Whilst this isn’t a product that will help you to soundproof a room, it will mean that you or your baby will hopefully get a far better night’s sleep. It’s a great product, and I don’t hesitate at all in recommending it.
I’ve blogged previously about how my wife and I use the Marpac sound dohm in our baby’s nursery room, and can only tell you how much it has helped us.
I can’t promise it will do the same for you, but at the reasonable cost you can pick one up for an Amazon, it’s worth a shot if it means improved sleep and less noise disturbance. Click here to see the latest prices on Amazon.
Read on for my review of the Marpac Dohm-DS, which also includes some aspects you should be aware of – I don’t write glowing reviews of products I’ve not used before, and this is the same – 100% honesty with everything you need to know about the Marpac sound dohm including common questions answered.
Marpac Dohm Review
We have 2 of these in our home, one in our room, and one in our baby’s room. I swear by them and as someone who historically has had a hard time sleeping, it’s the perfect product to help drown out background noise disturbance.
Marpac are an industry leader and have been manufacturing similar sound conditioner products for many years – you only have to view the reviews that they have on Amazon to get a great feel for how well-regarded this machine is.
The product itself is the official sound conditioner and white noise machine for the National Sleep Foundation – you can see that on the National Sleep Foundation website.
Obviously you would hope that those guys know what they are talking about so I doubt you could get a higher recommendation.
In terms of the mechanics of the Marpac Dohm-DS, the DS part stands for dual speed. What this means is that you can select from two different settings depending on how loud the noise you want to drown out is.
It’s very simple to use.
We use ours every night and have done for 3 years.
The sound that it emits is something similar to a rushing wind noise – this is white noise, and your brain reacts to it by filtering out other noises, which is why the Marpac dohm works so well for sleep.
It only uses 18 watts so is very friendly with regards to electricity usage, and is very sturdy and solid. I’ve knocked it off the bedside table once or twice and it still works perfectly – it’s just really well designed and built to be honest.
Are there any negatives?
OK so any review of the Marpac Dohm-DS needs to be completely honest, so here goes; it’s not extremely loud. If a door gets slammed in your house, it will mask it, but you might still get woken up.
But, if you have a house with wooden floors like we do, with lots of squeaks and thuds happening then it’s will fit the bill and help to alleviate wake-ups in the night.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Much Electricity Does it Use?
If cost is a concern, then let me put your mind at rest. The Marpac Dohm-DS uses 18 watts. If you were running this 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year, then it could be around 3 cents of electricity spend daily – which equates to around 11 dollars a year!
If you value your sleep, or that of your baby, then surely this is a small price to pay. Let’s be honest, it’s a negligible cost when it comes to power usage annually.
Will it Mask the Sound of Noisy Neighbors?
We have two units, one in our bedroom, and one in our baby’s room. When we previously lived in an apartment, we had noisy neighbors upstairs who would stomp around at night, keeping us up and disturbing our sleep.
I found that when running the Marpac Dohm, it did mask out the noise of our neighbors in most situations. There was one night where they had a massive argument which did wake me, but for typical moving around noises it did the trick and meant we slept fine.
Does it Stop You from Hearing Barking Dogs in the Neighborhood?
For us yes, but it will depend on how close the dogs are to your house. You will find that you mind focuses in on the white noise generated by the Marpac sound dohm, which will help to filter out the noise of any barking dogs.
I have previously written a blog post about how white noise machines work, so if you need any additional information go check that out as it explains in more detail the science behind this type of machine.
Will it Help With Loud Street Noise or Road Traffic?
See my previous answer regarding dog’s barking. Again it will depend on the distance to the noise, but be aware that there are 2 settings on the Marpac Dohm-DS with one being louder than the other.
So in this case if you still hear noise, turn the dohm up to the louder setting to see if that masks the road traffic or street noise. I can only tell you my own experiences which have been wholly positive with the Marpac product.
Common Problems
I always aim to be honest, and my Marpac Dohm-DS review is no different, and there will be some things you will need to get used to, or find a problem.
For example, when you first start using the Marpac you might smell a plastic smell. Don’t be concerned as this is a common problem when you use the product from brand new. The plastic smell will subside after about a week of use – it did for me.
However, if it’s more of a burning plastic smell then stop using the product immediately as this could mean you have a faulty model that will need returning. I’ve not heard of any product recalls with this though, and have never heard of anybody experiencing any electrical faults.
I have also read reports of there being fake Marpac dohms for sale online, which is why I always recommend that you buy from a reputable online store such as Amazon. As with any popular sleep aid device, there will be people out there looking to jump on the bandwagon.
You expose yourself to danger if you buy a fake product, as they probably won’t conform to electrical safety standards.
Review Conclusion
This product does work. But it will depend on the volume and distance you are away from the noise that is disturbing your sleep or that of your children. I can only say how well it has worked in our own home, but to be honest, you won’t really know until you buy it.
And how much does it cost? Well on some websites I have seen it for less than $50. But I would always recommend looking on Amazon first. You have to ask yourself what price you are prepared to place on the value of a good night’s sleep.
At that cost, it’s worth a punt to see how well it can work in your home. I recommend buying on Amazon.com as the retailer will often have price promotions in place, plus you can also read thousands of more Marpac Dohm-DS reviews from other real customers to see what they have to say.
Product Specification
The device was first invented in 1962, with the Dohm-DS device being the 4th generation model. It doesn’t play electronics, but instead produces a sound of rushing air using a built-in internal fan system.
- Dual speed – with internal fan and acoustic housing
- White noise – emits soothing rushing air sounds to aid sleep
- Voltage – 120 v and 18 watts
- Guarantee – 12 months with great customer service
- Dimensions – : 5.8 x 5.8 x 3.2 inches ; 1.6 pounds
