A different kind of sleep machine.

If you’ve ever used one of cheap sleep machines that generate sounds of rain, waves, etc. you usually find out something annoying about them quite quickly. To save money, they use a digital chip that repeats the same computer generated sound every 5 seconds or so. You suddenly find you’re more awake than sleepy because the sound becomes more annoying than relaxing. I spoke to the inventor of SOUND+SLEEP and he told me they use high-quality, mostly natural and lengthy recordings of relaxing sounds from ocean waves to crackling fires. But what makes this sleep machine very different is its Adaptive Mode. A built-in computer and microphone continuously “listen” for intruding noises such as barking dogs, automobiles, overhead airplanes, or loud roommates. In Adaptive Mode, SOUND+SLEEP dynamically adds sounds to the SoundStory and automatically adjusts volume to offer superior sound masking or neutralizing capabilities. As the intrusive noises subside, SOUND+SLEEP gradually and automatically returns to normal playback settings. The sound itself is very rich and full with its high quality top-facing speakers. More than just a single sound, each of SOUND+SLEEP’s 10 SoundStories has a library of dozens of enhancing sounds. There’s a “Richness” setting which determines how many sounds are added to augment the base SoundStory. Other features include the ability to turn Adaptive Mode OFF and ON; four sleep timers with automatic, gradual off; and even the ability to turn display lights completely off. $99.99.

www.soundofsleep.com