absolut is my choice of Vodka...I know...I have a cheap flavor

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by progers13

Hey Bill. How are you buddy? Did I see you got some new subs?

I sure did and I couldn't be happier.

Bill