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[Chris Hindle]

I've just spent some time playing my saxophones today, alto, tenor, and soprano. I know it's not the best test in the world, but on the Studio Six dB meter C weighted, slow response, on my iPad, I was able to peg the meter at about 101dB with my alto and tenor approximately 18" away. On my soprano, playing low Bb (the bottom of the horn) and pointed right into the mic on the iPad I was able to peg the meter at 102.7dB, we're talking just a few inches from the mic. The room itself was quiet, and sitting at about 33dB when not playing. I live out in the country away from large industry and traffic. The occasional car driving by outside brought the dB readings in my room up to about 52dB.

Thank's for the Reality Check Justice.
Nice to see real numbers at work.
Chris.

[John Roberts {JR}]

There is documented hearing loss in drummers (aka cymbal ear) from the crash cymbals being located a few feet from their (right) ear. A self inflicted wound. 

Of course cymbals have much HF content, so not exactly apples and oranges.

JR

[Mark Cadwallader]

The theory of the medico-legal case was that damage was caused by a momentary spike in SPL that caused the injury in an instant.  The case was not that there was a long-term exposure that caused this individual's hearing loss and medical condition.

As such, a "slow" reading would not be relevent to the case, only an instantaneous SPL measurement would be.  (As per the cited news article, at least.)

[John Roberts {JR}]

The theory of the medico-legal case was that damage was caused by a momentary spike in SPL that caused the injury in an instant.  The case was not that there was a long-term exposure that caused this individual's hearing loss and medical condition.

As such, a "slow" reading would not be relevent to the case, only an instantaneous SPL measurement would be.  (As per the cited news article, at least.)

Another factor could be whether the loud sound was unexpected or anticipated. There are muscles inside our ears that can modulate sound transmission.

JR

[Dave Garoutte]

There is documented hearing loss in drummers (aka cymbal ear) from the crash cymbals being located a few feet from their (right) ear. A self inflicted wound. 

Of course cymbals have much HF content, so not exactly apples and oranges.

JR

I think drummer hearing loss is exacerbated by the constant impulses (oxymoron) generated by those pesky sticks.

[Lee Buckalew]

And speaking of amplification...who here has ever been to a rock concert that was 130+dB? Anyone? Sure they get loud, 110dB easy, 115. And we've all seen the retarded riders that spec a sound system capable of outputting 120dB at the FOH mix position. But how often has that ever been done, even if the system is capable of it? But getting to 130dB? That's a seriously powerful system, and would take an enormous amount of energy and amplifiers to achieve.

Here is a link to a site listing some of the highest levels recorded at concerts.  I don't know where the measurements were taken relative to the stage. 

http://www.thecavanproject.com/13-loudest-bands-ever/

Lee

[Justice C. Bigler]

Here is a link to a site listing some of the highest levels recorded at concerts.  I don't know where the measurements were taken relative to the stage. 

http://www.thecavanproject.com/13-loudest-bands-ever/

Lee

I mean c'mon. 142dB? Does anyone believe that that measurement was taken anywhere in the audience? And if so, was it from just the PA? The pryo? or the 100,000 screaming fans?


142db would have done permanent hearing damage and likely broken people's ear drums 15dB ago.

[Helge A Bentsen]

I mean c'mon. 142dB? Does anyone believe that that measurement was taken anywhere in the audience? And if so, was it from just the PA? The pryo? or the 100,000 screaming fans?


142db would have done permanent hearing damage and likely broken people's ear drums 15dB ago.

A few years ago, one of the major national news papers over here ran the headline: «Band plays 142dB at the Quart festival».

Turns out the reporter had a radio shack dBmeter and was standing between the barricades and the PA pointing the dB-meter straight at it....

[Keith Broughton]

Nothing to see here..as I apparently can't read properly

[Art Welter]

142db would have done permanent hearing damage and likely broken people's ear drums 15dB ago.

But 142 dB won't win any dB drag racing competitions except in the lower power classes.

Records of 180+dB have been recorded!

[ProSoundWeb Community]