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March 18, 2008 - 4:20pm
#1
Turning it up - does it sound better, and is it dangerous for your system?
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Within reason, it shouldn't be a problem. If you're concerned, you can take the grilles off and check for excessive cone excursion. Your amplifier is of high quality, and you said it wasn't audibly clipping, so you should be fine.
Turn it up, enjoy.
Way too loud can be bad for ears, and speakers, but enjoyable rocking loud is fine.
I somehow think its more dangerous to your hearing than your system. Get an SPL meter and measure, its better to be safe than to be sorry. Lots of resources on safe listening levels on the net.
Does it sound better? My friends who listen loud do seem to think so. Although I would argue that they are incapable of listening to anything that is not loud. BTW I am one of those rare fixed volume listeners. The correct volume for me is when you are able to hear the softest passages in classical music. This is where my volume level has stayed and no matter what the recording level is I don't turn it up or down unless those friends of mine who listen loud say "can play louder?". Since my volume control is in dBs playing louder typically means 10dB above my normal listening volume. If you must know its still well within the safe listening levels.
Yes, you need to turn it up. So long as you're not hearing distortion then you're unlikely to hurt your speakers.
Dave