If you’re here, I assume you’re thinking about getting the Manta Sound Sleep Mask. Here’s my personal review of it after trying it out.
Overview (TL;DR)
For those who don’t want to read the details, here is the quick summary. Elaborated details are in the article.
Bottom Line
This is now my go-to sleep mask even when I don’t use the sound function.
Pros
- Pleasantly surprised by the sound quality the mask offers.
- Very impressed by the battery life.
- Much lighter than expected and compressible.
- Easily gives me total blackout.
Cons
- Can feel stuffy after a period if you put it on too tightly.
- Price is high if you’re comparing it solely to regular sleep masks.
Particularly good for people who
- Fall asleep while listening to music/podcasts/audiobooks.
- Tend to sleep on their side or turn around while sleeping.
- Want a comfy mask with audio function that’s also convenient on-the-go.
In this review, I’ll go through some of the core features while also considering if it’s suitable for travel and at home.
Physical Dimension
Seeing that this mask needs to hold the relevant electronics, I had a certain expectation of the weight and chunkiness of it.
And when I first saw the product packaging, it sort of added on to that belief. While it was a sleek looking box, it was also twice the height of the Manta Weighted Mask’s packaging box which I also ordered.
However, I was really surprised when I held the mask itself. It is way lighter than I anticipated and most of its thickness came from soft comfy padding, which makes it very easily compressible.
The mask also comes with a charging cable, an additional overhead strap, and a convenient pouch to store it, making it good for travel.
Total Blackout
I rarely require total blackout from sleep masks so while this is not a priority feature for me, it is a core feature for any good sleep mask.
Total blackout is achievable with all the Manta Sleep Masks. You can adjust it to fully block out any light even during day time. This makes it good for travel purposes if you want to sleep on the road and are sensitive to light.
Note that it might not fit perfectly when you first randomly strap it on. The product is delivered as a single standard, and there are billions of face and head shapes in the world. You might have to adjust it to fit your face contours.
It can be easy or might take some adjustments, depending on your face and the mask. For example, I find it way easier to achieve total blackout with the Manta Sound Mask than the Weighted Manta Mask, which I also have.
Play around with the eye cup positions, the way you strap the eye mask or how tight you strap it to achieve total blackout. There’s multiple ways you can adjust it to your comfort.
Sound Function
This is the standout point of the Manta Sound Sleep Mask, it comes with an embedded Bluetooth Speaker that can be paired with your devices.
I will dive deeper into several related factors here since it’s probably also why you’re considering this mask over other regular sleep masks.
Sound Quality
Now, I’m not a geek or expert at audio quality, so I can only point out my personal experience. Overall, I’m very impressed by the quality of the sound.
I kind of expected something of just basic quality, seeing how they have to stuff a speaker system within the sleep mask. However, I find the quality is as good, if not better, than my earbuds.
With the eyes covered, it feels like I’m transported to a different place.
I remember the first time I heard rain sound from a sleeping soundtrack I was listening to, I actually questioned if it was raining for real at my place. So it is more than sufficient for any audio tracks I use when sleeping.
Adjusting Volume
I love the number of factors you can adjust to manage the sound volume.
- You can control the volume from your connected device or on the eye mask itself.
- You can also move the position of the earpiece with the two blue stripes on either side. That affects the volume depending on how close it is to your ear.
- Or you can tighten or loosen the eye mask in general, which also brings the earpiece closer or further from your ear.
All those options make it super easy to get the right volume I like, or even make changes to it as I drift into slumber.
Battery Life
In the instruction manual, Manta Sleep recommends charging the device after each use.
And it’s not hard to do. The device runs on USB-C, which almost all my devices do. So it’s easy enough to plug it in.
But I decided to try and test how long the battery would last. But even after using it for 4 nights without charge, the thing is still going.
I’m not sure if my earbuds can last one full night without dying. Definitely not two, let alone four.
This is great for traveling when I might not have the socket space to charge the sleep mask since I typically prioritize charging my laptop, phone, and camera.
Masking Unpleasant Noise
I find the sound function is also good for masking out unpleasant external noises (like people snoring, chatting). I can choose a more soothing sound/music to cover that.
That said, it is not really meant for blocking out loud outside noises if you want a totally quiet sleep environment.
Your music selection still needs sufficient volume to counteract the external noise. The mask doesn’t magically erase external noise. If you are looking for silence, use earplugs for that.
Ease of Use
The mask itself is strap on, and everything is operated via velcro. So there’s nothing complicated there.
The most external portion which holds the electronics can be peeled of from the other layers (which primarily contacts your skin) so the mask can be washed.
Pairing is super easy; there are only 3 buttons to control the electronics, so I consider it rather dummy-proof.
I don’t know if the two earpieces on either side are wirelessly connected or wired, but I had no issue with them compared to my earbuds, which sometimes have a problem pairing with each other.
The two tiny handles at the side that controls the earpiece positioning are just genius. You not having to perfectly match static earpieces to the ear, while also getting the strap on right for blackout and comfort. Everything is adjustable, making it rather hassle-free.
Comfort
A pro and one of my only cons here.
Soft And Thin
I was very impressed with how sleeping on the earpieces didn’t feel uncomfortable.
I thought there might be a weird bulge or something from the earpiece area, but the electronics are so thin I’m comfortable sleeping on my side, while resting on the earpiece area.
Definitely much more comfortable than sleeping on my earbuds.
Wraps Around Head
As much as I always thought headphones look cool, I’ve never gotten used to using them. This is because my ears get sore very quickly (like within 2 hours) from the headphones pressing on them.
Now, the Manta Sleep Mask goes around your head and over the ears, so it can feel like that if you have it strapped on super tight for an extended period.
However, it’s almost a non-issue for me because I don’t strap it on super tight. I have it hanging loosely around my head while still allowing me to twist and turn without it falling off.
Granted that might affect the total blackout depending on your head shape, but for me, the sleep mask is more than sufficient in blocking the extra light in a regular lights-off room.
I see this as an issue only if I’m looking to sleep for very long hours in a very bright environment that needs the eye mask to provide all of the blackout. A very rare case for me even when traveling.
But if that’s you and your ears tend to hurt easily due to pressure, consider the other alternatives which have straps that don’t have to go over your eye.
For example, the weighted Manta Sleep Mask has two straps, I wear it with one above my ear and another below.
Interestingly, I can also get total blackout with the Manta Sound Sleep Mask without strapping it over my ear. The eye cups are pretty well covered. But if you are not using the sound function, then it kind of doesn’t make sense to pay the premium for this mask.
Price
That said, let’s talk price.
Between using a separated Sleep Mask + Earbuds combo vs. the Manta Sound Sleep Mask, the Manta Sleep Mask is clearly the better option for me function-wise.
But at over US$100, this is certainly not a cheap purchase for most, which is probably one of the reasons you might be hesitating.
If you compare the price to sleep masks in general, it’s certainly expensive but also not a fair comparison, seeing it has a whole additional sound function.
But I also get it feels weird comparing it to headphones because the only place you’ll use it is in your bed.
Maybe a better train of thought is to think about how much your sleep is worth, and whether this is a reasonable price for better sleep. It is very much an investment in your sleep if you do value that audio function.
Fortunately, Manta Sleep do have a 60-day money-back guarantee on their products, so you can always order and test it out.
If the mask drastically helps your sleep, it’s almost a no brainer; after all we spend 1/3 of our life snoozing. If not, you can always send it back for a refund.
Improve Sleep
Whenever I can’t fall asleep, I would get up and wander around, going back to my phone or laptop, which kind of makes things worse.
With the Manta Sound Sleep Mask, I feel way less pressure to get up and “do something” since I can just continue lying in bed while listening to music or a podcast/audiobook. I will then gradually fall asleep with my eyes closed.
I also don’t have to worry about stopping the music/audio before I sleep, fearing my earbuds might fall off and go missing, or run out of battery for the next day.
It’s one of those things I will just slide into my travel backpack, especially if I’m spending long time on transports.
