What Is the Noise Floor?
Updated October 2026
The noise floor is the level of the background in a recording: the hiss, hum and room sound you hear when nobody is speaking. The lower it is, the cleaner the voice sounds.
The short version
- The noise floor is the quietest level, the background under silence.
- Speech must sit well above the noise floor to sound clear.
- Lower the noise floor by a quieter room and a closer mic, not only by cleanup.
- Measure it by recording a few seconds of silence.
The short definition
The noise floor is the background level of a recording. It is what remains when nobody is speaking: hiss from the electronics, the room, a fan, traffic. Everything in a recording sits above that floor.
Why it matters
The gap between the voice and the noise floor decides how clear the voice sounds. A voice 40 dB above a low noise floor is clear; the same voice 15 dB above a high one sounds muddy. Cleanup works by lowering the floor, but it works best when the floor starts low.
How to lower it
Record in a quieter room, turn off the fans and fridge, and place the mic closer to the mouth. A closer mic raises the voice relative to the room, which has the same effect as lowering the floor.
How to measure it
Record ten seconds of silence with the same settings, then look at its level in your editor or on a noise meter. The room tone guide explains how to record it properly.
Record a quiet floor first
Tunedzy’s cleanup lowers the noise floor. A quieter room before you record gives it less to do.
Free tools for this
Frequently asked questions
Is a low noise floor the same as no noise?
No. There is always some background. A low floor is the aim.
What is a good noise floor for voice?
Lower is better. Measure your room and compare; there is no single target.
Does cleanup raise the floor?
Cleanup lowers the floor. Heavy cleanup can make the remaining floor sound unnatural.
Keep going
How to Set Up a Quiet Recording Corner on a Budget
How to Remove Background Noise From a Voice RecordingWhat Is Headroom?All guides and comparisons · Tunedzy Go on your phone · Pricing