Learn
How tinnitus sound generators work
A tinnitus sound generator is any device or app that produces a steady, pleasant sound to make tinnitus less noticeable. They range from tiny in-ear maskers fitted by an audiologist to bedside machines, phone apps and web tools like Find My Quiet Sound.
Last reviewed 22 August 2026 · Sources listed below · Not medical advice
Types of sound generator
- Wearable ear-level generators — small devices (often combined with hearing aids) that play soft noise all day; fitted and set by a hearing professional.
- Tabletop / bedside machines — loop recordings or synthesise noise; used for sleep.
- Phone apps — libraries of recordings, often with mixing and timers.
- Browser tools — run in a web page with no install; Find My Quiet Sound is one of these.
How the sound is made
White noise is random samples with equal energy at every frequency. Pink and brown noise are white noise filtered so that energy falls with frequency (−3 dB and −6 dB per octave). Nature sounds are either recordings or, in Find My Quiet Sound, layers of filtered noise with slow modulation and small random events (droplets, crackles, gusts) so they never repeat exactly.
Why seamless looping matters
A loop with an audible seam gives the brain a landmark to anticipate, which pulls attention back to the sound — and to the tinnitus. Generated sound has no seam. If you use recordings, choose long ones with cross-faded ends.
Why level control matters more than the sound
The most useful features are the ones that keep you at a low, comfortable level: a quiet default, smooth fade-ins, fine volume steps, a timer with a gradual fade, and a limiter so layering sounds never produces a spike. Headphone use should follow safe-listening guidance (the WHO suggests keeping personal audio around 80 dB or less for no more than 40 hours a week).
What to look for
- Sounds you actually like — you will use them longer.
- Mixing and balance.
- Sleep timer with fade.
- Works offline, no account, no tracking of your hearing.
- Honest wording: no promises of cures.
Try the Find My Quiet Sound sound generator.
Sources
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.