How loud are earbuds at full volume?
At full volume, earbuds can deliver about 115 to 120 dBA in the ear canal. A Korean study measured 115.5 to 117.9 dBA from earbuds at 100% volume on an MP3 player, and the EU SCENIHR committee estimated about 120 dB(A) in the worst case.
- Level
- 115.5–120 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- 9 s a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 334,965× energyabout 46.0× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. LAeq of music from one MP3 player at 100% volume through earbuds, measured in a 2 cc coupler; SCENIHR worst-case estimate at the eardrum for ear-bud insertion.
Because earbuds sit in the ear canal, the same player produces more sound at the eardrum than with over-ear headphones. SCENIHR noted that ear-bud type earphones produce the highest levels in the ear canal and that earphone type can change the level by 7 to 9 dB.
In a coupler study using one MP3 player, the LAeq ranged from 70.9 to 115.5 dBA for earbuds with ballad music and 73.4 to 117.9 dBA with dance music as the volume rose from 25% to 100%. Overall, earbuds were about 10 to 12 dBA louder than over-the-ear earphones at the same setting.
Listening habits matter more than the maximum. In the same study, young adults chose listening levels that, converted to an eight-hour equivalent, were safe for all but one participant.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 9 s a day at 120 dBA (25 s at 115.5). OSHA's legal limit is 7 min 30 s.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 115.5 dBA | 25 s | 14 min | 8 s | 26 s |
| 120 dBA | 9 s | 7 min 30 s | 3 s | 9 s |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Keep earbuds to 60% volume or less, use noise-isolating tips so you do not turn the music up over background noise, and use your phone's listening-level or volume-limit setting.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Dog barking (104–118.9 dBA max): this has about 4.3× its sound energy and sounds about 1.5× as loud.
- Fireworks display (108–116 dBA max): this has about 3.8× its sound energy and sounds about 1.5× as loud.
- Formula 1 Grand Prix (121.8 dBA max): it has about 2.5× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Vuvuzela (113–131 dBA max): it has about 2.7× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 334,965× its energy and sounds about 46.0× as loud.
Questions
Are earbuds louder than headphones?
At the same volume setting, a coupler study found earbuds about 10 to 12 dBA louder than over-the-ear earphones.
How loud can earbuds get?
SCENIHR estimated about 120 dB(A) at the eardrum in the worst case, and a measured MP3 player reached 115.5 to 117.9 dBA at full volume.
Sources
- Analysis of Output Levels of an MP3 Player: Effects of Earphone Type, Music Genre, and Listening Duration, Journal of Audiology & Otology (2018). Supports: dB_low: 115.5 dBA at 100% volume.
When listening to ballad, the range of LAeq was 70.9-115.5 dBA for earbuds and 57.3-104.3 dBA for over-the-ear earphones
Checked 2026-11-02. - Analysis of Output Levels of an MP3 Player: Effects of Earphone Type, Music Genre, and Listening Duration, Journal of Audiology & Otology (2018). Supports: 117.9 dBA dance music.
When listening to dance, the range of LAeq was 73.4-117.9 dBA for earbuds
Checked 2026-11-02. - Analysis of Output Levels of an MP3 Player: Effects of Earphone Type, Music Genre, and Listening Duration, Journal of Audiology & Otology (2018). Supports: earbuds 10-12 dBA louder.
Overall output levels of earbuds were about 10-12 dBA greater than those of over-the-ear earphones.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Potential health risks of exposure to noise from personal music players and mobile phones including a music playing function, European Commission, Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), 2008. Supports: dB_high: about 120 dB(A).
It is possible to obtain sound level of about 120 dB(A) in the worst case scenario.
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.