Minimum audibility curve
Minimum audibility curve is a standardized graph of the
threshold of hearing frequency for an average human, and is used as the reference level when measuring hearing loss with an audiometer as shown on an audiogram
.
Audiograms are produced using a piece of test equipment called an
ANSI standard to a level somewhat higher at 1 kHz [1]
. There are several definitions of the minimal audibility curve, defined in different international standards, and they differ significantly, giving rise to differences in audiograms according to the audiometer used. The ASA-1951 standard for example used a level of 16.5 dB SPL at 1 kHz whereas the later ANSI-1969/ISO-1963 standard uses 6.5 dB SPL, and it is common to allow a 10 dB correction for the older standard.
See also
- Articulation index
- Audiogram
- Audiology
- Audiometry
- A-weighting
- Equal-loudness contour
- Hearing range
- Hearing (sense)
- Psychoacoustics
- Pure tone audiometry