Dealing With Noisy Neighbors

[John Darcy Evans <jdevans@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

In the last analysis, noise control seems always to boil down to
subjectivity and the credibility of the law enforcement agent!
Consider a clear-cut situation:
At the present state of play with sound measurement, one still has to
assert [in Court] that the reading on the instrument with the offending
noise [only] minus [logarithmically] the reading on the instrument without
the offending noise is over the prescribed limit.
*But how can you be sure that the ambient during one reading was the
same as the ambient during the other?*
*Experience!!*  &c &c &c .... [you can imagine how the drift in legal
argument will go!].
In the last analysis, it is the credibility attached by the Courts to the law
enforcement agent that matters.  The Agent HAS to be mature and
experienced with an in-depth understanding of the physics of sound
propagation, psychoacoustics and - most importantly - must have
accreditation by the Courts [who are the final arbiters].  He or she must
have the delegated authority to pass judgement and issue hefty spot
fines.  So many situations are only amenable to subjective assessment.
Utopian perhaps but, in general, I see no other way.  So I agree to some
extent with Michael.
Incidentally Federico, I love the great Requiems, but would react all the
more strongly to the distortions of quality perceived in the apartment
below by Faure played above at 500 W!!  [On the other hand, rubbish
doof doof doesn't need fidelity [to my ear]].  I am very favourably
disposed to Franklin Graham but his 20 kW system in a local stadium
sounded awful in a sitting room half a mile away!!
Regards ...

John D'Arcy-Evans
tel.:     (021) 400 3860
fax:     (021) 419 7096
E-mail: jdevans@ctcc.gov.za


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