Found this info. http://www.lowertheboom.org/trice/safedblevels.htm

Proposed safe sound levels:
85 dB and higher - prolonged exposure will result in hearing loss
90 dBA - no more than 8 hours per day (examples - lawn mower, truck traffic, hair dryer)
95 dBA - no more than 4 hours per day
100 dBA - no more than 2 hours per day (example - chain saw)
105 dBA - no more than 1 hour per day
110 dBA - no more than ½ hour per day
115 dBA - no more than ¼ hour per day (preferably less)
140 dBA - NO EXPOSURE TO IMPACT OR IMPULSE NOISE ABOVE THIS LEVEL (examples - gunshot blast, jet plane at takeoff)


The National Campaign for Hearing Health's Toxic Noise Guidelines (exposure times and decibel levels that cause hearing loss)

85 dB 8-hour period
85 - 90 dB 2-hour period
90 - 100 dB 1 to 2-hour period
100 - 110 between 2 and 15 minutes
110 - 120 less than 30 seconds
130 dB ANY EXPOSURE WILL RESULT IN PERMANENT HEARING LOSS

From http://www.lowertheboom.org/trice/decibels.htm
70 dB Negative responses begin in the body. The autonomic nervous system kicks in.

Noise over 70 dB Increases the risk of heart attack by 20%

Noise over 90 dB As this intense sound bombards the body, the adrenaline reaction is so powerful that people become openly hostile and belligerent.

120 dB Standing behind a Boeing 707 while it is in full thrust, just before takeoff. Hearing loss can occur after just 7.5 minutes.

120 - 130 dB Sound threshold for pain

120 - 140 dB Inside the average street boom car. Boom cars with higher levels are usually seen in dB "drag racing" competitions.


Based on the above info, I used a decibel meter on my car. Found out that my normal listening is around 87 decibels. Pushing it I was able to hit 100 decibels. At this point, my ears were already starting to hurt. Could have pushed it more but did not want to risk hearing loss. Should have used ear muffs.

Over all not bad for a system that only gets 50 watts per channel for the fronts and a single 10 inch sub fed only with 100 watts.

practice safe sound