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Painful · Sound level

How loud is 125 dB?

125 dB is painful – sounds about 90.5 times as loud as normal conversation.

125 dB
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Listen: sounds near 125 dB

Song · Sucumbíos: 'Sacha Lodge', n bank Río Napo, Ecuador
0:19CC BY-SA 4.0by Niels KrabbeWikimedia Commons
0:19
Verbální informace - zkouška sirén
0:19Public domainby HZS ČRWikimedia Commons
0:19
35.57 PaSound pressure
3.162 W/m²Intensity
×90.51Perceived vs. 60 dB talk
3 secondsNIOSH daily limit

How loud is 125 dB?

125 decibels is painful. 125 dB sounds about 90.5 times as loud as normal conversation (60 dB), and it carries 3.16e+06 times the sound energy. Typical sounds around this level: lion roar, screaming piha, emergency siren.

Decibels are logarithmic: every +10 dB means ten times more sound intensity but is heard as only about twice as loud, and every +6 dB doubles the sound pressure. That is why a few decibels can make a big difference.

Is 125 dB dangerous?

Yes, with enough exposure. NIOSH recommends no more than 3 seconds per day at 125 dBA (US law, via OSHA, allows 3.8 minutes). Hearing damage from noise is cumulative and permanent, so use earplugs or earmuffs, increase distance or reduce exposure time.

Sounds around 125 dB

114 dBLion roar
Commonly cited maximum, at about 1 m. Roars carry up to 8 km.116 dBScreaming piha
One of the loudest birds measured, at 1 m.120 dBEmergency siren
CDC lists sirens at 110–129 dB.120 dBThunder (close)
A strike within a few hundred metres.120 dBVuvuzela
At 1 m from the horn.125 dBWhite bellbird
The loudest bird song ever measured: 125.4 dB at 1 m.130 dBThreshold of pain
Sound starts to hurt; damage can be instant.

Safe listening time

LevelNIOSH recommended limitOSHA legal limit (US)
119 dBA11 seconds8.6 minutes
122 dBA6 seconds5.7 minutes
125 dBA3 seconds3.8 minutes
128 dBA1 seconds2.5 minutes
131 dBAless than a second1.6 minutes

NIOSH: 85 dBA for 8 hours with a 3 dB exchange rate; OSHA: 90 dBA for 8 hours with a 5 dB exchange rate. General information, not medical advice – see a hearing professional about ringing ears, muffled hearing or pain.

Frequently asked questions

Is 125 dB loud?

125 dB is painful. For comparison: lion roar, screaming piha, emergency siren.

How many times louder is 125 dB than 115 dB?

A 10 dB increase means ten times the sound intensity and is heard as roughly twice as loud.

How long can you listen to 125 dB?

NIOSH recommends a maximum of 3 seconds per day at 125 dBA.