This state is from your site and refers to the human ear;

"....but it appears that there are saturation effects. Nerve cells have maximum rates at which they can fire, and it appears that doubling the sound energy to the sensitive inner ear does not double the strength of the nerve signal to the brain. "

But we are measuring the db levels with a meter which does not work like a human ear and does not saturate, but reads absolute changes in db levels.

 

Ready do admit that 3dB does not double the volume yet? You might as well, you must know its true by now.

 

Only that the human ear does hear it that way because the human ear is non-linear, can even be saturated with sound so it doesn't even hear anymore. However the meter does not measure the sound as the human ear does, but in a linear fashion. And as long as the meter does measure in a linear fashion, then 3db doubles the sound, regardless of what you hear with your imperfect ears.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

Either way you see it. 95db and 99db is pretty loud. Most wheelers aren't even close to that stock.

 

So if I have read each of the opinons correctly -

a 3db increase is a doubling in measurable sound but the human ear does not percieve as much increase - at higher db levels (90+ range for example) as the higher the sound the less sensitive the ear becomes.

Which means both of you are correct?

 

My Stock Polaris 500HO tested 99db by the DNR at the Gilbert Off-Highway Vehicle Park. Entrance to the park is limited to no more than 99db.

 

Isn't the human ear what you use to perceive volume? I know its what I use. If read carefully it looks like you admit that a atv tested at 99dB is not twice as loud as one tested at 95dB.

Imperfect ears. When you lose the argument, blame physiology, that's what I always do too.

 

I have never seen or heard of a cop writing a noise ticket using his ear, have you, I doubt it. They always use a db meter and that's has to be because human ears are all different and meters can be calibrated. Hence the meter which is God when it comes to noise measurements.

 

What all this boils down to is this, if you want to buy and aftermarket exhaust and plan on riding in noise sensitive areas, ie ohv parks, neighborhoods, or around others who MIGHT have a problem with sound, then get one with a quiet core insert or one as close to stock as possible. It is no fairy tale that noise is a major problem for the atv industry. If you want to keep your riding areas open then follow the guidelines weather you agree with them or not. If you ride on private land, like I do, and the neighbors don't care or there is noone there to hear you then make all the noise you want. But if anyone ever starts to complain then tone it down immediately.