Free tool
Brown noise for tinnitus
Brown noise has energy that falls by 6 dB per octave, so it is deep and soft, like distant surf or a low rumble. It is one of the most-used sounds for making tinnitus less noticeable, and it is often chosen for people who find white and pink noise harsh, for sleep, and for low-pitched humming or buzzing.
Last reviewed 22 August 2026 · Sources listed below · Not medical advice
What brown noise sounds like
Brown noise is broadband noise — every frequency is present — with mostly low energy (−6 dB per octave). Compared with white noise it is much softer and deeper, with very little high end.
When brown noise helps with tinnitus
It tends to suit people who find white and pink noise harsh, for sleep, and for low-pitched humming or buzzing. It has little high-frequency energy, so it may not blend with a very high-pitched ring — try layering a little pink noise on top.
Is it better than the other noise colours?
Probably not in general. Controlled comparisons of noise and nature sounds for tinnitus have not found a reliably superior sound; comfort over a long session is what matters. The honest advice is to try all three — white, pink and brown — at the same low level and keep the one you notice least. Our comparison article, white vs pink vs brown noise for tinnitus, goes deeper.
How loud?
Low. Raise it slowly until it just blends with your tinnitus, then stop. If you need it loud to get any effect, it is probably not the right sound for you. See how loud should tinnitus masking be?
At night
Brown noise is a common bedtime choice because it is steady and has no events to wake you. Use the sleep timer with a gradual fade, or leave it on all night at a very low level.
About the player
Find My Quiet Sound generates brown noise live with the Web Audio API, so there is no loop seam and no file to download. The level starts low, fades in over about a second, and never jumps.
Sources
- A mixed-methods trial of broad band noise and nature sounds for tinnitus therapy (2017)
- Sound therapy (masking) in the management of tinnitus in adults — Cochrane Review (2018)
- NIDCD — Tinnitus (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
- WHO-ITU standard: Safe listening devices and systems
Important: Find My Quiet Sound is designed for sound masking, relaxation and tinnitus management support. It does not diagnose, treat or cure tinnitus and is not a substitute for professional medical care. If your tinnitus is new, in one ear only, pulsing with your heartbeat, or comes with hearing loss or dizziness, see a doctor or audiologist.
Written from the sources above by the Find My Quiet Sound project; no clinician has reviewed this page. See Research & Sources and the medical disclaimer.