Presonus Eris 3.5 - how loud can I go?

[garrettendi]

I use these “monitors” to hear my MIDI keyboard playing a grand piano. I’ve been afraid to go past 70db but it’s just too quiet!

I’ve turned them up such that a loud piano sound goes to 80db and that’s a much better volume for me.

Is is this bad for the speakers? Can I go louder? The “Peak SPL” is 100db

[ef37a]

I use these “monitors” to hear my MIDI keyboard playing a grand piano. I’ve been afraid to go past 70db but it’s just too quiet!

I’ve turned them up such that a loud piano sound goes to 80db and that’s a much better volume for me.

Is is this bad for the speakers? Can I go louder? The “Peak SPL” is 100db

I bought my son a pair of those speakers G and, despite being an accomplished rock guitarist when he wants to be, he does not like things loud!

However, I sure those speakers will handle 90dB+ They are really just 'cut above' media speakers but I heard a pair in a shop and was very impressed hence the gift to son. Active monitors seem to be extremely reliable otherwise we would read more sob stories in the forum!

BTW, How are you measuring the SPL? You need a C weighting for 'musical' purposes.

Dave.

[garrettendi]

I’m not measuring the peak, that was on the Presonus website.

I’m measuring the volume I’m hearing using the NIOSH app on my phone iPhone about half a metre from each speaker. I don’t have a proper meter at the moment, and the app said just over 80db at its loudest

[ef37a]

I’m not measuring the peak, that was on the Presonus website.

I’m measuring the volume I’m hearing using the NIOSH app on my phone iPhone about half a metre from each speaker. I don’t have a proper meter at the moment, and the app said just over 80db at its loudest

Ah, you can roughly calibrate those phone apps by setting a very quiet room to 25dB C. I have done this with a 'Keuiwisoft' app on my android phne and it agrees pretty well with a C meter I bought some years ago from Maplin.

Dave.

[James Perrett]

Speaker SPLs are normally measured at a distance of 1m so you are being very cautious limiting yourself to 80dB at 0.5m. I'd say that you could easily work with peaks going up to 90dB SPL and possibly higher.

Do the rest of the family complain when you listen at higher levels?

[garrettendi]

Do the rest of the family complain when you listen at higher levels?

Funny you mention that, my wife always says it’s not loud at all, and her hearing is pretty much normal

[Jimmy B]

You may also want to pay attention to your own health and safety. For continous exposure (such as practicing), the recommended noise exposure guidelines are surprisingly low:

https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/loud-noise-dangers/

[garrettendi]

You may also want to pay attention to your own health and safety. For continous exposure (such as practicing), the recommended noise exposure guidelines are surprisingly low:

https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/loud-noise-dangers/

I am actually already 100% Deaf so am fully aware of exposure to loud sounds. My natural hearing cannot get any worse, but I always pay attention to volumes most of the time

[garrettendi]

Quick tidbit here: The speakers are 80db at 0.5m with the UMC204HD at 4 o’clock and the Eris at 1 o’clock. That sounds unusually quiet for such high settings. The master peaks at about +5.

Is there something wrong with my monitors???

[Jimmy B]

Sorry about your hearing. That must be frustrating for a musician.

About the levels: I always leave my monitors (another brand) turned full up, and control the level via my audio interface only.
So long as you can go as loud as you need to, there is no cause for concern. Any fault is more likely to cause distortion than reduced volume.

[garrettendi]

Sorry about your hearing. That must be frustrating for a musician.

About the levels: I always leave my monitors (another brand) turned full up, and control the level via my audio interface only.
So long as you can go as loud as you need to, there is no cause for concern. Any fault is more likely to cause distortion than reduced volume.

Grand I’ll do that! Yes, I use a Cochlear Implant to hear now and unless something goes wrong with that device, my hearing can’t worsen. However, for the sake of my family - especially my young daughter - I usually keep volumes appropriate

[Arpangel]

I’m using my 3.5’s to monitor away from home, for "very" near field use, I like them, and I’ve never experienced volume issues, they go more than loud enough for me, I’m only turning them up to about 11/12 o’clock on the dial, max, they aren’t like little buzzy rattly media speakers, or some other so called mini monitors, as has been said, they are a bit of a cut above.