Loads of interesting comments and advice. I, too, cannot listen comfortably to music/movies for extended periods above 76. Actually, I find 76 is the sweet spot for watching "action" movies like black hawk down and when listening to truly awesome/riveting music at "loud" volumes. However, most of the time, as other have pointed out, anywhere between 65-70 is more than adequate and I can listen to music for hours at these levels. Frankly, anything over 80 is way too loud for me an I don't feel like I gain anything extra from the music/audio reproduction. Rather, I feel like I'm pushing the speakers outside of their musical zones and it starts becoming a demonstration of brute force more than anything else.

DSP33