Noise colors

White, Pink, or Brown Noise for Tinnitus?

They're all 'static', but they sit very differently in the ear. A plain-language guide to choosing a noise color for tinnitus masking.

The three colors, in plain terms

White noise spreads equal energy across every frequency. It sounds bright and hissy — an untuned radio, a harsh shower. It's the most thorough masker on paper, and the most fatiguing in practice for some ears.
Pink noise rolls energy off as frequency rises (about −3 dB per octave). It reads as softer and more natural — steady rainfall, wind through leaves. For many people it's the comfortable middle ground.
Brown noise rolls off twice as fast (about −6 dB per octave), leaving mostly low end. It's a deep, distant rumble — a waterfall from far away, a plane cabin. The gentlest on the ear, the thinnest at high frequencies.

Which color masks tinnitus best?

It depends on where your tinnitus lives. Masking works by giving your ears energy near the ringing's frequency, so the ringing stops standing out. A high-pitched ring — the most common kind — often blends best with white or pink noise, which keep real energy up high. A lower hum or roar may disappear beautifully into brown noise.

Then comfort casts the deciding vote. A color that masks perfectly but keeps you awake has failed at its actual job. That's why the honest advice is empirical: give each color a full night at a gentle volume and keep the one you stopped noticing. (More on volume in white noise for tinnitus.)

Comfort beats theory

People routinely expect white noise to win because it's the “complete” masker, then sleep better with pink or brown. Your ears, your pitch, and your tolerance for high frequencies decide — not the spectrum chart. The best masking sound is the one that becomes furniture: present, unnoticed, doing its job.

In NeuralCore

NeuralCore ships all three colors, calibrated to sit consistently at the same perceived loudness so switching between them is a fair test. Premium pairs any color with the adaptive volume engine — the level rides your room's noise floor automatically — and with the notch filter, which carves a dip at your tinnitus pitch out of whichever color you choose. Free tier users get white noise with a sleep timer, no account required — enough to run the experiment tonight.

Frequently asked questions

Is brown noise better than white noise for sleep?

Many people find brown noise less fatiguing for all-night listening because its energy sits in the low frequencies — it reads as a deep, distant rumble rather than a hiss. But 'better' is personal: if your tinnitus is a high-pitched ring, brighter noise may blend with it more effectively. Try each for a full night before deciding.

Can noise colors damage hearing if played all night?

The risk with any sound is volume, not color or duration at comfortable levels. Keep masking gentle — just above the room's ambient level is the sweet spot — and use a tool with an output cap. NeuralCore enforces a hard safety ceiling on every tier.

Why does white noise annoy me?

White noise carries as much energy in the high frequencies as anywhere else, and to many ears that reads as a sharp hiss. If it grates, step down the spectrum: pink noise softens the top end, and brown noise nearly removes it. Annoying masking is failed masking — comfort is the whole point.

Which noise color is best for high-pitched tinnitus?

Often white or pink, because they carry real energy up where a high-pitched ring lives, letting the ringing blend into the noise. Pure brown noise can leave a high ring exposed. But blending is only half the equation — if brighter noise keeps you awake, a softer color at the right volume may still win. Experiment.

Keep reading

All three colors. One adaptive volume.

Free to start, no account needed. iOS and Android.

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Masking eases tinnitus; it does not cure it. Not a medical device.