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tim-405 t1_iwdfkts wrote

Most music is mastered at “reference level” meaning around 85db c weighted, if you are significant below that the tonal balance of the music isn’t correct anymore due to the equal loudness curves of our hearing; meaning that if you listen at lower sound levels the earphone should have significant more bass and highs to compensate for lack of volume; meaning how we perceive the level of bass and treble is not the same at different sound levels. It thus has nothing to do with blasting your ears but more with not listening at proper reference volumes and thus potentially misjudging the device under test.

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hhafez t1_iwdined wrote

Curious to know why it's 85db c weighted and not a?

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tim-405 t1_iwdlke7 wrote

It's from this paper https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=19436 , so one may take a look there, I personally wouldn't know exactly why. The general point is that if you are far (i.e. 20+db like crin) below or above ~80db you are essentially not listening to the sound as intended and may miss either bass or highs. The itu standard (ITU-R BS.1116-3) states 78 dBA, maybe they have a better (open) explanation? https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-BS.1116/en

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