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This means there is a slightly different Loudness Penalty for each service. We do! Why are there different LP numbers?Įach streaming service chooses their own method of measuring loudness, and how loud the loudest songs should be played (the Distribution Loudness). However, you may decide you’d like to experiment with lower levels to see if you prefer a more dynamic sound. If the results sound good, you don’t need to take any action. Use them to Preview your music and compare with suitable reference material.
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Streaming services apply loudness normalization so we don’t have to. We call this level reduction the "Loudness Penalty" - the lower the LP numbers, the more your music will be turned down to match other songs.įor example, a Loudness Penalty of -2.4 on YouTube means your song will be played back 2.4 dB quieter than its original loudness. Online streaming services measure loudness, and turn down loud music to avoid "blasting" listeners with sudden changes in loudness. Your file will not be uploaded, meaning this process is secure and anonymous. Simply select any WAV, MP3 or AAC file above, and within seconds we'll provide you with an accurate measurement of the Loudness Penalty for your music on many of the most popular music streaming services, and allow you to preview how it will sound for easy comparison with your favorite reference material. But all the streaming services achieve this in different ways, and give different values, which makes it really hard to know how big the Loudness Penalty will be for your music. We call this reduction the "Loudness Penalty" - the higher the level your music is mastered at, the bigger the penalty could be. To avoid this and save us from being "blasted" unexpectedly, online streaming services measure loudness, and turn down music recorded at higher levels. We all hate sudden changes in loudness - they're the #1 source of user complaints. Get away into nature for a few days, where there are no cars, generators, heavy machinery, or sirens, and enjoy the gentle sounds of the wind, river, birds singing, and the best, silence.Online streaming services are turning down loud songs. Take regular breaks from the noise, especially if you live or work in an area constantly exposed to loud sounds. Protect your ears when exposed to loud noise using earmuffs, ear plugs, or noise-canceling headphones. Try to avoid always listening to music on your headphones if you can help it, especially if you want to limit your exposure to loud sounds and protect your hearing. If you are listening to music on your headphones or loudspeakers, it’s best to keep the volume low. When exposed to sounds that reach 120 dB, it is vital to protect your ears. Image Credit: diy13, Shutterstock How You Can Protect Your Hearing at 12 dB It is a thunderous sound that can cause severe hearing loss, depending on the exposure time. To better understand how loud and potentially dangerous 120 dB is, consider this if 85 dB is the safety limit, 120 dB is 1,000 times more intense.
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That means that a 20 dB sound is 100 times greater, one at 30 dB is 1,000 times greater, and so on.ĭecibels and the decibel scale are essential tools of measurement that are widely used to determine how loud a sound is this information is critical for preventing ear damage and noise pollution.Īs noise levels exceed 85 decibels, which is the limit at which sounds are considered harmful to the human ear, the recommended exposure time decreases. The intensity of the sound is 10 times greater as it goes up, so a sound that is 10 times greater than 0 dB is 10 dB. The lowest sound on the scale is silence, measured at 0 dB. The higher the decibel level, the louder the sound. The decibel scale is a nonlinear scale used to describe the intensity of sound waves to help measure different sound levels and determine which are safe and which are dangerous. How Does the Decibel Scale Work? Image Credit: Pixabay To better understand how loud 120 dB is, we’ll discuss the decibel scale and how sound is perceived and compare other sounds equivalent to 120 dB. This already tells us that 120 dB is a deafening sound that can cause harm to our hearing, but how loud is it?ġ20 dB is on the decibel scale’s upper limits, and while many factors influence how loud it is, it can typically be equivalent to the sound of fireworks or the dancefloor of a nightclub. If you are familiar with the decibel scale, you may know that the sound of silence is 0 dB and the threshold for human hearing is about 85 dB. The decibel scale allows us to measure sound and helps us make comparisons of various noises.