Human hearing requires far more SPL to detect low-frequency tones than mid-range ones

Evidence

The bottom curve in figure 22.1 was generated as follows: For frequencies between 20 and 20,000 Hz, the SPL was raised until it was just possible to discern the presence of a tone of that frequency. The curve shows that SPL had to be much higher at low frequencies; evidently, we are much less sensitive at low frequencies than at, say, 1000 Hz, where a few dB can be heard, but 70 dB are needed to hear a 20 Hz tone. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2004

Categorization

Category: Factual Claims

• SHARE: A 70 dB spread between the 20 Hz threshold and 1000 Hz threshold is a striking number worth sending to any audio engineer.

Related

• Normal hearing is most sensitive near 2 to 5 kHz (similarity 0.85)
• Equal-loudness contours flatten at low frequencies as level rises (similarity 0.84)
• Sound measurement must be frequency-weighted because ears are not uniformly sensitive (similarity 0.83)
• The ear’s frequency response is level-dependent, favoring mid frequencies at low volume (similarity 0.83)
• The human hearing system compromises between frequency and time resolution, unlike ideal filters (similarity 0.83)
• Human hearing is most frequency-selective around 2 kHz (similarity 0.83)
• Best auditory frequency resolution is about one-sixth octave at moderate levels (similarity 0.82)
• Human hearing sensitivity peaks near 4 kHz and falls off at both extremes (similarity 0.82)
• Humans detect spectral tilts as small as 1 dB across the audible range (similarity 0.82)
• Loudness slightly but measurably alters perceived pitch of tones (similarity 0.82)
• The ear’s 120-dB and 20 Hz-20 kHz working range exceeds man-made devices (similarity 0.82)
• Ear sensitivity depends jointly on frequency and on sound level (similarity 0.82)
• Low-frequency loudness growth compresses as level rises (similarity 0.82)
• Headphone reproducibility varies strongly with frequency, worse at bass and treble extremes (similarity 0.82)
• The ear’s just-noticeable amplitude difference depends on signal type, level, and frequency (similarity 0.81)

Broader Connections

• The ear’s frequency response is level-dependent, favoring mid frequencies at low volume #corroborates (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 625
• Tone sequences restricted to 100-3200 Hz avoid inaudible pitches in normal hearers #corroborates (0.82) — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 5290