HDRX 20 (non-scientific) Decibel Levels - Just for Fun

[madhermit]

Update in post 2 with proper measurements.

So I used one of those little signs you see in the back of YouTube videos to measure how loud my HDRX 20 is out of a single 1x12 open back cab with an Alnico Cream.

Yes, this is not scientific at all, but some people may find it interesting.

The mic/sign was about 6 feet back from the speaker, in front. Just strumming chords, but not gently, not crazy hard either. Used a tele with Nocaster 51 bridge pickup.

All controls set at noon was from 112-116 dB Fairly clean tone overall.
Master at noon, Treble and Bass volumes at 8/10. 118-120 dB quite raunchy.
Master, Treble and Bass all at 8/10. 122-124dB. Sounds like an explosion in the room!

This thing in loud.

 

[madhermit]

Update:
I redid measurements with the decibel meter I forgot I had at 1m. In dBA weighted mode.

All controls set at noon was measured from 110 dB. Fairly clean tone overall. I didn’t touch the eq knobs, just volumes.
Master at noon, Treble and Bass volumes at 8/10. 113 dB.
Master, Treble and Bass all at 8/10. 113 dB. Way more compression, seems louder to me.

I wonder if it is all the volume dips in the stumming are now louder, so there are fewer moments of lower volume (between strums) in the sound? if that makes sense. The quieter parts of the strumming are brought up in volume due to the compression.

It’s painful to be near at that volume (8/10 on all volumes).

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

Careful on your ears! That's loud!

Impressive numbers. Way more volume than I need, but it's fun to have that kind of power on tap.

 

[madhermit]

Careful on your ears! That's loud!

Impressive numbers. Way more volume than I need, but it's fun to have that kind of power on tap.

I find it makes me somewhat nauseous when stuff gets that loud. I wore hearing protection during all but the first part with everything at noon.

 

[Bogner]

WOW!

 

[László]

Update:
I redid measurements with the decibel meter I forgot I had at 1m. In dBA weighted mode.

All controls set at noon was measured from 110 dB. Fairly clean tone overall. I didn’t touch the eq knobs, just volumes.
Master at noon, Treble and Bass volumes at 8/10. 113 dB.
Master, Treble and Bass all at 8/10. 113 dB. Way more compression, seems louder to me.

I wonder if it is all the volume dips in the stumming are now louder, so there are fewer moments of lower volume (between strums) in the sound? if that makes sense. The quieter parts of the strumming are brought up in volume due to the compression.

It’s painful to be near at that volume (8/10 on all volumes).

One meter is awfully close!

For every doubling of distance, the volume reaching your ears decreases by 6 db.

The smartest thing you can do is put some distance between yourself and just about any amp. My recording room is about 33 feet long. My amps are at one end, I'm at the other end at my workstation. I can crank things pretty loud, and the distance really helps. Granted, not everyone has a large room, but every additional meter between you and the amp will reduce risk of hearing damage.

 

[madhermit]

One meter is awfully close!

For every doubling of distance, the volume reaching your ears decreases by 6 db.

The smartest thing you can do is put some distance between yourself and just about any amp. My recording room is about 33 feet long. My amps are at one end, I'm at the other end at my workstation. I can crank things pretty loud, and the distance really helps. Granted, not everyone has a large room, but every additional meter between you and the amp will reduce risk of hearing damage.

I did one meter as that is what all the measurments I’ve ever seen are measured at. No other reason that that.

 

[László]

I did one meter as that is what all the measurments I’ve ever seen are measured at. No other reason that that.

Yes, guitar speakers are generally measured for db level, but the distance to the measurement mic is only part of the equation. The other important variables are controlled:

Speaker measurement is done with the amp producing exactly one Watt, in an anechoic chamber.

Unless we're able to measure how many Watts the amp is producing at our settings, and the effects of the room acoustics (for example, the boundary effect from nearby surfaces, which substantially increases bass amplitude), we're missing critical information affecting the validity of any comparison to other rigs or situations.

In other words, the measurement done without controlling these variables isn't going to tell us much about how the rig will perform for us in our own environments.

As players, we're probably most interested in the volume level reaching our ears at a typical distance in a normal room or studio. The problem is that the variables inherent in setting an amp up to taste, the room acoustics, and the distance we're comfortable with, tend to invalidate the measurement's repeatability and usefulness.

 

[madhermit]

Yes, guitar speakers are generally measured for db level, but the distance to the measurement mic is only part of the equation. The other important variables are controlled:

Speaker measurement is done with the amp producing exactly one Watt, in an anechoic chamber.

Unless we're able to measure how many Watts the amp is producing at our settings, and the effects of the room acoustics (for example, the boundary effect from nearby surfaces, which substantially increases bass amplitude), we're missing critical information affecting the validity of any comparison to other rigs or situations.

In other words, the measurement done without controlling these variables isn't going to tell us much about how the rig will perform for us in our own environments.

As players, we're probably most interested in the volume level reaching our ears at a typical distance in a normal room or studio. The problem is that the variables inherent in setting an amp up to taste, the room acoustics, and the distance we're comfortable with, tend to invalidate the measurement's repeatability and usefulness.

Hence why I put in the title "Just for Fun".

 

[László]

Hence why I put in the title "Just for Fun".

I guess I have fun playing Mad Scientist!

 

[Moondog Wily]

I guess I have fun playing Mad Scientist!

Why doesn't anyone ever talk about the Happy Scientist?

 

[László]

Why doesn't anyone ever talk about the Happy Scientist?

I think they're all unhappy about having to do the math.