Here is the key to understanding sones: a sound that is judged by listeners to be as a 1-sone sound is rated as 2 sones . A sound judged to be four times as loud is 4 sones. This is a linear scale of perception. In contrast, the decibel scale is logarithmic; a 10 dB increase generally sounds about twice as loud to human ears, not ten times as loud. For example:
Because the scale is linear, it is much easier for consumers to interpret than decibels: Half as loud as 1 sone. what is a sones
Twice as loud as 1 sone; comparable to a normal office environment. Here is the key to understanding sones: a
The short answer is:
This makes sones much easier for the average consumer to understand. The sone scale was developed to reflect how the human ear perceives sound pressure. The relationship is simple: In contrast, the decibel scale is logarithmic; a