If the sound deteriorates in a linear fashion, this technique works well. If, however, there is a non-linear deterioration, questions arise as to the validity of such extrapolations. Many acousticians and musicians would agree that 10 dB and 20 dB drops are really more significant than a 60 dB drop because they express the quality of the earliest sounds that reach the ear of the listener. The great amount of documented data poses a problem in carrying out a conclusive analysis. No longer is a simple reverberation time measured or calculated at 500 cps adequate to describe the acoustical quality of a great space such as Severance Hall.
Variations always exist over time, position and frequency.
No one fragmented bit of data serves to describe the experience for one individual, let alone 2000 people at one performance or the multitudes who have enjoyed the Cleveland Orchestra for over sixty years in Severance Hall. The true evaluation of the space involves the totality of all data, generating a new combination each moment. The main floor can be divided acoustically into three zones. This low value is probably due to the lack of side-wall reflections and a ceiling form that directs sound toward the upper balconies. Primary reflected sounds appear to come from the stage.