Thread: Suppressor effectiveness - Think about this!

Originally Posted by gonetropo

-10dB is 1/2. +10dB is double. the -3 and plus 3dB formula is for working out the average volume over a "bell curve"

Nothing to do with a bell curve which is for statistical data.

Usually the 3dB is used as the roll off point when determining frequency ranges and corresponds to halving the measured signal level. As pointed out earlier the 10dB corresponds to the energy level which is related to the square of the signal, hence the 10dB being used for sound level readings.