Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart - Sound Levels and Hearing Impact

Oct 12, 2026

Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart compiles environmental, occupational, and music-related sound levels in dB, ranging from the weakest audible sound to extreme values that can cause immediate and irreversible harm. It links higher intensities and specific exposure durations to risks such as hearing loss, including OSHA daily permissible noise limits. It also explains how perceived loudness changes by small dB increments and summarizes key findings on damaging frequencies, aging-related loss, and noise-associated health effects.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time1 min

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Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart

Environmental Noise Levels

OSHA Daily Permissible Noise Level Exposure

Perceived Changes by Decibel Increase

Sound Levels of Music

Notes and Evidence Sources

Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart Here are some interesting numbers, collected from a variety of sources, that help one to understand the volume levels of various sources and how they can affect our hearing. | Environmental Noise | | | --- | --- | | Weakest sound heard | 0dB | | Whisper Quiet Library | 30dB | | Normal conversation (3-5') | 60-70dB | | Telephone dial tone | 80dB | | City Traffic (inside car) | 85dB | | Train whistle at 500', Truck Traffic | 90dB | | Subway train at 200' | 95dB | | Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss | 90-95dB | | Power mower at 3' | 107dB | | Snowmobile, Motorcycle | 100dB | | Power saw at 3' | 110dB | | Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert | 115dB | | Pain begins | 125dB | | Pneumatic riveter at 4' | 125dB | | Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage-Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection | 140dB | | Jet engine at 100', Gun Blast | 140dB | | Death of hearing tissue | 180dB | | Loudest sound possible | 194dB | | OSHA Daily Permissible Noise Level Exposure | | | --- | --- | | Hours per day | Sound level | | 8 | 90dB | | 6 | 92dB | | 4 | 95dB | | 3 | 97dB | | 2 | 100dB | | 1.5 | 102dB | | 1 | 105dB | | .5 | 110dB | | .25 or less | 115dB | | --- | --- | | Perceptions of Increases in Decibel Level | | | --- | --- | | Imperceptible Change | 1dB | | Barely Perceptible Change | 3dB | | Clearly Noticeable Change | 5dB | | About Twice as Loud | 10dB | | About Four Times as Loud | 20dB | | Sound Levels of Music | | | --- | --- | | Normal piano practice | 60-70dB | | Fortissimo Singer, 3' | 70dB | | Chamber music, small auditorium | 75-85dB | | Piano Fortissimo | 84-103dB | | Violin | 82-92dB | | Cello | 85-111dB | | Oboe | 95-112dB | | Flute | 92-103dB | | Piccolo | 90-106dB | | Clarinet | 85-114dB | | French horn | 90-106dB | | Trombone | 85-114dB | | Tympani & bass drum | 106dB | | Walkman on 5/10 | 94dB | | Symphonic music peak | 120-137dB | | Amplifier rock, 4-6' | 120dB | | Rock music peak | 150dB | NOTES: • One-third of the total power of a 75-piece orchestra comes from the bass drum. • High frequency sounds of 2-4,000 Hz are the most damaging. The uppermost octave of the piccolo is 2,048-4,096 Hz. • Aging causes gradual hearing loss, mostly in the high frequencies. • Speech reception is not seriously impaired until there is about 30 dB loss; by that time severe damage may have occurred. • Hypertension and various psychological difficulties can be related to noise exposure. • The incidence of hearing loss in classical musicians has been estimated at 4-43%, in rock musicians 13-30% . Statistics for the Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart were taken from a study by Marshall Chasin , M.Sc. , Aud(C), FAAA, Centre for Human Performance & Health, Ontario, Canada. There were some conflicting readings and, in many cases, authors did not specify at what distance the readings were taken or what the musician was actually playing. In general, when there were several readings, the higher one was chosen.

FAQs

What sound levels are considered typical for everyday environments, according to the chart?

The chart lists whisper-quiet conditions around 30 dB and normal conversation around 60–70 dB. It also places city traffic inside a car near 85 dB and subway trains near 95 dB.

How does the chart relate decibel exposure to hearing loss risk?

It states that sustained exposure may result in hearing loss at about 90–95 dB. It also notes that even short-term exposure can cause permanent damage and that pain begins around 125 dB.

What OSHA daily permissible noise levels does the chart provide?

The chart shows decreasing allowable sound level with longer exposure: for example, 90 dB for 8 hours, 92 dB for 6 hours, 95 dB for 4 hours, and up to 110 dB for 0.5 hours.

Oct 12, 2026

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