I think Tom’s right. The way our ears work, if I recall from way back in school, is that it takes 10x the sound pressure (10dB =1B = 10^1) to sound twice as loud.
You guys have it right. 3db is generally the smallest change in sound pressure the ear can perceive and 10db is twice as “loud”. What isn’t captured in the sound pressure measurement is the quality of the sound. For instance, my eurocave is slightly softer than my 1800 le cache, but its mostly low frequency regular pulsation and typical compressor noise which falls into the background easily. The le cache has more high frequency noise, I think from the fan, and while isn’t measurably “louder” in my house, is much more noticible and annoying.
I still love the le cache though.
Yeah, I was thinking of sound pressure levels or power levels and not what the ear/brain hear and perceive. 3 dB is doubling the power or in auditory terms sound pressure level. And 10 dB is 10X. But that’s not what the ear hears which is a bit more subjective it seems as if you google the topic you get varying answers… but most seeming to agree with the 3 dB being noticeable difference and 10 dB being double the loudness.
I work in the RF/microwave field where power levels and differences are absolute physical quantities and not subject to variable human to human sensory perception.
That’s right. Double power is 3db. I used to work with in the home audio field(but I am quite rusty with this stuff). People would go crazy over 1000 watt subs cause they could go “insanely loud” but it’s only 6db louder than a 250 watt sub. Do you really need 120db when you already have 114db? (noise/distortion is a different issue)
In any case, to the OP, I don’t know how close to VA beach/Norfolk you are, but I have the eurocave and Le Cache with an 1800 XT (I think) side by side. Happy to let you listen if you are in the area.