From 599b3390eab18f68145dfef7fbf418be99ad25b2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: letheed Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2018 14:03:47 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] Fix and improve dB explanations --- tutorials/audio/audio_buses.rst | 7 ++++--- 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/tutorials/audio/audio_buses.rst b/tutorials/audio/audio_buses.rst index e37b8602..fcc89ac6 100644 --- a/tutorials/audio/audio_buses.rst +++ b/tutorials/audio/audio_buses.rst @@ -29,11 +29,12 @@ more intuitive for audio professionals. For those unfamiliar with it, it can be explained with a few facts: -* Decibel scale is a relative scale, every 6dB (dB means decibel), sound doubles or halves. -* The scale is logarithmic, so true zero (no audio) can't be represented. +* The decibel (dB) scale is a relative scale. It represents the ratio of sound power by using 10 times the base 10 logarithm of the ratio (10×log\ :sub:`10`\ (P/P\ :sub:`0`\ )). +* For every 3dB, sound doubles or halves. 6dB represents a factor 4, 9dB a factor 8, 10dB a factor 10, 20dB a factor 100, etc. +* Since the scale is logarithmic, true zero (no audio) can't be represented. * 0dB is considered the maximum audible volume without *clipping*. This limit is not the human limit but a limit from the sound hardware. Your sound output simply can't output any sound louder than 0dB without distorting it (clipping it). * Because of the above, your sound mix should work in a way where the sound output of the *Master Bus* (more on that later), should never be above 0dB. -* Every 6dB below the 0dB limit, sound energy is *halved*. It means the sound volume at -6dB is half as loud as 0dB. -12dB is half as loud as -6dB and so on. +* Every 3dB below the 0dB limit, sound energy is *halved*. It means the sound volume at -3dB is half as loud as 0dB. -6dB is half as loud as -3dB and so on. * When working with decibels, sound is considered no longer audible between -60dB and -80dB. This makes your working range generally between -60dB and 0dB. This can take a bit getting used to, but it's friendlier in the end and will allow you to communicate better with audio professionals.