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Title: Subjective loudness and annoyance of filtered N-wave sonic booms

Journal Article · · J. Acoust. Soc. Am.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1121/1.382483· OSTI ID:6006793

The contribution of the infrasonic low-frequency content of sonic boom N waves to subjective loudness and annoyance has been investigated. An extended low-frequency response loudspeaker-driven simulation booth was employed, with computer-generated input test signals. For test N waves of 1-ms rise time and 150-ms duration, frequencies below 25 and 50 Hz, respectively, were cut off by digital filters simulating simple RC circuits. The filtered signal amplitude was adjusted versus the amplitude (48 Pa) of a reference unfiltered N wave (effective low-frequency cutoff about 0.1 Hz) until the two sounded equally loud (first experiment) or equally annoying (second experiment). The amplitude differences for equality were very slight: less than 0.6 dB at most. Surprisingly, while loss of the low frequencies slightly decreased the loudness, it slightly increased the annoyance.

Research Organization:
Toronto University, Toronto, Canada
OSTI ID:
6006793
Journal Information:
J. Acoust. Soc. Am.; (United States), Vol. 65
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English