The quietest Pulsar with both a load and a distance stated is the 1,200 running watt PGD16iSCO: 56 dB at 7 m and 1/4 load in its owner's manual, for $349. That pairing is rare at Pulsar. Every product page has a Volume (dB) row in its spec table, but no row names a load or a distance; for those you have to open the owner's manual, where some models say 7 meters and a quarter or half load. Below, each figure is ranked only against figures stated the same way.
All figures come from Pulsar's US product pages and the owner's manuals linked from them, read on October 10, 2026. How Pulsar compares with Honda, Champion, DuroMax and others is a separate question, covered in our guide to quiet generators for home backup.
Our picks are listed above, with full specifications for each.
Every Pulsar product page has a Product Specifications table, and the noise figure sits in it as a bare number: "Volume (dB) 59" on the PG2300iS, "Volume (dB) 62" on the PGD105TiSCO, "Volume (dB) 83" on the PG15000TRCO. No spec table states a load or a distance. The descriptions under the table sometimes add one: the PG2300iS runs "at only 59 dB from 15 feet away", and the PG7600BiSRCO "Operates at just 62 decibels at half load".
The owner's manuals go further on some models. The PGD16iSCO manual lists "Noise dB (@7m)(1/4 load) 56", the PGD105TiSCO manual "Noise dB(7m@50% load) 62", and the PGD95BiSCO manual "Noise dB @7m 62". Seven meters is about 23 feet. A quarter load on the 1,200 running watt PGD16iSCO is 300 watts; half load on the 8,500 running watt PGD105TiSCO is 4,250 watts. Pulsar writes dB in its spec tables and manuals and dBA only in a few feature lists, such as "Super quiet operation volume rated at 62dBA" for the PGDA70BiSCO, so we quote dB.
Roughly every 10 decibels sounds about twice as loud, so the 27 dB between the lowest and highest Volume (dB) in Pulsar's spec tables, 56 and 83, is a very large gap. Our decibel chart puts these levels beside everyday sounds. But those two numbers were not taken the same way. Pulsar's figures fall into several groups that cannot be ranked against each other: 7 m with a stated load, 7 m with no load, a distance in the page description, a load in the page description, and a bare number. A 62 at 7 m and half load and a 62 with no condition are not the same claim. Our explainer on comparing decibel ratings covers why you can only compare like with like.
When Pulsar's documents disagree
- PG1202SA, 2-stroke, 900 running watts: the spec table says "Volume (dB) 59"; the manual's Specifications say "Decibel Ratio 76 dB". The G-Series G1200SG, sold through Walmart and Amazon, has the same pair: 59 on the page and "Decibel Ratio 76dB" in the manual. Neither document states a load or a distance, and 17 dB is a very large gap, so we do not rank either.
- GD400BN, G-Series dual fuel inverter, 3,200 running watts: the spec table says "Volume (dB) 68" and the feature list "rated at 68 dB at full load or 50 dB on standby mode"; the manual says "Noise dB (at 7m) 60". We list both and do not rank it.
- PG105TiSRCO, tri fuel inverter, 8,500 running watts: the spec table says "Volume (dB) 62" and the feature list "Rated at 63 dB at half load". The manual gives no figure. We list both and do not rank it.
- PGD40iSCO, inverter, 3,200 running watts: the spec table says 60 and the manual "Noise dB (at 7m) 60", while the description says "rated at only 59 dB". We rank it at 60, on the spec table and the manual.
One smaller gap: the PG2200BiS spec table says 59 and its feature list "~60dB", which we treat as consistent and list at 59. If you are planning around any figure in this section, assume the higher number.
At 7 m with a load stated: quietest first
These figures come from the owner's manuals, which state both the distance and the load. A quarter-load figure and a half-load figure are two different tests, so each load is its own group.
- 1/4 load, 56 dB: PGD16iSCO, 1,200 running watts, 57cc.
- 50% load, 62 dB: PGD105TiSCO, tri fuel, 8,500 running watts on gasoline, 458cc.
- 50% load, 66 dB: PGD125TiSRCO, tri fuel, 10,000 running watts, 458cc, and PGD170TiSRCO, tri fuel, 14,500 running watts, from a 760cc V-twin.
The PGD105TiSCO and PGD125TiSRCO both list a 458cc engine, yet their manuals give 62 and 66 dB on the same basis. The PGD125TiSRCO makes 1,500 more running watts, so at half load it is also carrying 750 more watts.
At 7 m, no load stated
These manuals give "Noise dB @7m" or "Noise dB (at 7m)" with no load. They can be ranked against each other only.
- 60 dB: PGD40iSCO, 3,200 running watts, 145cc, with a TT-30R.
- 62 dB: PGDA70BiSCO, dual fuel, 6,000 running watts, 312cc, and PGD95BiSCO, dual fuel, 7,600 running watts, 458cc. The PGD95BiSCO was sold out on Pulsar's site.
The GD400BN manual also says 60 at 7 m, but its page says 68, so it stays in the section above.
A distance on the product page, no load
- 59 dB from 15 feet: PG2300iS, 1,800 running watts, and the G-Series G2319N, whose page uses the same wording.
- 65 dB from 10 feet: the G-Series GX420N, 3,200 running watts.
Fifteen feet and 10 feet are both closer than 7 m, and different from each other, so these figures stand on their own. The PG2300iS, G2319N and GX420N manuals give no figure.
A load on the product page, no distance
- Half load, 62 dB: PG7600BiSRCO, dual fuel, 6,300 running watts: "Operates at just 62 decibels at half load". Its manual gives no figure.
- Quarter load, 68 dB: the G-Series GD10KBN, dual fuel, 8,000 running watts: "Rated at 68 decibels at one-quarter load". Its page links no manual.
The PG7600BiSRCO and PGD105TiSCO both say 62 at half load, but only the PGD105TiSCO states a distance, so we do not call them tied.
No load or distance: inverters, quietest first
These spec tables say "Built-in Inverter: Yes" and give a bare Volume (dB), and neither the page nor the manual adds a condition. They can be ranked against each other only.
- 57 dB: PG1500iS, 1,200 running watts.
- 59 dB: PG2300iSCO, 1,800 running watts, with CO Sentry, and PG2200BiS, dual fuel, 1,800 running watts.
- 62 dB: the G-Series GX400BN and GX400BRN, dual fuel, 3,200 running watts. Their manuals say "Noise Level 62dB", also with no condition.
- 63 dB: the G-Series GX230N, 1,800 running watts.
- 65 dB: PG4000BiSRCO, dual fuel, 3,200 running watts, and PG5000BiSRCO, dual fuel, 4,000 running watts. Both were sold out on Pulsar's site.
- 67 dB: PGX60BiSRCO, dual fuel, 5,400 running watts, 120/240V.
- 70 dB: PGX5250BiXCO, dual fuel, 4,000 running watts, which Pulsar describes as "a compact open-frame inverter design".
No load or distance: conventional generators, quietest first
These spec tables say "Built-in Inverter: No". Same basis, quietest first:
- 69 dB: PG3250, 2,500 running watts, and PG3500MR, 3,000 running watts.
- 72 dB: PG5250 and PG5250B, 4,250 running watts, 120/240V. The dual fuel PG5250B was sold out.
- 73 dB: PG3500MRCO, 3,000 running watts; PG6000R, 5,000; and PG6580E, 5,500.
- 73.5 dB: PG5250BCO, dual fuel, 4,250 running watts.
- 74 dB: PG12000BCO and PG12000B, dual fuel, 9,500 running watts, and the G-Series G12KBN with the same output. The PG12000B was sold out.
- 75 dB: PG6580ECO and PG6580BCO, 5,300 running watts, and PGL9000BCO, dual fuel, 7,200.
- 77.5 dB: PG7750BCO, dual fuel, 6,250 running watts.
- 80.5 dB: PG13000BRCO and the tri fuel PG13000TRCO, 10,200 running watts.
- 83 dB: the tri fuel PG15000TRCO and the dual fuel PG15KVTWBCO, 12,000 running watts.
The order mostly follows output, with exceptions: the 7,200 running watt PGL9000BCO lists 75, below the 6,250 running watt PG7750BCO at 77.5.
G-Series models sold through retailers
Pulsar's site has a G-Series collection of nine generators: G1200SG, G2319N, GX230N, GD400BN, GX400BN, GX400BRN, GX420N, GD10KBN and G12KBN. On October 10, 2026 each page showed a price, from $189 to $1,049, and Sold out, with Where to Buy links to Walmart and Amazon. They carry the Pulsar name, so they sit in the groups above.
Why one Pulsar is louder than another
- A closed frame. Pulsar says the PGDA70BiSCO's "312CC engine is mounted within a closed frame which significantly reduces operation volume", and that the PGD125TiSRCO's "enclosed design helps reduce noise during operation". Every Pulsar figure that states both a load and a distance belongs to an inverter, so Pulsar's own numbers cannot show how large the gap to its conventional models is.
- Engine size. At 7 m and half load, the 458cc PGD105TiSCO lists 62 and the 760cc PGD170TiSRCO 66, but the 458cc PGD125TiSRCO also lists 66, so displacement alone does not set the number.
- CO Sentry versions. The PG6580ECO lists 75 dB where the PG6580E lists 73, with the same 274cc engine, and the PG3500MRCO 73 where the PG3500MR lists 69. The PG2300iSCO and PG12000BCO list the same as their siblings. Pulsar does not explain the differences.
- Load. The figures that state a load are at a quarter or half. The only full-load claim, on the GD400BN page, disagrees with its manual. Plan for more noise than any figure here when a large load such as central air starts.
Low idle and ECO switches
Most Pulsar inverters list low idle or an ECO switch. The PGD105TiSCO manual says "Turn the Low Idle Switch ON to limit noise and fuel consumption for lighter generator loads," and to switch it off to run the engine at full speed when starting the generator or when "A heavy load is applied". The PGD16iSCO manual says that with low idle on, "engine speed is reduced when the generator is under light load. This feature will reduce fuel consumption and noise." The PGD170TiSRCO manual describes its "ECO Switch: Minimizes engine speed, noise, and fuel consumption under light electrical load." Pulsar publishes no figure with these switches on and off, and its manuals do not say whether the 7 m figures were taken with them on.
CO Sentry, and where to run it
Most current Pulsar models carry CO Sentry. The PGD16iSCO page says "Built-in CO Sentry shuts down the unit if unsafe carbon monoxide levels are detected." Several do not, including the PG2300iS, PG1500iS and PG3500MR, whose spec tables say Carbon Monoxide Shutdown: No. The PGD105TiSCO manual says to "Operate this product ONLY outside far away from windows, doors, and vents", and that "Generators must have a minimum of 5 feet (1.5 m) of clearance from all combustible material." Never move a generator closer to the house, or into a garage or shed, to cut the noise. Our explainer on generator noise and neighbors covers placement, campground rules and local noise limits.
How we chose
We read Pulsar's US Generators collection, which shows 36 generators, and its G-Series collection of nine more, and opened the product page of every one, plus the owner's manual linked from each page; the GD10KBN page links none. Twelve of those manuals give a noise figure. Picks reflect Pulsar's figures, the conditions its documents state, output, weight, outlets and the price on Pulsar's site, read on October 10, 2026. None of the pages showed a sale price.
Every figure on this page is Pulsar's own, quoted from its US product pages and owner's manuals as read on October 10, 2026, with the load and distance Pulsar gives and a note wherever it gives none. We did not measure any of these generators ourselves.
