What is the maximum ammount of Decibals a Human ear can withstand without taking damage?

Question

Joined a band, we pratice real loud, dont wanna s***w my ears up, bought some dispossable plugs (33D decibal reduction) but i just was wondering how many decibals a human ear can withstand and not take damage. Also about how loud would tht be (a rock concert is too loud to not wear protection, but would say just playing by yourself be ok)

Answer 1

rock concert, 108. pretty loud you can damage you hearing and would want to wear the plugs maybe, unless you are like me and want to say what the rest of your life. but it is ok too, you can always say i didn't hear you, and people do believe you, cuz your half deaf

Answer 2

Here is a small list in dB you can look at more at the web site below...if you are wearing ear plugs what you do is subtract 33 from level in the room and you have dB acting on your ear drums.

0 (N) BEGINNING OF HEARING, A MOSQUITO 10 FEET AWAY, THE EAR DRUM MOVES LESS              -REF.1.1990

     THAN 1 / 100 THE LENGTH OF AN AIR MOLECULE (N)

3.5 (P) 1E-10 METERS OF MERCURY = 0.0000000001

METERS OF MERCURY

10 (P) ABSOLUTE SILENCE, ATT-BELL LABORATORY “ QUIET ROOM “

13 (P)  ORDINARY LIGHT BULB HUM

15 (N) A PIN DROP FROM A HIEGHT OF 1 CENTIMETER AT A DISTANCE OF 1 METER  -REF.1.2003

30 (P) TOTALLY QUIET NIGHTIME IN DESERT-IMPOSSIBLE ANYWHERE NEAR CITY

35 (P) ANECHOIC HEARING TEST ROOM -REF.1. 1998

40   A WHISPER, A NORMAL CONVERSATION IS 60 DB, NORMAL SOUND 70 DB -REF.1.1983

73.98(P) = 1 uBAR = 1 microbar pressure

*****85   BEGINNING OF HEARING DAMAGE, EARPLUGS SHOULD BE WORN*****

100 NORMAL AVERAGE CAR OR HOUSE STEREO AT MAXIMUM VOLUME -REF.1.1982

107-104 (P) THE BEGINNING OF PAIN AT THE MOST SENSITIVE FREQUENCY OF 2750 HERTZ -REF.1.1982

109 ONE SOUND WATT RADIATING AS A PERFECT SPHERE, 4 PI SQUARE METERS  -REF.1. 1986

110 A CAR STEREO WITH TWO 6 X 9” SPEAKERS AND 100 WATTS -REF.1.1982

113.81(P) = 1 MILLIMETER WATER

114-107 A VERY LARGE, POWERFUL PORTABLE RADIO REF.1.1982

116 HUMAN BODY BEGINS TO PERCIEVE VIBRATION IN THE LOW FREQUENCIES -REF.1.1986

117-123 HOME STEREO SYSTEM, A VERY LOUD AND POWERFUL 200-2000 WATTS -REF.1.1983

120.24(P) ONE PURE SOUND WATT FLOWING THROUGH 1 SQUARE METER, YOUR ELECTRIC AMPLIFIER MAY BE 3000 WATTS.ALSO A TESTIMONY TO HEARING  SENSITIVITY -REF.1.1986

120-130 FRONT  ROW AT A ROCK CONCERT- UP TO 200 REFRIGERATOR SIZE SPEAKERS

AND 50000-300000 WATTS OF CLEAN, FULL FREQUENCY SOUND -REF.1.1981

125 DRUM SET-ONLY AT THE MOMENT OF STRIKING, CONTINOUS LEVEL 115

126-130 TYPICAL PROFESSIONAL D.J. SYSTEM -REF.1.1984

127 HUMAN TINNITUS (RINGING IN THE EARS) BEGINS -REF.1.1984

127.48 = 1 pound per square foot

128 (P)HUMAN, LOUDEST SCREAM MEASURED AT A DISTANCE OF 8 FEET 2 INCHES

128 HUMAN HEAD HAIR BEGINS TO DETECT VIBRATION  -REF.1.1983

128 HUMAN CAN BEGIN TO DETECT VERY SLOW  Ã¢Â€ÂœBLAST WIND” OF 0.124 METERS/SECOND -REF.1.1983

130 (N)MARCHING BAND-OVERALL LEVEL AT A DISTANCE, 100-200 MEMBERS -REF.1.1996

132 EARDRUM “FLEX” TOTALLY NOTICEABLE -REF.1.1982

132.4(P) = 1 SOUND WATT MAXIMUM IN A SMALL SEALED BOX BELOW HYDRODYNAMIC CRITICAL LOW FREQUENCY

133 (N)GUNSHOT- EAR LEVEL, MAY VARY GREATLY TO SIZE AND TYPE OF GUN,

        DURATION CONVERTED TO ONE SECOND, PEAK LEVEL MAY REACH 140-160 (P)

133.98 (P) = 1 MILLIBAR PRESSURE

135-122 (P) “VERY LOUD” CAR STEREO, ONLY BASS LEVEL, HIGHS RARELY ABOVE 115(P) -REF.1.1983

135-130(N) LARGE TRAIN HORN -REF.1.1985

135 HUMAN, A SLIGHT COOLING EFFECT BEGINS TO BE NOTICED, FROM AIR EXPANSION -REF.1.1983

137 HUMAN BODY VIBRATION IS STRONG -REF.1.1983

137-140 HUMAN EAR ALL FREQUENCIES ARE PAINFUL -REF.1.1983

140 EXTREMELY DAMAGING TO HEARING NO MATTER HOW SHORT THE TIME EXPOSURE

140 BLAST WIND = U = (PARTICLE VELOCITY) IS 0.49 METERS PER SECOND OR ABOUT 1 MPH

140 HUMAN THROAT AND VOCAL CORD VIBRATION BEGINS -REF.1.1983

141 HUMAN BODY BEGINS TO FEEL NASUEA AFTER A FEW MINUTES -REF.1.1983

142 HUMAN BODY CHESTPOUNDING IS INTENCE -REF.1.1983

142 (P) INSIDE A CAR WITH TWO PRO 18 INCH WOOFERS AND 300 WATTS EACH -REF.1.1983

143 HUMAN BODY  FEELS AS IF SOMEONE JUST FOOTBALL TACKLED YOUR CHEST -REF.1.1983

144 HUMAN NOSE ITCHES -REF.1.1983

145 HUMAN VISION  BEGINS TO VIBRATE MAKING IT SLIGHTLY BLURRY, 1-3 DEGREES -REF.1.1983

145-136 (P)“COMPETITION” CAR STEREO, SIXTEEN 12 OR EIGHT 15, OR FOUR 18 SPEAKERS -REF.1.1983

146.1(P) AIR PARTICLE VELOCITY(WIND) IS 1 METER PER SECOND OR ABOUT 2 MILES PER HOUR

147 (N)FORMULA 1 RACE CAR, 700 HORSEPOWER, CHESTPOUNDING AND SUCTION FORCE ON CALM QUIET MORNINGS CAN CLEARLY BE HEARD 6 MILES AWAY.-REF.1.1991

148 HUMAN VIBRATION VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND SLIGHTLY PAINFUL -REF.1.1986

149 HUMAN LUNGS AND BREATHING BEGINS VIBRATING TO THE SOUND -REF.1.1986

150 (N)ROCK CONCERT “THE WHO” TWO 10 STORY STACKS = 144 DOUBLE REFRIDGERATOR SIZED SPEAKERS, ACTUAL LEVEL REACHED 120 DB AT A DISTANCE OF 32 METERS FOR THIS NORMALIZED READING OF 150 DB.CONTINOUS LEVEL 114-118db (P) AT 32 METERS -REF.1.1982

150 ROCK CONCERT SPEAKER AT  1600 WATTS ON THE ACTUAL VIBRATING SURFACE -REF.1.1991