White Noise / Sound Machines > Marpac 980A Sound Screen / SleepMate Reviews
Marpac 980A Sound Screen / SleepMate → Review Based on Over 1,200 Actual Owner Experiences
Last updated April 2, 2011
What You Need To Know
88% of Marpac 980A owners included in our sound / white noise machine research are satisfied with the product.
Pluses
Generally effective; reliability; creates quality white noise.
Minuses
Not much volume control; not loud enough for some, too loud for others.
The Competition
The Marpac 980A's main competition is the Marpac 580A and the MarsonaTSC-330.
See how the Marpac 980A compares to all of the competition in the detailed comparison grid that is based on actual owner data and reviews.
About Our Marpac Research
Our research findings are based on at least 1,200 actual owner experiences and reviews collected from diverse sources including online message boards, product review websites and product review sections on retailers' websites.
Ratings of Marpac / Sleep Mate 980
Sample size: at least 1,200 owner reviews
| Owner satisfaction | Good | The Marpac 980A has 88% owner satisfaction. This puts it near the top in satisfaction among sound / white noise machines. |
| Price | Fair | $50 is the price charged by all known retailers, including Amazon . |
| Value | Good | Given its fairly reasonable price and high owner satisfaction, the 980A is generally regarded as a solid value. |
| Reliability | Good | Owner reviews suggests that reliability is where the Marpac is likely most impressive. Although it is a genuine machine with moving parts, it is durable and long lasting. Some owners report having owned one for decades and use it regularly without problems. |
| Sound quality | Good | The 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. As a result, sound is authentic, not artificial. |
| Loops not noticeable | good | With the Marpac, there's no loop that plays over and over as is the case with machines that play recorded sounds. |
| Volume potential | Good | Reviews generally show that owners are pleased with the volume, but some would like more while others would like less. Unlike the Marpac 580A which has one speed, the 980A has two speeds which affect the volume. |
| Variety of sounds | Poor | Compared to other sound / white noise machines, the Marpac is limited in this area. Tone can only be somewhat altered by rotating the cap and collar of the housing. |
| Plays nature sounds | Poor | The Marpac 980A is a pure white noise generator. It does not play nature sounds. |
| Plays white noise | good | The machine provides a consistent, smooth sound of moving air. |
| Travel friendly | Fair | The Marpac is portable 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. |
| Timer | Poor | The Marpac has no timer. It's either on or off by manual operation. |
| No excessive brightness |
good | The product has no lights to possibly prevent restful sleep. |
| Appearance | Good | The Marpac has a quality look and unique appearance, say many owners. |