dpli FAQ

noises for deep work

FAQ

• Why is generative sound superior to standard MP3 recordings?

  Most focus apps rely on static MP3 files that loop every few minutes. Your brain is evolutionarily hardwired to detect patterns; the moment it recognizes a repeating “click” or a predictable loop, your focus is broken. dpli synthesizes sound in real-time using advanced mathematical algorithms, ensuring the noise is truly random and never repeats. This prevents audio habituation — a phenomenon where your brain tunes out background noise and loses its edge of alertness — allowing you to maintain deep work for significantly longer periods. Read the full science →

• Which noise color is best for Deep Work?

  There is no single best color — it depends on your task and environment. For open offices and cafés, Speech-Shaped Noise (SSN) — a spectrum matched to the long-term average of human speech — is most effective at masking intelligible voices, a principle grounded in the ANSI S3.5 Speech Intelligibility Index. For long creative or writing sessions, Pink Noise (1/f spectrum) mirrors statistical patterns common in natural sounds and causes less listening fatigue than white noise over prolonged exposure (ISO 226:2003 equal-loudness contours explain why). For analytical work where racing thoughts are the problem, Brown Noise's steep high-frequency roll-off provides a low-energy acoustic anchor without sensory overload. Volume sweet spot: 60–70 dB. Below ~50 dB offers too little masking; sustained exposure above 75 dB can trigger a cortisol stress response. Work in 60–90 minute blocks with at least 15 minutes of silence between them to prevent habituation. Read the full guide →

• What are dpli's presets and how were they designed?

  A preset is a spatial noise composition — a carefully designed arrangement of noise sources placed in 3D space around the listener's head. Each preset defines which noise colors to use (pink, brown, white, …), where to place each source, how loud each one is, what modulation to apply (isochronic pulses, breathing rhythms, random pulses), and how the sources move through space. Think of it as a recipe for a specific acoustic environment, like “rain in a terrarium” or “being wrapped in a dark cocoon.”

  Three design principles shape every preset:

  1. Spatial architecture

  • Each source is HRTF-processed — your brain hears it coming from a specific direction and distance, not from flat stereo speakers.
  • Symmetric placement signals safety (Shield, Reset). Asymmetric placement creates hemispheric specialization (Flow). Moving patterns prevent neural habituation (Deep Relax's prime-speed orbits).

  2. Spectral engineering

  • Each noise color feeds different parts of the auditory cortex. Pink noise distributes evenly across frequency bands (good for alpha). White noise with high-frequency tint drives gamma. Brown noise concentrates in low frequencies that feed theta via GABA_B modulation.
  • Per-object spectral tinting lets us target specific EEG band-power distributions.

  3. Temporal modulation

  • Isochronic tones (sharp ON/OFF pulses), NeuralLFO (sine-wave modulation), and RandomPulse (Poisson-timed bursts) each create different cortical frequency-following responses.
  • The modulation rate, depth, and type are chosen to entrain specific brain rhythms — 10 Hz isochronic for alpha, 15 Hz for beta, 6 Hz for theta.

  Read the full science on preset design →

• Can noise help people with ADHD?

  Research suggests it can. The Moderate Brain Arousal model proposes that ADHD brains are chronically under-aroused, and external broadband noise may compensate through stochastic resonance — boosting weak cognitive signals above the threshold needed for sustained attention. In Söderlund, Sikström & Smart (2007), Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, children with attention difficulties showed significant improvements in memory and task performance under white noise, while non-ADHD children showed no benefit — exactly what the model predicts. Later neuroimaging (Rausch et al., 2014, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience) linked the effect to activity in dopaminergic midbrain regions. The dose follows an inverted-U: too quiet does nothing, and too loud overwhelms. Read the full science →

• Does dpli collect my data or require an internet connection?

  No. dpli is a 100% offline application. Unlike streaming services or cloud-based noise generators, dpli utilizes a local-first architecture—the entire mathematical sound synthesis process happens directly on your device's processor (iOS, macOS, or watchOS).

  Privacy & Technical Benefits

  • On-Device Synthesis: Every wave of noise is calculated in real-time by your hardware. No audio files are downloaded, and no data is ever transmitted to a remote server.
  • Zero Data Tracking: We do not track your focus sessions, location, or usage patterns. dpli is engineered with Privacy-by-Design at its core.
  • Confidentiality-Ready: Zero bandwidth and no cloud "phone-home" features make it the ideal tool for professionals working on sensitive, high-security, or confidential projects.
  • Total Reliability: Whether you are on a flight, in a remote cabin, or in a high-security office without Wi-Fi, dpli remains fully functional without an internet connection.