39 Loudness perception: Overview

Loudness is a qualitative impression formed inside the brain- it cannot be measured directly. However, scientists have made substantial progress understanding how the our perception of loudness depends on the properties of the vibrations that reach our ears. In previous parts of this book, you’ve learned that loudness perception is based mainly on amplitude, but that’s only part of the story. This part of the book will dig further into physically measurable characteristics of loud and soft sounds and how they impact human perception of loudness.