I'm into audio to enjoy music and not to cause me permanent hearing damage while paying more for the privilege. Typical average volume of 70-75dB with split second peaks of up to 20dB more on the most dynamic classical recordings is fine. When listening "loud" on occasion that average can be raised to 80-85dB and the peaks are still easily handled by typical amplification.
70-75? Good Gawd man, your missing out. Ray Brown's stand-up bass does not sound the same at 70 db as live. Sorry, just doesn't. You can feel the music in your bones live with each pluck of the strings. And there is no pain involved! Same for pianos and horns and drums. But I agree with you, a $20,000 amp would not make my computer speakers sound better at 75db. But why use Axioms, et al., for that level? To each his own, but seems like overkill for someone offended by the amount of overkill in this industry (which there is a great deal of).
Yours Truley, Honorary Head of the Pixie Dust Brigade.
