Complex Tones

:

Equal-loudness curves apply only to pure tones.

• complex tones are more ambiguous making it too difficult to test their ``equal loudness'' in this way.

Harmonics/partials contribute to the perceived loudness of a tone.

• most musical tones don't go as high as 2000 Hz but harmonics might.
• musical tones with pitch frequencies below 100 Hz are heard mostly through their harmonics.