Grey noise for an office where everyone hears everyone
Open offices are hard because the sound keeps changing, and a conversation two desks away is the worst of it. Grey noise is a hiss tuned to sound about equally loud at every pitch to human ears, so it reaches up into the pitch of voices in a way a deep rumble never does. Rain is hiss as well, and it softens doors and the kitchen faucet. What none of it can do is delete speech, because your brain goes looking for words, so the best you get is words that are harder to make out. Take that as the edge coming off, not the room going away.
Keep it to your own ears
Headphones are the easy answer in a shared room, as long as your workplace allows them and you can still hear someone saying your name. At home, a small speaker off to one side works well for a hallway or a street that comes and goes. Don't play covering sound out loud into a room you share without asking the people in it, because the thing that calms you down is the thing that gets to them. It also does nothing for confidentiality, so take a sensitive call in a room with a door.
If it starts to grate, change the balance
Grey noise can feel dry after an hour. When it does, bring it down to about 50% and let the rain carry more of the sound, which is gentler over a long block. If the rain is the part pulling at you, move the rain slider down a few steps and leave the grey where it is. Every pair of headphones sounds different, so check the level again when you switch. Turning it up to beat a loud conversation mostly makes you tired, and the conversation still gets through.
Explore the sounds in this mix
Listen to each layer on its own: Grey Noise and Rain. Or start from scratch in the free online sound mixer.
Frequently asked questions
Will this stop coworkers from hearing me?
No. It gives you a steadier background to work in and does nothing to stop your own voice traveling. Use a room with a door for anything confidential.
What does grey noise sound like?
Like a hiss that has been tuned to sound about equally loud at every pitch to human ears, which makes it come across flatter and less sharp than white noise.
Can I play it out loud at work?
Only if the people sharing the room agree to it. Headphones keep the choice yours and spare everyone else a sound they didn't pick.