crossover for 340SE L/R

[curtis]

So what is "really loud"? I dont own an SPL meter, but i do have a H/K receiver (AVR 140). For me, a sweet spot loud setting is when i set the receiver to -15db. Any louder than that, starts to hurt a little.

So, standing about 10 feet away from the speakers, what kind of decibels am i looking at with a -15db reading on my H/K receiver using Logic 7 (crossed over to a VTF-2 balanced with the speakers using the test tones)?

Azanon

Every receiver is different, as is every room.....so you can't really guess. The -15dB number is arbitrary and does not correlate to any set power standard.

How do you calibrate your speakers without a meter?

[azanon]

How do you calibrate your speakers without a meter?

By setting in the listening position using the test tones. Oddly enough, after i set the correct distances for my various speakers from the listening position (10 feet for front F/L, 6feet for surrounds), I didnt have to make any adjustments to the default sound level for each speaker. I can tell the difference between 1db of sound without much difficulty.

I imagine if i had an SPL meter, i might be off by up to 1db, but if i cant tell the difference using the white noise with my nakid ear, i dont really see how i can tell a difference listening to music either.

Now i will admit it is a lot more difficult for me to compare the white noise coming out of the sub. But since i dont like it too loud anyway, i'm perfectly fine with setting it to a level i'm comfortable with, and not necessarily balanced with the other speakers.
.....

I know every receiver is different, but i doubt the respective H/K receivers are that far off from each other. Even the ones having different wattage, "should" put out the same level at a particular setting. I would think the manufacturing process would ensure that they're all relatively comparable, at least for current year models (like AVR x40 series).

The main difference though would be the speakers, so i'm asking specifically for CBM-170s L/R, if anyone has a H/K and front CBM-170s. After this friday though, it'll be 340se's

[curtis]

I think wattages would make a different. 1% of 70 watts is different than 1% of 50 watts. If the volume control has the same loudness for every model, that would mean the power output throughout the range of the control is the same.

I agree with you, the SPL meter is most useful for setting the sub.

[azanon]

1% of 70 watts is different than 1% of 50 watts

Not near as much as those numbers might intuitively apply. Different by maybe 3db at most. As i'm sure you know, it takes 10 times the wattage to produce twice the volume of sound. But if i was guessing, I bet H/K did levelize the volumes even among those that have different wattage; just the higher wattage ones will go to a higher setting before clipping.

I"m just wanting a ballpark idea though.