What does sone mean?
A sone is a unit of perceived loudness used in acoustics and sound-level measurement. It expresses how loud a sound appears to a human listener rather than measuring only the physical energy carried by that sound. One sone corresponds to a sound level of 40 phonels above the threshold of hearing, giving it a direct relationship to the perceptual loudness scale. Sones are especially useful when comparing the apparent loudness of different sounds, such as recorded music, machinery, or speech, and when specifying the output of audio equipment. Although relatively uncommon outside technical contexts, the unit appears in standards for sound meters and in discussions of noise exposure. Its name derives from the surname of Hermann Sone, a Japanese engineer and acoustics pioneer whose work contributed to the development of modern sound measurement.
nounA unit of perceived loudness equal to the intensity of a sound that is judged by listeners to be 40 phonels above the threshold of hearing. It is used chiefly in acoustics and sound-level metering.
- A unit of perceived loudness used in acoustics, equal to a sound level of 40 phonels above the threshold of hearing.
"The sound level in the concert hall reached 120 sones during the climactic passage."
"The loudspeaker reproduced music at a measured level of 100 sones."
"Engineers used sone readings to compare the perceived loudness of different industrial machines."
The plural is used when stating or comparing sound levels in multiples of the unit.
"The two playback settings differed by ten sones."
A sone is named after Hermann Sone, a Japanese pioneer in electrical engineering and acoustics whose surname became an international scientific unit.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sone come from?
The unit was named in honour of Hermann Sone, a Japanese pioneer in electrical engineering and acoustics. His surname became the basis of the unit's spelling, while the final vowel was adjusted to the form used by the international system of units. The word entered general scientific usage as measurements of perceived loudness became standardized.
How sone is actually used
This is a technical unit used in acoustics, audio engineering, and sound measurement. It is uncommon in everyday speech and should be distinguished from the phon, which measures sound intensity rather than perceived loudness.
Easily confused with sone
A sone measures perceived loudness, whereas a tone is a sound characterized by pitch and, often, a definite musical quality.