Video Asylum

Posted by bmar (A) on January 06, 2002 at 20:29:09

In Reply to: Come again posted by bstan on January 06, 2002 at 10:11:43:

Hi,

I may be off base here, but consider this. the amp has no idea how well the speaker are using the power it gives out. at least my denon has no place to input that data into it. so i would guess that the sound levels the amp is associating with -10, -20 or -30 is output wattage to a generic most popular type of speaker environment.
this post started out with people talking about listening at at -10 and -20. I have a 17 x 15 x 9 room with two large opening to adjacent rooms. I listen to most movies at -30 to -35 this gives me spl of 85 plus higher peaks. i turn the amp up to -20 to -25 to show some one an effect or something but this is around 100db! a bit strong for just listening.
ok so the point, the speaker playing this are 102db efficient JBL theater speakers. now when i hook up my old nasty speakers that also have 15" woofer and are 3way. I'm turning up the wolume to -15 to -20 to achieve the same sound, noise, affects.
unless the amp/receiver has an input funtion or can know how efficient the speaker is. the reference is just that, a reference.
thats why we sit on the couch with an spl meter, because we need to tune everything alike. and also why the first recommendation you get from any home theater speaker sales is your speakers have to match, and be able to work together so fornts dont overpower centers or surrounds and vice versa.
just my thoughts.......

Bill