Thread for Noise Tech Talk

[4th_point]

Post up your tech questions, public service announcements, topic suggestions, etc. here. That way it reduces clutter in the make/model specific threads.

Everyone is welcome to contribute. I'll try to post something every now and then too.

 

[HuntHarder]

Why should I care about nerd noise tech talk? If the industry standard is what it is, isn't that a good, fair way to measure can vs. Can? If all company's measure the same way, why care about A vs Z?

 

[Q_Sertorius]

It makes sense that the SAAMI standard should be put early in this thread.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SAAMI-Z299.6-202X-Suppressors-Approved-2025-07-30.pdf

Folks can nerd out about it all they want, but the SAAMI voluntary standards are currently as close as we are going to get for how manufacturers should be measuring and reporting sound values.

 

[4th_point]

Why should I care about nerd noise tech talk? If the industry standard is what it is, isn't that a good, fair way to measure can vs. Can? If all company's measure the same way, why care about A vs Z?

Good question. Screenshots below are from Dr. Phil Dater, MD in the Air Force.

If you don't care, just don't visit this thread? You're free to come shit in this thread if you want. Don't bother me! And you might change your mind.

 

[HuntHarder]

Not try to shit on your thread. I know nothing about nerd noise tech. Why should it matter to me? Are you inferring that the current testing is not accurate? Does the current way companies represent Dba not give a good comparison between cans?

 

[4th_point]

PS - I am not an expert in Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). However, I think we have at least one member here that is experienced.

 

[4th_point]

Not try to shit on your thread. I know nothing about nerd noise tech. Why should it matter to me? Are you inferring that the current testing is not accurate? Does the current way companies represent Dba not give a good comparison between cans?

Ask yourself why SAAMI chose unweighted or Z-weighted, instead of A-weighted.

If you don't understand after that, then feel free to ask specific questions. That's what this thread is for.

 

[Formidilosus]

Good question. Screenshots below are from Dr. Phil Dater, MD in the Air Force.

If you don't care, just don't visit this thread? You're free to come shit in this thread if you want. Don't bother me! And you might change your mind.


View attachment 935735

View attachment 935737

View attachment 935738

I’m not a sound guy, however this is opposite of almost everything I have been told. What have been told for the last 20+ years dealing with suppressors is that A- weighting is most representative of what the human ear hears, and possible damage.

 

[Formidilosus]

Ask yourself why SAAMI chose unweighted or Z-weighted, instead of A-weighted.

I would say that a loaded question- SAAMI also didn’t specify, or used some questionable standard for quite a few things.

If you don't understand after that, then feel free to ask specific questions. That's what this thread is for.

Not being a dick, but you aren’t answering his question. Saying “because “X” said so, isn’t giving the reason why it matters.
You have filled threads full of nerd level information and tedium- I too would like to know if it actually matters or is it just engineering dork mind fugging.

 

[4th_point]

I’m not a sound guy, however this is opposite of almost everything I have been told. What have been told for the last 20+ years dealing with suppressors is that A- weighting is most representative of what the human ear hears, and possible damage.

A-weighting is used to represent the response of the human ear. It filters the signal - reducing the reported dB for lower frequency, and very slightly increasing it in the mid. Since the level is attenuated (manipulated in a controlled fashion) it is not what is happening in the real world. It's what humans "perceive".

We are surrounded by air. Decibels are the units used for SPL, right? It's sound pressure, in a fluid.

If you wanted to take a pressure reading for any fluid, wouldn't you want to use what is happening in the real world, not manipulated by formula?

 

[4th_point]

I would say that a loaded question- SAAMI also didn’t specify, or used some questionable standard for quite a few things.

I can't speak to what SAAMI did back when, and not sure what you are referring to. Even if they screwed up, it doesn't mean that they can't correct course and make improvements.

Z-weight is unfiltered, and what is in the new SAAMI standard.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

.

If you wanted to take a pressure reading for any fluid, wouldn't you want to use what is happening in the real world, not manipulated by formula?

All most of us want to know is how to prevent NIHL and which tool is best for that job.

I don’t care what the sound is or isn’t, if it doesn’t affect my hearing. Or my dog’s hearing.

So, if I rely on the A measurement rather than the Z, am I assuming extra risk?

 

[4th_point]

Not being a dick, but you aren’t answering his question. Saying “because “X” said so, isn’t giving the reason why it matters.
You have filled threads full of nerd level information and tedium- I too would like to know if it actually matters or is it just engineering dork mind fugging.

All most of us want to know is how to prevent NIHL and which tool is best for that job.

I don’t care what the sound is or isn’t, if it doesn’t affect my hearing. Or my dog’s hearing.

So, if I rely on the A measurement rather than the Z, am I assuming extra risk?

It was already addressed by one of our fellow members - see screenshot below. I don't have relevant industry experience in NIHL, but he does.

If you understand how the A-weighting works, it'll make sense. Instead of reporting pressure 1:1, it reduces it for some frequencies. If the noise peak is in that area, A-weighting will make the reported value lower than what is actually happening.

 

[4th_point]

More from Dr. Phil Dater, MD in the Air Force.

 

[4th_point]

Just note that Z-weighting is the same as unweighted. So Phil Dater was basically suggesting Z-weight, as you need to choose something on the meter and unweighted is generally not an option.

 

[4th_point]

Don't want to beat A vs Z to death, so this will my last post on it unless someone has questions.

From another thread:

For anyone interested, I took all of the 2025 TBAC data for comparison (all 376 configurations).

The dB average for all 376 tests was:

• 139.2 dB(A)
• 146.1 dB(Z)

So A-weight was 6.9 dB lower (arithmetic diff) on average, just due filtering, which is quite a bit more than I would have guessed. Of course, you can just view each make/model in the TBAC spreadsheet if you want but I thought it would be interesting to use all 376 tests.

Note: That data includes rimfire, 300 BO, AR, and other can-rifle configs that might not be interesting to hunters.

 

[4th_point]

Change in topic...

For those that like to compare cans with no hearing protection, how often do you get your hearing tested?

Do you know what frequencies might be impacted?

I'm a few years behind. My employer had an audiologist visit our site on a regular basis, but I don't work there now and haven't had a test since.

Just something to ponder... we hear differently, just like another person might see things differently through the same optic.

 

[mtnbound]

Change in topic...

For those that like to compare cans with no hearing protection, how often do you get your hearing tested?

Do you know what frequencies might be impacted?

I'm a few years behind. My employer had an audiologist visit our site on a regular basis, but I don't work there now and haven't had a test since.

Just something to ponder... we hear differently, just like another person might see things differently through the same optic.

I can’t imagine why anyone would voluntarily test a single can let alone do it multiple times without earpro.

 

[4th_point]

I can’t imagine why anyone would voluntarily test a single can let alone do it multiple times without earpro.

Yeah, I don't recommend it. Hope it didn't come across that way!

But, some people like to do it anyway. And given enough distance, it could be done safely.

My point was that, if you are exposed to loud noises, getting your hearing checked might be a good thing. I should have stated that more clearly.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I can’t imagine why anyone would voluntarily test a single can let alone do it multiple times without earpro.

I am not advocating it, but I can imagine why someone would do it. For whatever reason, they don’t take hearing loss seriously and they don’t understand the risk. I say that as someone who thought it was an “okay thing to do very rarely” without being properly educated on the risks.