Improves the sound. How? No idea actually.
As an experiment, I left a tablet running dB Soundmeter during R3 Essential Classics this morning. For various reasons I often sit off centre and about 1.2 metre from one speaker. Graham Audio LS5/9.
I got minimum 27 dB, max 59 dB and average 44dB.
The amp has a mute button that does not completely remove the sound. I have been known to mute for a phone call and forget to return to normal. I just experimented with that. Playing a Johnny Cash compilation, average at 45 dB, with mute on, minimum 12 dB, max 34 dB and average 23dB.
Itās not serious listening, background, company. Just enough bass for the beat/rhythm.
On an earlier thread, I recommended going active, which is what my main system delivers. However, I often listen at low sound levels when Iām in bed; the winter bedroom has built in ceiling speakers that do a reasonable job, but the best solution by far is in the summer bedroom where I have a pair of Mk1 Linn Kans.
Iām not familiar with that app - does it allow you to āzeroā it in the room when nothing playing? If not the bottom end of your above readings seems suspect - what does your room read with nothing playing?
I have Falcon LS3/5As - theyāre good, from very quiet to surprisingly loud, with good bass performance.
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Nice setup MikeD
I think that like all these apps they are indicators rather than real measurement tools.
I have changed both phone and tablet since comparing the app with a Umik and REW. It was at that time that I ditched Decibel X as installed on a Motorola phone it had the largest variation.
Sat in the living room, nothing switched onā¦
Iāve just installed it on my phone for comparison -
Db Soundmeter, Samsung tablet 14 dB
Db Soundmeter, Samsung phone 17 dB
Decibel X, Samsung phone 39 dB
Then our neighbour arrived home, started his Bobcat working at installing a driveway.
Closed windows and curtains
Db Soundmeter both 44 dB
Decibel X 66 dB
Bosch iVNH 54 dB
Whether any of them is near correct I donāt know. I missed a bit out of the original post, as well as giving my interpretation of low level, the fact that for me the LS5/9s work adequately, I was trying to point out that with distraction or sheer forgetfulness, 23 dB compared to 44 dB can be listenable.
I havenāt had the graph sent through yet, but I saw audiology yesterday, my hearing is normal to about 1.2k then falls off so is deficient in the sibilance zone, effectively very little somewhere between 4 and 6k and above.
Doesnāt stop me enjoying music though.
Beat me to it. Cant beat a decent pair of can.
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Second HICAP DR on the way as soon as I can locate a pre-loved, but theyāre as rare as hens teeth at the moment.
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I am a low volume, nearfield listener. I own Graham Audio LS5/9 BBC Monitors and Graham Audio/Chartwell LS3/5 BBC Monitors. I am very happy with both sets of speakers.
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This might answer a lot of questionsā¦
Yeah I know. The HiCapDr is such a versatile piece.
Thatās my experience, too, particularly with ATCās passive speakers.
Roger
Those Soundmeter figures donāt seem credible unless you live somewhere incredibly quiet, and with triple glazing to keep out birdsong (or your forum identity has scared the birds away!)ā¦ I would expect quiet room in a quiet neighbourhood to be more like the mid 20s, and many domestic rooms to be closer to 30, maybe mid 30s in an urban area. 39 does seem a little on the high side, but I think not that uncommon for many a living room (without TV or radio on). This based both on published data and reflecting back to when I had some involvement in noise testing.
Thereās a bit more to not disturbing others at night than just volume. I have two systems in rooms downstairs. One has floor standing ATC speakers and the other little Acoustic Energy stand-mounts. Both are active. If I play them at what I perceive to be the same volume and then go round the upstairs rooms, the sound from the big system is much more noticeable than the small system. I presume this is mainly because it goes much lower and the lower frequencies are more readily transmitted between rooms.
So, if minimising disturbance is the main goal, small speakers with limited bass could be the way to go and thereās lots to choose from. But perhaps they would limit enjoyment for normal daytime listening. As with so much in domestic hifi itās a matter of compromise.
As a left-field suggestion, I wonder if using small speakers combined with a subwoofer that could be turned off for late night listening might fit the bill?
Roger
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Small speakers and a sub has worked well for me. I used an N-Sub and saved a few different profiles which you can select with the remote, one of which was a very low gain setting which I used when I didnāt want to disturb others.
Far more effective, though, is an old house with thick stone internal walls, so if my wife wants an early night I have no need to restrict the volume.
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It can be quiet, especially when school is out and the neighbours away. The reason I went to audiology for review was realising I donāt hear the birds so well any more. With the windows closed, the only ones I am aware of are seagulls when they get into a scrap with magpies.
Iām happy that without calibrating, the only use is for comparison. Typically, dearly belovedās new Meaco silent fan really is silent, but with doors open, the dishwasher raises background noise by 5 dB. Until I get hearing aids, I am happy that I cannot hear it. For that comparison, itās not really scientific, but if the phone says 14 to 19 or 23 to 28, I still get 5. For me it just highlights that phone and tablet microphones are neither consistent or accurate.
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Thanks all. Has anyone had experience with Fyne. I wonder if the high sensitivity helps at low volumes. Although that doesnāt necessarily guarantee the bass keeps up with the midrange and the midrange sounds full and free.
It may but you will also be at the peril of limited travel on volume pot and may have a channel imbalance at the bottom of its travelā¦
I see no reason why high sensitivity of a speaker should make a speaker sound better at lower volumes - indeed, if the popular claim that speakers need a bit of drive to get them going is anything to go by the reverse would seem more likely, with low sensitivity speakers enabling more power to be applied for the same sound level.
However the biggest limitation with low volume listening is your earsā reduced sensitivity at frequency extremes, most noticeably at the bottom end.
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