The Noisiness of Low-Frequency One-Third Octave Bands of Noise

This study examined the relative noisiness of low frequency one-third octave bands of noise bounded by the bands centered at 25 Hz and 200 Hz, with intensities ranging from 50 db sound pressure level (SPL) to 95 db SPL. The thirty-two subjects used a method-of-adjustment technique, producing comparison-band intensities as noisy as standard bands centered at 100 Hz and 200 Hz with intensities of 60 db SPL and 72 db SPL. Four contours of equal noisiness were developed for one-third octave bands, extending down to 25 Hz and ranging in intensity from approximately 58 db SPL to 86 db SPL. These curves were compared with the contours of equal noisiness of Kryter and Pearsons. In the region of overlap (between 50 Hz and 200 Hz) the agreement was good.