Grey noise
Grey noise is shaped so that every frequency sounds equally loud to a human listener. It boosts the bass and the very top, where our hearing is least sensitive.
- Spectrum
- Inverse A-weighting: boosted lows and extreme highs, dip around 2–5 kHz
- Good for
- Tinnitus sound therapy
- A neutral, even-sounding background
- Hearing and audio experiments
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What is grey noise?
Our ears are most sensitive between about 2 and 5 kHz and much less sensitive to deep bass. White noise therefore sounds dominated by its upper mids. Grey noise corrects for this by following an inverse equal-loudness contour, so no region jumps out.
We shape it with the inverse of the standard A-weighting curve (IEC 61672), a widely used approximation of how loud different pitches sound at moderate levels. On the dial you can see the dip in the ear's most sensitive zone.
Grey noise for tinnitus
Audiologists sometimes use broadband or grey noise in sound therapy to make tinnitus less noticeable. The British Tinnitus Association suggests playing sound just below the level of your tinnitus, so it blends rather than covers it. See our tinnitus sound therapy page for how to set it up.
Questions
What is grey noise used for?
Tinnitus sound therapy, hearing research and as an even, neutral background sound.
Grey noise vs white noise?
White noise has equal power per hertz, which sounds bright. Grey noise has equal perceived loudness per frequency, which sounds more balanced and bassier.
Is grey noise the same for everyone?
Loudness curves vary between people and with volume, so grey noise is an average, not a personal match.