Customer Reviews

Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner

5 star:		(1,310)
4 star:		(286)
3 star:		(115)
2 star:		(83)
1 star:		(81)

 

 

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.

I researched many white noise machines and read many reviews before deciding on the Marpac 580. The 580 is less expensive than the 980 with no speed adjustment, but it performs quite adequately, and truthfully the speed control is unnecessary. The Marpac machines operate mechanically rather than electronically, which in my opinion is a more reliable way to go. Also these machines don't experience sound or volume problems like other brands. The adjustable volume and tone can accomodate a very large room. The average bedroom requires much less than its maximum volume is capable of. The 580 is simple, basic, and sturdy. It performs well not only for children but adults too, drowning out typical city background noises. We like it so much, we have purchased two...and now my mother wants one. Everyone who has used it has remarked on how uninterrupted their sleep is. I highly recommend the Marpac 580

I started using a white noise machine years ago, and had been using the same device for all that time. In the past few years, it's been breaking down, so I've been searching for a replacement with no success. Most of the products I've tried have prerecorded sounds (even for white noise!) that repeat in a obvious way -- at least for someone who uses the device for the whole night. This machine actually seems to use a fan or something to generate the white noise, thus eliminating the need to reproduce the sound. It did seem to have a low whistling sound at the lower speed that was annoying (that wasn't there the first night but appeared subsequently soon thereafter). But the higher speed seems fairly good, if loud. I am definitely very satisfied, though. If you're looking for a white noise machine that will run through the night and produce good white noise to sleep by, this is the machine for you.

The first thing to note is that this manufacturer sells the identical product under two names, SleepMate and SoundScreen. The only difference is the name--having "SleepMate" on the label was deemed a bit awkward for office use. They're both exactly the same otherwise.

I bought this based on wildly favorable reviews online. I found no one who rated it anything less than "incredible." I am extremely sensitive to noise. If a bit of the neighbor's stereo noise bleeds into my home, I'm completely unable to tune it out. I can't read, and sometimes can't even watch TV comfortably. Unfortunately, I live in an area of dense apartments--where the weather is such that the windows have to stay open--and my husband snores. I sleep with earplugs, but the noise can still keep me awake.

In the past I have tried other noise machines that didn't work for me--things like "rainfall" cds or electronic noise machines with similar nature sounds. The problem was that they play a loop of sound, and you can hear a pattern as the loop replays. Once there's a pattern, there's something to pay attention to, and your mind does not tune it out well. This machine generates pure "white noise," which I hoped would be more helpful.

The product is the size and shape of a fat smoke detector. Two things surprised me when I first received it. First, it was quieter than I thought it would be--even the loudest setting seems quieter than a window air conditioner. Even still, my husband complained he wouldn't be able to sleep with "all that noise." (He got used to it within a day or two). It sounds something like a fan--a rush of air. Although you can adjust the volume and tone somewhat, the highest volume is also the highest pitch. Personally I wish it had a deeper tone.

The second surprise is the instructions say to place it *away* from you, so the sound can "fill the room." The ideal positioning pictured has it on a high dresser across from the foot of the bed. Unfortunately, my only option was to place it on the bedside table. I don't know if this really affected my results.

After using it for a while, I would say that it makes it a bit easier to tune out noises, but by no means covers them up. So, once I'm asleep (I still use earplugs), I can stay asleep. If I can manage to get my attention focused on a book the neighborhood noises probably won't break my concentration. But once I hear the noise I still can't tune it out. In fact, a couple times I have actually turned off the machine so that I could identify some sound--not knowing "what is that?" was actually bugging me more than when I could hear it clearly. But like I said, I'm a freak about noise.

This would be ideal for covering traffic sounds--it's just the right sort of noise and pitch. But if your problem is a neighbor's stereo, that mind-numbing bass is not going to sound much different with this than without. It really doesn't "cover up" sounds, but if you have a reasonable ability to tune things out (unlike myself) and just need a little help, you will probably be very happy with this. And it's definitely helpful for *staying* asleep, even for me.

It doesn't solve all my problems, but based on the reasonable price I'm satisfied with the value I got for my money.

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.

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!

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!

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!)

I was concerned when I read the review about the EMF rating and emailed the company. They promptly emailed me the following response that put my mind at ease:

Quote:
The person who posted that comment is placed a Gauss meter directly against the housing of a Sleep Mate and took a reading on his amateur Gauss meter. He could take that same meter and walk by his refrigerator, bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans, or any device in his home that contains an electric motor and get similar readings. If the general public had any clue how much EMF is produced by cell phones and were concern about this being a cancer risk, they would be astonished. EMF exposure to concentrated levels from high voltage power lines or other circumstances where high levels of EMF can be measured at a great distance from the source should be considered a risk...Sleep Mate is not.

I can tell you for certain that the inventor of this product is 90 years old and he and his wife have used Sleep Mate on his nightstand nearly every night since 1962 and they are both in pretty good health (he recently broke his hip). Neither of them have ever had any form of cancer.

This product is in its fourth generation design and has been in use in one form or another for over 45 years.

I hope this helps and please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Kind regards,

Marpac Corporation

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!