Topic: need someone from acoustic engineering to answer this simple question

[mike69]

I'm trying to convince some people at work to keep a foosball
table that we have in the breakroom.  We just got it, and some
people complain that all the ruckus bothers them and causes them
to have some sharp pain in their ears from hearing whenever
people play and smack the ball trying to score a goal.  I never
noticed it.  Maybe I have a hard hearing and that\'s why it
doesn\'t bother me?
>
Anyways, from a safety and noise control perspective, has there ever been
any sample noise measurement for someone hitting the ball with a hard shot
(of any shoot/trick type) and the sound that it makes when you hit it and
also, when it smacks into the back end of the goal (that deflector metal plate) as it
drops into the pocket?  If so, can you provide that in decibel units?  I
would think that machines like this wouldn't generate anything past 100
db's, but maybe these old wooden/metal based tables make some snappy
noises.  I don't know, but I need some information to convince these
people and I figured, the main foosball website should have folks from
acoustics or something that have these fact and figures.

please reply back when you have the chance with some information or
resources on these figures.

[marty]

you could try cork balls 

[mike69]

well, that is one option, but I'd still need those numbers in db units to show them for documentation purposes.  Does anyone around here have access to this information?

[Causality]

You can buy a dB meter at Radio Shack for a couple dozen dollars or so.  Record the dB reading in the break room and outside the breakroom. I'm sure its not above OSHA ratings, but if the sound of the table is enough to annoy people then maybe you could only play during lunch or after hours? 

[Causality]

Another thought.  Put  a couple layers of felt on the metal inside the goal.  That'll cut down on the sound of a goal, at least.