Which app has the loudest ringtone?
In today’s world, smartphones have become ubiquitous, with ringtones serving as the audible alert for incoming calls and notifications. With so many options for customization, users often wonder which smartphones and apps offer the loudest possible ringtones. The purpose of this article is to explore the limits of smartphone volume, assess the risks of excessive loudness, provide recommendations for appropriate volumes, and overview alternatives like vibrate and silent modes.
Measuring Sound and Volume
The loudness of a sound is measured in decibels (dB). Decibels are a logarithmic unit used to express the intensity or amplitude of sound. The decibel scale ranges from 0 dB, the quietest sound humans can hear, to over 120 dB, the loudest sounds that can cause immediate harm to hearing.
A sound level of 60 dB is equivalent to normal conversation, while 120 dB is extremely loud, similar to a thunderclap or chainsaw. Smartphones and ringtones can produce sounds in the range of 60-80 dB. While this may not seem very loud compared to the 120 dB upper range limit, these mid-range levels can still damage hearing over time with prolonged exposure.
Excessive noise exposure is a major preventable cause of hearing loss worldwide. Sounds over 85 dB can permanently damage hearing if people are exposed for extended periods of time. Even at lower levels, but with repeated exposure over years, noise-induced hearing loss can develop.
When assessing ringtone volume, it’s important to measure the sound level from a typical distance – such as one meter away from the phone – to determine real-world loudness. Downloading a decibel meter app on a smartphone makes it easy to test ringtone volume and ensure it stays within a safe range below 85 dB.
Loudest Phone Ringtones
When looking for the loudest preset ringtones available on phones, a few options stand out across operating systems:
On iOS, the ‘Alarm’ ringtone is widely regarded as one of the loudest options. Many users on forums like Apple Discussions report that the shrill Alarm ring is very loud and hard to miss.
For Android phones, the ‘Extreme Alarm’ tone included on devices like Samsung Galaxy is noted for its very high volume that’s difficult to sleep through. The ringtone ‘Morning Flower’ is another extremely loud preset on Android phones.
On both iPhone and Android, the default ringtones meant as alarms and alerts tend to be louder than melodic ringtones. Examples include the iPhone’s Radiation ring and Android’s Nuclear Alert tones. Their loud volumes are designed to wake and alert users.
Ultimately, the loudest ringtone may depend on the specific phone’s make and model. But loud alarms meant to catch attention, like Alarm and Extreme Alarm, are consistently among thepreset tones with the highest volumes.
Custom Ringtones
There are many apps and sites that allow users to create custom ringtones, even very loud ones. Some popular options include:
Zedge (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.zedge.android): This free app has a library of over 1 million ringtones, notification sounds, wallpapers and more that users can browse and download. There is a wide variety of loud ringtones available.
Automate (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.llamalab.automate): This powerful automation app for Android lets users create custom ringtones from MP3s or other audio files. The audio can be amplified to make very loud custom ringtones.
Garageband (iOS): Apple’s free Garageband app includes tools to edit and remix audio clips into custom ringtones and alerts. Users can increase the volume to make them louder.
Audacity (Windows/Mac): This free open source audio editing software can boost the volume of any audio file to make it louder. Users can edit clips and export custom loud ringtones.
Overall, apps provide a simple way for users to browse, download or create customized loud ringtones for their device using their own audio files and tools to amplify the volume.
Hearing Safety
While having a loud ringtone can be convenient at times, it’s important to be aware of the potential for hearing damage from excessive noise exposure. Prolonged or repeated exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or higher can cause gradual hearing loss over time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some of the loudest ringtones on phones can reach over 110 decibels.
The safe noise exposure time decreases dramatically as the volume increases. At 110 decibels, noise exposure becomes unsafe after just 1 minute. Loud ringtones blaring directly into the ear canal can potentially cause immediate damage. According to audiologists, symptoms like muffled hearing or ringing in the ears after exposure to a loud noise are red flags that damage has occurred (Beck Hearing Aids).
To protect hearing, experts recommend keeping phone ringtones at a moderate level. When possible, use vibrate or visual alerts instead of loud ringtones. Also consider your surroundings and avoid subjecting others nearby to uncomfortably loud noises from your phone.
When Loud Ringtones are Problematic
Loud ringtones in public places can be annoying and disruptive to those around you. Many people have complained about excessively loud ringtones they’ve heard in public places like libraries, restaurants, and public transit according to discussions on forums like Reddit:
“In general, all phone calls are bad news, work or personal. To combat this, I use a ring tone from one of tunes in Curb Your Enthusiasm. It drives me NUTS when I hear it, so I know to answer it quickly before I annoy people around me” (Source)
Loud ringtones in enclosed spaces like buses or trains can be particularly disruptive. Many public transit systems request riders to silence their phones or use vibrate mode. Excessive ringing volume in quiet zones like libraries and theaters is also frequently complained about.
For iPhones specifically, there have been complaints posted on Apple’s forums about very loud default ringtones that are difficult to hear comfortably in public settings:
“The ringtone that I just bought from the Apple Store is too loud. I have to bring down the volume in order to avoid having a heart attack every time the phone rings” (Source)
While loud ringtones allow you to hear notifications clearly, it’s important to be mindful of your surroundings and reduce volume or silence your phone when in public spaces. A more moderate volume can still alert you to calls and messages without disturbing those around you.
Choosing an Appropriate Volume
The volume of your phone’s ringtone should be loud enough so you can hear it, but not so loud that it disturbs or startles those around you. Here are some tips for choosing a courteous yet audible ringtone volume:
For iPhones, open the Settings app and go to Sounds & Haptics. Under Ringer and Alerts, you can adjust the volume slider to your desired level. Generally, around 60-80% volume is loud enough without being disruptive.
On Android phones, open the Settings app and go to Sound. Under Media volume, Phone ringtone, Notification ringtone, and Alarm volume you can adjust each volume slider. Keep the Phone ringtone under 80%.
Test your selected volume by having a friend call you from another room or while you walk away from your phone. You should be able to hear it clearly from a reasonable distance.
Avoid using loud or startling ringtones, even at lower volumes. Stick to softer ringtones to avoid disturbing those around you.
Turn off vibrate so you don’t miss calls. Rely on volume instead.
Lower the volume or set your phone to silent when in public places like libraries, theaters, and restaurants.
If you frequently miss calls, consider using a smart watch that vibrates to alert you instead.
Set a reasonable maximum volume limit in your phone’s settings to prevent accidents.
Ultimately, be courteous and aware of your surroundings when selecting your ringtone volume. Prioritize those around you while still meeting your needs.
Silencing Options
When you want to mute an incoming call on an iPhone, there are several options to silence the ringtone quickly without rejecting the call. One of the fastest ways is to press either the side or sleep/wake button once. This will mute the ringtone so you can see who is calling without the loud interruption. You can also press the volume down button once to mute the ringtone.
If you want to continue to get notifications but silence the ringtone, you can switch the phone to vibrate mode by toggling the ring/silent switch on the side of the phone. In vibrate mode, you will get a vibration alert instead of a ringtone when receiving calls.
For individual contacts, you can set a custom vibration pattern or even select the “None” sound option in Contacts to completely mute calls and texts from that person. On iOS, you can also enable Silence Unknown Callers to automatically silence any calls not from your contacts.
The Do Not Disturb feature is another option for muting notifications for a set period of time. You can schedule Do Not Disturb during certain hours or enable it manually when needed. This will silence all calls and alerts until you turn it back off.
With the variety of muting options available, you can customize your iPhone’s ringtone settings to suit your needs and ensure you never get interrupted by a loud ringtone again.
Conclusion
In summary, smartphone ringtones can reach loud volumes, with some preloaded options and custom ringtones topping out at over 100 dB. While loud ringtones may seem fun or helpful to users who want to make sure they don’t miss any calls or texts, excessively loud ringtones can potentially contribute to hearing damage over time and create unnecessary noise pollution in public spaces. Users who want an attention-grabbing ringtone should aim for volumes in the 60-80 dB range and utilize their phone’s sound settings to control volume, create exceptions for certain environments like nighttime, or set specific contacts to have quieter ringtones. With some careful adjustments, you can pick an audible yet appropriate ringtone volume that suits your needs.
References
This article was written based on the author’s research into measuring sound, determining loudness of ringtones, and evaluating the appropriateness of ringtone volume in various situations. The following sources were used:
- Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart – Industrial Noise Control
- CDC – Loud Noise Can Cause Hearing Loss
- Maximum Volume Settings for Portable Devices – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Annoying Loud Cell Phone Ringtones in Public – Forum Discussions
- How to Change Ringtone Volume on iPhone – Apple Support
- Ringtone Loudness Regulations – Federal Communications Commission
Additional research into decibel levels, hearing safety, smartphone models, and ringtone options informed the analysis within the article.