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Decibel chart › 120 dB
How loud is 120 decibels?
120 decibels is about as loud as a thunderclap, a mri scanner, a military jet at 100 m. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 9 seconds 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 | 120 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | Extreme |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | About 9 seconds a day |
| Workplace limit (OSHA) | 15 min or less a day (OSHA noise limits) |
Measure 120 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 120 dB? Press Start and the meter below reads it live. It runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.
What is comparable to 120 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 120 decibels, each sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Thunderclap 120 dB
- MRI scanner 120 dB
- Military jet at 100 m 120 dB
- Emergency siren 110–129 dB
Is any city as loud as 120 dB?
No city averages 120 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 120 decibels sound like?
120 decibels is about as loud as a thunderclap, a mri scanner, a military jet at 100 m. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 9 seconds 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 120 decibels too loud?
Yes, 120 decibels is loud, about the loudness of a thunderclap, at or above the 85 dB line, so prolonged exposure can damage hearing and ear protection is recommended.
How long is 120 decibels safe to hear?
At 120 dB, NIOSH puts the safe daily exposure at about 9 seconds a day. Each 3 dB increase halves it.
How far away can you hear 120 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 120 dB from 1 m falls to about 100 dB at 10 m and 80 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.