Many blogs, websites, and companies suggest the use of white noise to aid in covering distracting office noise.  White noise (and its super-power brother, sound masking) have many fans and these systems are being installed nation-wide, resulting in less time lost to distraction, and therefore more productivity.  There are even free white noise generators for the individual worker.  However, as is true for all things, white noise and sound making have their cynics, too. I thought it was time to dispel some of the myths about both:

The truth about white noise and sound masking

1. White noise is not actually “white” in that it does not have an infinite band-width.  Usually when people refer to “white noise” they are actually describing pink noise.

2.  You do not have to crank white noise or sound masking systems – they are used to add low-level background sound to a distracting area (see #3).

White noise is only beneficial if used properly (ie at low-levels).

For example, when I was vacuuming this morning, the loudness of the vacuum drowned out my children’s noise.  However pleasant it was not to hear them bicker was counteracted by the annoying loudness of the vacuum itself.   However, the quiet hum of my electric tea kettle was enough noise to cover my kids’ fight, but not so loud I was irritated with its own sound.

3.  Similarly, the purpose of white noise is not to overwhelmingly drown out competing noises, but to neutralize them to an unintelligible level on the Privacy Index, thus rendering them non-issues in terms of privacy, peace of mind, or productivity.  (That was a nice use of alliteration there, I must say)

4.  Sound masking it not noise cancellation. Sound-masking covers sound, it does not cancel it.

5.  Covering sound is not your only option for acoustic treatments.  You can also absorb or block sound (These 3 options are often referred to as the ABC’s).  Most sound masking companies are the first to admit that it is usually a combination of the ABC’s that yields the best results.  However, they will also quickly point out that covering techniques (sound masking) gives you the most bang for your buck out of the 3.

Hope that helps clear up any confusion on what white noise and sound masking are and how they work.