A-weighted decibels better predict hearing damage than unweighted sound pressure level.

Evidence

Interestingly, dB A provides a better assessment of a specific sound’s potential for hearing loss than dB SPL, and is therefore often used to describe the sound level in industrial environments and for noise dosing. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 757

Interestingly, dB A provides a better assessment of a specific sound’s potential for hearing loss than dB SPL, and is therefore often used to describe the sound level in industrial environments and for noise dosing. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 757

Categorization

• CANDY: A neat, tweetable fact: the loudness-weighting metric used in noise regulation is the one that best tracks actual hearing damage.
• XREF: Reinforces why noise dosimetry standards in occupational health use dB A; connects to noise-damage reading. — connects to: A-weighted decibels are a rough practical approximation of perceived loudness — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 633; High bass levels are safe while comparable high-frequency levels risk hearing.; A-weighted sound pressure level misrepresents the loudness of broadband noises (+4 more)
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 757

Broader Connections

• A-weighted sound pressure level misrepresents the loudness of broadband noises #qualifies (0.85)
• A-weighted dB values misrepresent perceived loudness for complex sounds. #contradicts (0.82) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1176
• Loudness meters use frequency weightings as a compromise because ear response varies with level #complicates (0.80)
• Good noise isolation reduces preferred playback levels and hearing damage #expands (0.72)