***** NOTE: I pulled this chart from the net. I was surprised at what I found for 145 dB. :) *****
Damage to the Inner Ear
Your ear receives sound waves and sends them through a delicately balanced system to the brain. Part of this remarkable system, the cochlea, is a chamber in the inner ear filled with fluid and lined with thousands of tiny hair cells. The hair cells signal the auditory nerve to send electrical impulses to the brain. The brain interprets these impulses as sound. When you are exposed to loud or prolonged noise, the hair cells are damaged and the transmission of sound is permanently altered.
Noise Levels
Both the amount of noise and the length of time you are exposed to the noise determine its ability to damage your hearing. Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB). The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise. Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially hazardous. The noise chart below gives an idea of average decibel levels for everyday sounds around you.
Painful:
150 dB = rock music peak
140 dB = firearms, air raid siren, jet engine
145 db = Mark Levin on a rant
130 dB = jackhammer
120 dB = jet plane take-off, amplified rock music at 4-6 ft., car stereo,
band practice
Extremely loud:
110 dB = rock music, model airplane
106 dB = timpani and bass drum rolls
100 dB = snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drill
90 dB = lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic, subway
Very loud:
80 dB = alarm clock, busy street
70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner
60 dB = conversation, dishwasher
Moderate:
50 dB = moderate rainfall
40 dB = quiet room
Faint:
30 dB = whisper, quiet library
ROFL