So why use sones instead of decibels? The answer lies in practical application. For engineers designing quieter products, decibels are perfect for measuring absolute sound pressure. But for consumers and human-centered design, sones are often more useful. You will most frequently encounter the sone rating on the packaging of household appliances that produce continuous, predictable noise, such as:
When you ask "what is a sones," you are really asking "how annoying will this fan be?" what is a sones
However, a rough approximation is often used in the industry: So why use sones instead of decibels
Next time you are comparing fans or hoods, ignore the marketing adjectives like "Whisper Quiet" or "Silent" and look directly at the specifications sticker. The sones rating will tell you the truth. But for consumers and human-centered design, sones are
The defining reference point for the sone scale is simple and elegant. One sone is defined as the loudness of a 1,000 Hz (a mid-range frequency, similar to a high female voice) tone at 40 decibels above the standard threshold of hearing. In practical terms, the sound of a quiet refrigerator humming in a silent kitchen is roughly 1 sone. From this anchor point, the scale operates on a principle of multiplication, not addition.
(Remember, because decibels are logarithmic, doubling the loudness does not double the dB number.)