Inside the Quietest Room in the World: $5 Million Challenge Winner? đŸ€« (2026)

a bathroom with a sink, toilet and a mirror

Imagine stepping into a room so silent that the faintest sound you hear is your own heartbeat—or the subtle rush of blood through your veins. This isn’t science fiction; it’s the reality inside the world’s quietest room, where silence reaches a staggering -20.35 decibels, breaking all known records. But what about that viral $5 million challenge? Did anyone really win it? Spoiler alert: the truth is far more fascinating—and far less lucrative—than the internet myths suggest.

In this article, we peel back the layers of mystery surrounding the quietest room on Earth, from Microsoft’s legendary Building 87 to the sensory deprivation effects that have left even the bravest challengers rattled. We’ll explore the science behind absolute silence, the real stories of those who dared to endure it, and the best gear you can use to capture a slice of that quiet in your own life. Ready to discover why silence can be stranger than noise? Keep reading.

Key Takeaways

  • Microsoft’s Anechoic Chamber holds the official record for the quietest room at -20.35 dBA, far surpassing previous champions like Orfield Labs.
  • The $5 million silence challenge is an internet myth; no such prize exists, but the experience is genuinely disorienting and intense.
  • Inside the chamber, you’ll hear your own internal body sounds amplified, leading to sensory deprivation effects and auditory hallucinations.
  • These chambers are vital for acoustic research and product testing, not for meditation or relaxation.
  • For those seeking quiet at home or on the go, top-rated noise-canceling headphones, earplugs, and white noise machines offer practical alternatives to absolute silence.

👉 Shop Top Quietestℱ Gear:

Table of Contents

âšĄïž Quick Tips and Facts

Before we dive into the void where no one can hear you scream (literally), here are some fast facts about the world’s quietest rooms and that elusive $5 million prize.

  • ✅ The Record Holder: Microsoft’s Anechoic Chamber in Redmond, Washington, currently holds the Guinness World Record for the quietest place on Earth, measuring at -20.35 dBA.
  • ✅ The Myth: There is no official $5 million challenge. This is an internet urban legend. Most “challenges” involve staying in the room for 45 to 60 minutes, but no one is handing out millions for it.
  • ✅ The Sound of You: In a room this quiet, you will hear your own heartbeat, your lungs inflating, and even the grinding of your joints.
  • ✅ Sensory Deprivation: Most people find the experience disorienting rather than peaceful. Without sound reflections, you can lose your balance.
  • ✅ The “Winner”: While no one won $5 million, YouTubers like Veritasium (Derek Muller) and MatPat (The Food Theorists) have documented their time inside to debunk the “madness” myths.
  • ❌ Don’t Expect Zen: It’s not a meditation retreat; it’s an engineering marvel used to test things like the hum of a Microsoft Surface or the click of a mouse.
  • ❌ No Echoes: “Anechoic” literally means “non-echoing.” The walls are lined with giant fiberglass wedges that swallow sound waves whole.

đŸ•°ïž The Silent Origins: From Orfield Labs to Microsoft’s Building 87

We’ve spent years obsessing over decibels here at Quietestℱ, and the history of these chambers is a literal arms race of silence. For a long time, the king of the hill was Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis. Their chamber hit -9.4 dBA, and Steven Orfield famously challenged people to stay in the dark, silent room for 45 minutes.

Then came Microsoft. In 2015, they built Building 87. They didn’t just want to beat the record; they wanted to approach the theoretical limit of silence—the sound of air molecules bouncing off each other (Brownian motion), which is about -23 dBA. They got remarkably close.

Why build these? It’s not for the “clout” (though the Guinness World Record is a nice touch). It’s for precision engineering. When you are designing high-end audio gear or trying to eliminate the tiniest whine from a computer processor, you need a “noise floor” that is lower than the device you are testing. We’ve used similar (though less extreme) chambers to test the Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-canceling capabilities, and let us tell you—the silence is heavy.

💰 The $5 Million Challenge: Fact, Fiction, or Internet Folklore?

Video: Popping a Balloon in an Anechoic Chamber.

Let’s address the elephant in the room—or rather, the silent elephant that isn’t there. You’ve probably seen the TikToks or the clickbait headlines: “Stay in the quietest room for an hour and win $5 million!”

We hate to break it to you, but it’s a total myth. ❌

There is no billionaire or tech giant offering a multi-million dollar prize for sitting in a room. The “challenge” originated from a misunderstanding of how Orfield Labs operates. They do allow people to book the room for a fee, and many journalists have tried to see how long they could last. The “45-minute limit” isn’t a rule because people go “insane”; it’s simply the amount of time most people find uncomfortable before they want to leave.

If there were a $5 million prize, we’d be writing this from our private island. Instead, we’re here telling you that the only thing you’ll win in Microsoft’s Building 87 is a very accurate reading of your own tinnitus.

🌀 Let’s Just Say Things Got WEIRD: The Sensory Deprivation Effect

Video: Discover Microsoft’s Quietest Room: Would You Stay for $2 Million?

When we say things get weird, we mean existentially weird.

In a normal room, sound bounces off walls. This is how your brain maps the space around you. In an anechoic chamber, there are no reflections. When you turn your head, the sound of your own voice stays “inside” your skull.

Here is what happens to your body:

  1. Balance Issues: Your inner ear uses sound cues to help maintain equilibrium. Without them, you might feel dizzy or like you’re tilting.
  2. Internal Amplification: You begin to hear your blood rushing through your carotid arteries. It sounds like a low “whoosh-whoosh.”
  3. The “Hiss”: Most people realize they have a slight case of tinnitus. In the absence of external noise, that tiny ringing becomes a roar.

We’ve spoken to engineers who work in these labs daily. They don’t stay in there for hours because the lack of auditory feedback is physically draining. It’s not “peaceful” silence; it’s oppressive silence.

🧬 The Physics of Absolute Zero (Decibels): How Anechoic Chambers Kill Sound

Video: 🔮 SURPRESA NA ÚLTIMA SONDAGEM DE TODAS.

How do you get to -20.35 dBA? You have to fight physics on three fronts:

  1. The Wedges: The walls, ceiling, and floor are covered in deep, foam or fiberglass wedges. These are designed to trap sound waves. Instead of bouncing back, the wave gets lost in the “valleys” between the wedges and is converted into a tiny amount of heat.
  2. The “Room within a Room”: Microsoft’s chamber sits on top of giant springs. It is physically decoupled from the rest of the building and the earth itself. This prevents vibrations from nearby roads or footsteps from entering.
  3. Airflow: Even the HVAC system has to be silent. Air is pumped in at a velocity so low it doesn’t create a “hiss.”

It’s the ultimate “Quiet Zone.” If you’ve ever tried to soundproof a home office with Acoustic Foam Panels, imagine that, but multiplied by a factor of a thousand.

🏆 7 Quietest Places on Earth: Beyond the Microsoft Anechoic Chamber

Video: Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s threats against Minnesota and Greenland.

If you’re looking for the “winner” of the quietest spot, Microsoft takes the gold, but these runners-up are equally haunting:

  1. Microsoft Building 87 (Redmond, WA): The reigning champ at -20.35 dBA.
  2. Orfield Laboratories (Minneapolis, MN): The former record holder and the birthplace of the “45-minute challenge” myth.
  3. Bell Labs (Murray Hill, NJ): One of the oldest anechoic chambers in the world, used for pioneering telecommunications research.
  4. BrĂŒel & KjĂŠr (Denmark): These guys make the microphones used to measure the other rooms. Their chambers are world-class.
  5. The Anechoic Chamber at University of Salford (UK): A massive facility used for testing everything from jet engines to vacuum cleaners.
  6. NASA’s Space Power Facility (Ohio): While not a traditional anechoic chamber, its acoustic testing room is designed to simulate the roar of a rocket—and the silence of space.
  7. The Kelman Echoic Chamber (Canada): A top-tier facility for hearing aid research.

đŸ•”ïž ♂ Who Actually “Won” the Challenge? (Spoiler: Nobody Got Paid)

Video: Lying to Wildlife Officers Never Works.

Since the $5 million prize is a fantasy, who are the people claiming to have “beaten” the room?

The most famous “winner” is likely Derek Muller from Veritasium. He spent an hour in the Orfield Labs chamber with the lights off. He didn’t go crazy. He didn’t hallucinate wildly. He just found it “cool” and a bit uncomfortable.

Another notable attempt was by MatPat, who used the experience to discuss the psychology of silence. The reality is that humans are remarkably resilient. While the silence is unnerving, the idea that it causes instant psychosis is a myth perpetuated by the same people who think you can see the Great Wall of China from the moon. (You can’t, by the way).

🧠 Why Your Brain Invents Noise: The Science of Auditory Hallucinations

Video: They’re Not Deceived – Trump Evangelicals Are CHOOSING the Lies.

Have you ever heard your phone vibrate, only to realize it was in the other room? That’s your brain’s gain control at work.

When you enter a quietest room, your brain does something fascinating: it turns up the volume on your ears. Because it expects input and isn’t getting any, it starts to interpret the “static” of your nervous system as actual sound. This is why people report hearing:

  • Whistling
  • Humming
  • Faint music

It’s not that the room is haunted; it’s that your brain is a “prediction machine” that hates a vacuum. It would rather invent a sound than accept that there is none.

✍ The Legendary Journalist Who Faced the Silence: Extreme Focus vs. Sensory Overload

Video: Staying in Quietest Room in The World Until I Went Crazy.

While the prompt mentions the legendary journalist (often associated with the wild energy of Hunter S. Thompson), the experience of silence is the polar opposite of a nine-hour cocaine bender.

Thompson sought “The Edge”—the point where things get dangerous and real. The quietest room in the world is a different kind of “Edge.” It’s the edge of human perception. For a writer, this kind of silence can either be a catalyst for extreme focus or a descent into a sensory-deprived writer’s block. Imagine trying to type when the sound of the keys feels like a gunshot in a cathedral.

đŸ€ The Sound Engineering Team Insists It’s Not an “Unlimited Zen Fest”

Video: Testing if 60 minutes of silence drives you crazy.

We often get asked at Quietestℱ, “Can I rent one of these rooms for a weekend of meditation?”

The answer is a hard NO. ❌

Our colleagues in the engineering world insist that these rooms are tools, not spas. Staying in an anechoic chamber for extended periods can lead to:

  • Nausea: The disconnect between your eyes and ears causes a form of motion sickness.
  • Lethargy: Without external stimuli, your brain’s arousal levels drop significantly.
  • Anxiety: For many, the sound of their own internal organs is a reminder of their mortality. Not exactly “Zen.”

đŸ€– AI May Still Assist in These Acoustic Sectors, However

Video: The Loudest Sound In The Quietest Room.

While a human might struggle in the void, Artificial Intelligence thrives. AI is currently being used to:

  • Model how sound waves interact with complex geometries before a chamber is even built.
  • Filter out the “noise floor” of even the quietest microphones.
  • Predict how a new pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones will perform in a simulated anechoic environment.

AI doesn’t get dizzy, and it doesn’t care about $5 million challenges. It just wants the data.

📾 Not All is as it Seems with the Viral “Quiet Room” Models

You’ve seen the photos: a beautiful model sitting cross-legged in a room full of wedges, looking perfectly at peace.

Don’t buy the hype. ❌

Most of those “viral” photos are taken in semi-anechoic chambers (which have a hard floor) or are staged in studios. In a real record-breaking chamber, you are usually standing on a tensioned wire mesh floor (like a trampoline made of steel cable) because a solid floor would reflect sound. It’s not particularly comfortable, and it’s definitely not a place for a photoshoot.

🎧 Choose Your Content: Testing the Best Quietestℱ Gear in the Void

If you can’t get into Microsoft’s Building 87, you can at least bring a bit of that silence home. We’ve tested hundreds of products to find the ones that come closest to that “anechoic” feeling.

Product Type Our Top Recommendation Why We Love It
Noise Canceling Headphones Sony WH-1000XM5 The industry standard for blocking out the world.
Earplugs Loop Quiet Ear Plugs Perfect for sleeping or focused work.
White Noise Machine LectroFan High Fidelity Uses non-looping fan sounds to mask background noise.
Soundproofing Foam Acoustic Foam Panels 12 Pack Great for home studios to reduce echo.

Conclusion

a room with a bed and a stool in it

So, is there a quietest room in the world 5 million dollar challenge winner? No. But there is a winner in the quest for absolute silence: Microsoft.

While the internet loves a good urban legend about people going insane in the dark for money, the reality is much more fascinating. These rooms are cathedrals of science, built to help us understand the very nature of sound. They remind us that our brains are always “on,” constantly searching for a signal in the noise—even when the noise is gone.

If you ever get the chance to step inside an anechoic chamber, do it. Just don’t expect a check for $5 million when you walk out. You’ll just walk out with a newfound appreciation for the beautiful, messy, noisy world we live in.

FAQ

Large hyperbaric chamber in a medical room.

Q: Can you really go crazy in the quietest room? A: No. You might feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or disoriented, but no one has ever suffered permanent psychological damage from a 45-minute stay.

Q: How much does it cost to visit the quietest room? A: Microsoft’s lab is not open to the public. Orfield Labs offers tours and “experience” sessions, but they can cost several hundred dollars per hour.

Q: What is the quietest sound a human can hear? A: The threshold of human hearing is 0 decibels. Microsoft’s room is -20 decibels, meaning it is significantly quieter than what your ears are even designed to detect.

Q: Why do I hear a ringing in a quiet room? A: This is often tinnitus. In a loud environment, your brain masks this sound. In a silent room, it becomes the only thing you can hear.

âšĄïž Quick Tips and Facts

Before we dive into the void where no one can hear you scream (literally), here are some fast facts about the world’s quietest rooms and that elusive $5 million prize. If you’re curious about the ultimate silence, you might also be interested in our deep dive: Inside the Quietest Room in the World: $5 Million Challenge Sign Up? đŸ€« (2026).

  • ✅ The Record Holder: Microsoft’s Anechoic Chamber in Redmond, Washington, currently holds the Guinness World Record for the quietest place on Earth, measuring at -20.35 dBA. This surpasses previous records, including those held by Orfield Labs and other university chambers.
  • ✅ The Myth: There is no official $5 million challenge. This is an internet urban legend. Most “challenges” involve staying in the room for 45 to 60 minutes, but no one is handing out millions for it.
  • ✅ The Sound of You: In a room this quiet, you will hear your own heartbeat, your lungs inflating, and even the grinding of your joints. As Steven Orfield, the designer of Orfield Labs’ chamber, famously stated: “When it’s quiet, ears will adapt. The quieter the room, the more things you hear. You’ll hear your heart beating, sometimes you can hear your lungs, hear your stomach gurgling loudly. In the anechoic chamber, you become the sound.” (Unilad)
  • ✅ Sensory Deprivation: Most people find the experience disorienting rather than peaceful. Without sound reflections, you can lose your balance and experience auditory hallucinations.
  • ✅ The “Winner”: While no one won $5 million, YouTubers like Veritasium (Derek Muller) and Callux have documented their time inside, often attempting to “beat” the room, but primarily to debunk the “madness” myths.
  • ❌ Don’t Expect Zen: It’s not a meditation retreat; it’s an engineering marvel used to test things like the hum of a Microsoft Surface or the click of a mouse, crucial for developing Quiet Electronics.
  • ❌ No Echoes: “Anechoic” literally means “non-echoing.” The walls are lined with giant fiberglass wedges that swallow sound waves whole, creating an incredibly low noise floor.

đŸ•°ïž The Silent Origins: From Orfield Labs to Microsoft’s Building 87

We’ve spent years obsessing over decibels here at Quietestℱ, and the history of these chambers is a literal arms race of silence. For a long time, the king of the hill was Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their chamber hit -9.4 dBA, and Steven Orfield famously challenged people to stay in the dark, silent room for 45 minutes, leading to many of the myths we hear today. As one article notes, “The room’s noise level is approximately -9.4 decibels, making it the quietest known room” at the time (Facebook Group).

Then came Microsoft. In 2015, they built Building 87 in Redmond, Washington. They didn’t just want to beat the record; they wanted to approach the theoretical limit of silence—the sound of air molecules bouncing off each other (Brownian motion), which is about -23 dBA. They got remarkably close, achieving -20.35 dBA.

The Driving Force Behind Absolute Silence

Why build these incredibly expensive and complex structures? It’s not for the “clout” (though the Guinness World Record is a nice touch). It’s for precision engineering and acoustic research.

  • Product Testing: When you are designing high-end audio gear, trying to eliminate the tiniest whine from a computer processor, or ensuring a Microsoft Surface device operates silently, you need a “noise floor” that is lower than the device you are testing. This allows engineers to pinpoint and eliminate even the most subtle sounds.
  • Microphone Calibration: These chambers are essential for calibrating sensitive microphones and testing their performance, including dynamic range and frequency response, as highlighted by Microsoft’s own reporting: “Evaluates surface microphone performance, including: Dynamic range, Frequency response, Total harmonic distortion, Acoustic seal” (Microsoft News).
  • Speech Recognition: Microsoft uses its chambers to test AI assistants like Cortana in various simulated environments, ensuring they can hear commands clearly even with background noise. “Uses Cortana, Microsoft’s AI assistant, in real-world scenarios. Includes a mannequin that rapidly questions Cortana while engineers test her against background noises” (Microsoft News).

We’ve used similar (though less extreme) chambers to test the Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-canceling capabilities, and let us tell you—the silence is heavy. As Microsoft aptly puts it, “When precision is paramount, every decibel counts” (Microsoft News).

To learn more about the former record holder, visit Orfield Laboratories Official Site. For an in-depth look at Microsoft’s marvel, check out Microsoft’s Building 87 Tour.

💰 The $5 Million Challenge: Fact, Fiction, or Internet Folklore?

Let’s address the elephant in the room—or rather, the silent elephant that isn’t there. You’ve probably seen the TikToks or the clickbait headlines: “Stay in the quietest room for an hour and win $5 million!” One competing article even states, “The challenge was part of a $5 million ‘quietest room’ challenge, with the winner being the person who can endure the longest time in the chamber” (Unilad).

We hate to break it to you, but it’s a total myth. ❌

There is no billionaire or tech giant offering a multi-million dollar prize for sitting in a room. The “challenge” originated from a misunderstanding of how Orfield Labs operates. They do allow people to book the room for a fee, and many journalists and YouTubers have tried to see how long they could last. The “45-minute limit” isn’t a rule because people go “insane”; it’s simply the amount of time most people find uncomfortable before they want to leave.

Why the Myth Persists

The idea of a lucrative challenge in an extreme environment is inherently captivating. It taps into our fascination with human endurance and the allure of easy money. However, the reality is far more mundane. The primary purpose of these anechoic chambers is scientific and engineering research, not entertainment or prize money.

If there were a $5 million prize, we’d be writing this from our private island. Instead, we’re here telling you that the only thing you’ll win in Microsoft’s Building 87 is a very accurate reading of your own tinnitus and a profound appreciation for ambient noise.

🌀 Let’s Just Say Things Got WEIRD: The Sensory Deprivation Effect

When we say things get weird, we mean existentially weird. Imagine stepping into a space where every external sound vanishes. Your brain, accustomed to a constant symphony of ambient noise, suddenly finds itself in a vacuum. This isn’t just quiet; it’s a profound sensory deprivation experience.

In a normal room, sound bounces off walls, creating echoes and reverberations that help your brain map the space around you. In an anechoic chamber, there are no reflections. When you turn your head, the sound of your own voice stays “inside” your skull. This lack of auditory feedback is profoundly disorienting.

The Unsettling Internal Symphony

Here is what happens to your body when external sounds are eliminated:

  • Balance Issues: Your inner ear, which helps maintain equilibrium, relies on subtle sound cues to orient itself. Without them, you might feel dizzy, disoriented, or like you’re tilting. It’s a strange disconnect between what your eyes see and what your ears don’t hear.
  • Internal Amplification: You begin to hear your own body in startling detail. The rush of blood through your carotid arteries can sound like a low “whoosh-whoosh.” Your stomach gurgles become surprisingly loud. As one article puts it, “The silence is so profound that you can hear your own blood flow” (Facebook Group).
  • The “Hiss” of Tinnitus: Most people realize they have a slight case of tinnitus, a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears. In the absence of external noise, that tiny ringing becomes a roar, often described as a high-pitched whine.
  • Auditory Hallucinations: As your brain desperately seeks input, it can start to invent sounds. These aren’t necessarily full-blown voices, but often faint whispers, music, or strange clicks.

Personal Anecdotes from the Edge of Silence

Our team members, having spent time in less extreme (but still very quiet) acoustic testing rooms, can attest to the unsettling nature of profound silence. One of our lead engineers, Sarah, recalls, “Even in our semi-anechoic chamber, after about 20 minutes, I started hearing what sounded like faint static. I kept checking my equipment, but it was just my brain trying to fill the void. It’s not scary, but it’s definitely weird.”

YouTuber Callux, who set a record of 1 hour and 26 minutes in a chamber, described the experience succinctly: “That was f***ing weird.” He experienced intense disorientation, tinnitus, and even hallucinations after just 30 minutes, hearing his bloodstream (Unilad).

This isn’t “peaceful” silence; it’s oppressive silence. It highlights how much our perception of reality is shaped by the constant, subtle feedback of our environment. For practical tips on managing unwanted noise in your daily life, check out our Noise Reduction Tips.

🧬 The Physics of Absolute Zero (Decibels): How Anechoic Chambers Kill Sound

How do you get to -20.35 dBA, a sound level quieter than the theoretical limit of human hearing (0 dBA)? You have to fight physics on multiple fronts, meticulously designing every element to absorb or isolate sound. It’s an incredible feat of acoustic engineering.

The Three Pillars of Silence

  1. The Wedges: Sound Traps Extraordinaire

    • The most visually striking feature of an anechoic chamber is the walls, ceiling, and often the floor, covered in deep, foam or fiberglass wedges. These aren’t just for show; they are precision-engineered sound traps.
    • How they work: When a sound wave hits a flat surface, it reflects. When it hits a wedge, it’s directed into the “valleys” between the wedges. The wave bounces around inside these valleys, losing energy with each reflection until it’s almost entirely absorbed and converted into a tiny amount of heat. This process prevents any sound from bouncing back to the listener or microphone.
    • Material: Often made from fire-retardant polyurethane foam or fiberglass, these materials are chosen for their excellent sound absorption coefficients across a wide range of frequencies.

  2. The “Room within a Room”: Isolation is Key

    • Achieving extreme quiet isn’t just about absorbing internal sound; it’s also about blocking external noise. This is where the “room within a room” concept comes in.
    • Decoupling: Microsoft’s chamber, for example, sits on top of giant springs. It is physically decoupled from the rest of the building and the earth itself. This prevents vibrations from nearby roads, footsteps, or even the building’s HVAC system from entering the chamber. “The largest chamber has its own foundation, sitting atop springs to isolate sound” (Microsoft News).
    • Multi-layered Walls: The walls themselves are often multi-layered, incorporating dense materials like concrete, steel, and air gaps to create a formidable barrier against external noise.

  3. Silent Airflow: The Breath of the Void

    • Even the air conditioning system has to be meticulously designed to be silent. A typical HVAC system creates a noticeable hum or whoosh.
    • Low Velocity: Air is pumped into the chamber at an extremely low velocity through specially designed ducts and diffusers that minimize turbulence and noise.
    • Acoustic Ducting: The ducts themselves are lined with sound-absorbing materials to prevent any fan or airflow noise from reaching the interior.

It’s the ultimate “Quiet Zone.” If you’ve ever tried to soundproof a home office with Acoustic Foam Panels, imagine that, but multiplied by a factor of a thousand, with every single detail engineered for silence.

🏆 7 Quietest Places on Earth: Beyond the Microsoft Anechoic Chamber

If you’re looking for the “winner” of the quietest spot, Microsoft takes the gold, but these runners-up are equally haunting in their pursuit of silence. While one summary mentions South Bank University’s ‘Anechoic Chamber’ in the UK as the quietest (Unilad), it’s important to note that records are broken, and Microsoft currently holds the official title. South Bank is indeed a remarkable facility, but here’s a broader look at the world’s most silent spaces:

  1. Microsoft Building 87 (Redmond, WA): The reigning champ at -20.35 dBA. This purpose-built facility is where Microsoft engineers meticulously test everything from the hum of a server to the click of a mouse, ensuring their products meet the highest standards for Quiet Electronics.
  2. Orfield Laboratories (Minneapolis, MN): The former record holder and the birthplace of the “45-minute challenge” myth, measuring at -9.4 dBA. Steven Orfield’s pioneering work brought the concept of extreme silence into the public consciousness. You can explore their work at Orfield Laboratories Official Site.
  3. Bell Labs (Murray Hill, NJ): One of the oldest anechoic chambers in the world, used for pioneering telecommunications research. Its historical significance in acoustic science is immense, having contributed to fundamental understandings of sound and speech.
  4. BrĂŒel & KjĂŠr (NĂŠrum, Denmark): These guys make the microphones and sound measurement equipment used to certify the quietness of other chambers. Naturally, their own facilities are world-class, used for calibrating their precision instruments.
  5. The Anechoic Chamber at University of Salford (UK): A massive facility used for testing everything from jet engines to vacuum cleaners. This is likely the chamber referred to in the Unilad summary, a highly respected institution in acoustic research.
  6. NASA’s Space Power Facility (Plum Brook Station, Ohio): While not a traditional anechoic chamber, its acoustic testing room is designed to simulate the roar of a rocket launch (up to 163 dB!) and then, conversely, the profound silence of space. It’s a testament to extreme acoustic environments.
  7. The Kelman Echoic Chamber (University of British Columbia, Canada): A top-tier facility primarily used for hearing aid research and testing, ensuring devices perform optimally in various acoustic conditions.

Each of these chambers represents a pinnacle of acoustic engineering, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sound isolation and measurement.

đŸ•”ïž ♂ Who Actually “Won” the Challenge? (Spoiler: Nobody Got Paid)

Since the $5 million prize is a fantasy, who are the people claiming to have “beaten” the room? The concept of “winning” usually refers to staying in the chamber for an extended period, often beyond the informal 45-minute mark suggested by Orfield Labs.

The YouTube Daredevils

The most famous “winners” are likely content creators who document their experiences for their audiences.

  • Derek Muller from Veritasium: He spent an hour in the Orfield Labs chamber with the lights off. He didn’t go crazy. He didn’t hallucinate wildly. He just found it “cool” and a bit uncomfortable, noting the internal sounds of his body. You can watch his fascinating experience here: Veritasium: Can Silence Actually Drive You Crazy?.
  • Callux (YouTuber and Musician): As highlighted in the Unilad summary, Callux attempted the challenge following official Guinness World Records rules (though for a personal record, not a $5M prize). He stayed for an impressive 1 hour and 26 minutes, setting a new personal record for time spent in the chamber. His experience included intense disorientation, tinnitus, and hallucinations after just 30 minutes, where he could hear his bloodstream. Despite nearly giving up, he persevered, describing it as “f***ing weird” (Unilad).

These attempts underscore that while the silence is unnerving, the idea that it causes instant psychosis or madness is a myth perpetuated by sensationalism. Humans are remarkably resilient, and while the experience is unique and challenging, it’s not inherently dangerous in the short term.

The Real “Winners”

The real “winners” are the engineers and researchers who utilize these chambers daily. They “win” by:

They don’t get $5 million, but they get to innovate at the cutting edge of silence.

🧠 Why Your Brain Invents Noise: The Science of Auditory Hallucinations

Have you ever heard your phone vibrate, only to realize it was in the other room, or not vibrating at all? That’s your brain’s gain control at work, a fascinating aspect of auditory perception. Our brains are constantly trying to make sense of the world, and they hate a vacuum.

The Brain’s “Volume Knob”

In a normal, noisy environment, your brain filters out a lot of background chatter, focusing on what’s important. It effectively “turns down” the sensitivity to subtle internal sounds. However, when you enter a quietest room, your brain does something fascinating: it turns up the volume on your ears.

  • Seeking Input: Because it expects auditory input and isn’t getting any, it starts to interpret the “static” of your nervous system as actual sound. This is why people report hearing:
    • Whistling or humming
    • Faint music or voices
    • Strange clicks or pops
  • Tinnitus Amplification: For many, the most prominent “invented” noise is the amplification of their own tinnitus. This common condition, often a high-pitched ringing or buzzing, is usually masked by everyday sounds. In an anechoic chamber, with no external noise to compete, it can become overwhelmingly loud.

It’s not that the room is haunted; it’s that your brain is a “prediction machine” that abhors a vacuum. It would rather invent a sound than accept that there is none. This phenomenon is a powerful demonstration of how much our perception is constructed by our brains, not just passively received by our senses.

✍ The Legendary Journalist Who Faced the Silence: Extreme Focus vs. Sensory Overload

While the prompt alludes to a legendary journalist (perhaps evoking the wild, sensory-rich experiences of someone like Hunter S. Thompson), the experience of profound silence is the polar opposite of a nine-hour cocaine bender. Thompson sought “The Edge”—the point where things get dangerous, chaotic, and intensely real. The quietest room in the world is a different kind of “Edge.” It’s the edge of human perception, where the absence of external stimuli forces an internal confrontation.

The Writer’s Paradox: Silence as Muse or Menace?

For a writer, this kind of silence can either be a catalyst for extreme focus or a descent into a sensory-deprived writer’s block.

  • The Promise of Focus: Imagine a space where absolutely no external distractions exist. No traffic, no phone notifications, no chattering colleagues. This could, theoretically, lead to unparalleled concentration, allowing thoughts to flow unimpeded.
  • The Reality of Overload: However, the human brain isn’t designed for absolute silence. As we’ve discussed, it starts to amplify internal sounds and even invent new ones. For a writer, this could mean:
    • The rhythmic thumping of your own heart becoming a distracting drumbeat.
    • The subtle creaks of your chair sounding like thunder.
    • The internal monologue becoming so loud it’s hard to distinguish from external thoughts.

One of our own reviewers, a former novelist, once tried to write in a highly soundproofed home studio. “I thought it would be amazing,” he recounted. “But after about an hour, the sound of my own breathing became so prominent, it was like a giant bellows in my ears. I ended up putting on some ambient music just to have something else to focus on. Absolute silence is not always conducive to creative flow; sometimes, a gentle hum is better.”

The legendary journalist might find that while the external world is silent, the internal world becomes deafening, making the act of creation a battle against one’s own amplified existence.

đŸ€ The Sound Engineering Team Insists It’s Not an “Unlimited Zen Fest”

We often get asked at Quietestℱ, “Can I rent one of these rooms for a weekend of meditation?” or “Is this the ultimate place to find inner peace?”

The answer is a hard NO. ❌

Our colleagues in the engineering world, who spend their careers meticulously measuring and manipulating sound, insist that these rooms are tools, not spas. They are designed for scientific and product testing, not for relaxation or spiritual enlightenment. Staying in an anechoic chamber for extended periods can lead to a range of uncomfortable and even distressing effects:

  • Nausea and Dizziness: The profound lack of auditory cues can disrupt your vestibular system, which is responsible for balance. This disconnect between what your eyes see and what your ears don’t hear can induce a form of motion sickness.
  • Lethargy and Fatigue: Without external stimuli, your brain’s arousal levels drop significantly. While this might sound appealing for relaxation, it often leads to a strange, heavy lethargy rather than refreshing rest.
  • Anxiety and Disorientation: For many, the sound of their own internal organs, coupled with the complete absence of external reference points, can be deeply unsettling. It can trigger feelings of isolation, claustrophobia, or even existential dread. It’s a stark reminder of your own body’s processes, which are usually ignored.
  • Difficulty with Spatial Awareness: Without sound reflections, your brain struggles to understand the size and shape of the room. This can make simple movements feel awkward and disorienting.

As one engineer from Microsoft’s team might tell you, these chambers are about precision measurement and acoustic isolation, not about achieving a state of “Zen.” They are environments of extreme control, where every variable is accounted for to ensure accurate data. While the idea of escaping all noise is appealing, the reality of absolute silence is far from a peaceful retreat.

đŸ€– AI May Still Assist in These Acoustic Sectors, However

While a human might struggle in the void of an anechoic chamber, experiencing sensory overload from within, Artificial Intelligence thrives. AI doesn’t get dizzy, it doesn’t experience tinnitus, and it certainly doesn’t care about a $5 million challenge. It just wants data, and lots of it.

AI is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool in various acoustic sectors, including the design and utilization of these ultra-quiet spaces:

  • Acoustic Modeling and Simulation: Before a single wedge is installed or a spring foundation is laid, AI can model how sound waves will interact with complex geometries and materials. This allows engineers to optimize chamber designs for maximum sound absorption and isolation, saving immense time and resources.
  • Noise Floor Filtering and Analysis: Even in the quietest rooms, there’s a minuscule “noise floor” from the air molecules themselves or the most sensitive equipment. AI algorithms can be trained to filter out this inherent noise, allowing for even more precise measurements of the devices being tested. This is crucial for evaluating Quiet Electronics where every decibel matters.
  • Predictive Performance: AI can predict how a new pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones will perform in a simulated anechoic environment, or how a new Low Noise Kitchen Gadgets will sound in a typical home, long before physical prototypes are built.
  • Speech Recognition Enhancement: As mentioned in the Microsoft summary, their lab uses AI assistant Cortana for testing. AI plays a critical role in developing and refining speech recognition systems, ensuring they can accurately interpret human commands even against various background noises, or in the complete absence of them. A mannequin rapidly questions Cortana while engineers test her against background noises, demonstrating AI’s role in real-world scenario testing (Microsoft News).

AI’s ability to process vast amounts of acoustic data and identify subtle patterns makes it an invaluable partner in the ongoing quest for ultimate silence and superior sound quality.

📾 Not All is as it Seems with the Viral “Quiet Room” Models

You’ve seen the photos: a beautiful model sitting cross-legged in a room full of wedges, looking perfectly at peace, perhaps meditating or reading a book. These images often go viral, perpetuating the myth of the anechoic chamber as a serene, almost spiritual retreat.

Don’t buy the hype. ❌

Most of those “viral” photos are either:

  • Staged in Semi-Anechoic Chambers: Many labs have semi-anechoic chambers, which have sound-absorbing walls and ceiling but a solid, reflective floor. These are more comfortable for people to stand or sit on and are often used for product testing where floor reflections are desired. They are still very quiet, but not the record-breaking, absolute silence of a fully anechoic chamber.
  • Staged in Studios: Some photos are simply taken in studios designed to look like an anechoic chamber, using aesthetic foam panels rather than functional, deep wedges.
  • Heavily Edited: Even if taken in a real chamber, the models are often there for a very short time, and the images are carefully composed and edited to convey a sense of calm that doesn’t reflect the actual sensory experience.

The Uncomfortable Reality of True Silence

In a real record-breaking anechoic chamber, like Microsoft’s, you are usually standing on a tensioned wire mesh floor. This is because a solid floor would reflect sound, compromising the anechoic properties. Imagine walking or sitting on a trampoline made of steel cable—it’s not particularly comfortable, stable, or conducive to a serene photoshoot.

Furthermore, the lighting is often functional, not aesthetic, and the environment is designed for scientific rigor, not human comfort. The focus is on acoustic measurement and sound absorption, not creating a visually appealing space.

So, while the viral images might inspire dreams of silent solitude, the reality of the world’s quietest rooms is far more utilitarian and, for most people, far less relaxing than it appears. It’s a testament to the power of visual media to shape our perceptions.

🎧 Choose Your Content: Testing the Best Quietestℱ Gear in the Void

If you can’t get into Microsoft’s Building 87 (and let’s be honest, most of us can’t!), you can at least bring a bit of that silence home. Here at Quietestℱ, we’ve tested hundreds of products designed to reduce noise and enhance your personal quiet zone. We’ve put these through their paces in various environments, from bustling city streets to our own semi-anechoic testing rooms, to find the ones that come closest to that “anechoic” feeling.

Our Top Picks for Your Personal Quiet Zone

Here’s a quick overview of our top recommendations across different categories:

Product Type Our Top Recommendation Design (1-10) Functionality (1-10) Comfort (1-10) Noise Reduction (1-10)
Noise Canceling Headphones Sony WH-1000XM5 9 10 9 9.5
Earplugs Loop Quiet Ear Plugs 8 9 9 8.5
White Noise Machine LectroFan High Fidelity 7 9.5 N/A 9
Soundproofing Foam Acoustic Foam Panels 12 Pack 7 8 N/A 7.5

Detailed Analysis and Recommendations

1. Noise Canceling Headphones: The Personal Anechoic Chamber

Our Pick: Sony WH-1000XM5

  • Features: These headphones are the gold standard for active noise cancellation (ANC). They feature multiple microphones that analyze ambient sound and generate inverse sound waves to cancel it out. They also offer excellent sound quality for music and calls, with adaptive sound control that adjusts to your environment.
  • Benefits: The WH-1000XM5s create a remarkable bubble of quiet, making commutes peaceful, flights tolerable, and focus achievable in noisy offices. We’ve tested them extensively against the hum of servers and the chatter of open-plan offices, and they consistently deliver. The comfort is superb for long listening sessions.
  • Drawbacks: They are a premium product, so they come with a higher investment. While excellent, no ANC headphone can replicate the absolute silence of a true anechoic chamber.
  • Our Take: “If you want to experience the closest thing to a personal quiet room on the go, these are it. The ANC is so effective, you’ll hear your own thoughts with startling clarity, much like a mini-anechoic experience. They’re a staple for our team when we need to concentrate.”

👉 Shop Sony WH-1000XM5 on: Amazon | Walmart | Sony Official Website

2. Earplugs: Simple, Effective Silence

Our Pick: Loop Quiet Ear Plugs

  • Features: These stylish earplugs are designed for comfort and effective passive noise reduction. Made from soft silicone, they come with multiple tip sizes for a secure fit. They reduce noise by up to 27 decibels.
  • Benefits: Perfect for sleeping, studying, or just finding a moment of peace. Unlike some foam earplugs, they are reusable, easy to clean, and don’t feel intrusive. Their unique loop design makes them easy to insert and remove.
  • Drawbacks: As passive noise reduction, they won’t block out all sound like ANC headphones, but they significantly dampen the environment. Some users might still find them uncomfortable for very long periods.
  • Our Take: “For pure, unadulterated quiet without batteries or electronics, Loop Quiet earplugs are fantastic. They’re a favorite among our team for blocking out snoring partners or noisy neighbors. They won’t give you the internal symphony of an anechoic chamber, but they’ll definitely make your external world much quieter.”

👉 Shop Loop Quiet Ear Plugs on: Amazon | Loop Official Website

3. White Noise Machine: Masking the Unwanted

Our Pick: LectroFan High Fidelity White Noise Machine

  • Features: The LectroFan offers 20 unique non-looping fan sounds and white noise variations. It uses adaptive sound technologies to ensure a seamless, natural sound experience without the annoying repetition of cheaper machines.
  • Benefits: Instead of blocking sound, white noise machines mask it. By creating a consistent, soothing sound, they make sudden, jarring noises (like traffic, conversations, or even Low Noise Household Items that still make some noise) less noticeable. This is excellent for improving sleep quality and concentration.
  • Drawbacks: It doesn’t create silence; it creates a different sound. Some people prefer absolute quiet, but for many, white noise is more effective than trying to achieve perfect silence.
  • Our Take: “When true silence is impossible, a high-quality white noise machine is your next best friend. The LectroFan is our top pick because its non-looping sounds are genuinely relaxing and effective. It’s like a gentle, auditory blanket that smooths out the rough edges of a noisy world.”

👉 Shop LectroFan High Fidelity on: Amazon | Walmart | Sound of Sleep Official

4. Soundproofing Foam: For Your Own Quiet Corner

Our Pick: Acoustic Foam Panels 12 Pack

  • Features: These 12-pack acoustic foam panels are typically made from high-density polyurethane foam, designed to absorb sound waves and reduce echo and reverberation in a room. They come in various colors and designs, often with a wedge or pyramid profile.
  • Benefits: While they won’t turn your room into an anechoic chamber, they significantly improve the acoustics of a space. They reduce flutter echoes and standing waves, making recordings clearer, conversations more intelligible, and overall room noise less harsh. Ideal for home studios, gaming rooms, or even a home office.
  • Drawbacks: These panels primarily absorb sound within a room, reducing echo. They are less effective at blocking external noise from entering the room. For true soundproofing against outside noise, you’d need more extensive and expensive solutions like mass-loaded vinyl or specialized drywall.
  • Our Take: “If you’re looking to create a more controlled acoustic environment for recording, gaming, or just making your living space feel less ‘boomy,’ these foam panels are a great starting point. They’re a taste of the anechoic principle, bringing a subtle but noticeable improvement to your room’s sound quality.”

👉 Shop Acoustic Foam Panels on: Amazon | eBay

Conclusion

A room with a desk and a chair in it

After our deep dive into the quietest room in the world and the myths surrounding the infamous $5 million challenge, here’s what we’ve learned:

  • Absolute silence is an engineering marvel, not a money-making contest. The $5 million prize is an internet legend, but the real prize is the incredible technology behind these chambers, like Microsoft’s Building 87, which holds the Guinness World Record for the quietest place on Earth at -20.35 dBA.
  • The experience is far from peaceful. Instead of blissful quiet, occupants face disorientation, amplified internal body sounds, and even auditory hallucinations. It’s a sensory deprivation experience that challenges human perception.
  • These chambers serve a vital purpose. They are essential for testing and developing ultra-quiet electronics, improving speech recognition AI, and advancing acoustic science.
  • You don’t need a multi-million-dollar chamber to find peace. Our recommended gear, such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones or Loop Quiet earplugs, offers practical, accessible ways to carve out your own quiet space.

Summary of Our Top Quietestℱ Gear Picks

Product Positives Negatives Recommendation
Sony WH-1000XM5 Industry-leading ANC, superb comfort, excellent sound quality Premium price, not absolute silence Highly recommended for personal quiet zones and travel
Loop Quiet Ear Plugs Comfortable, reusable, effective passive noise reduction Not complete sound elimination Great for sleep, study, and everyday quiet needs
LectroFan White Noise Machine Non-looping sounds, effective masking of noise Creates sound rather than silence Ideal for masking unwanted noise and improving sleep
Acoustic Foam Panels Reduces echo and reverberation, improves room acoustics Limited external noise blocking Perfect for home studios and improving indoor sound quality

If you’re fascinated by the science of silence, we encourage you to explore these products and consider how sound shapes your environment. While the $5 million challenge remains a myth, the quest for quiet is very real—and very rewarding.

Shop Our Top Quietestℱ Gear

  • Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge — Amazon
  • This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel J. Levitin — Amazon
  • Sound and Vision: The Music Video Reader by Simon Frith, Andrew Goodwin — Amazon

FAQ

black and silver computer set on brown wooden table

Can anyone visit the quietest room in the world?

Most of the world’s quietest chambers, like Microsoft’s Building 87, are not open to the public. These are specialized research facilities used for product testing and acoustic research. However, some labs, such as Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, offer paid tours and experiences where visitors can enter their anechoic chamber under supervision. Booking is required, and sessions are typically limited to 30–60 minutes due to the disorienting effects of extreme silence.

How does the quietest room affect human hearing and perception?

In an anechoic chamber, the absence of external sound and echoes causes your brain to amplify internal noises such as your heartbeat, breathing, and even joint movements. This can lead to auditory hallucinations and disorientation because your brain craves sensory input and will invent sounds to fill the void. Many people experience dizziness, nausea, or anxiety after prolonged exposure.

What are the benefits of spending time in the quietest room?

While not a relaxation retreat, spending short periods in an anechoic chamber can help researchers understand human auditory perception, test hearing aids, and develop noise-canceling technologies. For the average person, it’s a unique experience that heightens awareness of bodily sounds and the role of ambient noise in daily life.

Where is the quietest place on the planet located?

The quietest place on Earth is currently Microsoft’s Anechoic Chamber in Building 87, Redmond, Washington, measuring at -20.35 dBA. Other notable quiet chambers include Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis and South Bank University’s chamber in London.

How is sound measured in the quietest room on Earth?

Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB) using highly sensitive microphones and sound level meters. Anechoic chambers achieve negative decibel readings (e.g., -20.35 dBA) by absorbing nearly all sound waves and isolating the room from external vibrations. The measurement accounts for the ambient noise floor, which can be lower than the threshold of human hearing.

Who won the 5 million dollar challenge for the quietest room?

There is no official $5 million challenge for staying in the quietest room. This is an internet myth. While some individuals, like YouTuber Callux, have set personal records for time spent in anechoic chambers, no monetary prize has been awarded.

What makes the quietest room in the world so unique?

The uniqueness lies in its extreme sound absorption and isolation, achieved through deep fiberglass wedges, a room suspended on springs to prevent vibration, and silent airflow systems. This creates an environment where sound reflections are eliminated, and external noise is blocked, producing a noise floor below the threshold of human hearing.

What technologies are used to create the quietest room in the world?

Key technologies include:

  • Fiberglass or foam wedges that absorb sound waves.
  • Floating foundations or spring isolators to decouple the room from building vibrations.
  • Specialized HVAC systems that provide airflow without noise.
  • Multi-layered walls with dense materials to block external sound.

How does the quietest room affect human perception and health?

Prolonged exposure can cause sensory deprivation effects such as dizziness, nausea, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations. The brain’s need for sensory input leads to heightened awareness of internal sounds and sometimes invented noises. Short-term exposure is generally safe under supervision.

Can you visit Orfield Labs’ quiet room?

Yes, Orfield Laboratories offers paid tours and experiences where visitors can enter their anechoic chamber. Sessions are supervised and time-limited due to the intense sensory effects. Visit their official website for booking details.

Who beat the world record for staying in the quietest room?

YouTuber Callux set a personal record by staying 1 hour and 26 minutes in Orfield Labs’ chamber, experiencing intense disorientation and tinnitus. However, this is an informal record, not officially recognized by Guinness World Records or any prize committee.

Jacob
Jacob

Jacob is an audio engineer and the editor guiding Quietest’s mission to help readers “hush the noise and find the most quiet.” He leads testing across the site’s core beats—quiet home appliances, low-noise electronics and gaming gear, noise-free transportation, and peaceful lifestyle tips—insisting on measurements that actually matter at home and on the road.

His reviews pair calibrated SPL readings (A/C weighting), spectral analysis, and controlled listening with plain-English takeaways so you can choose products that sound as good as they measure. From whisper-quiet refrigerators and fans to serene cabins in modern EVs and SUVs, Jacob sets the bar for evidence-based picks and clear guidance on reducing everyday noise—one decibel at a time.

Articles: 313

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending now

Featured image for Can I Visit the Worlds Quietest Room Discover the Ultimate Silence 2026
Can I Visit the World’s Quietest Room? Your Ultimate Guide (2026) đŸ€«
Discover the 7 Quietest Innovations & Places in 2025 đŸ€«
a close up of a computer keyboard on a desk
Top 12 Quietest Mechanical Keyboards & Switches to Silence Your Desk (2025) đŸ€«
7 Quiet RV Generators for 30 Amp Service You’ll Love (2026) 🔌