Oktavbänder

Oktavbänder, a German term, translates to "octave bands" in English and refers to a specific method of frequency division used in acoustic measurements. These bands are characterized by having their upper frequency limit exactly double their lower frequency limit. For example, a single octave band might range from 100 Hz to 200 Hz. The next octave band would then be from 200 Hz to 400 Hz, and so on, progressing through the audible spectrum.

This logarithmic division of frequencies is particularly useful when analyzing sound, as human hearing perceives sound levels logarithmically rather than linearly. Octave band analysis allows for a more intuitive representation of sound data, grouping frequencies in a way that better reflects how we experience loudness and pitch. It is commonly employed in noise measurement, architectural acoustics, and environmental noise assessments.

Within octave band analysis, there are further subdivisions. The most common are one-third octave bands, where each octave is divided into three smaller bands, each with a frequency ratio of the cube root of two. This provides a more detailed frequency resolution than full octave bands, allowing for the identification of narrower noise sources or resonant frequencies. The choice between octave and one-third octave bands depends on the required level of detail for the specific acoustic analysis.