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Fan noise vs white noise.Darker, with a hum of its own.

A fan and a white noise machine often do the same job at night, but they do not sound alike. A fan is much darker, and it carries a tone of its own from the motor and the blades.

A fan is much darker than white noise and adds a hum from its motor, and sometimes a slow sweep. White noise is bright and steady. If white noise sounds harsh, a fan or brown noise is the gentler choice.

The measured difference

Between 2 and 12 kHz, Box fan falls 4.6 dB per octave and White static rises 1.6 dB per octave. At 12 kHz the fan sits 22.0 dB further down, relative to each sound's overall level.

0-10-20-30-4022.5345681012
Box fan −4.6 dB per octaveWhite static +1.6 dB per octave
Band by band, in numbers
Level in each band, in dB relative to each sound's overall level
BandBox fanWhite staticDifference
2 kHz−15.1 dB−7.8 dB+7.3 dB
2.5 kHz−16.1 dB−7.2 dB+8.9 dB
3 kHz−16.9 dB−6.6 dB+10.3 dB
4 kHz−18.4 dB−5.7 dB+12.7 dB
5 kHz−19.9 dB−4.8 dB+15.1 dB
6 kHz−21.3 dB−4.2 dB+17.1 dB
8 kHz−23.7 dB−3.5 dB+20.2 dB
10 kHz−25.4 dB−3.8 dB+21.6 dB
12 kHz−26.6 dB−4.6 dB+22.0 dB

What a fan adds

A fan is not a pure noise. Blades and motors add a low hum, and an oscillating fan changes slowly as the air sweeps past. In Hush, Box fan is built from air and motor, so with Hush Plus you can turn the hum down and keep the air.

Choosing between them

If white noise sounds harsh, a fan or brown noise is the gentler step. If a fan sounds muffled, pink noise sits between the two.

Sounds in this article

  • Fan hushLow, steady airTilt −5.3 dBper octaveAirMotorHush Plus
  • Box fanBroad spinning hushTilt −4.6 dBper octaveAirMotorHush Plus
  • Ceiling fanSlow overhead rhythmTilt −5.7 dBper octaveBladesMotorHush Plus
  • Oscillating fanAir sweeping side to sideTilt −5.5 dBper octaveAirMotorHush Plus
  • Cool airSoft room humTilt −4.5 dBper octaveCompressorVentHumFree
All home sounds

Keep reading

SleepRain vs white noiseRain is darker than white noise and keeps moving. In Hush, Soft rain falls 4.4 dB per octave and White static rises 1.6 dB per octave.SleepSound for sleepHow to choose a sleep sound you stop noticing, how loud to play it, and whether it should stop once you are asleep.Listening in HushLayers51 of Hush's 72 sounds are built from separate layers, such as drops, distant rain and background. How to set each one.

Questions

Is a fan the same as white noise?

No. A fan is much darker, with most of its energy low, and it adds a hum and sometimes a slow sweep. White noise is bright and perfectly steady.

Is there a free fan sound in Hush?

Cool air, an air conditioner, is free. The fans themselves are part of Hush Plus.

Ask your own question at info@strateal.com

Hear them in Hush.Six sounds are free.

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