> I don't understand the complaint there.

The problem is that almost nobody does. I can't remember the last time outside of HN comments here that I've seen dB(A) or similar in real world.

I guess I'm biased from my Electrical Engineering background as we use different decibels all the time so the basis is essential.

It would be akin to saying 'kilo', but not specifying a 'gram', or 'meter'.

That's fine for bakers as they don't work with kilometers routinely, but not for physicists or antenna engineering.