There are the mixers and then there are the people who run the theater; the latter could set the sound to a comfortable and safe level.

I know enough about sound engineering to wire up the board for a concert but I hardly ever do it because I think most events have the sound levels 10-20db higher than I find comfortable, anybody I work with will push the levels up when I turn my back. I think they're all deaf.

In late middle age I know I'm finally slipping because I don't find hiss from tapes as offensive as I did in my youth.