White, pink or brown noise for tinnitus: which one helps?

White, pink and brown noise are all steady “shhh” sounds. They differ in how their energy is spread from low to high pitch, which changes how they feel to listen to. For tinnitus, the research so far points to one practical rule: the best noise is the one you can comfortably live with.

What is the difference between white, pink and brown noise?

The “color” of a noise describes its power spectrum: how much energy it carries at each pitch.¹

• White noise has equal energy at every pitch. It sounds bright and hissy, like radio static.
• Pink noise loses energy as the pitch rises, by about 3 decibels per octave, so more of its power sits in the low and middle range.² It sounds softer, a bit like steady rain.
• Brown noise, sometimes called red noise, leans even further toward the low end. It sounds deep, like a rumble or distant surf. In one study, people who chose it said it reminded them of a shower or rainfall.¹

There are other shades too. Grey noise is shaped to sound about equally loud at every pitch to human ears. Everyday sounds such as rain, a stream or a fan are noises as well, just less even.

Does one noise color work better for tinnitus?

Not as far as anyone has shown. Two small studies compared noise types head to head.

In an Italian study of tinnitus retraining therapy, 20 people used ear-level sound generators that let them choose white, pink or red noise, and 20 similar people used white noise only.¹ Both groups improved on tinnitus questionnaires after 3 and 6 months, with no significant difference between them. Given the choice, two thirds picked white noise and the rest picked red. Nobody picked pink.

In a Brazilian study, 35 adults with mild to moderate hearing loss used hearing aids with built-in sound generators set to white noise, pink noise, speech-shaped noise or a high tone.³ All four groups improved after 3 months, and the groups did not differ from each other.

Both studies were small, and neither had a group that used no sound at all. That gap runs through sound therapy research. A 2018 Cochrane review found 8 trials of sound devices with 590 people, but none compared a device with no device, a placebo or advice alone, and the evidence was rated low quality.⁴ So sound may help, but no single color has earned the top spot.

Why does comfort matter so much?

Sound for tinnitus tends to run for hours: at your desk, in the evening, through the night. The authors of the Italian study point out that the sound has to be tolerable and agreeable because people use it for many hours a day. Letting people pick their sound after short trials led to higher satisfaction.¹

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) describes three jobs that sound can do:⁶

Type of sound	What it does	Examples
Soothing	Helps you relax	Soft music, rain, ocean waves
Background	Lowers the contrast between tinnitus and a quiet room	Fan, air purifier, white noise
Interesting	Draws your attention away from tinnitus	Podcasts, audiobooks, music you like

Noise colors are background sounds. On a tense day, a soothing sound may suit you better. When you need distraction, something interesting may work best.

How loud should the noise be?

Softer than you might think. Tinnitus retraining therapy traditionally aims for the “mixing point”: the level where the noise just starts to blend with your tinnitus, without covering it. The idea behind it is that your brain can’t get used to a sound it can no longer hear.⁵

A trial led from the University of Iowa tested that idea with 48 people.⁵ Everyone had counseling. One group added noise devices set at the mixing point, and another set them to cover the tinnitus fully. After about 12 months, questionnaire scores fell by an average of 17% with counseling alone, 32% with mixing-point noise and 36% with full cover. The differences between the groups were not significant, and the authors concluded that aiming for the mixing point isn’t required to get used to tinnitus.

In practice:

• Most days, set the noise just below your tinnitus so the two blend.
• On a hard day, covering it fully is fine.
• Always, keep it comfortable. You should still be able to hear someone talking at a normal level.

Total listening over a week matters too. The WHO and ITU standard for safe listening devices uses a reference limit for adults of 80 decibels for 40 hours a week.⁷ A soft background noise for tinnitus should sit well under that.

Does noise help you sleep with tinnitus?

It can make a silent bedroom feel less stark, and many people like it. The sleep evidence is thin, though. A 2021 review of 38 studies on continuous white or similar broadband noise rated the evidence that it improves sleep as very low quality, and noted it may also disturb sleep and hearing.⁸ If you use noise at night, keep it low and consider a timer. Our guide on how to sleep with tinnitus covers habits with stronger support.

Are nature sounds as good as noise?

They can be. The American Tinnitus Association’s free sound library mixes pink, white and brown noise with streams, rain, fountains and wind.⁹ The NHS advises against total silence and says soft music or sounds may distract you from tinnitus.¹⁰ Choose by feel. Some people find a steady sound easier to tune out than one that keeps changing.

How can you pick a noise in 10 minutes?

1. Turn your volume down before you start.
2. Play white, pink and brown noise for about 2 minutes each. Add a nature sound if you like.
3. For each one, ask yourself: could I listen to this for an hour?
4. Pick the winner and raise it slowly until it just starts to blend with your tinnitus.
5. Give it a few days before you judge it. If it starts to annoy you, switch.

Sources

1. Effects of tinnitus retraining therapy with different colours of sound (Barozzi et al.). International Tinnitus Journal, 2017.
2. Pink noise: a potential sound therapy for tinnitus (Lai et al.). American Journal of Translational Research, 2023.
3. Sound generator: analysis of the effectiveness of noise in the habituation of tinnitus (Mondelli et al.). International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, 2021.
4. Sound therapy (using amplification devices and/or sound generators) for tinnitus (Sereda et al.). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018.
5. Tinnitus retraining therapy: mixing point and total masking are equally effective (Tyler et al.). Ear and Hearing, 2012.
6. Your tinnitus care plan (patient information, Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus Update). American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, 2026.
7. Safe listening devices and systems: a WHO-ITU standard. World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union, 2019.
8. Noise as a sleep aid: a systematic review (Riedy et al.). Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2021.
9. Sound therapy and masking sound library. American Tinnitus Association, 2026.
10. Tinnitus. NHS, 2024.

Last reviewed October 25, 2026. We write guides from clinical guidelines and peer-reviewed research and link every source we use. They have not been reviewed by a clinician, and they are not medical advice. Spotted an error? Write to support@tinnimo.com.