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how loud is your stereo system?
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 6:27 pm
by tribalman
after a discussion on how loud we think our cars are, one of my co-workers brought their dB meter into work and afterwards we tested it out. using some rap song in both cars we checked the peak dB of our cars. I got 131.1dB and he peaked at 131.2 dB. i am running a 12" polk audio on a 400 watt amp. i'm not sure what he has in his, but i am pretty sure he has 2 12's and a 1k watt amp. just goes to show you don't need lots of power to get a loud system. also i thought in mine the sound was crisper. but that is personal choice. what are you all running and how loud does your setup get?for some reference, 90 dBA lawn mower, truck traffic, hair dryer 100 dBA chain saw 140 dBA gunshot blast, jet plane at takeoffhehe, looking up online for those stats states that that anything over 130 dB will cause permanent hearing loss. good thing i've had bad hearing since i was 5!
Re: how loud is your stereo system? (tribalman)
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:07 am
by Mavrik
thats pretty cool lol. I always wondered but never had the chance to test.
Re: how loud is your stereo system? (tribalman)
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:02 am
by silver_vibe
Quote, originally posted by tribalman »...90 dBA lawn mower, truck traffic, hair dryer...you have a hair dryer that's as loud as a lawn mower?! Is that a Tim Allen hair dryer?
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:14 am
by Sublimewind
Once you hit your upper limit on volume, it will require 100w of power to increase 3db from that point on.... Also, not all Db meters are the same, the ones used for car audio competition are specialized to that, and they are different between general RTA (real time analizer) and SPL, the mic placement is different and so on.... But for a general idea, the one used i'm sure was sufficent... People doing SPL drags (sound pressure level) are hitting 170db..... and only using 80kw.... lolIt's rather non-linear...but quite interesting
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:21 am
by audiovibe
I was pulling a 147... with a single 12" digital design 2512, the box was 3.5 ft3 tuned to 40hz off a termlab sensor. I never metered my rockford 10 but Id say over 120. Now Im using a elemental designs sq10 10" sub and do 131.7-132.4 depending on the temp and humidity.Aron
Re: how loud is your stereo system? (tribalman)
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:01 am
by scott_h
I own a signal meter for calibrating my home theater, but rap will never be played in my cars, so I guess we'll never know.
Re: how loud is your stereo system? (scott_h)
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:20 pm
by tribalman
it doesn't need to be rap. just something bassy. hehe, i hate to say i know this, but try avirl lavine in your car. it is very bassy. i blame my sister for that knowledge. darn passengers demanding their music be played!!
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:00 pm
by Sublimewind
Hmmm Dave Mathews, Under the Table and Dreaming is one of the better SQ albums i've used for SPL... excellent production, amazing range and wikkid bass Just a thought..
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:14 am
by audiovibe
I dont think Ive ever metered without a DB Jamz C.D. or a bass mechanic cd. Im not as big into hip hop as I used to be eitheir, but I do still listen to some but mostly some alternative or classic rock now. But ot has me thinking mabye Ill meter it with some Jack Johnson or norah Jones just for giggles.