From the gentle rustle of leaves to the roar of a fighter jet. Our ears can detect it all. To choose the right hearing protection, it helps to know exactly how we measure sound.
This is how we measure noise levels
You're probably familiar with the term 'decibel' — the unit used to measure sound intensity. But did you also know that our hearing is incredibly sensitive? The range between the softest and loudest sound we can hear is huge. By comparison: a fighter jet is about a trillion times louder than the softest sound we can just barely detect. And a trillion is a lot of zeros!
It's not just about how loud a sound is, but also how long you're exposed to it for. Understanding how noise levels work can help you to manage noise more effectively and choose the sound level that suits you.
Noise levels and decibels (dB)
| Decibel | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Almost inaudible | Falling leaves |
| 20 | Audible | Rustling foliage |
| 30 | Very quiet | Whisper |
| 40 | Living room, quiet classroom | |
| 50 | Limited noise | Working refrigerator, passing car |
| 55 | Coffee machine in operation | |
| 60 | Audible | Sound of a voice, sound of a device |
| 70 | Annoying | Loud TV sounds, hoover, several people on the phone |
| 75 | Constant noise | Full restaurant at lunchtime |
| 80 | Disturbing | Alarm clock, truck traffic, doorbell |
| 85 | Loud | Sound of a saw, blender |
| 90 | Very annoying | Truck up close, shouting, clapping, cheering |
| 95 | Sound | Drill, violin |
| 100 | Very loud | Factory machine, compressor, fighter plane at 300 metres altitude |
| 105 | Even louder | Helicopter up close, big drum |
| 110 | Extremely loud | Rock concert, chainsaw |
| 120 | Maximum volume of a human voice, police siren | |
| 130 | Thunderstorm | |
| 140 | Pain threshold | Public warning siren up close |
| 150 | Fireworks | |
| 160 | Shot with a pistol or rifle | |
| 170 | Emergency missile | |
| 180 | Missile launch platform | |
| 203 | Saturn rocket |
When does sound get really loud?
Sound gets loud sooner than you might think. A busy road with heavy traffic, a lawnmower or a vacuum cleaner at full power all reach around 80 decibels. Sounds pretty mundane, right? The pain threshold only kicks in at 120–130 decibels. That's the level of a fighter jet or a hard rock concert up close.
Turn down the volume: choose your earplugs in time
In a club or at a festival, the volume can easily reach 103 dB. That's why understanding how noise levels work is not only interesting, but also useful for choosing the right hearing protection.
Having a blast at a Formula 1 race or concert? It's totally fine to go full throttle. But without protection, you take in the full volume.
So: give your ears the attention they deserve. Wear protection where it gets really loud. That way, you can enjoy it all at a volume that suits you.
Find the right hearing protection for you in just a few simple steps.
