LAUSR

Abstract The article presents the results of a study on the sound quality factors of environmental noise which relate to its perceived unpleasantness, with a special focus on the noise of taking-off aircraft. Data from a listening test with in-situ recordings of aircraft noise at an exposed location were analysed and the resulting perceptual attributes relevant to noise unpleasantness are presented. The results show a considerable unpleasantness variance related to the sound quality of the noise in the loudness-matched aircraft noise stimuli set. The cutting, buzzing, screeching, narrow, sharp, high and metallic, ringing descriptor groups had the largest positive contribution to the observed unpleasantness. The results are confirmed by a regression model. The stated sound quality factors are of importance to the accuracy of the assessment and evaluation of environmental aircraft noise and its impacts.