What dB means

It means much much much much much much much much much much much much .....more


We do not feel it as our ear brain mechanism adjusts gain automaticaly.


But electronics feel the tremendous difference in signal level and they may get crazy.


So what does dB mean?


It is easy.


10dB ie 1B ie one Bell (Graham Bell) means adding one zero.


20dB ie 2 Bells means adding two zeros ie x100.


etc



60dB means adding six zeros, 000000, ie x 1000000 ie multiplying by one million ie a signal with a million times greater power.


It is not a joke.


Only the best ie simplest one transistor, one electron tube amplifier stages can deal with such dynamic range (for example live music) and not get crazy. See also Tubes vs Transistors (vs op amps), is there an audible difference? - Russel O. Hamm - JAES


See also:


Sound and Hearing - Stevens, Warshofsky, Time Life science series


http://www.sengpielaudio.com/dB-chart.htm


See also the best schematics on the planet:
Eg
Neumann U47
EMI TG12345
EMI RS61
RCA BA-2C
Telefunken V72
Altec 1566A
Pleiades V6
The amplifier inside a UHER report
The amplifier inside EMI BTR2
The amplifier inside a Dansette Bermuda
The amplifier inside a vintage cassette recorder
the first schematic one sees in every electronics book


and possibly thinks it is too easy to be good.