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Decibel chart › 145 dB
How loud is 145 decibels?
145 decibels is about as loud as firecrackers, a jet engine at takeoff, a fireworks show. That is far above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: there is no safe exposure time at all, and even a brief moment can harm hearing. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
Last updated:
| Sound level | 145 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | Extreme |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | Unsafe at any duration |
| Workplace limit (OSHA) | 15 min or less a day (OSHA noise limits) |
What is comparable to 145 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 145 decibels, each sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Firecrackers 140–150 dB
- Jet engine at takeoff 140–150 dB
- Fireworks show 140–160 dB
- Gunshot 140–165 dB
Is any city as loud as 145 dB?
No city averages 145 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 145 decibels sound like?
145 decibels is about as loud as firecrackers, a jet engine at takeoff, a fireworks show. That is far above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: there is no safe exposure time at all, and even a brief moment can harm hearing. 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 145 decibels too loud?
Yes, 145 decibels is loud, about the loudness of firecrackers, at or above the 85 dB line, so prolonged exposure can damage hearing and ear protection is recommended.
How long is 145 decibels safe to hear?
At 145 dB there is no safe daily exposure at all — it can harm hearing almost instantly, so hearing protection is essential.
How far away can you hear 145 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 145 dB from 1 m falls to about 125 dB at 10 m and 105 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 145 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 145 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.