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Reviews & Rating of Marpac 980A Sound Screen / SleepMate -- Based on Over 1,000 Actual Owner Experiences

Page last updated: May 2010



 

What You Need To Know
88% of Marpac 980A owners included in our research are satisfied with the product.

Pros
Generally effective; reliable and durable

Cons
Not much volume control; not loud enough for some, too loud for others

More info
Detailed comparison grid
Summary for sound / white noise machine reviews & ratings
Why a sound / white noise machine?


About Our Research
Our findings are based on at least 1,000 actual owner experiences collected from diverse sources including online message boards, product review websites and product review sections on retailers' websites.


Ratings of Marpac / Sleep Mate 980A
Sample size: at least 1,000 owners

Effectiveness
Good-Excellent
Sound quality
Good
Loops noticeable
--
Volume potential
Good
Plays nature sounds
No
Plays white noise
Yes
Variety of sounds
Low
Reliability
Good-Excellent
Value
Good-Excellent
Compact
Fair-Good
Light weight
Fair-Good
Can run on batteries
No
Travel friendly
Fair-Good
Clock / alarm
No
Lights
No
Appearance
Good
Timer
No
Price
$50

Glossary


This Marpac 980A is a true white noise machine in that it creates white noise through the use of rushing air, as opposed to providing a recording. Think of it as a fan without the air circulation. It makes no nature sounds.

The noise produced is consistent and steady without the surprises that can occur with nature recording, such as chirping birds. Also, there's no loop that plays over and over as is the case with machines that play recorded sounds.

The difference between the Marpac 980A and the Marpac 580A is that the 980A has high and low settings which provide a greater (although still limited) range of tone and volume. The 980A is also more expensive.

The Marpac has no timer. It's either on or off by manual operation.

The product is portable and travel friendly given its fairly small size (7.4 x 5.8 x 3.8 inches) and low weight (1.5 pounds). On the downside, it can't run on batteries.

Durability is where the Marpac might be most impressive. Although it is a genuine machine with moving parts to create the noise, it is durable and long lasting. Some owners report having owned one for decades and use it every night without problems. In other words, expect it to last several years with reasonable care.