Are shows typically TOO loud in general?

[light-man]

Speaking from a mainly live music perspective. In our (smallish, -400 capacity) venue, we do a series of checks with a calibrated dB meter, at various points in the auditorium. Readings are logged by the Duty Manager and then confirmed with one of the technicians.

 

If there's any issues, the FoH (whether it be in house or touring) engineer is asked to bring it down below the limit imposed by our policy, which is in-line with the local authority's policy. Without wanting to sound bias to our own in-house team, I've only ever witnessed engineers being asked to lower the levels twice, both times they were touring engineers.

 

If there's an issue with volume levels (which isn't a regular occurrence, just to be clear!), to be brutally honest, its usually a single member of the audience who has complained rather than above-policy SPLs.

 

Our rig (an Adlib installation, about 12 years old now, but still going strong) has side fills toward the rear of the auditorium, close to the mixing position due to the shape of the room (its a Victorian theatre, with the FoH mixing position under the balcony towards the back - probably not the best really!). A lot of visiting engineers ask for these to be turned off, but that often results in a much louder sound towards the front than when the fills are active. I'm pretty sure this has some relation to engineers pushing the levels to suit them sat at the FoH mixing position, but I suppose it could be a coincidence.

[kerry davies]

Durham Events has hit the nail on the head. Crap systems amplify the noise which a hi-spec system does not so they turn it up and up looking for that noise when playing a good set up.

 

Years ago I set up an L'Acoustics rig manned by experts opposite a sound sytem of highly dubious provenance. The sound system guys claimed that their rig was louder than ours yet were puzzled when they walked 15 metres from it and only heard the L'Acoustics some 50 metres away.

Not "louder" but "noisier" and some hi-spec systems are useless for playing such music as "Dub". Too "clean".

[RustyBrooks]

and some hi-spec systems are useless for playing such music as "Dub". Too "clean".

 

Its all in the crossover ratios... L-Acoustics, J Series, they all do Dub very very well, you just need more subs ;)

[MikeDennis]

Agree with everything Durhamevents has said there. The mind boggles as to what it actually is about the music DJs are playing that they like. It's a bit like the desire to harm ears is a pre-requisite for a lot of the DJs in my venue.

[RumbleO]

Agree with everything Durhamevents has said there. The mind boggles as to what it actually is about the music DJs are playing that they like. It's a bit like the desire to harm ears is a pre-requisite for a lot of the DJs in my venue.

IMHO many audience are unaware that the excitement they experience from too-loud music is the adrenaline rush as their body reacts to the onset of damage at the threshold of pain.