English
Suomi
Match the sound to the noise: deep sounds such as brown noise or a fan are closest to traffic and footsteps, and brighter noise covers voices. Bass is the hardest to cover, so keep the volume comfortable rather than trying to drown it out.
Match the noise you want to cover
A background sound covers best where it has energy in the same range as the disturbing noise. Traffic rumble and footsteps are low; voices and a television sit higher.
Low rumble is the hardest
Bass passes through walls easily and takes a lot of sound to cover. A deep sound helps: Midnight brown falls 5.4 dB per octave, and Distant highway falls 5.9 dB per octave. Keep it comfortable rather than trying to drown the noise out.
Earplugs and sound
Earplugs reduce what reaches you, and work better on higher sounds than on bass. A background sound covers what is left. Which you use, or whether you use both, is personal.
Where common noises sit
Choosing a sound is easier once you know roughly where the disturbing noise sits:
| Noise | Mostly | Try |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic, a bus outside | Low rumble | Brown noise, a fan, Distant highway |
| Footsteps, doors, a washing machine upstairs | Low thuds | Brown noise or a deep fan |
| Snoring | Low to middle | Brown or pink noise |
| Voices, a television, a party next door | Middle, where speech sits | Pink or white noise |
| Birds at dawn | High | Pink or white noise |
Where to put the speaker
Put the speaker between you and the noise, such as near the window or the shared wall, rather than right beside your head. The background then reaches you from the same direction as the noise, and it can stay quieter. What colour noise is best for sleep? covers the choice of colour.
