From: Andreas Stemmer <groovingandi_at_gmx.de>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:06:35 +0100

gl wrote:
> > I had to remember that 0dB are 92% on the AJR20
> > and something else on the H340.
>
> It doesn't need to be. Just code it so that 0 and 100% always lie on
> exactly the first and last values,.

That's where the 92% came from as the Archos can go up to +12dB (100%).

> > In the old Rockbox version, the answer was 92% (if I recall correctly). I
> > think "0dB" conveys that information much better than "92%".
>
> Sure, but 100% for 0dB and (say) 110% convey it just as well.

I don't think this is intuitive at all if it is not clear that 100%
refers to 0dB. And you'll get other problems. You can allow values
larger than 100% for players that have more headroom, fine. What about
the lower end of the dynamic range? Where are the 0% for players with
different dynamic ranges? Do you allow some player to go down to 30%
only and others down to -10% or would you prefer a nonlinear scale where
0% is the minimum level of the specific hardware? If you choose the
latter, 100% will be the only value for which the volume is the same for
two models. In this case, headphones which sound fine at 70% on one
model will sound completely different at 70% on a different player
model.

> Most consumer types would be happier with an inuitive scale. Most
> audiophiles probably prefer dB or don't care either way.

Perhaps it's enough to add "dB" on the display to make it clear?

Andreas
Received on 2006-11-23