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Sound Level Converter Calculator

Work out sound level converter instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Sound Level Converter Calculator

Sound level is logarithmic, so it cannot be converted by a multiplication factor. Pressure uses 20 log10(p/20 uPa) and intensity 10 log10(I/1e-12), which is why 80 dB corresponds to 0.2 Pa and 1e-4 W/m2. The two references are chosen to agree numerically for a plane wave in air.

Formulas

Pressure level

L = 20 log10(p / 20e-6 Pa)

Intensity level

L = 10 log10(I / 1e-12 W/m2)

Worked example

With the default values below, Sound Level Converter Calculator returns Converted Value of 0.200000. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Value to convert
80
Conversionone of Decibels to sound pressure, Sound pressure to decibels, Decibels to intensity
Decibels to sound pressure

Results

Converted Value
0.200000
Result Unit
pascals
Sound Pressure
0.200000 Pa
Sound Intensity
1.0000 × 10⁻⁴ W/m2

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Pressure level
  3. 3Intensity level
  4. 4Converted Value= 0.200000
  5. 5Result Unit= pascals
  6. 6Sound Pressure= 0.200000 Pa
  7. 7Sound Intensity= 0.0001 W/m2

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 6 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does pressure use 20 log and intensity 10 log?

Because intensity is proportional to pressure squared, and squaring inside a logarithm becomes a factor of two outside it.

Can decibels be added directly?

No. Two 80 dB sources give 83 dB, not 160, because the underlying intensities add rather than the levels.

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