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We report measurements of interior automotive cabin forced acoustical response (SPL) as a function of frequency from 1 Hz to 200 Hz. The acoustical response was measured at eight positions in the vehicle tested, approximating the positions of passengers and points in between passengers. Variances in experimental data arising from the manner in which measuring equipment is setup in a particular vehicle are reported, and variations in data taken in similarly equipped vehicles are also reported. The purpose of these tests is to determine the measurement variability of a typical vehicle acoustic test.

Vehicle operation noise, even in the quietest cars, produces high sound pressure levels (SPL) at very low frequencies. This noise masks desired signals in and above this frequency range. A blind subjective test, using ten listeners, was undertaken to determine a frequency response equalization curve that would compensate for this noise under specific but realistic conditions. Starting with a 4 dB full-band level increase, an average of 40 listener responses showed a gentle rise in bass reaching an additional 4 dB at 50 Hz.