37DBa measured at 1 Meter and more than enough air to supply my needs for air assist on the 1290. That's below the levels of a quiet office or softly spoken conversation!!
Compare this to my other compressors below.
Clarke Industrial twin cylinder belt drive, 6CFM Free Air Delivery 78 BDa
Kinzo Industrial Direct Drive, 4 CFM free Air Delivery 97 DBa
To give you some idea of what common noise pressure values are:
Weakest sound heard 1dB
Whisper Quiet Library 30dB
Normal conversation (3-5') 60-70dB
Telephone dial tone 80dB
City Traffic (inside car) 85dB
Train whistle at 500', Truck Traffic 90dB
Subway train at 200' 95dB
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss 90 - 95dB
Power mower at 3' 107dB
Snowmobile, Motorcycle 100dB
Power saw at 3' 110dB
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert 115dB
Pain begins 125dB
Pneumatic riveter at 4' 125dB
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage - Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection 140dB
Jet engine at 100', Gun Blast 140dB
Death of hearing tissue 180dB
Loudest sound possible 194dB
The perceived psychoacoustical loudness should double with every 4 dB increase, so 178.9 dB is more than 32 times as loud as a rock concert (nearly 26 = 64), and nearly 8 times as loud as a jet engine at 30 m
So if your in the market for a decent compressor but don't want your ears to bleed or get a mortgage for a screw hydrovane then the Clarke series SHHH are excellent
best wishes
Dave