You’re bringing your grandkids to watch your favorite professional sports team take on the league leaders. Will the roar of the crowd be enough to justify wearing hearing protection? Or maybe you’ve hired a local band to play outside at a party. is it too strong?
Fortunately, you don’t need to rely on your best judgment to know the answer. Thanks to modern technology, your smartphone can measure decibels to determine if your environment exposes you to harmful noise that can cause permanent or temporary noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
Reading: Headphone decibel meter app
Note that these applications are unlikely to be as accurate as portable sound level meters, which are used by professionals to measure sound.
applications for android and ios
Decibel Pro: dB Sound Level Meter
itunes rating: 4.7 stars
google play rating: 4.1 stars
Measure noise at home or in the workplace and calibrate home or professional audio equipment with this free app that includes a noise dosimeter, spectrum analyzer with rta, fft and spectrogram, as well as a hearing test.
decibel x
itunes rating: 4.6 stars, free, offers in-app purchases google play rating: 3.6 stars, free, in-app purchases
This highly rated app turns your smartphone into an accurate, pre-calibrated portable sound level meter. It has a standard measurement range of 30 to 130 db. It has many functions to measure the intensity of the sound around you integrated in a well-designed and intuitive user interface.
spl meter
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itunes rating: 3.9 stars, $0.99, offers in-app purchases google play rating: 4.3 stars, free
This professional quality sound level meter is measured after a traditional sound pressure level (spl) meter, including ballistics, ranges, filters, and sink rates. uses your device’s microphone to detect sound and convert it to an spl value. The app comes pre-calibrated for most mobile devices, but can be adjusted to match professional calibrated meters. the universal app can be shared across all devices. a simple color-coded display indicates safe (green) and dangerous (red) listening levels.
apps only for ios
sound meter (noise detector)
itunes rating: 4.6 stars, free
Use this app to get alerts when dangerous noise levels are present, test your hearing and listen to music to relax and focus. features can be used to test noise in your environment, including buildings and cars, to determine if they meet industry standards.
professional too noisy
itunes rating: 3.9 stars, $4.99
This easy-to-use application is specifically designed to measure noise levels in environments where there are groups of children. Teachers can use the Too Loud app to monitor sound levels in classrooms and control the noise level. The interface is simple and designed to get kids responsive, graphically displaying noise levels in a fun and engaging way. teachers and other childcare workers can adjust the app’s sensitivity to accommodate louder activities and sudden noises with the sensitivity and damping sliders.
niosh sound level meter
itunes rating: 4.7 stars free
Developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), this iPhone-exclusive app is a useful tool for anyone who works in noisy environments. can increase employee awareness of noise levels in their workplace, help them make informed decisions about their hearing health, and determine when hearing protection is necessary. researchers can also use the app to collect data on noise exposure.
splnfft noise meter
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itunes rating: 4.9 stars $3.99
Designed by a signal processing expert, this app’s advanced features for iOS devices include a frequency analyzer, frequency meter, test signal generator, and dosimeter. A simple interface shows the level of exposure using colors: orange or red indicate dangerous levels where hearing protection is required. The app is recommended by the North American Workers’ Health and Safety Fund.
android-only apps
professional sound meter
google play rating: 3.82 stars $2.50
This app uses your smartphone’s microphone to detect sound and display it in decibels, as well as display the last 30 seconds of data in an easy-to-read graph. Since the microphones of android devices are used to record human voices, the maximum levels of this app are limited and sounds above 100 db are not recognized.
sound level meter and noise detector
google play rating: 4.5 stars free
Like most sound meter apps, this one uses your smartphone’s microphone to measure the sound in your environment. decibel level is displayed on an easy-to-read dial. the history function indicates how long you have been exposed to noise along with the noise reference, ie noisy street or quiet library.
other applications for hearing loss
If you or a loved one has hearing loss or are concerned about noise levels, see our other articles on apps:
- smartphone apps for hearing loss: my top picks
- hearing aid apps: what are they?
- tinnitus apps
- main sign language applications
- popular subtitle applications
- applications for measuring noise levels
These apps can be very helpful in specific situations, but they are not a substitute for good hearing care and properly fitting hearing aids. If you suspect you or your child has hearing loss and need to find a hearing center near you, visit our directory of consumer-reviewed hearing clinics.
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