How do decibels work?

admin_exported

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Aug 10, 2019
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Can anyone clarify that decibels reduce as the volume goes higher as this seems to be the case with the display on my amp. Thanks
 

The_Lhc

Well-known member
Oct 16, 2008
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Err, no, look closely you'll probably see a "-" sign before the number, most amps that show this sort of info start at low minus figures and go up to zero.
 

fr0g

New member
Jan 7, 2008
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No, the actual decibels goes up.

But in AV, 0dB is called the "Reference level", which is very loud. Usually you start at say -40dB and work up.

(Note the minus sign).

Someone else can explain it better probably :)
 

AlmaataKZ

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Jan 7, 2009
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Decibel is a relative unit of measurement i.e. it shows how much one value is higher or lower than the other. in case of a receiver it is of signal level in relation to a 'reference' level. if the reference level is the maximum one the receiver can do, then signal attenuation below that max can be expreseed in dB, which is the case in your receiver.

dB can go up or down, depends in which direction levels are compared.

interesting thing about decibels is because they are logarithmic they add up logarithmically. e.g. for sound pressure (SPL) level, if one speaker plays at 100dB SPL, and you add another one that alone also plays at 100db SPL, the toal SPL will not be 200dB, but 106dB.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/adding-decibel-d_63.html
 

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