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Unbiased White Noise / Sound Machine Comparison

Based on 7,204 Actual Consumer Experiences

March 18, 2013

See glossary below for more information and explanation. Click on a product for a detailed review / rating based on actual owner experiences. Ratings for each product are based on a sample size of at least 70 owner experiences. "NA" below means the feature is not available.

	Brookstone	Brookstone Travel	Conair Sound Therapy	DEX Sound Sleeper	Ecotones	Graco Sweet Slumber	HoMedics Sound Spa	HoMedics Lullaby	Dohm	Marsona TSC-330	Sharper Image	Sleep Sheep	Sound Oasis	Sound Oasis Travel
Owner satisfaction	81%	72%	59%	63%	87%	77%	67%	63%	88%	84%	73%	88%	75%	72%
Price	$130	$90-$100	$20-$30	$20-$30	$98	$38	$20	$20	$45-$55	$70-$80	$40	$20	$50	$90
Adult suitable	b+	A	A-	d	a	d	b	d	a	a	a	f	a-	a
Child suitable	c+	d+	d	a	b-	a	c	a	a-	c	d	a	c	d+
Reliability	C	D+	c-	c	b-	c	c-	d+	b+	b	c-	b-	c	c-
Sound quality	B	C+	c	c-	b+	b	c	c+	b+	c+	c	c	b-	c
Loops not noticeable	B-	B	c-	c-	b+	c	c	c+	a+	a	c	c	a-	c-
Volume potential	B	B	b	d+	c+	c-	b-	c	b+	c+	b-	c-	b	c-
Variety of sounds	B	B-	b-	b	b	B+	c	c-	d	c-	b	c-	b-	b
Nature sounds	B	b	b-	a-	b+	b-	b-	b-	NA	b	c	b	b	b+
White noise	B	B-	c	c	b+	b	b-	b-	a	b	b	c+	a-	b
Travel friendly	c+	B	c-	c+	c-	c+	b-	c-	c	b	c-	a	c+	b+
Clock/alarm	NA	B	c	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	b+	NA	b-	a
Timer	A	b	c+	c	a	b	a	a	NA	NA	a	c	a	a
Not too bright	D-	c	c	a	b	c	b+	c	a+	a	c-	a	a-	c+
Appearance	A	b+	c	c+	c+	c+	c	c+	c	c	b	b	c+	b+
Can run on batteries	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	yes	yes	Yes

Glossary

Owner satisfaction

Percentage of owners who indicate that overall they are satisfied with the product. Owner satisfaction rates for each product are based on a sample size of at least 150 owner experiences. The maximum margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points.

Price

The price charge by most, if not all, retailers.

Adult Suitable

The sound / white noise machine has features and sounds intended primarily for adults.

Child Suitable

The machine has features and sounds intended primarily for babies, infants and children.

Reliability

How well the machine is made and how long it can be expected to last given reasonable care.

Sound quality

How well the speaker(s) produces sound that is clear, realistic and pleasing to the ear.

Loops not noticeable

Most sound / white noise machines use digital recordings of noises to produce sound. These recordings last only a few seconds and then play over and over. If a person can tell when the recording starts over then the loop is noticeable, and this can be distracting to some people. The more expensive
models tend to not have noticeable loops.

Volume potential

How high the volume can go on the machine. Loud unwanted noises often require a machine that can produce high volume in order to mask them.

Variety of sounds

The number of different sounds the machine produces. It should be pointed out that most owners of sound / white noise machines listen to only a small number of the sounds that their machine can produce. In other words, variety is not especially important to most people.

Plays nature sounds

The machine plays nature sounds (rain, a flowing stream, waves coming ashore, croaking frogs, etc.), as opposed to producing only white noise (consistent, steady noise).

Plays white noise

The machine plays genuine white noise (consistent, invariable noise). White noise is often, but not always, the preferred sound from a sound / white noise machine because is it steady and lacks inconsistencies, resulting potentially in more relaxation. Nature sounds, by contrast, can lack consistency, such as when birds suddenly chirp or a wave crashes onto the shore.

Travel friendly

The machine is reasonably compact, lightweight, can be battery powered if necessary and may have other travel-friendly features.

Clock / alarm

The machine includes a clock and alarm built into its design.

Timer

The machine can be set to go off automatically, as opposed to manually.

No excessive brightness

Having lights to illuminate the machine is an advantage in that you can easily operate the machine in the dark. But lights can also be a disadvantage in that they may prevent darkness and, therefore, sound sleep.

Appearance

The style and design are pleasing to the eye.

Can run on batteries

The machine does not need to be plugged in to operate. Most machines can run on four AA batteries.

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