Hello, I got some time to do some more testing on this and I found that for the kind of music I make/listen (electroacoustic) a level of 77dB(C) feels right to me. I tested with some known good recordings that where hitting around 0 to +3 in the loudest parts, using Jkmeter as a K-14 level, and then adjusted the monitors gain to a comfortable level and used jnoise (pink) to measure the level. Cheers, Hector On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 5:58 PM, Fons Adriaensen <fons@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 08:06:56AM -0400, Hector Centeno wrote: > >> I've been using the excellent Jkmeter for a few weeks. Recently I gt >> hold of a SPL meter so using Jnoise I was able to calibrate the >> speakers volume to the suggested 83db(C). Similar to what Steven >> mentioned in his email, to me that sound level felt very uncomfortable >> (way too high) so following my perception (and without using Jkmeter) >> I started mixing everything way too low (I confirmed this after >> playing one of my pieces at a electroacoustic music concert setup). So >> I'm also wondering, did I misunderstood something or I'm just too >> sensitive? Is my SPL meter not working (it's a new and made by a >> Galaxy Audio)? > > You're at least to third user to report that 83 dB(C) is > quite loud... Don't blame me - I didn't invent this figure ! > > I guess that if Bob Katz specifies this level, this may > reflect the quite high monitoring levels that are common > in commercial 'pop' studios. If you feel it is too high > there is IMHO no reason why you shouldn't adopt a lower > level as standard. The importing thing IMHO is to use a > *fixed* level. Play some music that you are familiar with, > adjusting the output level to indicate just above 0 dB on > the K-meter on the loudest parts. Adjust the volume control > to a level that feels right for you. Then, without touching > the volume control, output pink noise indicating 0 dB on the > K-meter, and measure the SPL. Write down this value so you > can revert to it later, even if the volume control has been > moved. > > I'd be interested to know what sort of SPL levels you > adopt, along with the type of music you are listening > to. > >> Does the existent room noise (computer fans, street >> noise leaking through the window, measuring around 50dBC) >> significantly affects the measurement? > > That's 30 dB down, it won't have any impact on the > measured level at 83 dB(C). > > Note that if you are monitoring at say 75 dB for high > level signals, and the background level is 50 dB, the > way you handle the softer parts of any any recording > may be biased by the presence of this background noise, > i.e. you could - unconsciously - be reducing the dynamic > range of your recording. Assuming of course the type > of music you record has any dynamic range at all... > > Ciao, > > -- > FA > > Laboratorio di Acustica ed Elettroacustica > Parma, Italia > > Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa. > > _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.linuxaudio.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-audio-user
