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Decibel chart › 108 dB
How loud is 108 decibels?
108 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 2 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 | 108 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | Extreme |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | About 2 minutes a day |
| Workplace limit (OSHA) | 30 min to 1 hour a day (OSHA noise limits) |
What is comparable to 108 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 108 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
- Chainsaw 110 dB
- Shouting or barking directly in the ear 110 dB
- Sonic boom 110 dB
- Train horn 96–110 dB
- Sporting event 94–110 dB
- Circular saw 96–107 dB
- Emergency siren 110–129 dB
Is any city as loud as 108 dB?
No city averages 108 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 108 decibels sound like?
108 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 2 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 108 decibels too loud?
Yes, 108 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 108 decibels safe to hear?
At 108 dB, NIOSH puts the safe daily exposure at about 2 minutes a day. Each 3 dB increase halves it.
How far away can you hear 108 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 108 dB from 1 m falls to about 88 dB at 10 m and 68 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 108 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 108 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.