The is a psychophysical unit of loudness .
It sounds like you're asking about a (perhaps in an app, research tool, or hearing test interface) that involves looking at or using the Sone rating scale . sone rating scale
Similarly, the PC building community has adopted the metric wholeheartedly. A gaming rig with powerful cooling fans used to sound like a jet engine. Now, case fan manufacturers compete to hit sub-0.5 Sone ratings while maintaining airflow, allowing for high-performance computers that sit silently on a desk without drowning out a Zoom call. The is a psychophysical unit of loudness
: In the decibel scale, an increase of 10 dB typically results in a doubling of perceived loudness. In the sone scale, this same doubling is represented simply by doubling the number (e.g., from 1 to 2 sones). Sone Rating Common Real-World Example Perceived Loudness 0.5 sones Rustling leaves; nearly silent 1.0 sone A quiet refrigerator; a calm library Very Quiet 2.0 sones A normal office workplace 3.0 sones Face-to-face conversation 4.0 sones A television at standard volume 🛠️ Practical Applications: The "Paper" Score A gaming rig with powerful cooling fans used
"The Sone rating is the lie detector of the appliance industry," notes tech reviewer James Kline. "You can massage a decibel reading, but you can't massage a Sone rating. If a bathroom fan has a Sone rating above 2.0, you are going to hear it over your shower. If it’s 0.5 Sones, you might check to see if it’s even on."