Decibel conversion

Select the value to be convert and input value then press "Compute" button.

  dB .. Decibels
  Power-ratio .. P2/P1 (P2 is the power being measured, and P1 is the reference)
  Voltage-ratio .. V2/V1 (V2 is the voltage being measured, and V1 is the reference)
  dBm .. dB for reference 1 mW (Audio, 600 Ohm) or 1 mV (Television, 75 Ohm)
         or 1 mW (Radio frequency, 50 Ohm)
  dBu .. dB for reference 1uV or 1uV/m
  mV .. voltage in mV or mV/m
  uV .. voltage in uV or uV/m
  Nepers .. voltage-ratio used in theoretical computings

Decibels express a power ratio, not an amount. They tell how many times more (positive dB) or less (negative dB) but not how much in absolute terms. Decibels are logarithmic, not linear. For example, 20 dB is not twice the power ratio of 10 dB.

The defining equation for decibels is

  A = 10*log10(P2/P1)     (dB)
where P1 is the power being measured, and P1 is the reference to which P2 is being compared.

To convert from decibel measure back to power ratio:

  P2/P1 = 10^(A/10)

Voltage is more easily measured than power, making it generally more convenient to use:

  A = 20*log10(V2/V1)      (Z2 == Z1)
The equation for obtaining voltage ratio from dB is

  V2/V1 = 10^(A/20)
Decibels are defined in terms of Power ratios. Note well that the voltage-ratio equations are valid only if the two voltages appear across equal impedances.

However, in audio systems where Z0 is essentially zero and Zin is essentially infinite, it is common to use the voltage equation without regard to impedances. If this is done, the decibel values obtaind must in no case be applied to power or power-gain calculations.

Zero-dB standards:

Audio industory:   0 dB = 1 mW in 600 Ohm resistance
      (Measurements to this standards use the unit symbol dBm)

Relevision industory:  0 dB = 1 mV rms across 75 Ohm

Radio frequency engineering:  0 dB = 1 mW in 50 Ohm resistance
	or 0 dB = 1 uV/m for electro-magnetic field strength

Radio engineers use absolute dBm of which zero-dB standard is 1 mW or absolute dBu of which zero-dB standard is 1uV.

Nepers by definition are a logarithmic measure of the ratio of two voltage magnitudes ow two current magnitudes, the logarithm being to the base e.