On the assessment of shooting sounds: Loudness-level weightings versus A- and C-weighted sound exposure levels (L)

Abstract

As an alternative to the A-weighted sound exposure level (ASEL) Schomer et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110, 2390–2397 (2001)] used the equal-loudness level contours as a dynamic filter to determine the loudness-level-weighted sound exposure level (LLSEL). From their analyses they concluded that the LLSEL better orders and assesses traffic and impulsive sounds than the ASEL does. In the present study LLSELs were determined for a great variety of shooting sounds investigated by Vos [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 109, 244–253 (2001)]. It was concluded that for the assessment of shooting sounds, the use of loudness-level weightings is less adequate than the use of A- and C-weighted sound exposure levels as proposed in Vos’s article.