- We hear from 10-15dB
- A whisper is 20dB
- A quiet normal voise is 40dB, normal conversation is between 40 and 50dB when a meter away
- A sound of 32dB disturbs sleep, a sound of 35dB wakes you up (more information here)
- A sound that is 10 dB higher than another is twice as loud
- A sound that is 5 dB higher than another is half as loud
- There is a difference between average sound level (Laeq) and maximum sound level (Lamax). Laeq is the equivalent constant sound that uses as much energy as all the sound combined. This is easy to achieve with a an intermittent sound such as the tube. What matters to us most is Lamax, the maximum sound in our home as it is the one that will wake us up at night.
