A-weighting vs C-weighting explained

Weighting filters emphasize some frequencies over others so a single number better matches a purpose. DecibelDock labels them in plain language: Human Ear, Full Bass and Raw.

Human Ear (A)

A-weighting roughly follows how sensitive human hearing is at moderate levels — less emphasis on deep bass and extreme highs. Everyday environmental comparisons often use it. DecibelDock calls this Human Ear.

Full Bass (C)

C-weighting is flatter through much of the bass. It can show more low-frequency energy than A-weighting. DecibelDock calls this Full Bass. It still cannot recover bass your microphone never captured.

Raw (Z)

Z-weighting is nominally flat within the band the software considers. DecibelDock calls this Raw. Flat software is not a flat or certified microphone.

Which should you use?

For comparing speechy rooms and general household noise, start with Human Ear. For checking whether a rumble is dominating, glance at Full Bass. For "what is the mic actually seeing without A/C shaping," use Raw — remembering the phone's own response still shapes everything.

When you write down a reading, write the weighting too. A number without Human Ear / Full Bass / Raw (or A/C/Z) is hard to reuse later.

Why labels matter in the UI

Many apps bury A/C/Z behind jargon. DecibelDock's Human Ear, Full Bass and Raw buttons keep the idea visible. A short on-screen explanation appears when you change weighting so you are not guessing what just happened to the number.

Comparing apps

If one app shows dB(A) and another shows an unlabeled dB, treat them as different instruments. Even two A-weighted phone apps can disagree because microphones and processing differ. Same phone, same app, same weighting is the fairest DIY comparison.

A quick experiment

Play a bass-heavy track quietly through a speaker, measure with Human Ear, then Full Bass, then Raw from the same spot. Note which jumps more. Repeat with speech-only audio. The pattern teaches more than a definition paragraph.

Document the weighting on any note you keep. Future-you will not remember which filter was active.

Putting it to work in DecibelDock

Open Sound level meter after you read this guide so the ideas attach to real controls. Use the same phone, the same weighting or instrument preset, and the same physical position whenever you compare two scenes. Prefer a blank reading, a held value, or a written rejection over a number that looks definitive but came from silence, clipping or chaos.

DecibelDock is built for exploration and relative checks on Android. It is not a calibrated or certified sound level meter, not a medical device, and not a substitute for professional instruments when safety, health or compliance are on the line. Direction, Doppler and Distance stay approximate and depend on your phone. The learn section exists to make those limits understandable — and to help the feature pages show up for the questions people already type into a search box.

When you are done experimenting, skim a related article below and the matching feature page. Internal links are intentional: each guide should send you somewhere useful next, not leave you on a dead-end paragraph.

If something in the app disagrees with this guide after a future update, trust the in-app How to use notes for that build, and treat marketing copy as secondary to what the screen actually shows.

Key takeaways

• Use the same phone and setup when you compare scenes.
• Prefer a blank or rejected result over a confident wrong number.
• Phone tools are for exploration and relative checks, not certification.
• Read the matching feature page for what the app actually shows on screen.