What white noise is
White noise has the same power in every hertz of the spectrum. Each octave up contains twice as many hertz as the one below it, so most of white noise’s energy sits in the upper octaves. That is why it sounds bright and hissy rather than deep.
Lalai’s white noise is generated, not recorded: random-phase noise built to loop with no seam, so there is no hum and no click.
If it sounds too sharp, pink noise is softer at the top, and brown noise is mostly low end.
| Made by | Synthesised for Lalai |
|---|---|
| Rights | Owned by Lalai; no third-party material |
| Here | A 20-second loop, crossfaded so it turns without a seam |
| In Lalai | With a subscription |
The colours of noise, side by side
Noise colours describe how a sound’s power is spread from low frequencies to high. Each of these plays free on its own page.
| Colour | How its power is spread | What it sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| White (this page) | Even power at every frequency | A bright, even hiss, like an untuned radio |
| Pink | Falls 3 dB per octave, so every octave carries equal power | A softer, fuller hiss, close to steady rain |
| Brown | Falls 6 dB per octave, so the low end dominates | A deep rumble, like a waterfall heard from a distance |
| Green | Pink noise with a broad lift centred near 500 Hz | A rounded, middle-weighted wash, like distant surf |
Pair it with
In the app you can layer up to five sounds and set each one’s level. These go well with white noise:
- Pink noise. The same idea, softer at the top.
- Brown noise. Much deeper, with almost no hiss.
- Rain on a window. Rain is a natural cousin of white noise: broad, high and even.
All night, with the screen off
A browser tab usually stops playing when your phone locks or the tab goes to sleep. In the Lalai app, white noise keeps playing with the screen off and fades out on the timer. You can layer up to five sounds, put slow original music underneath, and keep everything on your phone for nights with no signal.
Free to try for seven nights. White noise comes with a subscription, $24 a year or $3 a month, and new subscribers get seven nights free. The mixer, the timer and a free sound in every category are free for good. No ads, no account, no analytics.
Listening safely
- Start low. Set your device volume low before you press play, and turn it up only as far as you need. The loops here are mastered quietly on purpose.
- Not too close. A phone on the bedside table is closer to your ear than it seems. Avoid falling asleep in earphones at volume.
- Use the timer. It fades the sound out rather than stopping it dead, so the quiet arrives gradually.
- For a baby’s room, keep the phone and its cable well away from the cot and the volume low. Our health and safety page has the details.
Lalai is for relaxation and enjoyment. We don’t claim that this or any sound changes how you sleep, and if poor sleep goes on for weeks, please see a doctor. More on protecting your hearing.
