What masking can do for a steady buzz
Inspect an unexplained electrical buzz first. Masking is not a safety check.
The sound pattern
Transformer, fluorescent and loose-fixture buzzes can be tonal and may signal a fault.
How to try it here
- Only try a low background after the source is understood.
- Do not use masking to ignore heat, smell or sparking.
- Turn it off if it conceals an alert.
Transformer, fluorescent, dimmer, and fixture buzzes are often 100 or 120 Hz with strong harmonics. Inspect a new buzz first.
Try the comparison while the sound is stable: begin with a low room-speaker level, capture for the steady interval, then use Bypass to hear whether shaping is preferable. Do not raise playback to chase brief peaks. The goal is a background you can ignore, not a louder competing sound.
Give the comparison a fair, bounded test. Keep the same color and volume for a few minutes, then use Bypass without changing the room source. If the result is only different, rather than less distracting, there is no reason to keep it. A capture is a snapshot, so repeat it only after a meaningful change in the steady source. The microphone listens locally for this short interval; it is not an ongoing room monitor.
When it will not help
It is unlikely to help much when the sound changes quickly, is mostly impulsive, requires high playback to cover, or is a safety cue. Capture-shaped noise adds sound. It does not remove acoustic energy, identify faults, or make a source problem disappear.
Other things that work
Contact a qualified electrician for heat, smell, sparking, flicker, or an unexplained buzz. Use the lowest comfortable level if you try masking. Prefer room speakers rather than in-ear playback overnight.
Limitations
- This app cannot assess electrical safety.
Alternatives
- Contact a qualified electrician.
- Replace or service the fixture.
Related rooms
Questions
Should I mask a new buzz?
No. Investigate it first.
Does capture identify a fault?
No.
References
Last reviewed: 2026-09-10