Paul Dormer wrote:
My amplifier "allows you to vary the volume from 0 (silence) to 79
(maximum), where each step is equivalent to 0.5dB." How would one
relate this adjustment to actual listening levels?

The decibel scale was chosen to express loudness because human
perception of loudness is roughly logarithmic relative to physical
sound pressure. Every 10dB is about a 2X change in perceived volume and
a 10X change in acoustic power.

Given that, then your volume control scale is double or half volume
every 20 steps. However, that scale is only a 40dB range. The jump from
0 would be abrupt.
There must be more to it.

TB

"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
My amplifier "allows you to vary the volume from 0 (silence) to 79
(maximum), where each step is equivalent to 0.5dB." How would one
relate this adjustment to actual listening levels?

**If it was actually 0.5dB steps, that would be adequate. 1dB is a
perceptible increase (or decrease) in level. More likely, however, is that
the changes are not 0.5dB/step.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

"Trevor Wilson" wrote in message
...

"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
My amplifier "allows you to vary the volume from 0 (silence) to 79
(maximum), where each step is equivalent to 0.5dB." How would one
relate this adjustment to actual listening levels?

**If it was actually 0.5dB steps, that would be adequate. 1dB is a
perceptible increase (or decrease) in level. More likely, however, is that
the changes are not 0.5dB/step.

That makes sense, because it would imply the top level is only 40 dB
relative to silence. And 40 dB is pretty darn quiet. Normal listening
levels are usually more like 80-90 dB.