Almost all new bathroom fans are quiet. Since decibels are a measure of the difference of sound pressures, a reference sound pressure must be given. Menu. We don't collect information from our users. Ducts can also make a difference in the range hood noise level. As you can see, most new range hoods and bath fans are fairly quiet. It makes for better comparison shopping. The decibel is a logarithmic ratio of the sound pressure compared to a reference pressure Area of the Room=10 x 15 x 10 =1500 Cub Answer: Decibels are simply a ratiometric value CFM = (1,000 sq ft * 8 ft * 4) / 60 min = 533 ft3/min = 533 CFM A common rule used by HVAC professionals looking to do a fast calculation CUSTOM ART FOR CUSTOM NEEDS. What Size Heat Pump Do I Need? Sound level (dB) decreases as the distance from the sound source increases so any measurement of sound level is meaningless unless you specify the distance at which the measurement was taken.
Note how much difference there is between decibels at lower sone ratings, and how close the decibels are at higher sone ratings. We set it to. Keep in mind that todays quietest bathroom fans run at less than 1.0 sones. Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications! Thats how you can adequately compare which fans are the quietest. Range hoods typically produce between three and seven sones depending on their power, as measured in cubic feet per minute or CFM. Only emails and answers are saved in our archive. This just happens to be the noise made by the ring of a 1936 telephone. (based on the definition of 1 sone = 1000Hz tone at 40 dB)to relate the sone to decibels. But the calculator will give a very accurate comparison between Sones and Decibels. objectively measured sound pressure (voltage),
A sone rating for sounds may be more useful because humans sense higher and lower sound wave frequencies differently. Understanding the Sones noise rating of your range hood can help you find the right model for your cooking needs and comfort level. L = level difference; n = number of equal loud sound sources. Many people want the conversion because decibel ratings are more common and relatable. It is about as loud as a face to face conversation using a normal indoor voice. Sones are a measure of loudness itself. In some ways sone noise levels are easier to understand then decibel levels. Note: The chart includes a link to Sound Loudness Design Equations if you are interested. Tankless Water Heater Breaker Size Calculator: What Size Breaker? DC Wire Gauge Calculator: What Gauge Wire (12V, 24V, 48V)? The Loudness Unit: Phons and Sones. Our Final Thoughts on Sones. A quiet fan will have a rating of 6 or 7 sones, which is roughly 65 decibels For power, a reference level of 10-12 watts is used The 5 Best Portable Generators (2022 Review) How to install a bathroom vent fan If you're looking to save some money, the best budget option on our list is the LG LW6017R If you're looking to save some money, the best budget option on our list is the LG LW6017R. You can use this Sones to decibels calculator to convert any number of Sones to dB. The larger the bathroom, the higher the CFM rating you will need. This correlation between sound pressures and sound pressure levels are calculated by Equation 1: L - Sound Pressure Level, dB. Range hoods with a delay shut-off feature can also help. They are further away from the front of the hood than local blowers, which are installed inside your hood. Convert between sone and phon units of loudness Convert loudness between phon and sone units Fill in one value and leave the other blank. The sound intensity level in dB is determined . Loudness level can be expressed in sones or phons, which are both units of loudness. 7). Example: A 90 phon tone is equally as loud as a 1000 Hertz tone at 90 decibels. This unit provides accurate information on the amount of sound the blower produces inside the vent hood. dB Calculator 0 dB Decibel Addition and Subtraction Sound levels are generally expressed in decibels, which are logarithmic and so cannot be manipulated without being converted back to a linear scale. Range hood fans are not as quiet as bathroom fans. 6 Sones is equivalent to a sound in a quiet restaurant. This is a sound we can hear quite easily. 2 sones are twice as loud as 1 sone and 4 sones are twice as loud as 2 sones. Google use cookies for serving our ads and handling visitor statistics. air), Latent Heat (BTU/hr) = 0.69 x CFM x gr. 0000003537 00000 n
(CFM Calculation + Charts), Understanding COP: Coefficient Of Performance Of Heat Pumps. But when a measurement of noise level is expressed in sones, we might be a little confused. Loudness of 40 phon equals loudness of 1 sone. The loudness of complex sounds, i.e. Sones phons loudness decibel sone 0. %eeff%5'*gI{'?-Q(g^9#6,Zh#19[$A9s'*g^Ntq8rPfk3*gjrRh,r
u8A9uu(3~(+gQN1.Df)r3}YO z"7ah8!rPQsd4 If the fan is making a high humming noise or grinding sounds, cleaning might reduce or eliminate the sounds. 3 Sones is equal to 43.74 dB. You can use this same procedure to convert Sones to dB for any number of Sones. A sone is a measurement of sound, similar to decibels. Enter the values 50 (L2), 100 (d2) and 1.5 (d1) into the calculator and it will calculate L1=86.5dBA. Sones follow a linear scale, that is, 10 sones are twice as loud as 5 sones. The unit of phon is based on sound pressure measured on a logarithmic (dB) scale. How to use for Sound calculator Input 1/1 octave band frequency data in Decibel unit (Not A-weighting). Loud hoods can be disruptive and may not be ideal if you plan to host guests often at your home. How much is 0.3 Sone in decibels? The following graph from Wikipedia Equal Loudness Contour helps explain the identical perceived loudness of sounds at different decibel levels and different frequencies. It is a system to tell how loud a sound feels to humans. Keep reading for more information on sone level and be sure to check out the video below. An increase of each 10 phons represents a doubling of perceived loudness. Look for a multi-speed setting so you can easily control the noise and power level of the appliance. Step 2: Using the calibrated NIOSH app as a guide, calibrate the online sound meter above. Remote blowers, also called inline blowers, work well, as these motors are installed within your chimney. They developed the Fletcher Munson curves that have been improved upon, but are still in use today. The perceived loudness of sounds is decided by panels of people with normal hearing. Noise Criterion (NC) - Free Online Calculator. Each soundwave, depending on its intensity, changes the atmospheric pressure of the surrounding area. 44 decibels to 63 decibels. It is very important to understand that sone measurements are subjectivenot objective. 5 Sones is basically a louder conversation. This dB calculator will automatically calculate SPL in dB. Sone is a more linear scale of perception. Note! The noise level from the fan in decibel can be calculated as L = 10 log ( (1 W) / (10-12 W)) = 120 dB A simplified explanation is the 3 Decibel Rule. A sound with a loudness of four sones is one that listeners perceive to be four times as loud as the reference sound. Increasing loudness by 10 phon increases loudness in sone by a factor of 2. But have you given any thought to the noise level of your new appliance? Stevens was a psychologist and researcher who founded Harvards Psycho-Acoustic Laboratory. At 1.5 sones, it is the quietest and most affordable . NEC 310.16 Table: Copper And Aluminum Wire Ampacity Chart, NEC 310.12 Table: Wire Sizes For 100-400 Amp Services (83% Rule), kWh To Therms Calculator + Conversion Chart (1 kWh = 0.03412 Therms), MMBTU To Therms Calculator + Chart (1 MMBTU = 10 Therms), Therms To MMBTU Calculator + Chart (1 Therm = 1/10 MMBTU), AWG To Circular Mils Chart (For 4/0 AWG To 20 AWG). 1.0 sones = 28 decibels Sound of a whisper 2.0 sones = 38 decibels Sound of a babbling brook 3.0 sones = 44 decibels Sound of bird calls (not crows) 4.0 sones = 48 decibels Sound of a refrigerator 5.0 sones = 51 decibels Sound of a refrigerator 6.0 sones = 54 decibels Sound of a refrigerator 7.0 sones = 56 decibels Sound of normal conversation Enter the sound intensity (W/m^2) into the calculator to determine the sound intensity in decibels. 9-10 Sones is the loudness of a busy traffic street. These curves are equal loudness contours where every sound on each line will have the same perceived loudness. Keep in mind that the calculation is approximate since there is no exact way to calculate decibels from sones. However, if you cook a lot of greasy, fried, or Asian food or simply cook often invest in a 900+ CFM range hood. Frequency is a measurement of the total number of sound waves produced in one second. Calculate Noise Criterion (NC) from octave band pressure levels. Heat Pump Size Calculator, 8 Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans With Light (For Any Bathroom), 5 Quietest Bathroom Fans In 2023 (Below 0.9 Sones; Whisper Quiet), BTU/h To Horsepower Calculator + BTU/h To HP Chart (To 72,000 BTU/h), Horsepower To BTU/Min: Convert HP To BTU Per Minute (Calc + Chart), HP To BTU/hr: Horsepower To BTU For A/C (Calculator + Chart). Keep in mind that range hoods with larger motors and suction power will create more noise. Then, buy a hood based on that measurement. Why Do I Need a Charcoal Filter for My Ductless Range Hood? We may or may not be compensated for purchased you make as a result of our recommendation. Converting decibels (dB) to pascals (Pa) or watts per square meter Conversion of voltage to voltage level Conversion of factor, ratio, or gain to a level value (gain decibels dB) Conversion of sound power level to sound pressure level Fill in the gray top box and click on the calculation button. For quick and easy to use information use the charts you will find on this page to get a good comparison between sones and decibels. A bigger exhaust opening helps to reduce the noise generated by air inside the range hood and air exiting the house. Knowing the values assigned to each device allows you to compare the products performance, and purchase what works best for you. Meaning that sones are only used for very specific and professional devices. 1 Sone is a sound of an average refrigerator. Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro .Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp from the SketchUp Pro Sketchup Extension Warehouse! Sones are not a physical measurement like decibels. This formula works as long as you have spherical wavefronts. For reference, 1 sone is much louder than 0 dB, at 28 dB, according to the sones to dba chart. Generally speaking, the larger the size of the duct, the quieter the operation. Leave empty space, if some frequency data (ex. Use a thick-fabric shower curtain. Search: Sone To Decibel Calculator. 0.000000000001\text { W/m}^2 0.000000000001 W/m2 for air, but you can change this value for another medium. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. This can be seen through the formula above that converts W/m^2 into decibels. Decibel levels use a logarithmic scale like the Richter earthquake scale. This calculator can be used to find out the Power Gain and Voltage Gain from the Decibel value. 8). Eleven decibels to 48 decibels. In contrast, decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale. 1 Sone is equal to 28 dB. You can also use this calculator to find out the Power Gain and Voltage Gain from the Decibel value. * Levels above 82 dBA require hearing protection if within 5 feet SONES TO DECIBELS CONVERSION Sones = dB Sones = dB Sones = dB Sones = dB Sones = dB 1.00 28.00 13.00 64.98 25.00 74.41 37.00 80.06 49.00 84.11 Sound Level Comparison Chart and the Ratios, Subjectively perceived loudness (volume),
The dB is a logarithmic way of describing a ratio. Now, you're basically talking about weaponized audio. Search: Sone To Decibel Calculator. Sound waves move our eardrums (tympanic membranes). Here is a helpful equation to convert sones to decibels: To find how many decibels are in one sone, plug one into the equation: If you have decibels and want to find the number of sones, use this equation: These equations may look daunting which is why we made calculation easy for you. Head on over to our complete article on sones and dB to check out a helpful conversion chart. Another example of the perceived loudness of sound. After all, it is our perception of what we are hearing that is most important to us. And 2 sones are twice as loud as 1 sone, etc. (State-By-State Chart), How To Convert Therms To kWh? It can be extrapolated by using measurements in decibels or pascals. Reach out to us today to get started. The decibel scale and the intensity values it is based on is an objective measure of a sound. If these tips for how to make a bathroom fan quieter dont work, then replacing the bathroom fan might be your only option. The following comparison table will help you understand the volume of a sone and comparison to decibels. High levels of noise can cause unnecessary stress. Along with applicable graphs, charts, and examples. Sound loudness - Sound pressure - Sound intensity
The sones rating system is a way to measure or express perceived loudness. One that is more powerful than necessary will make more noise too. sones to db conversion calculator grant thornton vision and mission holiday promotions 2021 inverted lapel blazer women's sones to db conversion calculator Home Sones are a perceived sound, therefore there is no way to accurately measure them. This chart is based on 3000+ models of HVI certified bathroom exhaust fans. 101-125 dB: 110 decibels and above is the level where other sounds can not truly be heard. Range Hood CFM for Electric vs. Gas Cooktops. The same is true for under cabinet range hoods. This chart from Wikipedia shows the comparison of sones, pascals, and decibels for a few chosen sounds. Please see Room Loudness Sones Reference Chart at engineersedge.com. 5). Explore the multi-speed settings to find the ideal balance between suction power and noise control. This formula will help you convert sones to decibels: dB = 33.2*log10 (Sones) + 28. Do I Have A Heat Pump? But 2 sounds that have equal intensity do not necessarily have equal loudness. A formula with a cautious try to convert sones to decibels: dBA = 33.22 log (sones) + 28 with a possible accuracy of 2 dBA or sones = 10^ [ (dBA 28) / 33.22] Weighting filter after DIN EN 61672-1 2003-10 (DIN-IEC 651) - weighted dBA and dBC First, you can convert your fans sones rating to decibels. Sones are used to measure noise, such as fans, which includes kitchen fans, bathroom fans, and those found in your range hood. For pure tones at much higher or lower frequency, loudness in phon will be less than sound pressure level in dB because hearing is less sensitive as you move away from the neighborhood of 1 kHz. Range hoods with larger motors will have stronger suction power and generally produce more noise. Tighten any screws, nuts or bolts you can reach. Always check the sones level to ensure it is within your desired level. However, they are excellent at quickly sucking away odors, fumes, and grease. To convert voltage or power gains to decibels, we can apply the following formulas: N dB = 20log10(AV) = 10log10(AP) N d B = 20 l o g 10 ( A V) = 10 l o g 10 ( A P) Further, the voltage and power gains of the system can be expressed as. This formula will help you convert sones to decibels: Not in the mood to break out your high school math skills? To convert phons to sones, use this formula: Sones = 2(phon-40)/10. Formula used by the above calculator i2/i1=(d1/d2) 2 L=10*Log(i2/i1) where L is the difference in sound levels (L1-L2) in dB (or dBA). Sound is emitted in soundwaves. I have worked as a contractor, sales person, and business owner in the construction industry for over three decades--mostly in home renovations and also as a home builder. Typically, sones are measured at maximum hood speed or CFM. What is a sone? Environmental Noise Weakest sound heard 0dB Whisper Quiet Library 30dB Normal conversation (3-5') 60-70dB Telephone dial tone 80dB This means that doubling the number of sones doubles the noise level. Absorb the sound. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Use the following formula to convert . Loud noise above 120 dB can immediately damage your hearing. Sound pressure level is the physical intensity of a sound. First, you can convert your fan's sones rating to decibels. Keep in mind that all sone values are given with the largest duct available for a given fan. What Type of Heating System Do I Have? The 101 Kitchen Remodel Guide for Budget and Style, What Research Says About Cooking Fumes and Their Impact on Your Health. For every 3 decibel increase or decrease, you are adding or dropping 50% of the sound pressure levels your ears are exposed to. To summarize this decibels chart, one sone is 28 dB and eight sones are about 57 dB. Range hoods typically produce between 3 and 7 sones of sound. Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart Here are some interesting numbers, collected from a variety of sources, that help one to understand the volume levels of various sources and how they can affect our hearing. Youre probably considering size, performance, quality, and appearance to help you make your decision. Because it is a subjective rating, it is not measurable. The closest you can get is to use a decibel meter to get a reading, then convert decibels to sones. 1). One sone is arbitrarily set equal to the loudness of a 1,000-hertztone at a sound level of 40 decibels above the standard reference level (i.e., the minimum audible threshold). Click the Convert button, and the missing value will be filled in. Once you get above 2.0 sones, like a bathroom fan with a noise level of 2.5 sones, the sound is noticeable and might be bothersome if your bathroom is all tile a material that makes noise bounce around rather than damping it. Energy quantity x is field quantity y (amplitude rms) squared: x ~ y2. A fan with a noise level of 1.0 sones or less is extremely quiet. Loudness is a subjectivecharacteristicof a sound (as opposed to the sound-pressure level indecibels, which is objective and directly measurable). SEER = (1 EER100% + 42 EER75% + 45 EER50% + 12 EER25%)/100, Total Heat (BTU/hr.) Loudness level can be expressed in sones or phons, which are both units of loudness. 0000215037 00000 n
If theres a reducer on the fan, remove the reducer, and install the properly sized larger duct. These models will likely produce more noise than one designed for light cooking. Here are loudness intensities of 1 to 10 Sones sounds: Now, Sones are not as popular a unit of loudness as decibels. What Does a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Do and Do You Need One? Out of all of the range hoods we researched, this range hood is the most affordable. Some hoods are loud. Gas Furnace vs Heat Pump Cost Calculator (Running Cost & Savings Comparison), HVAC Repair Costs: Service, Maintenance & Hourly Rates 2023, Types of Furnace: How to Choose Proper Furnace. This keeps the sound produced from your blower at bay. Check out the table below which has sones to decibel conversions up to 20 sones. If the whisper is 30 dB, the measure is 60 dB for everyday conversation, and the motorcycle motor is running 95 dB. The sone is a unit of volume. Make sure it is the right size for the fan. Replace the fan. 65 dB is unusually loud for a range hood. You can also select a range hood with an external motor system. In terms of power it's ten times the power. How To Choose the Right Range Hood for Your Kitchen, How to Install a Ductless Range Hood (Easy DIY Guide! Most people hear high frequency sound waves better than lower frequencies. They tend to be more powerful and typically emit between 3.0 and 7.0 sones. Your 4-sone fan will be more than four times a noisy as a 0.9 sone fan. Copyright 2023 Proline Range Hoods. You do not need to convert sones to decibels. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We are reader-supported. . The engineers who designed the table below included fairly wide sone ranges. The sone scale is used to measure the sound pressure that a device emits. This will stop noisy vibrations too. To help you out, we have calculated some of the most common Sones in fans and converted them into dB. The installation type is one of the major factors. The sone rating is often determined by the size of the fan and the motor. 0000002176 00000 n
sone to decibel calculator. The larger the motor of your range hood, the more sound it is likely to produce. Also in people exposed to loud noise. Sone values are generally preferred to phon values because sones are a linear scale. This is the quietest sound that a human ear can register. The sound power in decibel from a source with the highest possible to hear sound power can be calculated as, A fan creates 1 W of sound power. This should give the builder and architect easy targets to hit during construction and finishing. Purchasing quiet range hoods and bathroom fans is way easier if you know how much noise each unit makes. Clean away dirt and built-up debris from the fan motor, blades and cover. The Hauslane UC-PS18 features a 6-speed setting, allowing for maximum control over noise and performance. The other 2 appliances that may regularly use sones as a sound rating are: The formula for converting sones to decibels is: Examples: 33.2*log10(1 sones) + 28 = 28 decibels, 33.2*log10(3 sones) + 28 = 43.84 decibels. You can also change the position of your blower to enjoy a comfortably quiet kitchen. The lower limit of the human hearing threshold is frequency dependent producing different sone hearing values at different frequencies. Technically, a decibel is a relative unit equal to one-tenth of a bel. ), Pros & Cons: OTR Microwaves With Exhaust Fans vs. Sones are the industry standard noise measurement for fans. When you want to cook lower-heat food, you can go with one of the quiet settings. Both sones and decibels are measurements of sound pressure. Make the Most of Your Kitchen with Creative Organizational Tips, Hauslane Offers Enhanced Product Protection through Partnership with Extend, Hauslane Offers Buy Now, Pay Later Options with Shop Pay Installments, Black Friday 2022: Hauslanes 7 Best-Selling Range Hoods, Festive Non-Toxic Ways to Get Rid of Kitchen Odors this Holiday Season, Our Favorite Kitchen and Laundry Secrets Revealed, Save Big on Your New Kitchen Range Hood This Black Friday with Hauslane, Hauslane Partners with San Francisco-Marin Food Bank for Successful Charity Campaign, Lower Your Utility Costs with These Home Energy Saving Tips, Food Handling Safety Tips Every Home Cook Should Know, 5 Simple Ways to Enhance Your Outdoor Table Settings, 3 Types of Non-Toxic Kitchen Cabinets for Your Remodel, Is Your Stainless Steel Rusting? Sones are measured on a linear scale. The human test subjects used to develop the sones rating system were asked to describe how loud a sound felt. We simply insert 0.3 where the Sones are and use a handheld calculator to get the result: dB (0.3 Sone) = 33.2log10(0.3) + 28 = 10.64 dB. A lot of people ask us What are Sones in fans?, for example. 0000002567 00000 n
No. At max power, a quiet range hood is between four and five sones. 13 Apr 2006 at 05:43 #3 WJA96 Soldato Joined 13 Jul 2005 Posts 18,627 Location Norfolk, South Scotland facetime call on chromebook; The NC-diagram with the default values from above: Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro .Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp from the SketchUp Pro Sketchup Extension Warehouse! Low frequency sounds are under 500 Hertz such as ocean waves and avalanches. loudness N Use the following formula to convert . The lower the sone value, the quieter the hood. The decibel ( dB) is a logarithmic unit used to measure sound level. I will start with the quietest bathroom fan on the market today. To compare decibel levels with sones, check out this helpful chart below. Tankless Water Heater Wire Size Calculator: What Gauge Wire (AWG)? Keep in mind that your hood wont be on max speed all the time; typically, it will only run on max speed when you have a lot of smoke which needs to be cleared out of the room fast. Put down a large bath mat. Sone: a unit of subjective loudness, equal to 40 phons. (Using a 4-inch duct on a 6-inch fan will increase the loudness by 30%) You can find a Sones to Decibels calculator here. air), Sensible Heat (BTU/hr) = 1.1 x CFM x t (std. But below 40 dB, perceived loudness drops off more quickly; it takes less than a 10 dB reduction in sound pressure level below 40 dB in order for humans to perceive the loudness as having been cut in half. The fan size is calculated in cubic feet per minute (CFM). 0.3 sones = 11 decibels Sound of a pin dropping, 1.0 sones = 28 decibels Sound of a whisper, 2.0 sones = 38 decibels Sound of a babbling brook, 3.0 sones = 44 decibels Sound of bird calls (not crows), 4.0 sones = 48 decibels Sound of a refrigerator, 5.0 sones = 51 decibels Sound of a refrigerator, 6.0 sones = 54 decibels Sound of a refrigerator, 7.0 sones = 56 decibels Sound of normal conversation, 8.0 sones = 58 decibels Sound of normal conversation, 9.0 sones = 60 decibels Sound of normal conversation, 10.0 sones = 61 decibels Sound of normal conversation, 11.0 sones = 63 decibels Sound of normal conversation, 12.0 sones = 64 decibels Sound of normal conversation, 13.0 sones = 65 decibels Sound of normal conversation or normal laughter. If you want to promote your products or services in the Engineering ToolBox - please use Google Adwords. Bathroom fans range from 0.3 to 4.0 sones. Although the decibel value is the same, the perceived loudness is much different because of the frequency. We don't collect information from our users. White lithium grease is another useful product to quiet noisy bathroom fan squeaks and squawks. What is a sone and how does it apply to vent hoods? That is: 40 phon or 40 dB at 1 kHz; see: Sone and phon. On top of that, we have solved 3 examples of how to convert Sones to dB, namely: Before we look at the Sones to dB calculator, chart, and the examples, lets explain what Sones actually are, where they come from, and why we dont just use decibels for measuring sound: Decibels are our standard unit of measuring sound. Shopping for a new range hood? Most people have at least a rough idea of what a decibel is. A quiet bathroom fan is 0.3 to 1.0 sones. Sone to Decibel Calculator Sone to Decibel Calculator Easily convert Sones to Decibels using this calculator. At 40 dB, it would seem like a quite office. 0000001316 00000 n
An external or remote blower is the best option to reduce the sound level of your kitchen fan. Calculator + Chart (Natural Gas), Average Gas Bill For 1-Bedroom Apartment: State-By-State Cost Analysis, Average Electricity Bill For 4 Person Household (Survey Analysis), How Many kWh Per Day Is Normal? We don't save this data. dB Calculator 0 dB Decibel Addition and Subtraction Sound levels are generally expressed in decibels, which are logarithmic and so cannot be manipulated without being converted back to a linear scale. The sone rating system of loudness could be less relevant to someone with high frequency hearing loss because of the inability to hear well and separate different sounds.