Question 1

What are the different types of decibels?

Accepted Answer

dB SPL: sound pressure. dBm: power relative to 1 mW. dBV: voltage relative to 1V. dBu: voltage relative to 0.775V. dBA: weighted for human hearing. Each has a specific reference.

Question 2

How loud is too loud?

Accepted Answer

OSHA limits: 85 dBA for 8 hours. 88 dB for 4 hours. 91 dB for 2 hours. 100 dB for 15 minutes. Above 120 dB can cause immediate damage. Always use hearing protection at concerts (100+ dB).

Question 3

How do decibels work?

Accepted Answer

Decibels are logarithmic: +3 dB doubles power, +10 dB sounds twice as loud. 20 dB = whisper, 60 dB = conversation, 100 dB = concerts, 140 dB = pain threshold.

Question 4

What's the relationship between frequency and pitch?

Accepted Answer

Frequency directly determines pitch. A4 = 440 Hz. Each octave doubles frequency. Our hearing ranges from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

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