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Decibel chart › 150 dB
How loud is 150 decibels?
150 decibels is about as loud as a fireworks show, a gunshot, firecrackers. 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.
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| Sound level | 150 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 150 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 150 decibels, each sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Fireworks show 140–160 dB
- Gunshot 140–165 dB
- Firecrackers 140–150 dB
- Jet engine at takeoff 140–150 dB
Is any city as loud as 150 dB?
No city averages 150 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 150 decibels sound like?
150 decibels is about as loud as a fireworks show, a gunshot, firecrackers. 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 150 decibels too loud?
Yes, 150 decibels is loud, about the loudness of a fireworks show, at or above the 85 dB line, so prolonged exposure can damage hearing and ear protection is recommended.
How long is 150 decibels safe to hear?
At 150 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 150 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 150 dB from 1 m falls to about 130 dB at 10 m and 110 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 150 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 150 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.