Decibel (dB & dBFS) Reference
What decibel changes actually mean — the amplitude, power and loudness rules of thumb, and how the digital dBFS scale relates to clipping and headroom.
| Change | Meaning |
|---|---|
| +10 dB | ≈ perceived as 'twice as loud' |
| +6 dB | ≈ double the amplitude (voltage) |
| +3 dB | ≈ double the power |
| 0 dB | reference level — no change |
| −3 dB | half the power |
| −6 dB | half the amplitude |
| −10 dB | ≈ perceived as 'half as loud' |
Digital levels (dBFS)
| Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 dBFS | Digital full scale — the loudest possible sample; anything higher clips. |
| −12 to −18 dBFS | A common average level to mix at, leaving healthy headroom. |
| −60 dBFS | Very quiet — near the noise floor of most recordings. |
| −∞ dBFS | Digital silence. |
Decibels are logarithmic and relative: +6 dB doubles amplitude, +3 dB doubles power, and about +10 dB sounds twice as loud. dBFS is referenced to digital full scale, so values are at or below 0.