Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner Review.
"A great product, even covers most of my obnoxious neighbors' noise" 2006-04-04
By Captain Tetanus (WI)
I've had trouble sleeping because of background noise for years. I finally bought this because I live in a duplex and my neighbors are loud and erratic in behavior, arguing and moving furniture around at 3:00 am. I was afraid to even try to sleep at home after several days with little sleep and my roommate made me buy this because I was ready to move out.
This product is great. It makes a very fan-like sound, but with no mechanical or cycling sounds, or rattling. This is just a constant whoosh. It has two speeds and you can change the sound of the whoosh by changing the postition of the vent holes on the device. It has a switch right on the side of it, not on the cord so it's easy to use. It's even padded on the bottom to make sure it doesn't vibrate.
I used the low setting last night and slept through the night for the first time in the month since the crazy animals downstairs moved in.
I've been relying on ceiling fans and box fans for background noise for years, this is much better. It's a fuller sound, it covers more, and it doesn't make me cold.
As many others have said in previous reviews, this is unlike those pre-recorded white noise sounds. This cannot repeat, because it's actually making the sound as you hear it.
I travel for a living and stay in a lot of hotels. I look forward to taking this thing with me and blocking out the sounds of neighbor's TV's and talking and vehicles, etc. . . It's very small and lightweight, and seems durable.
I don't know why I didn't buy this sooner. Shooting my neighbors is the only thing that would help me sleep better, but this is legal so perhaps a better choice.
"Very pleased!" 2005-07-19
By Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA)
My wife purchased one of these white noise generators for a vacation we were going on over a year ago. It is small and very lightweight with an eight foot long cord, which is nice and long. Its small size means that it fits easily into any luggage and takes up very little room on a night stand. The noise it makes is pleasantly "white," which means that it doesn't disturb you while reading in bed and yet it provides enough cover for the little noises that can sound so loud at night. The volume produced can be modulated by turning the top, making it louder or softer.
Overall, we are very pleased with our purchase of this item. We have experienced nothing but trouble free service from it, and we have even purchased a second one for the baby's room. We love this item and give it our highest recommendations!
"Extremely Pleased!" 2005-12-12
By S. Drews (Kenosha, WI)
I purchased this item for our 11 month old who is a VERY light sleeper. We've been using a box fan in her room to generate some noise to cut down on accidental wakeups due to normal noises in our house, but now that the winter is upon us, we were looking for a white noise machine to use in place of the fan (not wanting cold air blowing near her crib) and to also have something portable to take with us traveling.
I was VERY surprised to see that this item arrived in a seemingly tiny box - the item is probably 6 inches x 6 inches in diameter and immediately got concerned. However, the moment I plugged it in, I was pleasantly surprised! The white noise it generates is wonderful - it's not a pre-recorded CD-sounding noise. It is extremely similar in noise to the box fan we were using.
Also, I was slightly put off by some reviews that complained that it was not very loud...it is! It's not too loud, but it is louder than I expected and just perfect for drowning out some noise without being too obtrusive.
I used it the first day we got it and my daughter slept wonderfully! We've used it for every nap and every night since and have had great success with it.
I am EXTREMELY pleased with this item and would recommend it to anyone who is in need of some gentle background noise. I'd like to buy one for our room too!
"Love the hissssss" 2006-11-26
By M. Anderson (Bay Area, CA)
What can I say about the Marpac 980?
Well, I bought with several months ago so I have had a long time to test it and I am very please with its performance.
I am not what you call a light sleeper. However, it takes me a lot to "get to sleep". Once I am asleep, I am fine. The problem is getting there. I am distracted by cars, trains, people snoring, the cats and kids etc. What is my cure? Background noise. And you can adjust this background noise a number of ways, giving you a very large spectrum of noise settings.
There are 3 main ways to adjust the noise levels with this machine.
1. The High/Low/Off button on the back of the unit - The difference between the High and low setting is the Fan Speed. High seems like it is about double as fast as low. I usually do not use the high setting. It is loud enough for me to keep it at low and still soft enough to keep my wife happy.
2. The Top Ring - I think this ring allows more air to escape the top of the unit. You can adjust this ring to allow the "perfect" amount of air out of it as you see fit.
3. The Base Ring - This ring seems to allow more air into the unit. More air is lower tone and less air is a more constricted higher tone. Again, adjust the ring to your liking.
4. Placement - One of the most important things is where you put this little guy. They recommend putting it a little away from you, perhaps a dresser across the room. This seems to make the sound bounce around the room and give you a fuller feel of the sound. Of course you could put it on the nightstand right next to you and blast yourself with a loud hisss.
Using these four adjustments gives you many many different sounds (hundreds I'd say)..so you should be able to do a little dialing and adjusting to find the perfect hissssssssssss.
Is it loud enough????
Ummm....for me YES. Unless you live in a very loud city/ aircraft carrier/missile range it should be ok.
But seriously. like I said, I am usually in the low setting, across a 10 foot room, and it is plenty loud.
The only thing that I think it is missing is that I would love to have a timer on it. it would be great if it turned itself off after a few hours.
"KEEP THE LOVIN' ALIVE!" 2008-09-22
By Jessica Anya Blau, author, The Summer of Naked Swim Parties (Maryland)
This is a relationship saver. Let's say your lover snores. Let's say, for the sake of this story, that he's a forty-something handsome guy with a morning beard growth that feels like bee-stingers on your face. Let's say you love him in the daylight, but when you go to bed, fall asleep and then wake up at four in the morning to what sounds like a LEAF BLOWER IN YOUR BED you pretty much want to divorce him. You lie awake (while he's happily running power tools through the power of his nose/throat magic) thinking about a nice condo downtown with glass walls, a clean bathroom that no one but you uses, and NO ONE MAKING A RUCKUS IN YOUR BED!
At this point you have two choices: Leave the nice guy who makes seriously disturbing electric garden-tool noises in his sleep. Or figure out how to block out the noise. (Don't move into another bedroom or onto the couch. You need that pheromone bonding while you sleep in order to keep the magic alive!)
I tried earplugs. Didn't work. I tried pillows over my head. Didn't work. I tried kicking him in his beautiful, beefy, hairy thighs. Worked for about ten seconds.
And then I tried the Marpac SleepMate. It has kept me out of the condo market. Seriously.
(I should disclose, however, that on nights when he seems to be running the leaf blower WITH the power saw WHILE WHISTLING, I combine the Marpac with earplugs--Amazing!)
By Captain Tetanus (WI)
I've had trouble sleeping because of background noise for years. I finally bought this because I live in a duplex and my neighbors are loud and erratic in behavior, arguing and moving furniture around at 3:00 am. I was afraid to even try to sleep at home after several days with little sleep and my roommate made me buy this because I was ready to move out.
This product is great. It makes a very fan-like sound, but with no mechanical or cycling sounds, or rattling. This is just a constant whoosh. It has two speeds and you can change the sound of the whoosh by changing the postition of the vent holes on the device. It has a switch right on the side of it, not on the cord so it's easy to use. It's even padded on the bottom to make sure it doesn't vibrate.
I used the low setting last night and slept through the night for the first time in the month since the crazy animals downstairs moved in.
I've been relying on ceiling fans and box fans for background noise for years, this is much better. It's a fuller sound, it covers more, and it doesn't make me cold.
As many others have said in previous reviews, this is unlike those pre-recorded white noise sounds. This cannot repeat, because it's actually making the sound as you hear it.
I travel for a living and stay in a lot of hotels. I look forward to taking this thing with me and blocking out the sounds of neighbor's TV's and talking and vehicles, etc. . . It's very small and lightweight, and seems durable.
I don't know why I didn't buy this sooner. Shooting my neighbors is the only thing that would help me sleep better, but this is legal so perhaps a better choice.
By Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA)
My wife purchased one of these white noise generators for a vacation we were going on over a year ago. It is small and very lightweight with an eight foot long cord, which is nice and long. Its small size means that it fits easily into any luggage and takes up very little room on a night stand. The noise it makes is pleasantly "white," which means that it doesn't disturb you while reading in bed and yet it provides enough cover for the little noises that can sound so loud at night. The volume produced can be modulated by turning the top, making it louder or softer.
Overall, we are very pleased with our purchase of this item. We have experienced nothing but trouble free service from it, and we have even purchased a second one for the baby's room. We love this item and give it our highest recommendations!
By S. Drews (Kenosha, WI)
I purchased this item for our 11 month old who is a VERY light sleeper. We've been using a box fan in her room to generate some noise to cut down on accidental wakeups due to normal noises in our house, but now that the winter is upon us, we were looking for a white noise machine to use in place of the fan (not wanting cold air blowing near her crib) and to also have something portable to take with us traveling.
I was VERY surprised to see that this item arrived in a seemingly tiny box - the item is probably 6 inches x 6 inches in diameter and immediately got concerned. However, the moment I plugged it in, I was pleasantly surprised! The white noise it generates is wonderful - it's not a pre-recorded CD-sounding noise. It is extremely similar in noise to the box fan we were using.
Also, I was slightly put off by some reviews that complained that it was not very loud...it is! It's not too loud, but it is louder than I expected and just perfect for drowning out some noise without being too obtrusive.
I used it the first day we got it and my daughter slept wonderfully! We've used it for every nap and every night since and have had great success with it.
I am EXTREMELY pleased with this item and would recommend it to anyone who is in need of some gentle background noise. I'd like to buy one for our room too!
By M. Anderson (Bay Area, CA)
What can I say about the Marpac 980?
Well, I bought with several months ago so I have had a long time to test it and I am very please with its performance.
I am not what you call a light sleeper. However, it takes me a lot to "get to sleep". Once I am asleep, I am fine. The problem is getting there. I am distracted by cars, trains, people snoring, the cats and kids etc. What is my cure? Background noise. And you can adjust this background noise a number of ways, giving you a very large spectrum of noise settings.
There are 3 main ways to adjust the noise levels with this machine.
1. The High/Low/Off button on the back of the unit - The difference between the High and low setting is the Fan Speed. High seems like it is about double as fast as low. I usually do not use the high setting. It is loud enough for me to keep it at low and still soft enough to keep my wife happy.
2. The Top Ring - I think this ring allows more air to escape the top of the unit. You can adjust this ring to allow the "perfect" amount of air out of it as you see fit.
3. The Base Ring - This ring seems to allow more air into the unit. More air is lower tone and less air is a more constricted higher tone. Again, adjust the ring to your liking.
4. Placement - One of the most important things is where you put this little guy. They recommend putting it a little away from you, perhaps a dresser across the room. This seems to make the sound bounce around the room and give you a fuller feel of the sound. Of course you could put it on the nightstand right next to you and blast yourself with a loud hisss.
Using these four adjustments gives you many many different sounds (hundreds I'd say)..so you should be able to do a little dialing and adjusting to find the perfect hissssssssssss.
Is it loud enough????
Ummm....for me YES. Unless you live in a very loud city/ aircraft carrier/missile range it should be ok.
But seriously. like I said, I am usually in the low setting, across a 10 foot room, and it is plenty loud.
The only thing that I think it is missing is that I would love to have a timer on it. it would be great if it turned itself off after a few hours.
By Jessica Anya Blau, author, The Summer of Naked Swim Parties (Maryland)
This is a relationship saver. Let's say your lover snores. Let's say, for the sake of this story, that he's a forty-something handsome guy with a morning beard growth that feels like bee-stingers on your face. Let's say you love him in the daylight, but when you go to bed, fall asleep and then wake up at four in the morning to what sounds like a LEAF BLOWER IN YOUR BED you pretty much want to divorce him. You lie awake (while he's happily running power tools through the power of his nose/throat magic) thinking about a nice condo downtown with glass walls, a clean bathroom that no one but you uses, and NO ONE MAKING A RUCKUS IN YOUR BED!
At this point you have two choices: Leave the nice guy who makes seriously disturbing electric garden-tool noises in his sleep. Or figure out how to block out the noise. (Don't move into another bedroom or onto the couch. You need that pheromone bonding while you sleep in order to keep the magic alive!)
I tried earplugs. Didn't work. I tried pillows over my head. Didn't work. I tried kicking him in his beautiful, beefy, hairy thighs. Worked for about ten seconds.
And then I tried the Marpac SleepMate. It has kept me out of the condo market. Seriously.
(I should disclose, however, that on nights when he seems to be running the leaf blower WITH the power saw WHILE WHISTLING, I combine the Marpac with earplugs--Amazing!)
