Loudness Dialog Overview

The Loudness processor applies a filter compensation curve to the signal in an inverse relationship to the output volume, i.e., the higher the output volume the less compensation is applied. The user may fine-tune the amount of loudness compensation using the Compensation Adjustment slider and adjusting "by ear," or by measuring SPL levels in a particular room, then using the slider to adjust the loudness filter relative to the SPL of the room and system gain structure. See topic, Loudness Calibration, for more information.

There are two places in the signal chain where a Loudness processor may be applied: the output path or the virtual return path. On the output path, both the output Volume plus the Post-mixer Trim will affect the loudness compensation curve. On the virtual return path, the Pre-mixer Gain affects the loudness compensation curve.

The Loudness dialog window contains the following elements:

• Graph - displays the compensation curve being applied to the signal. These curves are read-only, and are not adjustable from the graph.

• Loudness Compensation adjustment slider - from a center zero-point, slide to the left to adjust for less compensation (filter curve is reduced), or to the right for more compensation (filter curve is increased). The slider position is translated into a dB value, displayed in the Compensation readout box. When less compensation is applied (the slider is moved to the left), it compensates for more perceived loudness, therefore the dB value increases as less compensation is applied. The opposite is true for adding more compensation. With the center point being 0dB, the slider range is from +24dB (full left) to -24dB (full right).

• Advanced Calibration: SPL value - the Advanced Calibration section contains an SPL readout box that provides the summed value of the Compensation Adjustment slider, the Post Gain setting, and the output channel Volume control, with a +90dB offset that corresponds to the average loudest listening level. The SPL readout value is 90dB, for example, when the Loudness Compensation adjustment is 0dB, the Post Gain is set to 0dB, and the output Volume is 100% (0dB).