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Decibel chart › 106 dB
How loud is 106 decibels?
106 decibels is about as loud as a personal listening device at max volume, a nightclub or loud bar, a rock concert. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 4 minutes a day, and every 3 dB louder halves that. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
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| Sound level | 106 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | Extreme |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | About 4 minutes a day |
| Workplace limit (OSHA) | 30 min to 1 hour a day (OSHA noise limits) |
What is comparable to 106 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 106 decibels, each sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Personal listening device at max volume 105–110 dB
- Nightclub or loud bar 105–110 dB
- Rock concert 105–110 dB
- Train horn 96–110 dB
- Sporting event 94–110 dB
- Circular saw 96–107 dB
- Movie theater 74–104 dB
Is any city as loud as 106 dB?
No city averages 106 dB. That is a sound-source level, not an ambient one. The loudest mapped cities peak around 70–75 dB by day. These are the loudest mapped.
- Orange, CA 4.4% of residents at 70 dBA or more
- Terni 55–75 dB by day
- Hastings 55–75 dB by day
What does 106 decibels sound like?
106 decibels is about as loud as a personal listening device at max volume, a nightclub or loud bar, a rock concert. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 4 minutes a day, and every 3 dB louder halves that. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
Is 106 decibels too loud?
Yes, 106 decibels is loud, about the loudness of a personal listening device at max volume, at or above the 85 dB line, so prolonged exposure can damage hearing and ear protection is recommended.
How long is 106 decibels safe to hear?
At 106 dB, NIOSH puts the safe daily exposure at about 4 minutes a day. Each 3 dB increase halves it.
How far away can you hear 106 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 106 dB from 1 m falls to about 86 dB at 10 m and 66 dB at 100 m, losing 6 dB each time the distance doubles. You keep hearing it while it stays above the background level around you: farther in a quiet field at night, much less on a 60 dB street. Walls, ground and wind change the figure.
Work out any distance, or a line source such as a road, with the sound distance calculator.
Measure 106 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 106 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.