Dynamic Test Tones

Background

Nowadays, much emphasis is put towards 24-bit recordings, with a dynamic range exceeding 140dB. Use these test tones to realize how 16-bit supersedes by far the dynamic range offered by your listening environment.

At 20 bits, you are on the verge of dynamic range covering fly-farts-at-20-feet to intolerable pain. Really, what more could we need? (a quote from the internet).

Applications

Determine how much dynamic is masked by your room's noise floor.

Usage

Each file alternately plays pink noise at full scale level then a number of dBs below this level. The last file alternates the full scale pink noise with digital silence (mute). As soon as the file under test can no longer be distinguished from digital silence, the dynamic range available in your environment has been reached. Confirm the results of this test with our blind test series.

6dB	12dB	18dB	24dB	30dB	36dB	42dB	48dB
54dB	60dB	66dB	72dB	Mute

Links

• About Decibels
• Table of Sound Pressure Levels