What does a decibel chart look like?

Answer 1

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 heard0dBWhisper Quiet Library30dBNormal conversation (3-5')60-70dBTelephone dial tone80dBCity Traffic (inside car)85dBTrain whistle at 500', Truck Traffic90dBSubway train at 200'95dBLevel at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss90 - 95dBPower mower at 3'107dBSnowmobile, Motorcycle100dBPower saw at 3'110dBSandblasting, Loud Rock Concert115dBPain begins125dBPneumatic riveter at 4'125dBEven short term exposure can cause permanent damage - Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection140dBJet engine at 100', Gun Blast140dBDeath of hearing tissue180dBLoudest sound possible194dB OSHA Daily Permissible Noise Level ExposureHours per daySound level890dB692dB495dB397dB2100dB1.5102dB1105dB.5110dB.25 or less115dB Perceptions of Increases in Decibel LevelImperceptible Change1dB Barely Perceptible Change3dBClearly Noticeable Change5dBAbout Twice as Loud10dBAbout Four Times as Loud20dB Sound Levels of MusicNormal piano practice60 -70dBFortissimo Singer, 3'70dBChamber music, small auditorium75 - 85dBPiano Fortissimo84 - 103dBViolin82 - 92dBCello85 -111dBOboe95-112dBFlute 92 -103dBPiccolo90 -106dBClarinet85 - 114dBFrench horn90 - 106dBTrombone85 - 114dBTympani & bass drum106dBWalkman on 5/1094dBSymphonic music peak120 - 137dBAmplifier rock, 4-6'120dBRock music peak150dB 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.