Loudness Perception

Loudness is one of the fundamental psycho-physical properties. It is needed, e.g., for studying the acoustics of house hold devices or noise at work to name a few.

However, can it be regarded as a solely auditory property? We conducted experiments to determine the influence of vibration on loudness perception. The audio-tactile loudness illusion was found: Sounds were perceived louder, when accompanied by vibrations. This effect can be used, e.g., in discotheques or cars to reduce bass level, while simultaneously increasing the perceived sound quality.