Re: [ARSCLIST] A fundamental Flaw: Was Sampling Theory (was Fred Layn's post on the Studer list re: Quantegy)

["Richard L. Hess" <ArcLists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 11:33 PM 2/2/2005 -0500, Steven C. Barr wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Cox" <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >
> > The best amplifiers have plain level controls. Only the kind of
> > equipment that has "features" has loudness controls.
> But don't ordinary volume controls use an "audio taper?" If you used an
> ordinary potentiometer, where resistance is in direct proportion to
> shaft travel, how would our ears and mind react?

There is a huge difference between an audio-taper potentiometer and a
loudness control. A loudness control attempts to adjust the frequency
response to match the equal-loudness hearing curves at different levels. It
is attempting to compensate for the differing frequency sensitivity of the
human ear at different levels. Fletcher and Munson first determined this in
1933.

This was at the top of Google and shows what I'm talking about:
http://www.sfu.ca/sonic-studio/handbook/Equal_Loudness_Contours.html

The audio taper pot just makes the voltage divider ratio more convenient to
the logarithmic way we hear levels. It does not do any frequency contouring.

Cheers,

Richard



Richard L. Hess                           email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vignettes
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