Manta Sleep SOUND Mask Review
Summary: Manta Sleep's top-of-the-line SOUND mask is a premium product at an equal price point. If you're looking for the best in breed, this is it.
4
Sleep SOUND'er
Confession: I’m the world’s most staccato light sleeper and rarely sleep through the night. Thus, when Manta Sleep graciously offered me the chance to review their latest SOUND Mask, boy was I grateful for the opportunity. In doing so, I confess the inspiration for the Manta Review was the stellar sister Laser sleep mask analysis by compadre Chris O’Connor.
As evidenced by the unboxing (see below), Manta isn’t kidding around with its latest and most expensive offering. Build quality is stellar, everything wonderfully lightweight and breathable, and intuitive galore. Importantly – and for side sleepers like me – the SOUND eye cups are deliberately shaped and simultaneously adjustable to compensate for all that inevitable back and forth aggressive tumbling. In tandem, the SOUND’s Bluetooth enabled speakers are purposefully moveable via a very clever tab system to always enable perfect alignment with ear canal opening.
In execution, everything is as good as advertised. Finding a proper size and level of tightness for the band was easy peasy. I didn’t require the provided secondary overhead strap, plus didn’t want to risk it becoming cumbersome as I tossed and turned (side-to-side).
Manta Sleep SOUND’s C‑shaped eye cups – when oriented properly to match one’s eye separation – truly provide 100% light blocking… and amazingly so. As a VR veteran, I was very pleasantly surprised to see something that accomplishes the otherwise unthinkable, with nary a light pocket when lying on my side. Even when flopping like the nighttime fish I am, the SOUND’s eye cups maintained a nice and soft grip, kept the light out, and didn’t apply additional pressure to my eye sockets. I’m dying to try out the cooling pads from the Manta Sleep store, as my eyes exhausted from all day sessions at the computer [as I work remotely].
Audibly, Manta Sleep SOUND’s adjustable speakers work wonderfully, with iOS Bluetooth sync a breeze. I did require some slight in‑use speaker manipulation stemming from my discordant sleep patterns, and – again – it was easy to perfectly place them post‑mask donning thanks to the clever external tabs. Note there is a logical sound limit to the speakers to ensure you don’t accidentally blow your ears out with the SOUND’s razor‑thin speakers so proximal to your ears. These bad boys also sport an amazing 24‑hour battery life, so no daily charge is required. The mask likewise has a logical auto‑shut‑off after 30 minutes when no audio is playing. (Thus, I suggest turning off loop audio to save battery life.)
After several nights of use, the Manta Sleep SOUND executed as promised and then some. It was ridiculously relaxing to engage with an array of Apple Music‑curated sleep sounds via this mask, and the 100% blackout combined with the audio made for a truly relaxing experience. Coming from a person who can almost never relax, this is no small feat. The SOUND front mask controls are all perfectly placed and easy to use (to change volume). They reside within a smartly designed magnet housing to ensure button alignment stays put during use.
Sadly, I couldn’t fall asleep with the SOUND on, never becoming truly comfortable enough to do so. Importantly, this shortcoming has nothing to do with the Manta Sleep SOUND mask or materials. The mask remained comfortable throughout. I’m also a newbie to sleep masks, so this may change over time…? I will certainly continue to use this mask to assist in my bedtime ritual, either way. I was fast asleep after 10–15 min with the mask on and minutes after manually removing it.
There are some mild hiccups with the SOUND worth noting. First, the available hook‑and‑ladder (Velcro) attach area is size‑limited. I understand why there isn’t a physical wrap loop present (to potentially press against the side of the head near the speaker area, creating discomfort), but this ends up – for smaller heads like mine – requiring the Velcro to attach to the actual mask frame. This attach style did not impact steadfastness, but it’s not ideal. I fear thread deterioration over time from tension.
Also, I was shocked there is no Manta SOUND software for something so premium in quality and price. Meaning, the SOUND’s audio works akin to any other Bluetooth speaker (like the Laser does), a simple sync in an iOS/Android phone Settings menu. This also means – as previously stated – all sleep music is provided by the user. As a premium Apple Music subscriber this isn’t an issue [to create a library playlist of curated sleep choices]. But this is an arguably poor look that Manta didn’t think to license anything [clinically proven to assist in sleep], plus it’s an opportunity missed in branding via said app. There’s so much one can do in tweaking sleep‑related audio too.
On the premium bit, how much are adjustable eye cups and speakers worth to you? There is a high literal cost of entry for these features compared with lesser Manta options… let alone the Laser which – while not adjustable in cups and speakers – is ¼ the MSRP. And seemingly the same audio control box resides in every Amazon‑available sleep mask, regardless of price point.
Thus, if you’re like myself and new to this world, side sleepers may be better served by tiering up across the Manta mask suite of offerings. As an example, the Pro offers everything but the audio at almost half the price. Entry level is $40 US.
Conversely, and speaking from literal experience, a good night’s sleep is invaluable. Manta is the arguable top‑of‑the‑line sleep mask for a reason, and you will not find such stellar attention to detail anywhere else on the market. I can’t speak to post‑purchase experience, but the fact that there’s an array of add‑ons and customisations does speak to commitment.
Final Thoughts
Manta Sleep’s premium SOUND Mask walks the walk in its wonderful build quality, moveable C‑shaped eye cups (great for side sleepers), perfect blackout, and adjustable speakers with solid battery life. The lack of a dedicated audio app and a larger band attachment area are dings, but not enough to detract from the overall experience and value.
Unboxing Photos
About the Author
Paul Stuart A gamer for over 30 years with 400+ reviews across four sites literally spanning the globe, Paul Stuart has an unhealthy obsession with Assassins Creed, God of War, and all things Lord of the Rings.
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