The 30-Second Version
85 decibels is the threshold where hearing damage begins. At 85 dB, you have 8 hours of safe exposure. Every 3 dB increase cuts that time in half. At 100 dB (a typical concert), you have just 15 minutes before permanent damage can occur.
🎚️ Interactive Decibel Explorer
Drag the slider to explore different sound levels
85
dB - City Traffic
Moderate
Risk Level
8 hours
Safe Exposure Time
Recommended
Protection Needed
At this volume, it's like...
Common Sound Levels Reference
✓
Safe Zone (Under 85 dB) - No time limit
Whisper
Quiet library
30 dB
No limit
Quiet Home
Normal conversation at home
50 dB
No limit
Normal Conversation
Face-to-face talking
60 dB
No limit
Busy Restaurant
Background chatter, music
70 dB
No limit
Heavy Traffic
City street, inside car on highway
80 dB
No limit
⚠️
Caution Zone (85-100 dB) - Time limits apply
City Bus / Subway
Daily commute exposure
85 dB
8 hours
Factory / Workshop
Industrial machinery
88 dB
4 hours
Motorcycle
Riding without earplugs
91 dB
2 hours
Lawn Mower
Gas-powered yard work
94 dB
1 hour
Headphones at Max
Phone volume at 100%
97 dB
30 min
Loud Bar / Club
Typical nightlife venue
100 dB
15 min
🚨
Danger Zone (Over 100 dB) - Immediate risk
Concert (Mid-Crowd)
Average live show level
105 dB
5 min
Concert (Near Speakers)
Front row, near stage
110 dB
1.5 min
Festival Main Stage
EDM bass drops, peak moments
115 dB
28 sec
Ambulance Siren
Emergency vehicle passing
120 dB
9 sec
Jet Engine
Standing near aircraft
130 dB
< 1 sec
Gunshot / Fireworks
Immediate acoustic trauma risk
140 dB
Instant damage
The Math: Understanding the 3 dB Rule
Decibels use a logarithmic scale. That means the numbers work differently than you might expect:
Every 3 dB increase = 2x the sound energy = ½ the safe time
This is called the "3 dB exchange rate" and it's the foundation of hearing safety
Starting from 85 dB (8 hours safe exposure):
85 dB
8 hours
Baseline threshold
88 dB
4 hours
+3 dB, half the time
91 dB
2 hours
+6 dB total
94 dB
1 hour
+9 dB total
100 dB
15 min
Typical loud venue
110 dB
~90 sec
Concert front row
Protection Adds Hours to Your Safe Time
Unplugs reduce sound by 25 dB. At a 110 dB concert, that brings you down to 85 dB—giving you 8 hours of safe listening instead of 90 seconds.
Get Unplugs →👨⚕️
"The auditory system is remarkably sensitive — and remarkably fragile. What we've learned in 50 years of clinical practice is that prevention is infinitely more effective than treatment. Once hair cells are damaged, they don't regenerate. The numbers on this page aren't just theory — they're the threshold between hearing clearly for life and needing hearing aids at 40."
Dr. Natan Bauman, Ed.D., FAAA
Former Director, Yale Hearing Clinic · Inventor of the RIC hearing aid
Key Takeaways
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✓
85 dB is the danger threshold. Below this, you can listen indefinitely. Above it, the clock starts ticking.
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✓
Every 3 dB doubles the damage rate. A 100 dB concert is 32x more damaging than 85 dB traffic.
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✓
Time matters as much as volume. 8 hours at 85 dB equals 15 minutes at 100 dB in terms of hearing damage.
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✓
Protection works mathematically. 25 dB reduction at a 110 dB concert gives you 8+ hours instead of 90 seconds.
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✓
Damage is cumulative and permanent. Your ears don't "recover" from noise damage—hair cells that die stay dead.