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Rain vs white noise.Softer, and always moving.

Rain and white noise both hiss, and both are used to soften a room. They are not alike, though: rain is darker and keeps changing, while white noise is bright and perfectly steady.

Rain is darker than white noise and keeps changing, while white noise is bright and perfectly steady. Neither has been shown to work better for sleep: choose rain if you like something to listen to, white noise if you want nothing to follow.

The measured difference

Between 2 and 12 kHz, Soft rain falls 4.4 dB per octave and White static rises 1.6 dB per octave. At 12 kHz the rain is 9.9 dB further down, relative to each sound's overall level. That missing top end is why rain sounds soft and white noise sounds sharp.

0-10-20-30-4022.5345681012
Soft rain −4.4 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
BandSoft rainWhite staticDifference
2 kHz−3.5 dB−7.8 dB−4.3 dB
2.5 kHz−4.2 dB−7.2 dB−3.0 dB
3 kHz−4.8 dB−6.6 dB−1.8 dB
4 kHz−6.0 dB−5.7 dB+0.3 dB
5 kHz−7.3 dB−4.8 dB+2.5 dB
6 kHz−8.7 dB−4.2 dB+4.5 dB
8 kHz−11.3 dB−3.5 dB+7.8 dB
10 kHz−13.2 dB−3.8 dB+9.4 dB
12 kHz−14.5 dB−4.6 dB+9.9 dB

Steady or moving

Every second of white noise sounds like the last. Rain has drops, gusts and changes in strength, which gives you something to listen to and also something that can catch your attention.

Something in between

If white noise is too sharp and rain too busy, pink noise has rain's softer balance with noise's steadiness.

Sounds in this article

  • Soft rainLight on leavesTilt −4.4 dBper octaveDropsDistant rainBackgroundFree
  • Velvet noiseSoft and balancedTilt −0.2 dBper octaveOne steady soundFree
  • White staticClean and steadyTilt +1.6 dBper octaveOne steady soundFree
All water soundsAll pink noiseAll white noise

Keep reading

SleepRain soundsHow rain on leaves, a roof, a tent or a car window differ, with nine of Hush's rain sounds measured from 2 to 12 kHz.SleepFan vs white noiseA fan is far darker than white noise, with a hum of its own. In Hush, Box fan falls 4.6 dB per octave and White static rises 1.6 dB per octave.Noise coloursNoise coloursWhat each noise colour means, from brown to violet, which names have no strict definition, and how Hush's own noises measure.

Questions

Which is better for sleep, rain or white noise?

Research does not show that one works better than the other. Rain gives you something to listen to and white noise gives you nothing to follow, so it comes down to which of those you want.

Are both free in Hush?

Yes. Soft rain and White static are both among Hush's six free sounds.

Ask your own question at info@strateal.com

Hear them in Hush.Six sounds are free.

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