Volume doubles about every 6 decibels, which means that a 96-decibel noise is not just a bit louder than a 90-decibel noise but twice as loud. The pain threshold for noise is about 120 decibels, and noises above 150 decibels can burst the eardrum. For purposes of comparison, a quiet place like a library or the countryside is about 30 decibels, snoring is 60 to 80 decibels, a really loud nearby thunderclap is 120
