Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner
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List Price: Our Price: $54.00 You Save: $5.95 (10%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Health Care See more product details |
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Customer Reviews of Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner
Customer Review: Great for "too quiet" rooms....
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought my townhome over a year ago, and soon found out that my neighbor works the second shift. I took care of loud music after 10 p.m. by getting him fined by our Board and calling the cops over the course of several months- resort to that first, it works well. My main problem now is that although I live in Philly and am used to traffic sounds, I have been waking up in the middle of the night when I hear voices (ie my annoying neighbor still up at 2:30 a.m talking in his room, his loud t.v.) Basically my home is very quiet, so at 2:30 in the morning any new noise will stir me. I have slept through the nite since I bought this product. I actually slept later than I ever have on the weekend, because I am not waking up to the outside noises anymore (ie birds, car doors slamming, my roommate walking around). I was afraid that this product would be too quiet based on some of the reviews. So I also bought a sound machine from sharper image as a back up. That cost me $130 bucks and you can choose over 50 sounds and turn up the volume to ridiculously deafening sounds (no looping of sounds either) It was a pretty cool product, but I am going to return it because this product does the trick. I don't know how to explain it but it must just muffles the other noises out. I still hear my "beep beep" alarm in the a.m. I just mentioned the more expensive product because I know I was willing to spend some cash on a product that would help. If you think this product is too quiet, then you will have to spend some more money but there are other options out there. But I can say, that if your issue is being disturbed by "interrupting" sounds while you sleep this will help. For me, the only negative is that it doesn't come with a remote on/off.Customer Review: Truely a Godsend to insomniacs/late shift workers.
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered this unit because I am a insomniac and very light/neurotic sleeper. The slightest issue with noise, vibration, temperature, or air flow = no sleep for this guy. I originally slept with a box fan the past 10 years. My girlfriend got fed up with me getting up in the middle of the night to readjust the box fan because I would need to reposition it if air started to hit me the wrong way or if the buffeting of the fan blades cause a vibration I didn't like. She ordered me to find another solution and this is what I decided to try. Got the unit, unpacked it, plugged it in around 15 feet away from the head of my bed in the corner of the room on a small nightstand. I was worried because I read reviews that the unit didn't make as much noise as a box fan and thus was not as good as drowning out other noises such as birds which REALLY piss me off in the morning because I work late shifts. I found the unit to produce more than sufficient noise to drown out birds just outside my window on it's lowest setting. Furthermore I found the highest noise level setting to be a bit too loud. Like a very loud hair dryer blowing right next to your head I would say much louder than my box fan. So we sleep with the unit on it's lowest setting. Noise level is similar to a low droning hotel AC unit running next to your bed. To be totally honest the first night's sleep was LEGENDARY. It put me into some kind of a trance/coma within about 20 minutes. Usually takes me 1-2 hours to drift off if I ever do that is. Perfect noise level. No buffeting. No vibrations. No air blowing dust around everywhere. Girlfriend is pleased. I'm getting more sleep and better quality sleep. I wish I had more hands so I could give the sleepmate 4 thumbs up!Customer Review: Marpac 2-Speed Sleep Mate White Noise Generator
Summary: 5 Stars
Quite pleased. This device operates very smoothly, and its appearance radiates quality, actually reminding me of equipment seen in hospitals. The available sounds, even when using the means provided, are really not all that different though, but, yes, there is some difference. The basic sound reminds me of a very smoothly operating fan, but with a very minmal amount of air being expelled. There is one minor annoyance I don't recall seeing anyone else comment on. The switch has three positions. Depressing the top position causes the device to run at the slower speed, the center position turns it off, and the bottom position provides the higher speed. My minor complaint is that, at least over time, it is almost impossible to avoid moving the adjustable collar and cap when turning the device off or on. It is by moving the collar and cap that what variation there is in sound can achieved, except, of course, that the higher speed is louder than the slower one. This means that if you have settled on a desired setting for for the collar and cap, it is very, very easy to move them, thereby losing your desired setting. I have solved this problem by taping the collar and cap in the back with masking tape, but that is not a very elegant solution, especially for a device that otherwise radiates very high quality. It seems to me that this problem could be solved very easily by simply providing a vertical tab with a ridge at the top of the switch. That would allow ones index finger to be placed behind the ridge while the thumb changes the position of the switch. As it is, it is natural to grasp the collar or cap for leverage while depressing the switch, and the collar and cap move quite easily, especially over time.Customer Review: Pleasant white noise
Summary: 4 Stars
When I read the reviews for this item, I noticed there were a lot of people who were very happy with it, a handful who thought it too loud, and a handful who thought it too soft.
I'm in the latter handful - I would like to see a new version of this created that can go *louder*, while preserving softer options. I can still get woken up by a car starting outside my (2nd floor) apartment with this thing on, on its loudest setting. (And that's *with* earplugs in as well. I might be a special case.)
Fortunately, there exists at least one website (designed for parents with babies who wake up easily) from which you may download free short samples of white noise. (Put this sample in iTunes, or whatever music software you have, put it on repeat, and there's just a small break where the sample repeats.) I supplement the Marpac SleepMate with a repeating white noise sample from this site turned up through my stereo speakers as loud as I need it. These two noisemakers combined, plus earplugs, keep me from waking up at night/early in the morning from cars, neighbors, etc. And a full night's sleep is a very, very nice thing.
In summary, I like the full relaxing sound this little 'sound conditioner' produces, and think most people would benefit from this; those of us who need more can supplement it with white noise samples or CDs. (And I think having this, combined with a white noise sample/CD, is probably superior to having *just* a sample or CD - the sound is more filled out with a couple of different sounds at different pitches. Try the samples/CDs first though, since at $50 a pop [at least], these sound conditioning devices are not cheap!)
Customer Review: Not for People That Like the Sound of a Quiet PC
Summary: 1 Stars
It is very likely this review will get passed up by the 900+ others, but it's important to realize this "Sound Conditioner" isn't for everyone. When I first purchased the SleepMate I was excited to receive it after reading the great reviews and watching a couple YouTube clips (which in hindsight only give you half an idea of what they sound like). When it was first turned on, it sounded like a mix between an old computer fan (specifically CPU) and a very quiet vacuum. There are two volume levels. It has basic "EQ"ing by cutting the higher frequency noises with a twist of the top or cutting mid frequencies with a twist at the middle; you can't control the lower frequency noises. When the mids and highs are cut all the way down you can hear the motor clearest. When twisting full open, you cycle through various 1990's PC fan noises--full open being the cheapest sounding PC of them all. I spend extra money buying quiet case fans for work to prevent hearing this all day. Why would I want to bring this sound to my home? If listening to a noisy PC is not your idea of a great night's sleep, then stay away from this.
If you like the sound of wind blowing, then buy yourself a quiet desk fan or a larger one for big spaces. Have it face the ceiling and cover parts of it with duct tape or place various objects on or around it to get more EQing (if that's your thing). They usually have 3+ "volume" (aka speed) settings. If you're concerned about your room being drafty just place the fan facing an enclosed space, like in a far corner or under a vanity, to create a weak vortex. Your ears will thank you for it and you'll have more utility during the summer months.