Sound Power Level

Specification
Updated 2026-08-24 · Read this page as Markdown

The total acoustic energy the machine radiates in all directions, in dB(A), independent of where the listener stands. In the EU the guaranteed sound power level is the value that must appear on the machine's noise label.

Sound power is a property of the saw itself, while sound pressure depends on distance and surroundings, which is why regulators use power for labelling and market comparison. It is always the higher of the two numbers on a spec sheet, and seeing a large figure here does not mean the saw is unusually loud at the ear — the two rows simply measure different things. Use sound power to compare machines and to judge whether a saw is acceptable near neighbours; use sound pressure to think about your own hearing protection.

This spec across the catalog

Recorded on 32 models in this database, from 100 dB(A) to 119 dB(A), averaging 109.59 dB(A).

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Related terms

Anti-vibration system The set of rubber buffers or steel springs that separate the engine unit from the handles, reducing the vibration transmitted to the operator's hands. Its effectiveness is what the declared front and rear handle vibration figures measure. Chain brake A safety device that stops the chain almost instantly by clamping a steel band around the clutch drum. It is triggered either by pushing the front hand guard forward or, on inertia-activated saws, automatically by the sudden rotation of a kickback. Chainsaw chaps and PPE The personal protective equipment worn for chainsaw work: cut-resistant leg protection (chaps or trousers), a helmet with face screen and ear defenders, gloves and steel-toed boots. Cut-resistant garments contain long loose fibres that pull out, jam the drive sprocket and stall the chain on contact. Kickback The violent upward and backward rotation of the guide bar towards the operator, caused when the upper quadrant of the bar nose — the kickback zone — contacts wood, or when the chain is pinched in the top of the cut. It is the leading cause of serious chainsaw injuries. Sound Pressure Level The A-weighted noise level measured at the operator's ear position, in dB(A). It is the figure that describes what the person holding the saw is actually exposed to. Vibration Front Handle The vibration transmitted to the operator's hand at the front handle, expressed as an acceleration in m/s². It is one of the two figures used to estimate daily hand-arm vibration exposure.

See also

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