How Loud Is 113 Decibels?
Last reviewed on 1 October 2026.
113 dB is very loud: about the level near the speakers at a rock concert, a car horn about a metre away, or a siren passing close by. Under the NIOSH recommended limit you can safely take only about 45 seconds per day at 113 dBA without hearing protection (the OSHA legal workplace limit allows about 20 minutes). It sounds roughly 7 times as loud as 85 dB and carries about 631 times the sound energy.
113 dB Compared With Everyday Sounds
Real-world levels depend heavily on distance and the specific source, so treat these as typical ranges:
| Sound | Typical level | Compared with 113 dB |
|---|---|---|
| Normal conversation | about 60 dB | 53 dB quieter: ~200,000× less energy, sounds ~1/40 as loud |
| Busy city traffic (inside a car) | about 80–85 dB | ~30 dB quieter: ~1,000× less energy |
| Hearing-protection threshold | 85 dBA | 28 dB quieter: ~631× less energy, sounds ~1/7 as loud |
| Motorcycle, lawn mower (operator) | about 90–100 dB | 13–23 dB quieter |
| Rock concert near speakers, car horn at ~1 m, siren close by, loud stadium crowd | about 105–120 dB | Similar to 113 dB |
| Nearby thunderclap; threshold of pain | about 120–130 dB | 7–17 dB louder |
| Jet engine at close range, gunshot | about 140 dB and above | 27+ dB louder: 500× more energy or more |
Every +10 dB is 10 times the sound energy and is heard as roughly twice as loud. Every +3 dB doubles the sound energy.
How Long Can You Be Exposed to 113 dB?
Hearing-damage limits trade level against time. NIOSH uses 85 dBA for 8 hours with a 3 dB exchange rate (every +3 dB halves the allowed time). OSHA's legal limit for US workplaces uses 90 dBA for 8 hours with a 5 dB exchange rate.
| Standard | Rule | Allowed time at 113 dBA |
|---|---|---|
| NIOSH (recommended) | 8 h ÷ 2(113−85)/3 | about 45 seconds per day |
| OSHA (legal minimum for US employers) | 8 h ÷ 2(113−90)/5 | about 20 minutes per day |
| WHO/ITU safe listening (personal audio) | 80 dBA for 40 h per week, 3 dB exchange | about 70 seconds per week |
For context, NIOSH allowances around 113 dB shrink fast:
- 100 dBA: 15 minutes
- 106 dBA: about 3¾ minutes
- 109 dBA: about 1 minute 53 seconds
- 112 dBA: about 56 seconds
- 113 dBA: about 45 seconds
- 115 dBA: about 28 seconds
These are daily noise "doses", not an exact point where damage begins. Some people are more sensitive, and doses add up across the day: two minutes at a 113 dB concert already uses well over a full day's NIOSH allowance.
How Long Does Ear Damage Take at 113 dB?
The honest answer is that there is no single number for one person, but the risk starts quickly:
- Within minutes: a temporary threshold shift is common, with muffled hearing and ringing (tinnitus) after a loud gig or event. It usually fades within hours to a day or two.
- Repeated exposure: each episode damages some of the inner ear's hair cells, which do not grow back. Over months and years this adds up to permanent noise-induced hearing loss and sometimes lasting tinnitus.
- Very high peaks: extremely loud impulse sounds (such as gunshots near 140 dB and above) can cause immediate permanent damage.
See a doctor or audiologist if ringing, muffled hearing or a feeling of fullness lasts more than a day or two after loud noise, or if you notice sudden hearing loss in one or both ears. Sudden hearing loss should be assessed urgently, ideally the same day, because early treatment can matter. This page is general information, not medical advice.
Protecting Your Hearing at 113 dB
Hearing protectors are rated with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) measured in a lab. Real-world protection is usually lower. OSHA's method for estimating the level at your ear when the noise is measured in dBA is: level − (NRR − 7) ÷ 2.
| Protection | Example NRR | Estimated level at the ear | NIOSH daily allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | 113 dBA | about 45 seconds |
| Earmuffs | 25 | about 104 dBA | about 6 minutes |
| Foam earplugs, well inserted | 33 | about 100 dBA | about 15 minutes |
| Foam earplugs + earmuffs | 33 + 25 (add 5 dB to the higher NRR) | about 97.5 dBA | about 27 minutes |
Estimates only; fit matters more than the number on the box. Musicians' (flat-attenuation) earplugs typically offer less reduction than foam plugs.
Other ways to cut your dose
- Distance: in open space, level drops about 6 dB each time distance doubles. Going from 113 dB to 85 dB needs about 25 times the distance (for example 1 m to 25 m).
- Time: take regular breaks in a quieter area; every 3 dB less doubles your safe time.
- Turn it down: for headphones, a level that lets you hear someone speaking at arm's length is a practical check.
The Physics of 113 dB
Sound pressure: SPL = 20 × log10(p ÷ 20 µPa). For 113 dB, p = 20 µPa × 10113/20 ≈ 8.93 Pa, about 447,000 times the threshold of hearing.
Sound intensity: I = 10−12 W/m² × 10113/10 ≈ 0.2 W/m², about 200 billion (2 × 1011) times the threshold intensity.
dBA vs dBC: exposure limits use A-weighting (dBA), which de-emphasises low bass the ear is less sensitive to. A bass-heavy sound can read noticeably higher in dBC than in dBA.
Measuring at home? Phone apps vary in accuracy; NIOSH publishes its own Sound Level Meter app for iPhone, and a calibrated meter is best for workplace decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud is 113 decibels?
113 dB is very loud, similar to standing near the speakers at a rock concert, a car horn about a metre away or a siren passing close by. It is about 7 times as loud to the ear as 85 dB, the level where hearing protection is recommended, and carries about 631 times the sound energy.
How long does it take to damage your ears at 113 dB?
Very little time. The NIOSH recommended limit allows only about 45 seconds a day at 113 dBA before the risk of permanent noise-induced hearing loss rises. The OSHA legal workplace limit allows about 20 minutes. Individual sensitivity varies, and repeated exposure adds up.
What is 113 decibels equivalent to?
In everyday terms, 113 dB is roughly a rock concert near the stage, a car horn at close range or a loud stadium crowd at its peak. In noise-dose terms, 45 seconds at 113 dB counts the same as a full 8-hour day at 85 dB under NIOSH rules. Physically it equals a sound pressure of about 8.9 pascals.
Do earplugs make 113 dB safe?
Earplugs reduce the risk but rarely deliver their full rating in real use. Using the OSHA estimate, a foam earplug rated NRR 33 lowers a 113 dBA sound to about 100 dBA, which NIOSH still limits to about 15 minutes a day. Combining earplugs with earmuffs and moving away from the source gives much more protection.
How far away do I need to be to reduce 113 dB to 85 dB?
In open space, sound from a single source drops about 6 dB each time the distance doubles. Cutting 113 dB to 85 dB is a 28 dB reduction, which needs about 25 times the distance, for example from 1 metre to about 25 metres. Indoors, reflections mean the level drops less.
Other 113 Physics Pages
See 113 volts (is it too low for a 120 V outlet?), 113 mph wind speed, 113 watts to kilowatts, or the musical side of 113 at 113 Hz and 113 BPM.