[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by jnieman

i too have a problem with the volume. I have sensitive ears because it doesn't bother my husband. It seems to me it is the previews of the action movies that have the highest volume. Sometimes the volume in the action movies is so high i can hear it booming in the theater next door. I bring ear plugs also.

you are 100% correct. The previews are somewhat louder than the feature film but both are much too loud. I too have heard the sounds from the adjacent movie.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

dangerously loud? Monitoring movie theater volume | austin news & weather | austin texas, round rock, tx | kxan.com

thanks gracie, the facts are that the movie managers are contributing to our hearing loss. When your ears hurt from the volume, it is simply too loud.

[Villager Audio Video]

Movies are mixed and played back to a very specific standard called reference level. 85db average and 105db for low frequency effects. Maximum sound pressure levels are 105 and 115 for LFE. It's pretty loud but then again so are plane crashes. There is lots of dynamic range in movie soundtracks. The difference in sound pressure levels between a whisper and a gunshot is just like you would experience outside the theater. Many people who watch TV and movies at home through their TV speakers are shocked because there gear at home could never play the wide frequency response or dynamic range typically played back by high end audio systems.

[butterfly sue]

One time last year we went to the Rialto and the sound was way too high. I couldn't even hear my husband talking next to me. I sent him out to complain which he did. Nothing was done. So sent him out again and was told the sound was OK. He said no and hubby was so angry he called the guy nuts. This is out of the ordinary for my hubby. When next people arrived and noticed, we told them to complain as we had already with no results. I think it took two more people to complain and it was turned down. If it wasn't, we would have left because it was that bad. This is above the normal loudness of the movies. If we go to action movies, we take earplugs. With the speaker checks, the movie makers want you to "experience" the movies. It hasn't been that bad since that one time.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by thevillagesav.com;85***4

movies are mixed and played back to a very specific standard called reference level. 85db average and 105db for low frequency effects. Maximum sound pressure levels are 105 and 115 for lfe. It's pretty loud but then again so are plane crashes. There is lots of dynamic range in movie soundtracks. The difference in sound pressure levels between a whisper and a gunshot is just like you would experience outside the theater. Many people who watch tv and movies at home through their tv speakers are shocked because there gear at home could never play the wide frequency response or dynamic range typically played back by high end audio systems.

are movie owners and managers advised what a safe volume level should be. I sincerely believe that if a person was exposed to the volume level i experienced at the rialto yesterday, it would cause a severe loss of hearing.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by TheVillagesAV.com;85***4

Movies are mixed and played back to a very specific standard called reference level. 85db average and 105db for low frequency effects. Maximum sound pressure levels are 105 and 115 for LFE. It's pretty loud but then again so are plane crashes. There is lots of dynamic range in movie soundtracks. The difference in sound pressure levels between a whisper and a gunshot is just like you would experience outside the theater. Many people who watch TV and movies at home through their TV speakers are shocked because there gear at home could never play the wide frequency response or dynamic range typically played back by high end audio systems.

I CHECKED SEVERAL MEDICAL REFERENCES FOR SAFE SOUND LEVELS. HERE IS WHAT I FOUND. ANYTHING ABOVE 85 DECIBELS, EVEN FOR SHORT PERIODS CAN CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING LOSS. YOUR COMMENT VERIFIES THAT EVEN THE AVERAGE SOUND LEVEL OF 85Db'S WE ARE EXPOSED TO WHEN ATTENDING MOVIES, CAN CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING LOSS. SO WHY DO MOVIE THEATERS DO THIS TO US ?????? IN ADDITION, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR "PLANE CRASHES" EXAMPLE. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO IS EXPOSED TO PLANE CRASHES FOR TWO HOURS AT A TIME??? THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENT..

[Villager Audio Video]

OSHA allows 90db, 8 hours a day unprotected.

I have a sound pressure meter, if someone wants to measure the peak volume in these movie theaters, I'll be happy to let you borrow it.

I calibrate multi channel audio systems to reference level standards daily. Ever wonder what the negative volume numbers values (ie -20) on a reciever means? 0db is reference. So - 20 is 20 dB down from reference meaning 65db averaged and peaks to 85db. With that said, you never get near theoretical peak volume with most recordings. They are generally much lower.

[CassieInVa]

I agree. Im 57 and have no hearing problem, but Ive been miserable in a few movies lately. The last time at TV. DH went to tell the Mgr., but volume wasn't lowered. It is one of the reasons Ive started waiting until they are available to watch from home. It just isn't fun when it hurts your ears. I wonder why movies are getting louder - they didn't used to be.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by thevillagesav.com

osha allows 90db, 8 hours a day unprotected.

I have a sound pressure meter, if someone wants to measure the peak volume in these movie theaters, i'll be happy to let you borrow it.

I calibrate multi channel audio systems to reference level standards daily. Ever wonder what the negative volume numbers values (ie -20) on a reciever means? 0db is reference. So - 20 is 20 db down from reference meaning 65db averaged and peaks to 85db. With that said, you never get near theoretical peak volume with most recordings. They are generally much lower.

i filly realize you are someone who has experience in audio systems and i appreciate your input. I have no information as to how high the decibels were in that movie. I wish i would have had the means to measure the sound level. I would not be surprised if it was well above athe level considered safe. Let me end by saying the sound level actually was painful to the ear. I was sitting in the far back of the theater and was able to observe others who were placing their hands over their ears. This tells me it was just to loud for comfort. God bless !!

[Villager Audio Video]

Alot of times that has more to do with inadequate playback equipment than actual sound pressure level. If you run out of amplifier power and clip the signal, the distortion can be painful. Reference level is LOUD! I never listen up there @ Home for more that a minute or two and that's just for demo purposes. 10-12db below reference is more volume than most need.