PC WEENIES: Tech Toons and Reviews | Serenity with Noizio

Serenity with Noizio

Noizio dubs itself as an “ambient sound equalizer”. Unlike a standard ambient audio track, Noizio lets users layer multiple pre-loaded ambient sound loops together, while giving complete control over each ambient track’s volume. And it’s available for FREE for the Mac.

Some of you have already downloaded it by now. But if you’ve decided to stick around, here’s why I find this program so useful.

From time to time I work with my Macbook Pro in public places on or around campus. The ambient noises in these public places serve as a comfortable soundtrack for preparing notes, grading projects, or otherwise working on academic administrative tasks. I like the din of ambient sounds as I work. But occasionally, I’m in a public place and the sounds around me are distracting. (Loud talkers anyone?) With Noizio’s ambient sound mixtures running the background, I can tune out the world, stay focused on my tasks at hand, and thereby increase my productivity.

Noizio, which installs itself on your Mac’s menu bar, lets you play one or more ambient sound loops while you work. There are 15 ambient sounds to choose from, ranging from the din of a coffee house to the ambient sounds that mimic the subtle clackity-clack of riding inside a train. But that’s not all…

The unique aspect of Noizio is its ability to let the user layer multiple ambient tracks together. I can have rain, thunderstorm, and wind chimes play simultaneously and I can control how loud or soft each ambient track is in the mix. So I can keep “Rain” higher in the mix, and “Thunderstorm” and “Wind Chimes” lower if I want.

And once I have my ambient sounds set, I can save them off as a “Mixture” for later playback. There’s even a timer to control when Noizio should stop playing, which is perfect if you use ambient sounds prior to bedtime.

Noizio’s user interface is polished and intuitive, making playing and pausing your audio mixtures a breeze. The user has complete control. I love the variety of included sounds; the ability to combine them in a myriad of ways will insure that Noizio won’t get tired or repetitive. In future versions, it would be neat to include a feature which lets users add their own ambient tracks. But it’s certainly not a deal-breaker for me.