Turn your phone or computer into a decibel meter. See how loud your room is in dB, with an analog gauge, min, average and max, a live noise history, A and C weighting, a safe listening time based on NIOSH guidance, a noise alert and calibration against a real meter. No app needed.
Based on the NIOSH limit of 85 dBA over 8 hours, halving the time for every 3 dB louder.
Press Start, then choose Allow when your browser asks for the microphone. Sound is measured live on your device and never recorded or uploaded.
Put your device next to a calibrated sound level meter or a trusted meter app, play a steady sound such as pink noise, type the real reading and press Match It. Your calibration is saved in this browser for next time.
Phone and laptop microphones are not calibrated, so readings are an estimate, often within a few dB after calibration. Use a certified meter for legal or workplace measurements.
Every 10 dB sounds about twice as loud to your ears, and long exposure at 85 dBA or more can damage hearing. While the meter runs, a marker shows where your room sits on this scale.
Sound levels from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the US National Institutes of Health.
NIOSH, the US workplace safety institute, recommends no more than 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours. Every 3 dB louder doubles the sound energy, so the safe time halves. The decibel meter uses this rule for its safe listening time.
Times worked out from the NIOSH 85 dBA, 8 hour limit with a 3 dB exchange rate.
A decibel is a ratio, so a meter has to decide which frequencies count. Weighting filters make the reading match how people hear or how loud machines feel.
Turns down deep bass and the very highest tones, the way our ears do at normal levels. Used for noise rules, workplace limits and hearing safety. Pick this most of the time.
Almost flat, with only the far ends trimmed. Used for very loud sound, peaks, and music with heavy bass, such as concerts and subwoofers.
No filter at all. Every frequency counts the same. Useful for comparing equipment, or seeing how much low rumble is really there.
Good enough for comparing sounds and spotting loud places, but not a certified instrument. Every microphone has a different sensitivity, so this meter turns off echo cancelling, noise suppression and auto gain, then lets you calibrate it.
From a noisy neighbour to a quiet nursery, a quick reading answers a lot of everyday questions.
Leave the meter running and export the log to see when noise peaks and for how long.
Use dBA, SlowSet the alert to 65 dB and go full screen. The light shows quiet, getting loud and too loud.
Use dBA, FastCheck if you need earplugs. Above 94 dBA, the safe time drops to an hour or less.
Use dBC for bassCheck that white noise machines and fans stay at a gentle level for sleep.
Use dBA, SlowCompare a dishwasher, fridge, PC or air purifier with what the box promises.
Measure at 1 metreSee which tools need ear protection. Most saws, drills and mowers go past 85 dBA.
Use dBA, FastPress Start Decibel Meter and allow microphone access. The gauge shows the sound level in dB live, with the minimum, average and maximum since you started. It works in any current browser without an app.
It is a good estimate for comparing sounds and spotting loud places. Phone and laptop microphones vary, so readings can be off by several dB until you calibrate against a trusted meter. It is not a certified instrument.
Long exposure at 85 dBA or more can damage hearing. NIOSH recommends no more than 85 dBA over 8 hours, and half that time for every 3 dB louder. Sounds above about 120 dBA can harm hearing very quickly.
A quiet bedroom at night is often around 30 dBA, a living room with the TV on is around 50 to 60 dBA, and normal conversation is 60 to 70 dBA.
dB on its own is an unweighted level. dBA applies A-weighting, which turns down very low and very high frequencies to match human hearing. Most noise limits and hearing guidelines use dBA.
They are standard meter response times. Fast reacts in about an eighth of a second and follows quick changes. Slow averages over about one second, which gives a steadier reading for fans, traffic and background noise.
Every microphone has a different sensitivity and frequency response. Calibrate each device separately against the same reference to make their readings match.
It is useful for your own records and to show when noise happens, but councils and courts usually need readings from a certified sound level meter. Ask your local authority how they measure noise.
No. Sound is measured live in your browser and only the numbers are kept. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded. The exported log contains times and dB values only.
Yes. It runs in Safari, Chrome and other current mobile browsers. Allow the microphone when asked, keep the screen on, and avoid covering the microphone at the bottom of the phone.
Real problems from listeners, answered and checked by the Sound Tester Audio Team.
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