Term: SPL

Sound pressure level measures the acoustic power or pressure of sound against an eardrum. SPL is measured in decibels and some typical reference levels are: 0 dB SPL is the threshold of human hearing, 10 dB SPL is quiet breathing, 60 to 70 dB SPL is typical for television watching, and 120 dB SPL is the threshold of pain. It takes an increase of about 10 dB SPL for a listener to perceive a sound as twice as loud. An SPL meter is used to determine SPL levels.