Decibel (dB)

A decibel is a unit of measure that usually refers to levels of sound. Decibels tend to be used to measure the effectiveness of suppressors and their ability to reduce the sound level of a discharged firearm. A gunshot typically measures between 140 and 165 decibels. Suppressors can reduce that sound level by around 20-35 decibels, or about the level of a jackhammer or ambulance siren.