Lampshade said: "Reference level is loud."
i know some people think Ref. Level is loud because they say
105/115 dB sound are very loud, but the fact is those levels are only heard once in a while. Some even say that watching a movie at 115 dB is very bad for one's hearing, when in fact we are often subjected to noises above 100dB in our daily activities and we don't use or need ear plugs because those noises are very transitory. it's the same for movies, those peaks are very short lived, so there is no danger for the ears.
who would believe that there is a scene in Super 8 that measures 117 dB's and we're not even aware of it, because it does not sound very loud, being of short duration and way down low in frequencies;
it's when the "alien" pushes the bus on the road.
if the same sound was to last for many seconds, then it would seem much louder to our ears.
distortion in the reproduction or a very reflective room can make it seem like the sound is much too loud to bear.
those numbers (105/115 dB)are the maximum allowed, and the great majority of the time, the levels will be much lower, oftentimes even at the barely heard levels, like background noise like clock ticking, soft wind that makes tree leaves move on the ground...etc.
so, we should say that 115 dB CAN be loud, it depends...
Last edited by J. B.; 05/30/12 05:01 PM.
