What is gray noise?
Gray noise is white noise reshaped by an equal-loudness curve, a model of how loud each frequency seems to the human ear. Ears pick up very low and very high sounds less easily than the upper middle, so gray noise turns the lows and highs up and that middle part down. The aim is a noise that sounds evenly loud across the range, rather than one that measures flat on a meter, as white noise does. Gray is the US spelling and grey the UK one; it is the same sound.
What this page plays
This gray noise is made in your browser as it plays, from white noise with the lows and highs lifted and the upper middle turned down: a simple version of an equal-loudness curve. It needs no download and starts at once.
Gray noise vs white noise
White noise has equal power at every frequency. That is flat on a meter, but to most people it sounds hissy, because ears are most sensitive in the upper middle. Gray noise allows for that, so it sounds less sharp than white noise, with a little more depth in the low end.
Gray noise vs pink noise
Pink noise also sounds softer than white noise, by turning the treble down steadily, octave by octave. Gray noise follows the ear’s curve instead, so it keeps more of the very low and very high sound. Many people find the two close: try both at the same volume and keep the one you like.
Listening at a comfortable level
Bright noise can seem louder than it is. Start with your device’s volume low, raise it only until the sound is comfortable, and take breaks from headphones. The volume control on this page isn’t a sound-level meter, so let your ears decide.
Benefits
- Plays in one tap, free, with no ads and no account
- Made in your browser, with nothing to download
- Shaped to sound even to the ear, softer than white noise
- A timer under Play that fades it out or stops it at a set time
- Mix it with rain, a fan or another color in the full mixer
Common Uses
- A steady background sound while you work or read
- A quiet bedtime sound, if white noise feels too sharp
- Comparing noise colors side by side
- An even base layer under other sounds in the full mixer
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it gray noise or grey noise?
Both. Gray is the US spelling and grey the UK one; they name the same sound.
What does gray noise sound like?
A soft, even hiss with some low rumble underneath. It sounds less sharp than white noise because the upper middle, where ears are most sensitive, is turned down.
How is gray noise made?
It starts as white noise and is reshaped by an equal-loudness curve, a model of how loud each frequency seems to the ear. This page makes a simple version of it in your browser as it plays.
Is gray noise better than pink noise?
Neither is better in general. They sound close, and gray noise keeps a little more of the very low and very high sound. Try both at the same volume and keep the one you find comfortable.
Is it free?
Yes. It plays in your browser for free, with no ads and no account needed, and it is made on your device as it plays, so there is nothing to download.
