# White noise machine recommendations? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-noise-machine-recommendations/463952 "2008-09-17T04:12:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steadierfooting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@steadierfooting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steadierfooting)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-noise-machine-recommendations/463952/1 "2008-09-17T04:12:16Z")
My roommate is unecessarily loud late at night. During the summer I have no problems sleeping through it because the noise of the box air conditioner drowns out him. When I take it out though, I won’t be able to fall asleep. I have some of those nature mp3s, but not to keen on that. Has anyone had any positive experiences with white noise machines? Maybe something like the ‘SleepMate 980A’ which seems to be the same sound as my AC. I Don’t want to put the money out if it’s not going to work. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-noise-machine-recommendations/463952/2 "2008-09-17T04:19:21Z")
I love the sound of my room fan on low. When I don’t want it blowing on me, I just turn it toward the wall (and I still enjoy the increased air circulation in the room). ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-noise-machine-recommendations/463952/3 "2008-09-17T07:33:06Z")
Perhaps overkill for what you need it for, but I have the PEARL model with white noise: [http://www.biobrite.com/products.php?category=SunRise%20Clocks](http://www.biobrite.com/products.php?category=SunRise%20Clocks) (about halfway down). The noise machine is great, it’s just steady hissing static, no obvious break where the sound loops and starts over as in other machines. ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-noise-machine-recommendations/463952/4 "2008-09-17T07:58:03Z")
Homedics makes a bunch of “sound spa” machines in the under-$50 range. I’ve been wonderfully happy with mine, I got it when guy in the adjacent bedroom set his alarm to go off at 6am every morning. My model isn’t for sale any more but I think [this](http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-5264999-3849738?ASIN=B0009Y2E42&AFID=Froogle&LNM=B0009Y2E42%7CHoMedics_Sound_SPA_Relaxation_Sound_Machine&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B0009Y2E42&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001) is the repackaged vn. Some of the sounds are kinda annoying (like ‘heartbeat’) but at least one lulled me off to sleep (I think it’s ‘waterfall’) and that is what I used. The sounds do have an obvious pattern if you listen, but it hasn’t kept it from working for me. As always, YMMV (my boyfriend hates the thing). ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-noise-machine-recommendations/463952/5 "2008-09-17T16:39:17Z")
> [@steadierfooting](#): > > My roommate is unecessarily loud late at night. > Has anyone had any positive experiences with white noise machines? Maybe something like the ‘SleepMate 980A’ which seems to be the same sound as my AC. I Don’t want to put the money out if it’s not going to work. I have a SleepMate white noise machine (I don’t know the exact number, as mine is several years old.) I use it regularly, and yes, it is similar to the sound of an AC. Amazing that such a little thing can make such a big sound. It has worked perfectly to dim background noise and stop me from being in 'half awake freak out ‘cause that sounded like zombies’ mode. 🙂