DecibelwerkDecibelwerk is a small iPhone app made by an independent developer and working musician in Southern California. It is built like a piece of studio gear: a sound level meter with a real VU needle, a reference tone generator and a speaker cleaner, all running on the phone, with nothing recorded or uploaded.
The guides on this site exist because the same questions come up again and again. How loud is too loud? How long can I stay at a concert? Is my neighbour actually over the limit? Can a phone measure decibels at all? Each guide answers one of those, starting with free options, and mentions Decibelwerk only where it actually helps.
How we check these facts
Hearing limits and sound levels get quoted loosely, often without a source. So we keep every figure we cite in one place, with its source and the date we last checked it:
- Hearing limits come from NIOSH, OSHA and the NIDCD; device behaviour from Apple's own support pages.
- Typical sound levels are ranges, not promises: distance and the specific source change them a lot. We say so where it matters.
- Figures are re-checked at least every 90 days, and the date on each guide changes when we update it.
| Fact | What it is | Source | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIOSH recommended limit | 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours, 3 dB exchange rate | cdc.gov | Nov 9, 2026 |
| OSHA legal limit (US workplaces) | 90 dBA for 8 hours, 5 dB exchange rate | law.cornell.edu | Nov 9, 2026 |
| NIDCD hearing guidance | 70 dBA daily average is safe for most people; protect your ears at 85 dBA and above | nidcd.nih.gov | Nov 9, 2026 |
| Everyday sound levels | Whisper 30 dB, conversation 60 dB, lawn mower 90 dB, concert 110 dB, fireworks 140 dB | audiology.org | Nov 9, 2026 |
| Apple Watch Noise app | A-weighted level averaged over 3 minutes; optional alert at your chosen threshold | support.apple.com | Nov 9, 2026 |
| Apple's advice for a wet iPhone | Unplug, tap gently with the connector facing down, dry in airflow; wait at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours | support.apple.com | Nov 9, 2026 |
| NIOSH Sound Level Meter app | Free iPhone app from NIOSH and EA LAB: A, C and Z weighting, LAeq, TWA, noise dose | apps.apple.com | Nov 9, 2026 |
| Military hearing center sound levels | Conversation 60 dB, busy street 75–85, lawn mower 94, motorcycle 105, nightclub 110, rock concert 120 | hearing.health.mil | Nov 9, 2026 |
Not medical or legal advice
A phone is not a certified sound level meter, and these guides don't replace an audiologist, an occupational hygienist or your local noise ordinance. If your ears ring, hurt or feel full after noise, see a doctor or audiologist.
Spotted a mistake?
If a figure has changed or something in a guide doesn't match what you see, email info@decibelwerk.com. We fix confirmed errors and update the date on the page.
Privacy
The app has no accounts and no analytics, and it never records sound. The details are in our privacy policy.