Difference in subjective magnitude between heavy-weight floor impact sources using auditory experiment

Abstract

Difference in subjective magnitude between heavy-weight floor impact sources was investigated using two auditory experiments. In the first experiment, subjective magnitude to various level (41~56 dB, L’i,Fmax,Aw) of heavy-weight floor impact sound by bang machine, impact ball and children’s jumping was investigated using rating scale method (7 points scale). And then, point of subjective equality (PSE) of floor impact sounds by bang, ball and children’s jumping was drawn using relative annoyance judgement method in second experiment. Stimuli were pairs consisting of the reference (fixed sound level in 50 dB, L’i,Fmax,Aw) and test stimulus (varied sound level), and the subjects rated the relative annoyance of test stimuli compared with a reference stimulus using a numerical scale (-3~0~ + 3). Results showed that floor impact sound level by bang machine was 3~4 dB lower than that of impact sound by impact ball in the PSE. It was also found that subjective magnitude of floor impact sound by ball was quite similar as impact sound by children jumping.