bigshot
Headphoneus Supremus
I think it would be useful to assemble a spec sheet for human hearing, outlining the thresholds of human perception. That way people can put published specs in context. Feel free to suggest specs and link to citations, and I'll assemble them to this top post. I'll start it out...
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE HUMAN EAR
Thresholds of Perception
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
20 Hz to 20 kHz (optimal hearing)
20 Hz to 15 kHz (over 50)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range
DYNAMIC RANGE
Peak volume 130 dB (threshold of pain)
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/earsens.html
Noise floor 30 dB for (quiet listening room)
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html
GROUP DELAY (PHASE SHIFT)
Threshold of Audibility 1 to 3 ms (500Hz to 8kHz)
http://sound.westhost.com/ptd.htm
DISTORTION
Just Detectable Threshold: 1% (Non Linear Distortion)
http://www.audioholics.com/education/acoustics-principles/human-hearing-distortion-audibility-part-3
http://www.alpsadriaacoustics.org/archives/Full Papers/Furdek_Harmonic Distortion Perception Threshold.pdf
JITTER
Just Detectable Threshold in Music 20ns, perhaps higher than 200ns (ref. the work of Dr. Ashihara)
http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=8354 (needs subscription)
http://www.nanophon.com/audio/1394_sampling_jitter.pdf (cited in section 2.2)
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE HUMAN EAR
Thresholds of Perception
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
20 Hz to 20 kHz (optimal hearing)
20 Hz to 15 kHz (over 50)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range
DYNAMIC RANGE
Peak volume 130 dB (threshold of pain)
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/earsens.html
Noise floor 30 dB for (quiet listening room)
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html
GROUP DELAY (PHASE SHIFT)
Threshold of Audibility 1 to 3 ms (500Hz to 8kHz)
http://sound.westhost.com/ptd.htm
DISTORTION
Just Detectable Threshold: 1% (Non Linear Distortion)
http://www.audioholics.com/education/acoustics-principles/human-hearing-distortion-audibility-part-3
http://www.alpsadriaacoustics.org/archives/Full Papers/Furdek_Harmonic Distortion Perception Threshold.pdf
JITTER
Just Detectable Threshold in Music 20ns, perhaps higher than 200ns (ref. the work of Dr. Ashihara)
http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=8354 (needs subscription)
http://www.nanophon.com/audio/1394_sampling_jitter.pdf (cited in section 2.2)
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