How Loud Is 130 Decibels | 130 dB Example and Equivalents (2023)

  1. What Is 130 Decibels?
  2. How Loud Is 130 Decibels: Common Sources of Noise
    2.1 Horn
    2.2 Klaxon
    2.3 Personal Alarm
    2.4 Alarm Siren
  3. Is 130 dB Safe for Hearing?
    3.1 How Long Can You Listen to It?
    3.2 How to Protect Yourself
  4. Comparison to Other Intensity Levels
    4.1 70 decibels
    4.2 90 decibels
    4.3 120 decibels
  5. How Far Away Can You Hear 130 dB?
  6. How to Measure Decibels with DecibelPro.App

In this article, we’re answering two important questions: ‘How loud is 130 decibels?’ and ‘Is 130 dB hearing-safe?’. Read on to learn all about what 130 dB is, examples of sounds that reach this decibel level, and comparisons with other sound intensity levels.

What Is 130 Decibels?

We use the decibel scale to describe the intensity of sounds audible to the human ear. The louder a sound is, the more decibels it measures. The decibel scale is rarely used for measuring sounds we humans cannot hear, such as ultrasonic sounds that only some animals can hear.

The threshold of human hearing is 0 decibels. 130 decibels is considered the threshold of pain when it comes to our ears. What this means is that listening to sounds with an intensity of 130 dB is both painful and harmful to human hearing.

130-decibel sounds can cause instant hearing damage and noise-induced hearing loss.

How Loud Is 130 Decibels: Common Sources of Noise

130 dB is extremely loud and equivalent to:

  • a jet take-off
  • the loudest rock concert ever recorded
  • a gunshot at close range
  • the sound made by a jackhammer

All sounds that exceed 85 decibels are considered dangerous to human hearing, but this intensity level is considered extremely dangerous.

The easiest way to understand how loud is 130 dB is to imagine (not expose yourself to) common sounds that reach this decibel level. Fortunately, these are not sounds you can come across every day and you will rarely, if ever, have to be exposed to them. However, if you are ever exposed to sound levels above 85 decibels, the rule of thumb is that you should wear hearing protection.

Here are a few examples of common sources of 130 dB noise:

Horn

While a car horn is around 110 dB, an air horn can reach 130 dB. Air horns are pneumatic devices used for signaling but also at sporting events. Given how damaging they can be especially when they are used close to the ear, they have been banned in many states and are not considered acceptable at many sports arenas.

Klaxon

A klaxon is an electric horn used on trains, ships, and trailer trucks. It makes an extremely loud recognizable sound that measures 130 dB.

Personal Alarm

Personal alarms are safety devices that make an extremely loud sound to scare off attackers. The high-pitched sound made by a personal alarm is between 120-130 dB.

Alarm Siren

Alarm sirens like the ones fitted on ambulances need to be extremely loud so that they can be heard from far away. They can easily reach 130 dB.

Is 130 dB Safe for Hearing?

130 dB is not safe for your hearing. In fact, exposing yourself to 130 dB sounds even for a few seconds can affect your hearing instantly, causing hearing damage or hearing loss.

As you can see in the decibel chart below, 130 dB is considered extremely loud.

How Loud Is 130 Decibels | 130 dB Example and Equivalents (1)

How Long Can You Listen to It?

You cannot listen to 130 dB sounds for even a few seconds without wearing hearing protection if you are standing right next to the sound source. However, if you distance yourself from the 130 dB sound, its intensity will decrease and the further you are from it, the safer you will be.

As a general rule, the louder a sound is, the less time you should listen to it. And being aware of how loud a sound is is very important as even the music you are listening to your headphones at full volume can reach 100 dB – a level for which the recommended exposure is 15 minutes.

How to Protect Yourself

The best way to protect yourself from the dangers of high-intensity sounds and to prevent hearing damage and hearing loss is to wear hearing protection. Health experts recommend wearing earplugs, earmuffs, or noise-canceling headphones.

The second thing you can do to protect yourself from loud noise is to distance yourself from it. Lastly, you can protect your hearing by limiting the amount of time you expose yourself to loud noise. However, the time limit for exposure to 130 dB sound is 0 seconds.

Comparison to Other Intensity Levels

Sound intensity increases 10 times for each +10 dB difference.

70 decibels

70 decibels is the maximum recommended noise level humans should be exposed to over a 24-hour period. This limit applies to adults. For a baby (or for your neighbors), it is 50-60 decibels.

Compared to 70 dB, 130 dB is 1,000,000 times more intense.

90 decibels

90 decibels is comparable to the sound of a motorcycle and 10,000 times less intense than 130 dB.

120 decibels

120 dB sounds are 10 times less intense than 130 dB sounds.

How Far Away Can You Hear 130 dB?

The way we perceive sounds depends on how far away we are from the source. It also depends on how the sound travels and if there is anything blocking or dampening the sound as it moves through the air.

As sound travels, its intensity decreases by about 6 decibels for each doubling of the distance.

For example, a 130 dB sound at the source will be 124 dB at 1 meter, 118 dB at 2 meters, and 112 dB at 4 meters. Therefore, depending on the specific conditions, 130 dB can be heard from a considerable distance.

How to Measure Decibels with DecibelPro.App

To easily measure decibels, you can download a decibel meter app. Decibel Pro is just as efficient as a professional sound level meter and instantly displays measured decibel levels on your iPhone or iPad screen.

It works just as well in a quiet room as it does at an outdoor rock concert.

To download Decibel Pro, AppStore. GooglePlay.

Decibel Pro also features:

  • a hifi spectrum analyzer for setting up sound systems
  • a hearing test for regularly monitoring your hearing health
  • a noise dosimeter to calculate your daily noise exposure

To learn more about the Decibel app, click here.

FAQs

Can 130 dB damage hearing? ›

Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears.

How many dB is a jet engine? ›

The outside of aircraft engines (around 140 dB at takeoff) and conditions on other aircraft may have higher or lower noise levels. Sound insulation also varies among aircraft.

How loud is yelling in dB? ›

Required Voice Levels at Distance

A normal voice level is between 60-70 dB. A raised voice is between 65-75 dB. A very loud voice is between 75-85 dB. A shouting voice is above 85 dB.

How many decibels is a car horn? ›

Car horn: 110 decibels. Nightclub: 110 decibels. Ambulance siren: 112 decibels.

What does 130 dB sound like? ›

120 – 140 decibels: Such as, a rock concert, auto racing, or a hammer pounding a nail. 125 – 155 decibels: Like, firecrackers or fireworks, or a jet engine. 170 – 190 decibels: For example, a shot gun blast or a rocket lift off.

What is the sound intensity of a noise that is 130 dB? ›

(Sometimes the threshold of pain is given as 120 decibels, or 1 watt per square metre.)
...
The decibel scale.
decibelsintensity*type of sound
13010artillery fire at close proximity (threshold of pain)
1201amplified rock music; near jet engine
13 more rows

How many dB is a riding mower? ›

Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers Can Damage Hearing

That's right, they run at approximately 95 decibels and anything over 85 decibels can cause irreparable harm to your hearing with extended or repeated exposure. Electric lawn mowers and lawn equipment run at around 75 decibels.

How many dB is a lawn mower? ›

"Gas-powered lawn mowers can be anywhere from 90 decibels to 106 decibels. Those levels are where we start being concerned about damage to your ears from the noise," said Meaghan Reed, an audiologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Even 85 decibels can do damage with prolonged exposure.

How loud is a vacuum cleaner dB? ›

Living room music (76 dB); radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner (70 dB).

How loud is a phone in dB? ›

Audio devices and mobile phones including iPhone have a sound level of 100 dB or louder. iPhones can produce a maximum of 115 decibels (software limits European iPods to 100 dB; U.S. models have been measured higher), the equivalent of attending a rock concert amplification.

How many decibels is a refrigerator? ›

Most fridges have a range of 32 - 47 decibels.

How loud is snoring in dB? ›

Our research reveals that the average person snores around 72.2 dB, which is louder than a vacuum cleaner or a car travelling at 65 mph. You can imagine how disruptive snoring can be for your partner if they are trying to sleep with a vacuum cleaner beside them!

Is 130 dB loud for a car horn? ›

As you can see in the decibel chart below, 130 dB is considered extremely loud.

How many decibels is a table saw? ›

For example, a table saw (100 decibels) is twice as loud as a garden tractor (92 decibels). Distance from the noise source also is important. As a person moves away from the sound, loudness drops off quickly.

How loud is a chainsaw? ›

The average noise level of a chainsaw is between 106-120 decibels. More modern chainsaws can be as silent as 106 dB.

How far can you hear 130 decibels? ›

As sound travels, its intensity decreases by about 6 decibels for each doubling of the distance. For example, a 130 dB sound at the source will be 124 dB at 1 meter, 118 dB at 2 meters, and 112 dB at 4 meters.

How far away can you hear 120 decibels? ›

The effective distance of a 100 dB(A) sounder in a very noisy environment is 1.8m, the distance for a 120 dB(A) sounder is approx 18m (10 times the distance). Note: Alarm sounders that are too loud may be dangerous and cause panic, discomfort and make communication very difficult.

Why is 194 dB the loudest sound possible? ›

At 194 dB, the energy in the sound waves starts distorting and they create a complete vacuum between themselves. The sound is no longer moving through the air, but is in fact pushing the air along with it, forming a pressurized wall of moving air.

How loud is a .308 rifle? ›

Table-2-CENTERFIRE-RIFLE-DATA
.223, 55GR. Commercial load 18 1/2" barrel155.5dB
.243 in 22" barrel155.9dB
.30-30 in 20" barrel156.0dB
7mm Magnum in 20" barrel157.5dB
.308 in 24" barrel156.2dB
2 more rows

How loud is 12 gauge shotgun? ›

Decibel levels of 120-150 with even short exposure can cause hearing loss. Examples include a thunderclap, a chainsaw at 120 dB, a jet engine from 100 feet, or a 12-gauge shotgun at 150 dB.

How loud is an AR 15? ›

In general, a 16 inch AR-15 firing standard M193 produces a decibel level of around 167 dB give or take depending on environmental conditions. Averaging out a couple of the leading suppressors in the industry you see an average noise level of around 136 db with a suppressor attached.

How many decibels is a gas chainsaw? ›

Gas powered chainsaws measured by NPC ranged from 106 to 117 dBA at the operator's ear. The EPA and World Health Organization recommend daily unprotected exposure to 106 decibels be less than 23 seconds; to 117 decibels, less than 2 seconds (assuming no other noise exposure for the rest of the day).

How many decibels is a brush cutter? ›

(1) For the purposes of section 28 of the Act: (a) brush cutters are a prescribed class of articles; and (b) 85 dB(A) is the prescribed noise level for brush cutters.

How many decibels is an electric chainsaw? ›

With an average sound range of 90-102 decibels, electric chainsaws can't exactly be called quiet. However, their sound range is 10-20 decibels lower than that of gas chainsaws. Because every 10 decibels represents a doubling of sound, this makes electric chainsaws two to three times quieter.

How many dB is a power drill? ›

The normal hand held drill produces between 90 and 94 dB(A) and hammer drills produce in excess of 100 dB(A). Hearing protection should be worn when operating mains powered electric drills.

How many decibels is a train horn? ›

The maximum volume level for the train horn is 110 decibels which is a new requirement. The minimum sound level remains 96 decibels.

What dB is a Stihl saw? ›

Technical dataValue
Sound pressure level dB(A) 3)100
Sound power level dB(A) 3)113
Vibration values left/right m/s² 4)3.5/3.1
STIHL Oilomatic saw chain pitch/type3/8" P
27 more rows

How loud can a human yell? ›

Human screams can be quite loud, possibly exceeding 100 dB (as of March 2019, the world record is 129 dB!) —but you probably want to avoid that because screams that loud can hurt your ears!

How many decibels are annoying? ›

Sounds began to be perceived as annoying at 53–62 dB SPL depending on the sound type, and above 79 dB SPL they were perceived as very annoying (Figure 2(b)). The annoyance ratings followed the same pattern as the loudness ratings with increased annoyance at higher sound pressure levels.

How many dB is Dyson? ›

As the chart shows, the "strong" mode of the Dyson model was the loudest, reaching above 90 dB. The Toshiba model was the noisiest of all models in when we compared the "weak" modes, and stayed around 80 dB at "weak" mode and just below 85 dB at the "strong" mode.

How many dB is a loud car stereo? ›

The typical limit for car stereos is around 75 to 80 decibels, measured at various specified distances from the car.

How many decibels is one bar on iPhone? ›

The top volume on an Apple music player, like the iPhone, is 102 decibels, about as loud as a leaf blower. Keeping the volume at 70 percent, or 82 decibels, is safe for eight hours a day.

How many decibels is iPhone loud? ›

Per World Health Organization recommendations by Apple when I wrote a similar story on the feature in Apple Watches, here's the maximum safe level for listening to sound via headphones: 80 decibels for no longer than five hours per day. 85 decibels for no more than two hours per day.

How many decibels is a room fan? ›

The sound level of domestic fans varies from 30 to 70 decibels, depending on the model (pedestal, floor, ceiling or industrial fans).

How many decibels is an electric fan? ›

The sound level of domestic fans ranges from 30 to 70 db(A) depending on the model (pedestal, floor, ceiling or industrial fans).

How loud is too loud for sleep? ›

How loud is too loud? The WHO guidelines for community noise recommend less than 30 A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) in bedrooms during the night for a sleep of good quality and less than 35 dB(A) in classrooms to allow good teaching and learning conditions.

What decibel level will wake you up? ›

This finding has emerged from an extensive revision of the study. Using appropriate statistical methods, maximum levels of under 48 dB(A) are assessed as waking-up thresholds at ear level in sleeping persons, in contrast to maximum levels of 60 dB(A) calculated by Griefahn et al.

What is the loudest dB possible? ›

Once you get to a certain level (194 decibels, to be precise), there comes a point where the low-pressure regions are completely empty – there are no molecules in there at all. The sound can't get 'louder' than that, technically.

How many DB is a Funny car? ›

Experts estimate Top Fuel cars can reach over 150 decibels, a level that can cause physical damage to the eardrum. Motorsports fans are advised to wear some kind of ear protection when they're watching Top Fuel racing live.

How loud is a canned air horn? ›

You can be prepared with any kind of emergency as it emits a loud, powerful alert sound that travels a mile away! It is capable of producing sound up to 120 decibels.

How many DB is a fog horn? ›

"They run 149 decibels," Territo says. That's nine decibels louder than the point at which a person starts to feel pain.

How loud is a welding machine? ›

Welding with high-powered lasers was found to give noise levels around 85-90dB.

What decibel level is a wood chipper? ›

Typically, gas powered wood chippers produce noise at a 110-decibel rate, five decibels higher than a chainsaw. While electric models are generally quieter than their gas powered counterparts, coming in at roughly 85 decibels, they are still considered noisy enough to warrant hearing protection.

How loud is too loud OSHA? ›

OSHA sets legal limits on noise exposure in the workplace. These limits are based on a worker's time weighted average over an 8 hour day. With noise, OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8 hour day. The OSHA standard uses a 5 dBA exchange rate.

How long can you hear 120 dB? ›

How Loud Is 120 Decibels?
DECIBEL LEVELEXPOSURE TIME
90 dB2 hours
100 dB15 minutes
110 dB1 minute
120 dB0 min
1 more row

How long can you listen to 120 dB? ›

That's usually around this sound level on most smartphones. 5 minutes will be enough to be dangerous at this level. 120 dB and over: Anything over 120 dB (think loud rock show or exceptionally large sports events) can produce instant injury and pain in your ears.

How many dB is safe for ears? ›

Sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA) are generally safe. Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss.

How many decibels is a lawn mower? ›

Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers Can Damage Hearing

That's right, they run at approximately 95 decibels and anything over 85 decibels can cause irreparable harm to your hearing with extended or repeated exposure. Electric lawn mowers and lawn equipment run at around 75 decibels.

How many decibels is a vacuum cleaner? ›

However, the noise levels of vacuum cleaners fall between 75dB to 85dB. Thus, continuous exposure to such noise levels affect a user's health while also being a sign and source of inefficiencies in the equipment.

How loud is a subway? ›

And, with maximum readings actually as high as 119 dB on platforms and 120 dB on rides—based on actual recorded data within the sample—the NYC subway is likely an auditory minefield.

What is the loudest noise ever? ›

The loudest sound in recorded history came from the volcanic eruption on the Indonesian island Krakatoa at 10.02 a.m. on August 27, 1883. The explosion caused two thirds of the island to collapse and formed tsunami waves as high as 46 m (151 ft) rocking ships as far away as South Africa.

How many dB is a gunshot? ›

Almost all firearms create noise that is over the 140-dB level. A small . 22-caliber rifle can produce noise around 140 dB, while big-bore rifles and pistols can produce sound over 175 dB.

What would 150 decibels do to a human? ›

From 150 dB on, sounds can start affecting your inner ear and then your inner organs. In such cases, sound can cause life-threatening internal injuries and even death.

How loud is 120db siren? ›

At the other end of the spectrum, Alarm Grid sells many external sirens capable of producing sounds in excess of 120 dB. This is about as loud as a jet plane at takeoff. A siren this loud will make it physically uncomfortable to remain in the building.

How many decibels is a TV at 100? ›

Noise SourceDecibel Level
Passenger car at 65 mph at 25 ft (77 dB); freeway at 50 ft from pavement edge 10 a.m. (76 dB). Living room music (76 dB); radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner (70 dB).70
Conversation in restaurant, office, background music, Air conditioning unit at 100 ft60
14 more rows

How many decibels is snoring? ›

The average snorer has a volume of about 50 decibels, so you might think that earplugs with a noise reduction rating of 25 dB would cut that in half, but because of the way the decibel scale works, it actually only cuts the sound by about 9 decibels.

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