Onkyo question - volume control

[crazy]

I'm curious to know at what volume levels do you need to play for it to sound nice and loud given a regular home theater setup.

I'm using a Polk Audio Monitor setup (Monitor 50's, 30's, etc.) with a Onkyo TX-SR603X receiver. My room is quite small (around 24 x 36 ft)

I need to play at around 60% (volume level 60) volume for it to sound loud and at around volume level 70 for it to really scream.

On the flip side, if I put that volume to around 30, there is virtually no sound from the speakers.

My friend who uses a Denon said that when he puts his receiver at level 3 (out of 10), it is loud enough to wake up the neighbours.

Why this discrepency?

[F1nut]

I'm not sure I have a definitive answer for you, but a 24x36 room is HUGE. It takes more power to fill a larger room, so that may be the difference. Another difference would be the volume scale used by the respective makers and then you have the efficiency rating of the speakers.

I seriously doubt that are actually running 60-70% volume level as that would be well into major clipping range.

[disneyjoe7]

I take that you're using Absolute view for Volume, if you used that myself than around 70 is sweet 82 will ROCK the house. In Relative 82 is Ref is 72 absolute is -10 in relative view.

So 60-70 is ok with me..

[crazy]

I take that you're using Absolute view for Volume, if you used that myself than around 70 is sweet 82 will ROCK the house. In Relative 82 is Ref is 72 absolute is -10 in relative view.

So 60-70 is ok with me..

I'm not sure I understand the difference between absolute view and relative view - how do you switch between the 2? I'll take a quick look at the user manual today.

[disneyjoe7]

Setup from there set for advance menu from there it's Preference / Volume Setup / Volume Display / Relative or Absolute..

Well it's how is works on TX DS898 which I believe should be like the 901 model today.

But I'll re-state your 70's is ok with me seems safe.

[masanz1]

I listen to my Onkyo 601 at anywhere between 53 and 62 for movies. 62 will draw complaints from my kids. Room size 12x15

[danger boy]

60 for pleasant listening.. 70 when it's cranked and is very loud..

[disneyjoe7]

Well it's the room size also and or the speakers in use that will determine the volume setting.

[aaharvel]

when you want to have more impact, turn it up.
when you start to get ear fatigue, turn it down.

Judging by a number on the reciever is for anal retentives. Use your ears.
On that note I like to keep my H/K on -27db. between the hours of 11am and 9pm. ;)

[Dennis Gardner]

My room is quite small (around 24 x 36 ft)

Crazy,

You must be a huge person to consider this room quite small........

[aaharvel]

or just crazy.. :p

[F1nut]

I'd like to point out, as it doesn't seem obvious to some, that the "volume level 60" does not mean it's equal to 60% of the total volume level.

[gregure]

First of all, that really is a large room, especially for Polk Monitors and a sub-par amp like the 603. Ok for movies, but terrible for music.
First of all, 60-70 is not literally the percent volume of the receiver's output. Notice the difference from 0-40 seems like varying degrees of quiet, but then 50-60 is a huge jump? The increments of volume increase exponentially in the higher numbers, so there is more play at lower volume. Once it starts getting loud, even a notch or two can make a big difference, but 0-20 is almost no difference. I have Polk Rti's, and when I first got them, I ran them on an Onkyo 701 in a tiny bedroom, around 8x10, if that. I would usually crank movies to 55 or 60 in that tiny room.

The problem is you have such a large room, that by the time you get the volume you're going after, you're probably getting close to distortion, and your ears start complaining. If you want to drive those speakers right, a better receiver, or a separate amp would do. You need headroom, and the ability to turn up the volume without distortion. A good receiver like Pioneer Elite VSX74TXVi or a Marantz 8500, which uses a transformer, gives you lots of headroom and clean, open sound. Plus the ability to turn it up loud and have the unrestricted current you need to get proper dynamics in music. After being spoiled with my B&K receiver, it's very difficult to recommend lesser units, as almost every single Japanese reciever out there is current limited and sounds like **** for music. Expect to spend $1500+ if you want a kickass amp in a receiver for music. Starting with a decent two-channel amp would be less expensive, and a good start, but the preamp in the Onkyo 603 isn't anything to jump up and down about either.

Decent performance for movies isn't too hard to achieve, even from a sub $1000 receiver, but for music you need a lot more power.

Realistically, you're not overdriving your amp at 60-70 volume. But are you getting excellent musical results? Probably not.

[disneyjoe7]

I'd like to point out, as it doesn't seem obvious to some, that the "volume level 60" does not mean it's equal to 60% of the total volume level.

You're right, and would add using the "On Screen Display" have all my Video going to my Onk. The 60 is displayed at 1/3 of volume where reference level is displayed as 2/3 volume. Also using the Relative mode Onk's goes to +18db (which I would never recommand going to) where Ref is 0 db.