Binaural summation of the loudness of pure tones

Abstract

Subjects [human] made magnitude estimations of the loudness of pure tones (100, 400 and 1000 Hz), which were presented at equal and unequal sound pressure levels to the 2 ears. The results were consistent with a model of linear binaural loudness summation. The estimates of loudness approximated the linear sum of the loudness estimates of the individual left-ear and right-ear components. The relation between loudness and sound pressure, over moderate SPL [sound pressure level], can be described by a power function with an exponent of about 0.6 at 400 and 1000 Hz, 0.75 at 100 Hz.