+ - X / and ~

[Robert Rampley]

> At 6:38 PM 12/12/96, Kevin Lightner wrote:

> >Isn't the formula that for every 3db, the "audible" perception of loudness
> >is doubled also?
> 
> Not quite.  While mixing two uncorrelated signals of equal strength tends
> to yield a 3dB increase, we don't really hear it as "twice as loud".  That
> point is generally considered to be around 10dB.  3dB is more like a
> "noticeable increase", with 1dB being roughly the "minimum noticeable
> increase".  Of course, this is all quite subjective, but backed up by
> psychoacoustic studies.
> 
> Imagine the following:  a violinist is playing an Irish reel.  For the B
> part, she is joined by another violinist in unison.  Louder?  Yes.  "Twice
> as loud"?  No.
> 
> And of course, to get the same relative increase again, you'd have to add
> two violinists, then four, etc.  Which is why symphonies have a zillion
> fiddlers, but the soloist can still be heard.
> 

3db is power doubling

"audible" perception is obviously a subjective issue, but I have seen it
referred to as between 8.3 to 10db increases will be perceived as "loudness"
doubling

Tim is correct, I thought I'd just add a bit more...

-Robert Rampley
-Alesis Engineering