In hearing, the threshold of pain is the sound pressure or sound pressure level beyond which sound becomes unbearable for a human listener. This threshold varies only slightly with frequency. It is clear that only lower levels are permissable, because prolonged exposure to sound pressure levels in excess of the threshold of pain can cause physical damage, potentially leading to hearing impairment. Different values for the threshold of pain are found in the literature: Sound pressure level and Sound pressure:
120 dB SPL = 20 Pa
130 dBSPL = 63 Pa
134 dBSPL = 100 Pa
137.5 dBSPL = 150 Pa
140 dBSPL = 200 Pa
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