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Decibel chart: how loud is everything (0–194 dB)
A decibel chart maps sound levels to sounds you know. It runs from 0 dB (the threshold of hearing) to about 194 dB (the loudest possible sound in air). Anything above 85 dB can damage hearing with enough exposure; above 120 dB the risk is immediate.
Because the decibel scale is logarithmic, the numbers are deceptive: 100 dB is not “a bit louder” than 90 dB, it carries ten times the sound energy. The chart below lists the levels people search for most, what each one sounds like, its loudness band and how long it is safe to hear. Tap any linked level for a full breakdown.
| Level | Typical source | Loudness | Safe time (NIOSH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 dB | The threshold of human hearing | Very quiet | Unlimited |
| 10 dB | Normal breathing | Very quiet | Unlimited |
| 20 dB | Rustling leaves, a ticking watch | Very quiet | Unlimited |
| 30 dB | A whisper, a quiet bedroom at night | Quiet | Unlimited |
| 40 dB | A refrigerator hum, a quiet library | Quiet | Unlimited |
| 50 dB | Moderate rainfall, a quiet office | Moderate | Unlimited |
| 55 dB | A mechanical keyboard, a percolating coffee maker | Moderate | Unlimited |
| 60 dB | Normal conversation at 1 m | Moderate | Unlimited |
| 65 dB | Loud conversation and laughter | Moderate | Unlimited |
| 70 dB | A vacuum cleaner, a television at 3 m | Loud | Unlimited |
| 75 dB | A toilet flushing, a busy restaurant | Loud | Unlimited |
| 80 dB | A garbage disposal, heavy city traffic | Loud | Unlimited |
| 85 dB | A blender, a diesel truck (action level) | Very loud | 8 hours |
| 90 dB | A petrol lawn mower, a motorcycle | Very loud | 2.5 hours |
| 95 dB | A power drill, a subway train | Very loud | 48 min |
| 100 dB | A jackhammer, an angle grinder | Extremely loud | 15 min |
| 105 dB | A chainsaw, headphones at max volume | Extremely loud | 4.7 min |
| 110 dB | The front rows of a rock concert, a car horn | Extremely loud | 1.5 min |
| 115 dB | Sandblasting equipment | Extremely loud | 28 sec |
| 120 dB | An ambulance siren, thunder overhead | Dangerous | 8.9 sec |
| 125 dB | Fireworks at close range | Dangerous | 2.8 sec |
| 130 dB | A jet engine at 30 m, a stadium crowd | Dangerous | 0.9 sec |
| 135 dB | An air-raid siren | Dangerous | 0.3 sec |
| 140 dB | A gunshot at the muzzle, a jet at take-off | Dangerous | 0.1 sec |
| 150 dB | A firecracker at close range | Dangerous | 0.1 sec |
| 160 dB | A shotgun blast at the ear | Dangerous | 0.1 sec |
| 170 dB | A large-calibre rifle at the muzzle | Dangerous | 0.1 sec |
| 180 dB | A rocket launch at the pad | Dangerous | Instant damage |
| 194 dB | The theoretical maximum sound in air (a full vacuum in the wave trough) | Dangerous | Instant damage |
Reading the “safe time” column. Figures use the NIOSH 85 dBA / 3 dB exchange rate — the health-based standard. The legal OSHA limit is more lenient (90 dBA / 5 dB). Above 140 dB even a single unprotected exposure can cause permanent damage, so no safe duration is given.
The loudness bands explained
Very quietfrom 0 dB — far below any risk
Quietfrom 30 dB — restful, good for sleep
Moderatefrom 50 dB — safe but clearly audible
Loudfrom 70 dB — annoying over time, still safe
Very loudfrom 85 dB — at/above the action level
Extremely loudfrom 100 dB — damage in minutes
Dangerousfrom 120 dB — risk of instant damage
How to use this chart
Find your sound, read across to the loudness band and safe-exposure column, then decide what to do. If a level is at or above 85 dBA and you are exposed to it regularly, our exposure calculator gives your exact daily dose and our hearing-protection guide explains how much a given NRR rating buys back.
Hearing protection
For anything above 85 dB, rated protection matters. Look at the NRR (US) or SNR (EU) figure — real-world reduction is roughly (NRR − 7) ÷ 2.
Electronic ear muffs (NRR 22–25)Shooting, mowing — amplify speech, block bangsLink coming soon
Reusable filtered earplugs (NRR 20)Concerts & musicians — flat attenuationLink coming soon
Foam earplugs (NRR 32)Sleep, travel, DIY — highest raw NRRLink coming soon
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Browse every level and sound
- All dB levels10–140, each explained
- Everyday sounds50 common sources
- dB comparisonsSide-by-side
- Sound meterMeasure live
Popular levels
- 30 dBa quiet bedroom at night
- 40 dBa refrigerator
- 50 dBmoderate rainfall
- 55 dBa mechanical keyboard
- 60 dBnormal conversation at 1 m
- 65 dBloud conversation and laughter
- 68 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
- 70 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
- 75 dBa toilet flushing
- 80 dBa food blender or garbage disposal
- 85 dBheavy city traffic
- 90 dBa petrol lawn mower
- 95 dBan electric power drill
- 100 dBa jackhammer at 15 m
- 105 dBa chainsaw at arm's length
- 110 dBthe front rows of a live rock concert
- 120 dBan ambulance siren at 1 m
- 130 dBa jet engine at 30 m
- 140 dBa gunshot at the muzzle
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Support the project →Sources & accuracy. Reference levels are drawn from published data by NIOSH, OSHA, the CDC, the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Real-world readings vary with distance, room acoustics and the specific source, so treat every figure as a typical value rather than an exact constant. Last reviewed 2026-08-11.