If I offer you half of a pie, you might think I'm being generous. If I then tell you the pie is actually only 5cm in diameter, you'd be disappointed. Receiving half of a pie that is 30cm would be much more impressive.
Telling me you removed half of something with out telling me the size of the something isn't compelling.
Yeah, I guess the reason we're talking past each other here is I'm thinking of the tool; if I gave you a coin that would purchase half of any pie then the pie size is irrelevant. Put this tire on a different road and the absolute sound levels will change, but the sound difference with and without the treatment will not.
Telling me you removed half of something with out telling me the size of the something isn't compelling.