Loudness Of Movie Sound
Dear Gary: I just read this article (August 16, 1999—Loud Movie Sound Is Dangerous, According To British Standards Institute) about how loud movies can be dangerous to your hearing. If this is true, and it probably is, wouldn’t this also be true of rock concerts, subways, airports, some sporting events, where SPLs sometimes measure between 100-122dBs? Do you think the aforementioned loudness events should be monitored and regulated the same way film sound is now checked?
Jaleel
Movie Sound Editor Perry Sun Comments:
You are certainly right in that there are many other public environments where there is potential exposure to loud and possibly damaging sound pressure levels (SPLs), though experts would probably agree that the risk at a rock concert or on the tarmac at an airport is substantially greater than at a movie theatre. The issue of loud movies at the cinema, particularly with the trailers, has become such a widespread concern because so many patrons are complaining about it. They do so because loudness has never really been a problem until just a few years ago; and second, they have someone to whom they can directly express their vexation: the cinema management. Moviegoers are also upset by the loudness issue because many of them visit the cinema regularly and know that prolonged exposure to high SPLs can’t be good for their hearing in the long run. This is the very reason why standards are now in place in the USA to regulate the volume of trailers. As noted in the article [Issue 33] to which you responded, there is also an impending standard in Britain. But such organized action comes about because the people who are affected can voice their concerns directly to the people who are responsible for providing the entertainment. And eventually, word-of-mouth reaches the media, who then spreads the issue to the mainstream public. However, for a rock concert, for example, that isn’t necessarily true. Who do you go to if your ears are ringing after being at a two-hour heavy metal performance? And isn’t the public already aware of the risks? Furthermore, for a rock concert and other high SPL environments, people who are potentially exposed on a regular basis take care to protect their hearing. Others who don’t want to risk their hearing avoid these places. The movie theatre has always been a place for enjoyable entertainment, and never a venue for sonic torture. Industry experts know this and are working to make sure that the problem we’re facing now is alleviated for the future.
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