Determining the Psychoacoustic Parameters That Affect Subjective Sensation of Fabric Sounds at Given Sound Pressures

In fabric sound research, loudness has been proven to be the primary factor determining auditory sensation while other factors have not received enough attention in relation to their significance. This study aimed to analyze the secondary sound factors that differentiate sensations of fabric sounds at given sound pressure levels (SPL) corresponding to loudness. Objective sound data were obtained with psychoacoustic measurements such as Zwicker's parameters and auto correlation function parameters. These were compared with subjective ratings using seven pairs of descriptors: “hard vs. soft,” “quiet vs. loud,” “dull vs. sharp,” “obscure vs. clear,” “smooth vs. rough,” “low vs. high,” and “unpleasant vs. pleasant.” The fabric sounds having the same SPL varied in magnitude of perception for each sensation, thus revealing the effects of secondary sound factors. The parameters affecting subjective sensation are as follows: roughness ( z) and τ1, delay time of the first peak, decrease the sensations of “clarity,” “sharpness,” and “smoothness”; fluctuation strength (z) promotes “smoothness” for 50 dB sounds; and τe, related to reverberation, increases “pleasantness” for 50 dB sounds.