: Are acoustic pianos too loud? I find acoustic upright pianos quite loud and unbearable. This is also because my recently developed hyperacusis but I think I always found it so when I was even much younger; I would use the

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Acoustic pianos generally produce 60-70 Decibels (dB) at normal practise. The Action Level where hearing protection is required is at 85 Decibels.

Upright pianos generally have shorter strings and smaller soundboard, which would contribute to lesser volume compared to a Grand piano.

Personally I would invest in a good digital piano with volume and EQ control.

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A grand piano played fortissimo could produce intensity of around 100 dB SPL, which would cause hearing damage in most ears after about fifteen minutes, but only if the intensity remained that high for the whole time.

It is intensity over time that causes damage, with greater intensities causing damage in shorter amounts of time. It is theoretically possibly but extremely unlikely that a piece, piano, and player would all come together to produce enough intensity for long enough time to cause damage. It's not normally worth worrying about.

That said, all measurements of hearing are averages across a sample of people, so there can be and are unusual ears that are more or less sensitive to different parameters of sound. If you've been diagnosed with a condition, best to check with your doctor whether you are at a greater risk for damage because of that condition. As Bruno wrote, 60-70 dB is a good typical intensity for a piano, with 100 dB being a rare but possible sound level.

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Grand pianos carry better in a concert hall but are usually set up in a manner where the bulk of the sound is directed sideways rather than at the player. So there shouldn't be that much of a difference. Unless the grand piano is in a room too small to do it justice.