The difference between decibels and watts
Decibels and watts are common terms used when describing audio equipment.
In general, decibels are a measure of loudness, while watts measure amplifier power.
What Is a Decibel?
Bel is a unit of sound and a decibel (dB) is one-tenth of a bel.
Sound above this level can be physically damaging and even lethal.
Anything less than +/-1 dB is hard to perceive.
An increase of 10 dB is perceived as being approximately twice as loud by most people.
What Is a Watt?
(When looking at speakers, take into accountspeaker sensitivity.)
The relationship between units of power output and speaker units of volume is not linear.
For example, an increase of 10 watts does not translate to a 10 dB increase in volume.
Keep this in mind when purchasing an amplifier or receiver:
