22/05/2019 Make some pink noise!

- SyntherJack

 (https://www.youtube.com/user/ktozjadlciastka/videos)
 (http://www.facebook.com/syntherjack/)  (http://pinterest.com/syntherjack/)

SyntherJack (https://syntherjack.net/)
Sintetizadores de som DIY e eu.

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 1/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

Faça algum barulho rosa!

postado em 5 de junho de 2018 (https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-
generator/)De SyntherJack (https://syntherjack.net/author/admin/)

Todos os desenhos foram utilizados apenas para comparação e não para ns

comerciais.
 
No inicio…
Cerca de uma semana atrás eu tenho uma forte necessidade interna de sintetizar um
som de ondas do mar (não temos oceano na Polônia), enquanto eu tento projetar
uma versão atualizada do meu Binaural Beat Generator
(https://syntherjack.net/binaural-beat-generator/) . Geralmente este tipo de síntese
começa com o ruído rosa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_noise) , mais tarde
moldado com VCF ou VCA modulado com seno (ou triângulo) LFO. O problema era que
eu não tinha gerador de ruído rosa. Parecia um projeto divertido, então comecei a
procurar por algum esquema. Primeiro de tudo eu escolhi 3 dos mais populares que
pareciam ter uma chance de trabalhar:
1. MFOS “Pink Enough for Me” noise source

2. Elliot Sound Products “Pink Noise Generator for Sound Testing” (with basic lter)
3. Noise source with passive lter, published among others in ” The Noise
Generator Cookbook” by Thomas Henry
The circuits were so simple, I’ve decided to build all of them to check the differences
in generated sound. I think my more practical article will be a good read along with
the one from experimentalistsanonymous
(http://www.experimentalistsanonymous.com/ve3wwg/doku.php?id=noise_generator),
as it covers simulation and theoretical lters characteristics of pink noise generators).
 
Idea and prototyping
All popular analog pink noise generators share the same topology: white noise source,
then -3 dB/oct lowpass lter. “White noise” part is an easy one, the problem lies in the
tricky LP lter design. To get at -3 dB/oct response lters are quite complex and ofter
use uncommon part values (replaced by parallel common capacitor connection).
I’ve breadboarded (from top):
pink noise source with passive lter – 24 parts*,
Elliot Sound Products “Pink Noise Generator for Sound Testing” – 21 parts*,
MFOS “Pink Enough for Me” generator – 23 parts*.
(*) 1 opamp = 1 part, decoupling caps counted in

All schematics say “+/- 12 V supply”, but I used 6F22 battery pair (+/- 9 V) to power the
breadboarded generators [I had problems with oscillations/ground loop (?) in MFOS
design as I used lab PSU].
https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 2/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack


(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/pink-noise-generators-
breadboard-syntherjack.jpg)

Three different pink nose generators on one breadboard

The output from each generator was later fed to a mixer to tune volume levels, then
recorded via PC soundcard.

 
MFOS “Pink Enough For Me” noise generator
It is a very common circuit with white noise source (transistor based) and active
lowpass lter. All resistor and capacitors are common and easy to get.
After I rst prototyped this generator I thought I made an error in component
placement or switched its values. There was almost no low end in the noise. I checked
everything over 5 times, but after looking for other people experiences with this
circuit – yes, thats how it works. I wouldn’t call the genererated noise pink :/ Hear by
yourself! (wav, mono, 16 bit)
 
00:00 00:00

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 3/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/pink-noise-generator-active-
lter-MFOS-syntherjack.png) 
“Pink enough for me” noise generator schematic – Music From Outer Space design

Don’t forget to check the original MFOS design page

(http://www.radanpro.com/Radan2400/TestShematics/Ray%27s%20Pink%20Enough%
20For%20Me%20Noise%20Generator.htm). Maybe you will have a better luck
 
Noise source with passive lter
This lter design can be traced down to “The Audio Handbook” by National
Semiconductors from the ’70, and with some small modi cations can be found in
“Noise Generator Cookbook” by Thomas Henry. It is told to have very at +/- 1 dB
response. Sounds really pink and natural. You can almost feel waterdrops on your
face.
 
00:00 00:00

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 4/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/pink-noise-generator-passive-
lter-syntherjack.png) 
Pink noise generator (with passive lter)

I’ve added a common white noise source (with a lot if ampli cation) and an active
output stage – the signal drop on passive lter is great and there was need to
compensate it somehow. The hard to nd 270 nF and 94 nF capacitors were replaced
by parallel connection of more common ones.
 
Elliot Sound Products “Pink Noise Generator for Sound Testing”
(with basic lter)
This is the simplest pink noise source you can nd on Elliot Sound Products page
(http://sound.whsites.net/index2.html) (an amazing source for general audio circuits).
The more complex one uses advanced pink noise lter, and the super expanded one
includes an IEC 60268-1 de ned band limiting lter. I had problems with getting 5,6 nF
capacitor, so I replaced it by 1 nF and 4,7 nF parallel connection (5,7 nF, but assuming
10% capacitors and 5% resistors it shouldn’t make any difference).

This one is a pinkest of all, an instant waterfall. Turn off your mind, relax and  oat
downstream.
 
00:00 00:00

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 5/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/pink-noise-generator-active-
lter-ESP-syntherjack.png) 
Pink noise generator (with basic lter) circuit diagram – Elliot Sound Products design

The of cial project page will very detailed description and you can nd it here
(http://sound.whsites.net/project11.htm).

 
Noise generators comparison
You can see a four spectrograms – outputs of four pink noise generators. From left:
MFOS “Pink enough for me”,
noise source with passive lter,
Elliot Sound Products “Pink Noise Generator for Sound Testing” (with basic
lter),
reference  – pink noise from Adobe Audition.
…or just listen to the recorded sample – 10 seconds of noise, then 1 for relax and so
long.
 
00:00 00:00

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 6/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/pink_noise-MFOS-passive-ESP-
adobe_audition-spectrogram-comparison-syntherjack.jpg)

Pink noise comparison spectrogram – from left: MFOS, “passive”, ESP and Adobe
Audition generated

You can notice few things: 

MFOS has problems in linearity of lters cutoff (not enough lows and augmented
mids) and is furthest from the reference noise,
version with passive lter has low/mid frequencies (up to around 4 kHz) very
similar to reference pink noise and is not as bad as it seems,
ESP noise generator is very close to reference with a slight difference over 10 kHz
(reference noise is a bit brighter).
I also made a blind tests and some people said passive sounds a bit more natural
(like ocean or waterfall), even if it is not perfect. ESP sounded too sharp to them and
annoying, even if in theory more correct.
 
Conclusion
I would reccoment to listen to sample and choose between ESP designed or “passive”
version. ESP version would be great for audio testing as it sounds more correct
according to theory, but many will like “passive” for use in sound effects or
noisemakers, as it sounds less harsh. Remember, the one from Elliot Sound Products
(http://sound.whsites.net/project11.htm) can’t be used commercially without written
authorisation.
And if you want know more, check the aricticles like:
“Pink Noise’ Is The Most Millennial Secret To Getting Those 8 Hours Of Sleep”
“Is Pink Noise The Secret To Sounder Newborn Sleep?”
“Why Pink Noise Is The New White Noise” (!!!) .
Yeah, pink noise is THE THING.

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 7/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

Cheers

Jack

Attachments
MFOS-passive-ESP-adobe_audition-sample-syntherjack
(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/MFOS-passive-ESP-
adobe_audition-sample-syntherjack.wav) (4 MB) 22.05.2018
MFOS-pink-noise-sample-syntherjack (https://syntherjack.net/wp-
content/uploads/2018/06/MFOS-pink-noise-sample-syntherjack.wav) (884 kB)
ESP-pink-noise-sample-syntherjack (https://syntherjack.net/wp- 05.06.2018
content/uploads/2018/06/ESP-pink-noise-sample-syntherjack.wav) (884 kB)
passive-buffered_pink-noise-sample-syntherjack 05.06.2018
(https://syntherjack.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/passive-
buffered_pink-noise-sample-syntherjack.wav) (851 kB) 05.06.2018

Posted in Project (https://syntherjack.net/category/project/) Tagged battery

operated (https://syntherjack.net/tag/battery-operated/), diy
(https://syntherjack.net/tag/diy/), do it yourself (https://syntherjack.net/tag/do-it-
yourself/), electronics (https://syntherjack.net/tag/electronics/), generator
(https://syntherjack.net/tag/generator/), noise (https://syntherjack.net/tag/noise/), 
pink noise (https://syntherjack.net/tag/pink-noise/), thomas henry
(https://syntherjack.net/tag/thomas-henry/)

 Casio VL-1 secrets Totoro – 1-IC simple synth 

(https://syntherjack.net/casio (https://syntherjack.net/totor
-vl-1-secrets/) o-1-ic-simple-synth/)

One thought on “Make some pink noise!”

Luke Miller (https://rhizome-eng.com) says:

9 September 2018 at 16:31 (https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/#comment-
954)

Greetings from Ohio!

My name is Luke Miller. I thoroughly enjoy the content on your site. I’m a novice
electronics/synth tinkerer (and lover of ambient noise). The comparison between
simple pink noice circuitry is great, especially for someone just learning the basics.
Keep up the work.

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 8/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

Thank you & Cheers!

Luke
Reply

Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required elds are marked *
Comment

Name *


Email *

Website

Não sou um robô

reCAPTCHA
Privacidade - Termos

POST COMMENT

Proudly powered by WordPress (http://wordpress.org/) | Theme: Fara

(http://justfreethemes.com/fara) by JustFreeThemes.  Back to top

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 9/10
22/05/2019 Make some pink noise! - SyntherJack

https://syntherjack.net/make-some-pink-noise-generator/ 10/10