Ugh, I wrote a ten minute post, then hit the wrong button, all gone.
fml.
Quickly:
In general, US subs tend to be the quietest, followed by Russians and last the Chinese ones (Han-class for example).
To what measure exactly?
No one here knows, or could disclose, obviously.
As for "safe speeds", with the 688i boats you can stay "silent" up to roughly 8kts in literally dangerous waters. That is the speed I feel still safe enough when some contacts are >10nm out. Any closer, I go to 5kts, which seems to be the standard lurking speed. For transit in unknown waters, I do not exceed 15kts, and for transit when I assume the area is largely clear, I go as fast as the port (not starboard) towed array allows before washout.
I think that is around 25kts, and hence easy to remember (5, 15, 25).
If you don't know, the two TA's are different models. TB-16 and TB-23, while the latter one is more sensitive and hence, washes out at lower speeds.
I can't say much about Russian subs, still not much experience in them after all these years.
Hope that at least gives a rough idea?
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