In Search of the Missing 6 Db

Abstract

The unexplained difference in sound pressure in the ear canal which appears to exist when equally loud low frequency tones are presented alternately from an earphone and from a loudspeaker has bedeviled acousticians for many years and, unfortunately, still continues to do so. There are presented here the results of some of the measurements carried out at the Bell Telephone Laboratories which show the magnitude of the effect and various attempts at explaining it. While no satisfactory explanation has been found, it is hoped that publication of these results will stimulate interest in the problem.