Equal loudness curves (Fletcher-Munson)

[AntonZ]

The human ear is typically most sensitive in the midrange. More interestingly, the "frequency response" of our hearing changes with volume. This has been researched extensively by Fletcher and Munson in the 1930s. The curves became commonly known as Fletcher-Munson curves. Other researchers have done yet more lab testing later and refined the curves.

Equal loudness curves

Wikipedia

Equal loudness contours and audiometry - test your own hearing


For one thing, this explains why I feel like turning up the bass on my Autotuba when I play low volume in my car. Playing louder, it is plenty bass without turning it up.

[Ron K]

I found the audiometry test to be quite revealing of the truth! FWIW I use a similar moded Fletchur Munson for my own EQ target curves.

This is all good stuff to read and learn about especially for the non musician types. Thanx for the good links Anton Z!I believe musicians discover this early on while playing instruments especially piano players and keyboard players.They may not know the scientific terminology but I do believe they figure this out pretty early on.

Often the novice sound guy (we all went through this I'm sure) starts wanting things loud. Then somewhere along the way he realizes loud is a very small fraction of mixing live.Mixing for definition and making good live full range sound is where it is at and like most I have discovered that if you create a nice clean defined mix the volume takes care of itself!

Balance is the key!

[Turntablist]

For those who don't know what the dynamic-eq is good for, this is it. With some peeking at the Munson-fletcher-charts you can achive a really nice and natural sound from whispering- to warvolume.