Noise Machine
Free AppAbout Noise Machine
This app generates white, pink and red noise and lets you make subtle adjustments to noise color (spectral distribution). It's stable, lightweight, and plays well with the phone's OS and other audio apps, and the UI is simple and functional. It does not play any pre-recorded sounds. This is it in a nutshell. For more detailed information, read on.
WHAT IS IT FOR?
Use Noise Machine with a pair of earphones to mask distracting and annoying sounds and become at peace with the world. Loud conversations at a coffee shop where you are trying to read, crying babies on planes, background music that doesn't agree with your taste and a many other noises get into your brain and have to be processed. All of these sounds have certain patterns and aren't truly random in the mathematical sense. When you are tired or irritable or are getting too distracted, you can let your brain rest by masking these sounds with noise that doesn't have a noticeable pattern. This works remarkably well even at moderate volumes, and you will be able to concentrate or relax much more easily in noisy environments. Even tinnitus can be masked this way. Noise Machine can also be used with a speaker to help put babies (and adults) to sleep. If you intend to stay awake, it's best to use it with headphones or earphones. That way, at least if you picked the right type of noise and the earphones are comfortable, you will quickly stop noticing it; with speakers, every time you move your head, your perception will change, and you will be reminded of the noise, which defeats the purpose. There are also some technical uses, such as testing speaker polarity.
NOISE COLOR
The terms "white" and "pink" noise refer to random signals with different spectral distributions. In white noise, the noise energy density is constant throughout the frequency spectrum (at least in the range of interest). This is similar to white light, hence the term "white noise". In pink noise, the lower-frequency components are stronger, and the noise energy density is the same in every octave (or decade, or any logarithm of frequency). This is also known as 1/f noise. Similarly, in pink-colored light, the lower-frequency, longer-wavelength, redder components are stronger.
A more general case is 1/f^α. The value of α=0 corresponds to white noise, or flat frequency spectrum, as described above; α=1 corresponds to pink noise, or -3dB/octave frequency dependence, also as described above (in different words); α=2 to "red" or "brown" noise (which refers to Brownian motion rather than the color brown), or -6dB/octave frequency dependence. In this app, the alpha value may be adjusted from 0 to 2 in small increments.
LOOPING
Optionally, the sound may be played in a loop, which reduces the already modest CPU and battery usage by only generating the noise clip that's long enough to fill a loop (at the expense of using more RAM to store it, which normally is not a problem). The playback is gapless. If the loop is too short, the pattern becomes noticeable, which creates a distraction, but even the shortest loop setting (1 minute) should be long enough. The longest setting is determined by the amount of memory available to the app (typically 5 minutes). If you think you can still hear a pattern, or need continuous random signal generation for some other purpose, or want the app to use as little RAM as possible, you can turn the loop off.
USE OF THIRD-PARTY WORK
- A modified version of the pink noise generator class, originally written by Sampo Niskanen, distributed under the BSD license
- Modified Android robot image and images from http://www.iconarchive.com/, used according to the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0
PERMISSIONS
READ_PHONE_STATE -- used to pause the noise sound during phone calls.
WHAT IS IT FOR?
Use Noise Machine with a pair of earphones to mask distracting and annoying sounds and become at peace with the world. Loud conversations at a coffee shop where you are trying to read, crying babies on planes, background music that doesn't agree with your taste and a many other noises get into your brain and have to be processed. All of these sounds have certain patterns and aren't truly random in the mathematical sense. When you are tired or irritable or are getting too distracted, you can let your brain rest by masking these sounds with noise that doesn't have a noticeable pattern. This works remarkably well even at moderate volumes, and you will be able to concentrate or relax much more easily in noisy environments. Even tinnitus can be masked this way. Noise Machine can also be used with a speaker to help put babies (and adults) to sleep. If you intend to stay awake, it's best to use it with headphones or earphones. That way, at least if you picked the right type of noise and the earphones are comfortable, you will quickly stop noticing it; with speakers, every time you move your head, your perception will change, and you will be reminded of the noise, which defeats the purpose. There are also some technical uses, such as testing speaker polarity.
NOISE COLOR
The terms "white" and "pink" noise refer to random signals with different spectral distributions. In white noise, the noise energy density is constant throughout the frequency spectrum (at least in the range of interest). This is similar to white light, hence the term "white noise". In pink noise, the lower-frequency components are stronger, and the noise energy density is the same in every octave (or decade, or any logarithm of frequency). This is also known as 1/f noise. Similarly, in pink-colored light, the lower-frequency, longer-wavelength, redder components are stronger.
A more general case is 1/f^α. The value of α=0 corresponds to white noise, or flat frequency spectrum, as described above; α=1 corresponds to pink noise, or -3dB/octave frequency dependence, also as described above (in different words); α=2 to "red" or "brown" noise (which refers to Brownian motion rather than the color brown), or -6dB/octave frequency dependence. In this app, the alpha value may be adjusted from 0 to 2 in small increments.
LOOPING
Optionally, the sound may be played in a loop, which reduces the already modest CPU and battery usage by only generating the noise clip that's long enough to fill a loop (at the expense of using more RAM to store it, which normally is not a problem). The playback is gapless. If the loop is too short, the pattern becomes noticeable, which creates a distraction, but even the shortest loop setting (1 minute) should be long enough. The longest setting is determined by the amount of memory available to the app (typically 5 minutes). If you think you can still hear a pattern, or need continuous random signal generation for some other purpose, or want the app to use as little RAM as possible, you can turn the loop off.
USE OF THIRD-PARTY WORK
- A modified version of the pink noise generator class, originally written by Sampo Niskanen, distributed under the BSD license
- Modified Android robot image and images from http://www.iconarchive.com/, used according to the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0
PERMISSIONS
READ_PHONE_STATE -- used to pause the noise sound during phone calls.
All Application Badges
Good rating
Free
downl.
downl.
Android
2.3.3+
2.3.3+
Android app
App History & Updates
What's Changed
Version 1.2.2: added timer, menu with links to trim the volume, donate money and leave feedback; added diagnostic info for occasional problems in loop mode on devices with low available memory.
Version 1.2.2: added timer, menu with links to trim the volume, donate money and leave feedback; added diagnostic info for occasional problems in loop mode on devices with low available memory.
More downloads Noise Machine reached 100 000 - 500 000 downloads
More downloads Noise Machine reached 50 000 - 100 000 downloads
Version update Noise Machine was updated to version 1.2.2
More downloads Noise Machine reached 10 000 - 50 000 downloads
What are users saying about Noise Machine
S
by S####:
by S####:
Love it. Works like a charm. I have difficulty focusing sometimes and this, combined with noise-cancelling headphones makes the world fall away. I recommend moving the sound color slider all the way to the right; it sounds like a calming, distant waterfall or rain storm. Very soothing.
K
by K####:
by K####:
Excellent stability: having apps stop / switch to another "color" noise suddenly was almost as irritating as the horrible coworker I hoped to drown out in the first place. "Volume trim" lets you adjust the app's volume relative to others: listen to podcasts with long pauses without ever having to hear your horrible coworker's voice in the gaps AND without drowning the podcast itself. Controls in the notification tray let you start and stop the noise whenever your coworker enters/exits the room! Perfect!
K
by K####:
by K####:
Best pink / white noise type generator I found! Works great to mix with binaural beats on the same device. Loop function is key, I tried another noise app that kept glitching in real-time while trying to use my phone. Love the simplicity here. From a UI perspective I would move the volume settings to the main window.
K
by K####:
by K####:
A very well designed noise generator. Intuitive, simple interface. One issue I have is that there is NO way to close the app. Please add an 'X'it. And a feature I'd like to see is volume level oscillation and speed of that oscillation control. It creates a "waves on the beach" kind of sound. Very peaceful... :)
U
by U####:
by U####:
I have Tinnitus. Only thing that calms me is your noise machine which masks my tinnitus completely and helps me to sleep. Thank you
U
by U####:
by U####:
Just what I needed to mask people's crappy music leaking out of their stupid apple ear buds on my daily commute. Thank you.
P
by P####:
by P####:
I use this app from time to time, and it's super handy for concentrating in a distracting environment. Great little app! [edit] - I'm a dork and couldn't figure out how to make the menu item go away - just press stop!
U
by U####:
by U####:
As described. It's perfect for distracting noisy enviroments. There are no any flaws so far. Personally i like the brown(ian) noise. It's a virtual waterfall sound for me. Fun fact: i ususally use white/pink noise in this app for burning in headphones.
B
by B####:
by B####:
Sort of like sleeping next to a waterfall on an airplane. I wore earplugs for 30 years! With this app I fall asleep and stay asleep all night. It blocks noise from the neighborhood and lake I live on. I sometimes forget to turn it off because I don't really notice it. Love it so much I donated to the developer because I could not live without it. I never want to wear earplugs again. App is easy to use. Doesn't eat battery. Runs all night. Can't detect loop. Simple design. Love it!
U
by U####:
by U####:
Great consistent noise, but it doesn't want to open from either the shortcut or the app screen! It'll go on for half a second then disappear, I haven't been able to open the actual app since first installation though I have gotten it to turn on just by touching the app over and over until it stays. Super annoying, if I can't find a way around it I guess I'm back in the market for another app.
U
by U####:
by U####:
I'm highly sensitive to certain noises& vibrations that run in the background. The buzz of a string trimmer, certain pitch voices, the high "eeeeeeee" of a hot PS3. The longer it continues, the more uncomfortable... like nails across a chalkboard. Thank you Synopsia for providing me with an "off" switch application, the option to continue on as I was before like everyone else. I know there are others but NoiseMachine makes it an easy and effective task.
D
by D####:
by D####:
The abrupt stopping of the noise is just as effective at waking me up (or disturbing my focus on anything else) as the howling dog I'm trying to drown out. No one else seems to have this complaint so please let me know what I'm missing. Would rather not have to go with a heftier app.
U
by U####:
by U####:
The loop length is the best I have found, and the sound is very clean. I wish the timer went for longer (like 8 hours+). There is also no way to close the app besides forcing it to crash, ND it sometimes starts up randomly.
P
by P####:
by P####:
This app fulfilled my quest for a no nonsense noise generator. It has a nice slider to change color of noise. However, I do have a problem - it stops after some time for no apparent reason. Even without any notification or call disturbance. I request developer to look into the issue and also add a brief tutorial about using this app.
U
by U####:
by U####:
I've suffered from insomnia for over 40 years now. And I have a husband who snores. I installed this app and for the past 3 weeks, I have fallen asleep fast, stayed asleep all night. My husband's snoring, the cats rampaging, storms, neighbor's dogs...I don't hear any of it anymore. Just deep, restful sleep. Thank you! You saved my life with this app.
U
by U####:
by U####:
I thought it was going to be what I was looking for. They said it works in the background, but if I start an app that has audio, it quits! Back and forth, I can't get this to stay active with my music app. No use for road noise in the car.
F
by F####:
by F####:
This is the best sound /noise blocking/masking app there is. Helps me with tinnitus, OCD, ADD and other annoying distractions. I'm finally able to set a very specific tone that works best for me. Love how I can adjust in increments what I want.
U
by U####:
by U####:
Excellent stability: having apps stop / switch to another "color" noise suddenly was almost as irritating as the horrible coworker I hoped to drown out in the first place. "Volume trim" lets you adjust the app's volume relative to others: listen to podcasts with long pauses without ever having to hear your horrible coworker's voice in the gaps AND without drowning the podcast itself. Controls in the notification tray let you start and stop the noise whenever your coworker enters/exits the room! Perfect!
U
by U####:
by U####:
I use this app for concentration, sometimes sleep and also even to break in new headphones and speakers with pink noise. Works perfectly. Simple interface. Gets out of the way and just does what it's designed to do. My favorite noise "color" is 1.7. Mellow and relaxing.
U
by U####:
by U####:
Could not get through my day at the office without it. Reliably drowns out the chatterboxes next door with minimal volume, and I can close my eyes and imagine the sights and smells of my favorite waterfall, too.
V
by V####:
by V####:
The sound quality is great. The long loop means my ear doesn't end up finding patterns in the noise after a long listening session, like so many other apps based on much shorter loops.
L
by L####:
by L####:
Notification controls are very nice touch and make it easy to start and stop the noise
D
by D####:
by D####:
Does one thing well. Consumes just 0.5% CPU while running (compared to the app White Noise, which appears to use >60%). It took me a while to realize I could dismiss the lock screen buttons by pressing stop. A way to make this more obvious might be to condense the play and pause buttons into a single button that toggled state, and change the stop button's icon from a square to an 'x'.
I
by I####:
by I####:
Nice and simple noise generator app but a couple of bug bears: (1) the odd crash when opening from icon whilst already running, and (2) brief interruption of generated noise when opening app from notification pane. Would love to be able to turn the filter lower for a 'darker' brown noise. Choice to invert notification pane to suit Lollipop scheme would also be nice!
D
by D####:
by D####:
I used this on my trek threw mexico and the motels i stayed at for the most part where so noise sleep would have been impossible except for this app and a pair of decent headphones . The best part is the noise can easily be ignored and slept threw as it just good white noise
T
by T####:
by T####:
This is the only noise generator I have used without an audible loop point that keeps me awake. Great app for helping with sleep.
D
by D####:
by D####:
It generates noise. PERIOD!
T
by T####:
by T####:
I really like this wonderful app, works like a charm, simply GUI, no adverts, the color slide is perfect for different situations, a zillion thanks to the autor, for made a great little app for sleep!
D
by D####:
by D####:
Finally, no rhythm in a sleep app! No breaks, loop lags. I love it. You will get a pause if you have an incoming call, I just pop my phone into airplane mode at night.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Does exactly what it says on the box. No annoyances, no glitches, nothing but soothing noise. Next-door's late-night party disappeared thanks to this app. I'd love to see a volume pulse feature to mimic gentle waves/wind.
D
by D####:
by D####:
I'm so pleased to have this app that simply gives me pink noise.. I am looking forward to watching tv or having a conversation in comfort . Love the timer and the lack of audible loop( as another reviewer pointed out).It's fast,simple, and does the one thing it's meant to really well. Who knows-- maybe I'll be able to read again-- Maybe even write more than a postcard's length. I'll let you know how it goes. Meantime, many thanks.
Z
by Z####:
by Z####:
Plays noise at a consistent level. Sound does not cut out and start up again like some others. Great for sleeping, drowns out background distractions.
P
by P####:
by P####:
Stops playing when other apps play audio. May crash on resume from notification bar. When resume it changes my nice pink noise setting into a harsh white noise. Rated 3/5 for being free and still effective.
D
by D####:
by D####:
I tested past night and it works well. Is the best noise machine app. I put 4 stars just for one reason: more sounds. It would be great add more sounds like a normal sound machine. For some people the sound could be usefull but annoying at the same time. It is a great app anyway.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Very useful in drowning noises. Use from shutting out ppl noise to crap noise in toilets
D
by D####:
by D####:
I've tried every sleep noise app available this one is the best. I can adjust the noise to my own liking. Also the sound quality is perfect with no audible loops.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Choose between white, static noise, or pink fluctuating noise on a scale... Find the perfect balance. No noticeable loop!
R
by R####:
by R####:
No unnecessary permissions. Would love some brown noise but the ability to slide to a good mid of white and pink is great
S
by S####:
by S####:
The best noise generator available. Love the pink noise. Much warmer than straight white noise. I just wish there were an option to stop it going to the notification panel when you pause it.
by K####:
This is a great simple app, but I think the interface could be a little clearer. I'm not sure why you would need to set a time for the loop - if it's continuous, it will all sound the same, right? - or even why a loop control is necessary; why not just automatically have the noise play until stop is pressed or the timer runs out? I thought at first that the time I was setting after I checked "loop" was the total run time. Then I saw the timer and expected to be able to enter a run time, but you can only use preset durations. Really just need a customizable timer with a "forever/till I turn it off" checkbox.