Quote Originally Posted by Quinn
The idea of 0 as reference is that you calibrated your system to 0 being reference level of 85dB or 75 dB whichever you subscribe to as being reference level.
Quinn - good explaination. Dodgerblue - as an example, I have set up my H/K receiver to be at 70 dB's (give or take a decible) with each speaker using an analog SPL from Radio Shack. I did it via DVD and my digital connection with the receiver setting at -27. So theortically, at -27 my system will play a DVD at 70 db's. However, in actuality it varies as it is each speaker - one at a time, that I have calibrated, with my sub running a little bit hot. With all of the speakers firing it is louder than 70 db's at -27, though again it varies depending on the source material. This is why I normally run it around -30. So, when I go to -10, I've added 17 dB's in volume or 87 dB's total - to EACH speaker which is much too loud in my room for most material. Hope this makes sense (I'm afraid I'm not very good at explaining things like this at times) but it's the best way I can describe it. I could calibrate at 0, but it would be in the 95 db range at that point for each speaker which is much too loud in my room. You also have to take into account room gain - but that's a totally different subject