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"Two O'clock is the optimum position for any volume control when listening to music."

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Timbo in Oz

A

Apparently!?
Personally I have never found that to be the case.
Further, at least for me the sweet spot for sound-level is when the reproduction level sounds right in your room at your listening seat. And, recordings vary in average level, maximum level, and lowest level.
So, I think this is a myth. ?
Relevant post is
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/amp/messages/21/215963.html
Click below for the whole thread.
Both are sort of enjoyable.

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

Thread at Amp/Preamp Asylum (Open in New Window)

Edits: 10/01/16 10/01/16

Follow Ups:

RE: "Two O'clock is the optimum position for any volume control when listening to music." - chocolate_lover9999@yahoo.com 10:02:12 01/05/17 (0)
Alan Shaw, Harbeth designer, has some interesting thoughts on this topic.
- http://www.harbeth.co.uk/usergroup/forum/the-science-of-audi (Open in New Window)
RE: Two O'clock? Are You Kidding Me? - thetubeguy1954 01:13:38 12/16/16 (1)
Hi Timbo!

I use a 40W/ch, integrated, SET amp with 105dB sensitive speakers! I couldn't stand being anywhere in my home if my volume control was at the two O'clock position. From what I've noticed, depending on the level of volume of the actual recording itself, I listen from the nine O'clock position to the 12 noon position max! With the vast majority of listening occurring between the 10 to 11 O'clock positions!

Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)

Central Florida Audio Society -- SETriodes Group -- Space Coast Audio Society
Full-range/Wide-range Drivers --- Front & Back-Loaded Horns --- High Sensitivity Speakers
- RE: Two O'clock? Are You Kidding Me? - Frihed89 13:57:37 03/22/17 (0)
  I found, by accident, that gain problems can go away with a USB Dac.
agree.. however both my knobs are at 9 O'Clock. So sue me. - Smelly_Socks 08:55:01 10/13/16 (3)
Yeah i suffer from the 'TOO MUCH GAIN' syndrome.
If CD 2 volt output standard crap did not exist.. I would be doin' better.
But the insane F* ers who decided two volt output from a source was a great idea.. eat my shorts, dirty ones...
Now the older smaller, more reasonable half volt.. yeah, then I an good.
The problem really is that both standards exist now. So no matter what, if you use both types of sources, you get the shaft.
Actually the first is 'consumer audio at or around 0.5 volts. And the other is 'professional audio' at or around 2 volts.
Ahhh screw them, just screw the ! who decided CD should be two volts. period!
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level (Open in New Window)
Edits: 10/13/16
- RE: agree.. however both my knobs are at 9 O'Clock. So sue me. - geoffkait 05:18:20 10/14/16 (2)
  Back to posting drunk again, eh? Tsk, tsk...
  
  Edits: 10/14/16
  - ANd that after I (also) pleaded for you to be able to return to tweaks... shame on you - Smelly_Socks 13:02:24 10/14/16 (1)
    So someone suggested YOU be allowed back.. I seconded it, and even again wrote I think you should have a break.
    I did also say the reason you had you hand stealing the other guy's wallet was just being playful... not criminal.
    
    So there.
    LOL
    - RE: ANd that after I (also) pleaded for you to be able to return to tweaks... shame on you - geoffkait 03:30:58 10/15/16 (0)
      Let me get this straight. You were pleading for me to be able to return to Tweakers? Are you crazy?
      
      ;-)
RE: "Two O'clock is the optimum position for any volume control when listening to music." - reuben 07:48:12 10/08/16 (2)
Your system has the right amount of gain if you do most of your listening with the volume at the 2 o'clock position.

Dark energy? Ridiculous!
We live in an electric universe.
- Two O'clock is unlistenable on my Mac 6900. 9 o'clock is average. nt - oldmkvi 20:25:02 12/13/16 (0)
  /
- I don't believe it can be true. - Timbo in Oz 23:50:32 10/11/16 (0)
  If it were true why would anyone bother with a stepped VC using many high quality metal film, holco or foil R's?
  
  Unless of course one listens only / mostly to similarly compressed popular genre recordings. Which I rarely do.
  
  I used to record (and edit / prepare) live classical / acoustic concerts, for a local community FM station, and will return to that when I am well again. And, I have always preferred simple coincident or near coincident mike techniques.
  
  My CD player is the loudest source, followed by the Nakamichi BX300, the tuner and the turntable.
  
  And, within that - bought recordings, and live concerts from FM, vary in average loudness, by 6db and more.
  
  Warmest
  
  Tim Bailey
  
  Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
RE: "Two O'clock is the optimum position for any volume control when listening to music." - Coner 20:01:43 10/02/16 (0)
No...way too many variables involved...think about it.
Optimum position is the position where it sounds good to YOU.
RE: "Two O'clock is the optimum position for any volume control when listening to music." - geoffkait 14:30:40 10/02/16 (5)
Actually, if you happen to have a sound pressure level meter handy the odds are surprisingly high you'll find a big old standing wave right smack where you're sitting.
- With headphones? - hawkmoon 17:10:36 10/02/16 (4)
  Interesting standing wave.
  - RE: With headphones? - geoffkait 17:24:06 10/02/16 (3)
    Who said anythung about headphones. The OP referred to the listening seat. Hel-loo!
    - Headphones? - hawkmoon 17:41:27 10/02/16 (2)
      The referred posts are all about headphones.
      - RE: Headphones? - geoffkait 04:59:32 10/03/16 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Headphones? posted by hawkmoon on October 02, 2016 at 17:41:27
        
        The OP refers to the sweet spot in the room and the listening seat. How can that have anything remotely to do with headphones? Besides the whole notion a constant volume knob position makes even less sense for headphones than for conventional speaker systems. Am I missing something?
      - Well, not quite. - Timbo in Oz 21:32:17 10/02/16 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Headphones? posted by hawkmoon on October 02, 2016 at 17:41:27
        
        The statements about ideal volume position are generic. And headphone's vary in senstivity.
        And I've heard it before in a generic context, but I don't see how it can be true.
        
        Warmest
        
        Tim Bailey
        
        Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger
        
        Edits: 10/02/16

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