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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

Deutsche Version

The human perception of loudness

Loudness factor (volume) and Loudness gain (ratio)
Volume is a subjective term that tries to describe the strength of the sound perception through our sense of hearing.
The perceived loudness is a psycho-acoustic quantity that depends on the sound pressure level, the frequency spectrum, and the time behavior of the sound. Level, Volume, and Loudness: The perceived volume or loudness of sound is a complex phenomenon, not entirely understood by experts. One widely-agreed method of assessing loudness is by measuring SPL with a sound pressure level meter, which is the sound pressure level in decibels (dB). In audio production communities, this is called level. The level of an audio signal is one way of measuring the signal's perceived loudness and is part of the information stored in an audio file. The term "loudness" or "volume" is a problem because it belongs to psychoacoustics and this personal (subjective) feeling is really difficult to "measure". The volume knob. Gain and volume Change the loudness level. Level and loudness

A volume increase of 6 to 10 dB in gain level should give a sense of doubling in loudness, the psychoacousticians tell us. The loudness of N = 1 sone is equivalent to 40 phons, which is the loudness level of LN = 40 dB of a sine wave (sinusoid) with a frequency of f = 1000 Hz.

Converion of Decibels (Level) to a Factor (Ratio) Conversion of a Factor (Ratio) to Decibels (Level)
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

Using the term factor (ratio, gain) you have always to indicate if the energy quantity (power), field quantity (amplitude) or the psychoacoustic loudness quantity is meant.

Conversion: Factor, ratio, gain to Level value (Decibel dB Gain) and vice versa
Simply enter the value to the left or the right side. The calculator works in both directions of the sign.
Energy quantity x is field quantity y (amplitude rms) squared: x ~ y2. Ratio or factor x Acoustic intensity (power):
2

times

Level change LI Energy quantity (calculated): 3 dB

Ratio or factor y Sound pressure (voltage):

1.414

times

Level change Lp Field quantity (measured): 3 dB

Ratio or factor z Loudness (volume of the sound):

1.232

times

Level change Lloud Psychoacoustics quantity (perceived): 3 dB

Two cars. How loud?

A good question: "Are two cars twice as loud as one car? And if not, by what factor are two cars louder than one car?"
The addition of two identical sound sources results in an increase of the sound level of (+)3 dB
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

- That equals a sound pressure factor (amplitude) of 1.414; see: Total level adding of two equal loud non-coherent acoustical sound sources

Power summing non-coherent (90) (1 + 1) = 1,414... The above calculator gives the following results for the factors: 1. The level change Lloud = 3 dB shows as psychoacoustic quantity the factor of the perceived psychoacoustic loudness (volume) z = 1.232. 2. The level change Lp = 3 dB shows as field quantity the factor of measured the voltage (sound pressure) y = 1.414. 3. The level change LI = 3 dB shows as energy quantity the calculated factor of the energy (power) x = 2. It is apparent that for sound there are three different factors that must be kept scrupulously apart. Which factor is required? Loudness, sound pressure, or sound intensity? The typical question is: A "sound" has to be doubled. How many more times is this? Should the decibel value of the sound to be doubled? Need the sound pressure in pascals to be doubled? Should the sound intensity in watts per square meter (W/m2) to be doubled? Need the psycho-acoustically perceived loudness to be doubled? Well? Actually this is never clear for the questioner. What is sound? More questions: How much is doubling of noise levels? Doubling of sound levels?

Level in dB and their different factors

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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

Table: Factor, Power Gain, Voltage Gain, and Loudness Gain

Factor Ratio P2/P1 V2/V1 L2/L1 16 10 8 4 10 = 3.16 3 2 1.516 2 = 1.414 1.232 1 0.812
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Energy quantity Power, Energy Gain GP in dB +12 +10 +9 +6 +5 +4.77 +3 +1.81 +1.5 +0.9 0 0.9

Field quantity Voltage Gain GV in dB +24 +20 +18 +12 +10 +9.54 +6 +3.62 +3 +1.8 0 1.8

Volume quantity Loudness Gain GL in dB +40 +33.22 +30 +20 +16.6 +15.85 +10 +6 +5

+3
0 3
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

0.707 0.660 1/2 = 0.500 1/3 = 0.333 1/10 = 0.316 1/4 = 0.25 1/8 = 0.125 1/10 = 0.1 1/16 = 0.0625 V2/V1 = 10(GV in dB/20)

1.5 1.81 3 4.77 5 6 9 10 12 GP = 10log (P2/P1)

3 3.62 6 9.54 10 12 18 20 24 GV = 20log (V2/V1)

5 6 10 15.85 16.6 20 30 33.22 40 GL = 33.22log (x )

Adding of equal loud non-coherent sound sources

Level increase L for n equal loud sound sources
Number of n equal Level increase loud sound sources L in dB 1 0 2 3.0 3 4.8 4 6.0 5 7.0 6 7.8 7 8.5 8 9.0 9 9.5 10 10.0 12 10.8 16 12.0 20 13.0

Formulas: L = 10 log n or n = 10(L/10) L = level difference; n = number of equal loud sound sources. n = 2 equally loud non-coherent sound sources result in a higher level of
10 log10 2 = +3.01 dB compared to the case that only one source is available. n = 3 equally loud non-coherent sound sources result in a higher level of 10 log10 3 = +4.77 dB compared to the case that only one source is available. n = 4 equally loud non-coherent sound sources result in a higher level of
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

10 log10 4 = +6.02 dB compared to the case that only one source is available. n =10 equally loud non-coherent sound sources result in a higher level of 10 log10 10 = +10.00 dB compared to the case that only one source is available.

Adding (combining) levels of equal loud sound sources

Simply enter the value to the left or the right side. The calculator works in both directions of the sign.
Equal strong non-coherent sound sources

Number of sound sources n:

4

Increase of level L: 6 dB

The total level in dB is the level of one sound source plus the increase of level in dB.

Sound loudness - Sound pressure - Sound intensity Factors and their levels in decibels (dB) Sound intensity cause - sound pressure effect - loudness perception

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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

From: http://www.bv-elbtal.de/html/was_ist_larm_.html

Conversion of field quantity - Decibel Voltage Gain/Loss and Power (energy) quantity Conversion: Factor, Ratio, or Gain to a Level Value (Gain Decibels dB) and vice versa Amplifier Conversion - Gain / Loss Calculation: amplification (gain) as factor (ratio) and damping (loss) as level in decibels (dB) Calculation: Voltage Gain and Power Gain - Voltage Loss and Power Loss Levels and References of the Sound Quantities - Conversions, Calculations, and Formulas Subjectively perceived loudness, objectively measured sound pressure, and intensity How to calculate decibels? - dB calculator Conversion of sound units (levels) What is an amplitude to describe a sound wave?

Common Gains and Losses Expressed in Decibels

Notice: Power gain is not used in audio engineering.
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

Gain/loss as a ratio factor (out/in) 1000:1 100:1 10:1 5:1 4:1 2:1 1:1 1:2 1:4 1:5 1:10 1:100 1:1000

Gain/loss as a factor 1000 100 10 5 4 2 1 0.5 0.25 0.2 0.1 0.01 0.001

Gain/loss in dB Gain/loss in dB Gain/loss in dB Energy quantity Field quantity Psycho quantity (Power gain) (Voltage gain) (Loudness gain) +30.00 dB +20.00 dB +10.00 dB +6.99 dB +6.02 dB +3.01 dB 0.00 dB 3.01 dB 6.02 dB 6.99 dB 10.00 dB 20.00 dB 30.00 dB +60.00 dB +40.00 dB +20.00 dB +13.98 dB +12.04 dB +6.02 dB 0.00 dB 6.02 dB 12.04 dB 13.98 dB 20.00 dB 40.00 dB 60.00 dB +99.66 dB +66.44 dB +33.22 dB +23.22 dB +20.00 dB +10.00 dB 0.00 dB 10.00 dB 20.00 dB 23.22 dB 33.22 dB 66.44 dB 99.66 dB

20 dB loudness reinforcement (sensation) is 4 times the loudness factor. 20 dB voltage gain (amplitude) is 10 times the voltage (amplitude) factor. 20 dB power gain is 100 times the power factor

Sound Level Comparison Chart and the Ratios

Table of sound level dependence and the change of the respective ratio to subjective volume (loudness), objective sound pressure (voltage), and sound intensity (acoustic power).

How many decibels (dB) level change is double, half, or four times as loud?
How many dB to appear twice as loud (two times)? Here are all the different ratios. Ratio means "how many times" or "how much" ... Doubling of loudness. Level Change
Volume Loudness Voltage Sound pressure 100 31.6 10 3.16 = 10 2.0 = double 1.414 times = 2 - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - 0.707 times 0.5 = half 0.316 0.100 0.0316 0.0100 Acoustic Power Sound Intensity 10000 1000 100 10 4.0 2.0 = double - - - - 1.0 - - - - 0.5 = half 0.25 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.0001
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+40 dB 16 +30 dB 8 +20 dB 4 +10 dB 2.0 = double +6 dB 1.52 times +3 dB 1.23 times - - - - 0 dB - - - - - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - 3 dB 0.816 times 6 dB 0.660 times 10 dB 0.5 = half 20 dB 0.25 30 dB 0.125 40 dB 0.0625
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

Log. size dB change

Psycho size Field size Energy size Loudness multipl. Amplitude multiplier Power multiplier

For a 10 dB increase of the sound level we require ten times more power from the amplifier. This increase of the sound level means for the sound pressure a lifting of the ratio 3.16. Loudness and volume are highly subjective. That belongs to the domain of psychoacoustics.

Factor, Power Gain, Voltage Gain, and Loudness Gain

The level of the output power level is 0 dB, that is 100% (factor or ratio = 1). The level of 3 dB is equivalent to 50% (factor = 0.5) and the level of 6 dB is equivalent to 25% (factor = 1/4 = 0.25) of the initial power. This applies to the energy quantity power or sound intensity. The level of the output voltage level is 0 dB, that is 100% (factor or ratio = 1). The level of 3 dB is equivalent to 70.7% (factor = 0.7071), and the level of 6 dB is equivalent to 50% (factor = 1/2 = 0.5) of the initial voltage. This applies to the field quantity voltage or sound pressure. The level of the output loudness level is 0 dB, that is 100% (factor or ratio = 1). The level of 3 dB is equivalent to 81.2% (factor = 0.812), and the level of 6 dB is equivalent to 66% (factor = 2/3 = 0.66) of the initial loudness. This applies to the loudness quantity. Loudness or loudness level (volume).

Level L in decibel (dB) = 20 log (x)

x = factor (amplitude, field size)

Level L in decibel (dB) = 10 log (y)

y = factor (power, energy size)

A typical question: "16 dB how many times?" Answer: Do they mean a field quantity, like a sound pressure or an energy quantity, like a sound intensity? That is why the calculator gives two answers:
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Loudness level gain volume dB factor conversion ratio gain level in decibels dB field quantity energy size power voltage damping convert to factor attenuation

The factor is: 6.31 or the factor is: 39.8 depending on field quantity or energy quantity. 6.312 (field quantity squared) = 39.8 (energy quantity).
Gain Voltage factor Power factor decibels (dB) field quantity energy quantity
reset calculate calculate calculate

Questions: For an amplifier with an amplification factor of 100, calculate the following: a) voltage gain in dB. b) voltage gain at the cutoff frequency (break frequency) in dB. c) amplification factor at the cutoff frequency (break frequency). Answers: a) amplification factor 100 voltage gain 40 dB b) gain at the cutoff frequency is 3 dB less so it is 37 dB. c) voltage gain 37 dB amplification factor 70.7 at the cutoff frequency. back Search Engine home

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