How loud is 120 decibels?
120 dB is the threshold of discomfort: the sound starts to feel physically unpleasant. Harm can happen in seconds.
- Sounds like
- An ambulance siren or a thunderclap
- Loudness
- Painfully loud
- Safe per day (NIOSH)
- 9 s
- OSHA workplace limit
- 7.5 min
120 dB on the decibel scale
Tap another sound to compare- Safe · under 65 dB
- Caution · 65–85 dB
- Risk · over 85 dB
What 120 dB sounds like
- An ambulance siren up close
- A thunderclap overhead
- A jet taking off at 300 m
- A loud rock concert
Emergency sirens passing close by, thunder directly overhead, the front row of a loud concert.
Is 120 dB safe?
120 dB can damage hearing. NIOSH recommends no more than 9 s a day at this level, and OSHA’s legal workplace limit is 7.5 min. Ear plugs or earmuffs typically cut 15–30 dB.
Hearing damage from noise adds up over time and does not heal. If your ears ring or sounds seem muffled after being somewhere this loud, that is a sign the exposure was too long. How loud is too loud? explains the limits in detail.
120 dB compared with other sounds
| Compared with | Difference | Sounds | Sound energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper (30 dB) | +90 dB | 512× as loud | 1,000,000,000× more |
| Conversation (60 dB) | +60 dB | 64× as loud | 1,000,000× more |
| Heavy traffic (85 dB) | +35 dB | 11× as loud | 3,162× more |
| Concert (110 dB) | +10 dB | 2× as loud | 10× more |
Rule of thumb: +10 dB sounds about twice as loud and carries ten times the energy. See what is a decibel.
How to check if a sound is 120 dB
Open the free online decibel meter on this site and allow the microphone. Hold your phone or laptop where your ears would be, wait a few seconds, and read the average rather than the momentary number. For a reliable, calibrated reading you can save or show to someone else, use the Decibel Meter app on iPhone.