Abstract
Perception thresholds of complex low frequency noises have been investigated in a laboratory experiment. Sound pressure levels that were just perceptible by subjects were measured for three complex noises and three pure tones. The complex noises had a flat constant spectrum over the frequency range 2 to 10, 20, or 40 Hz and decreased at 15 dB per octave at higher frequencies. The frequencies of the pure tones used in this study were 10, 20 and 40 Hz. The perception thresholds were obtained using an all-pass filter, one-third octave band filters, and the G frequency weighting defined in ISO 7196. The G-weighted sound pressure levels obtained were compared with 100 dB which is described in ISO 7196 as the G-weighted level corresponding to the threshold of sounds in the frequency range 1 to 20 Hz. The perception thresholds of the pure tones measured in this study were comparable to the results available in various previous studies. The one-third octave sound pressure levels obtained for the thresholds of the complex noises appeared to be lower than the measured thresholds of the pure tones. The G-weighted sound pressure levels obtained for the thresholds of the complex noises appeared to be lower than 100 dB.