My Dad's Mysterious Sound Conditioner

Opening a family heirloom can be nerve wracking, but I will take this one in stride. My Dad's Sound Conditioner needs a little TLC, and a little tear down - but gently! Enjoy....
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[@onemoremisfit]

When I was a teen in the 70s I had to go with my folks to talk to a social worker for a number of sessions, he would talk with me alone, and also talk with my parents together while I would wait alone in the outer office. After a while of sitting there alone I noticed what I thought was the HVAC system to be loud and persistent, so I traced the noise under a piece of furniture, and found this device, and immediately I knew its purpose, so I turned it off and moved close to the inner office door and found I could clearly hear the conversation. I thought they would be talking about me, but it turned out they were talking about marriage stuff that I didn't want to know, so I turned the noise maker back on and sat down and read magazines.

[@carlosallende2595]

They sussed you out! Then deliberately put you off while having a good laugh at your expense (just kidding).

[@stitchfinger7678]

My therapists office (suite in a larger bldg) had these EVERYWHERE It was awesome

[@skunklungz]

i love this comment lol

[@elkabong6429]

Wonderful story!

[@Paul_VK3HN]

Nice story, " they were talking about marriage stuff' LOL 😉

[@bigclivedotcom]

That was really unexpected. I thought it was going to be a speaker with white noise generated by a reverse biased junction and some filtering. The shaded pole motor and fridge-like fan was unusual. Like a white-noise siren.

[@amyk6403]

Tinnitus....my very own internal sound conditioner!

[@LogiForce86]

We came a long way in noise cancelling technology (aka sound conditioning) since 1962, that's for sure. Can't do without my trusty Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones, especially when I got them last year when there were builders all throughout the house. I am pretty sure the Marpac sound conditioner would not even have made the slightest difference.

[@brandgrandreal]

😮

[@laxtobuttgroyn1193]

If what I saw on my therapist's floor is that simple why was I paying forty dollars an hour?

[@RobCCTV]

You took the exact words out of my head. Do you have a psychic connection to me? What number am I thinking of now, Clive.... ;-)

[@MakersMuse]

As soon as you turned it on it activated some random childhood memories of doctors offices and such, that very distinctive "warm" white noise. I always assumed it was just the aircon!

[@aserta]

The letter plate intro is still THE coolest on KZbin.

[@REALsandwitchlotter]

I was going to post this same comment

[@glasstronic]

Definitely on the short list of top 5.

[@youregrammersucks]

Michael Francis In case you haven’t seen them already, Fran’s videos on the “BINA-VIEW” display (which is what’s in the intro) are fascinating. It’s another level of nerdgasm above the flip-clocks :-)

[@earthlingjohn]

Fran gives BINA-VIEW the Fran treatment *here* ⬇ kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3e5ZXSFn9eXhZI

[@dbnyc65]

I wonder if Fran would ever release them as a pack for video editors

[@Craig_Spurlock]

So, this means my PC is essentially a Sound Conditioner!

[@earthlingjohn]

😂

[@howtowithelizabeth7513]

@@Damien.D sounds like the fan motor bearing is going out

[@elkabong6429]

Yes and you can believe it has just as much crud in inside of it as well!

[@rhodexa]

Mine's not only a sound conditioner, but in winter kind of feels like an air conditioner as well

[@robertbruce7686]

Hahaha...WHAT? Can't hear you...

[@georgewhitehead8185]

Her vacuum made a pretty good "white noise." I certainly enjoy Fran's presentations...she is the real thing. Respectfully, Doctor G.W.

[@FluxCondenser]

The funny thing is, the sound of these things drives me nuts. Would need a sound conditioner for my sound conditioner.

[@goodun2974]

Flux, " I just listened in to see what condition my conditioner was in...."

[@therugburnz]

I had a pink noise generator I used with my "Real time Analyzer". I used it to set Equalizers to help flatten the peaks\dips in a room's reverb where bands played. It was about 90db louder.

[@volvo09]

I worked in an office and an area where I visited for repairs had this same model running for 13 years while I was there (I guarantee it's still going now), since I only left 2 years ago. Very loud, but they made phone calls all day so it drowned that out.

[@millomweb]

I suspect one of the best sounds is light rainfall.

[@FluxCondenser]

@@millomweb I agree, at least rain is a natural sound so we’re probably wired to be more accepting of that. For me, I prefer noise-cancelling headphones or ear-buds. Not a solution for public spaces, but I wonder if any research and development has been done into using speakers for noise cancellation in rooms. By producing an out-of-phase signal to noise, I imagine this is somewhat feasible. Any microphone used to pick up noise would also pick up the speakers, though, so an issue that would require a workaround.

[@DiodeGoneWild]

They're producing those to this very day with virtually no modification. But of course, they're bloody expensive for just a small fan in a plastic box!

[@patthegunsmith]

it's so nice to see the respect you have for your dad's things. So much today is simply thrown away.

[@alexmacgregor8471]

Yes! Thank You for demonstrating these best practices for dis/reassembly, specifically turning the fastener backward until the threads engage correctly. Excellent role model for the kids that want to learn to repair and maintain machines in an ever-more-disposable world. Way to go!

[@undergroundman1993]

That reminds me of my Grandfather who kept the manual for everything he bought in a binder along with the date he purchased it written somewhere on it. It included the manual for their pullout couch dated 11-07-1962

[@petehiggins33]

Doesn't everyone do this?

[@positronundervolt4799]

Was that the week before he bought the fondue set?

[@earthlingjohn]

@@AquarianNomadic In some instances a market does exist where the value of certain products increases when original packaging/ documents remain appearing as new. Then there is occasionally the market where mint condition packaging is worth more than the product. go figure. 😕

[@earthlingjohn]

@@AquarianNomadic Admittedly small markets, focused on relatively obscure items, with enthusiastic and dedicated participants But i agree, diminishing

[@earthlingjohn]

@@AquarianNomadic mmmm ... Barn finds (said in a homer simpson voice)

[@mojavegold-]

This one brought back some memories! Back in the late 1980s I worked as an engineer for a private company owned by an older gentleman who regularly used one of these to help him sleep. When he travelled to England and stayed for a few weeks at his residence there, he had great difficulty sleeping without his wind machine. So he asked me if I could modify it for use at 230V 50Hz. I simply pressed out the lamination section of the shaded-pole motor that the coil bobbin was on, and rewound the coil with 2.3x the original turns - with magnet wire that was 4 gauges smaller. The idea was to keep the flux density using british power the same as it was on the US grid. Maybe not an ideal solution - but it was still working fine for him around 20 years later when he passed over.

[@michaelwallace8612]

I have one of these myself. I live in senior housing and I and my dog could hear people in the hallway. He would bark at them ever time he heard someone so I remembered that the therapists at the hospital I worked at used to use these. Sure enough, it works like a charm. I turn it on an my dog doesn’t bark when people outside are talking. I also like the idea that I can have a private conversation should I want to.

[@paulcohen1555]

Maybe the device is driving the dog crazy and one day he will "explode"?!

[@kneau]

Your remark about having a private conversation really caught my attention. I've heard the very personal details of other people while waiting in lobbies at a doctor's office. This device seems essential.

[@n3zyd]

That hug... I felt the love. My better half asked me, are you going to cry? nope it's the onions. I get the strangest looks sometimes. You rock Fran \m/

[@aserta]

For that type of bearing, for really, really long term oiling use, it's best to take them out of the holder, and soak them in oil for at least 3 days. The oil itself has to be the lightest type so it penetrates into the pores. Alternatively, heating up the oil in a bain marie type setup expedites the process to just a few hours, but not everyone is comfortable with oil and heat. Just sharing some info, not particularly for this one. :)

[@ShawnD1027]

To be more specific, what you want is "turbine oil." I got a small bottle of Markal/LA-CO 79704 (SAE 10, in same "Zoom Spout" bottle shown in this video) from McMaster-Carr (P/N 1244K14 www.mcmaster.com/1244K14/) and it's served me well for years.

[@eDoc2020]

I just fill the felt with oil. I figure that will be good enough for long term use.

[@therealjammit]

@@eDoc2020 I was about to mention the possibility it has felt for oil.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@@ShawnD1027 is dextron automatic transmission fluid an acceptable electric motor lubricant?

[@ShawnD1027]

@@gregorymalchuk272, I would say Dexron (no "t" in there) is acceptable in a contingency situation, but if you know ahead of time you're going to be doing such work (or don't have to reassemble immediately), there's no good reason to not obtain the proper stuff. It's relatively inexpensive and a small bottle will last most folks years.

[@elkabong6429]

I had one of those, Fran! I lived on East 14th Street in Manhattan for years and it was SO noisy, so I purchased one of those items from Hammacher-Schlemmer back in 1979 and guess what, they still sell 'em! I don't have it any longer and I don't know what I did with it. I no longer live in noisy NYC, but I still use a white noise app on my iPhone, as it helps me fall asleep, HAH!. Your love for your dad was evident in your video, btw. I still have stuff of my mom's that I cherish, even though I don't really use them. I just like having them around.

[@Spongman]

I have one of these. We used it outside our son’s room when he was a baby, it helped him sleep. It must have run every night for 7 years or more. Still works today.

[@millomweb]

Does he still have trouble sleeping to day then ? ;)

[@catspork]

My grandmother has one and has been using it for years and years. All through my childhood. I always wandered what it looked like inside. Great video Fran!

[@jeepguy95]

Believe it or not, I think the primary use for these is in a psychologist's or therapist's office. Due to HIPAA laws, I believe they have to have a sound machine outside their doors or in the waiting room to prevent private information from being overheard by waiting clients. The "DOhm" is a timeless design, so much so that it's still sold today in a near-identical form (just with more modern colors). Your unit seems to be "newer", since it has the Marpac website on it. The earliest date of the Marpac website I could find on the WayBack Machine is 1997, so the oldest your machine could be is a 1997 model (more likely a 2003 model judging by the 3/03 writing on the sticker on the unit). Funny how it includes the warning about polarized plugs, as most homes in the 90s had polarized sockets and standard RJ-11 phone jacks (in place of the old four-prong phone jacks found in homes built up until the 70s). These are essentially glorified fans.

[@illiath4438]

I bought one of these, with the Marpac brand, only two years ago... and all so I could meet with therapy clients via video calls in my house, and not have to shoo my partner out of the house. The contents of the package is almost the same, right down to the "blade plug" sheet.

[@alextirrellRI]

I seem to remember that in the 90's my grandparents home didn't have polarized outlets in all the rooms.

[@DamonVDAmore]

@@alextirrellRI I lived in a home back in 2012 that did not have every plug polarized lol. Old homes and old wiring. We had the RJ11 phone jack but the old wires had to be replaced so we could get DSL.

[@pbasswil]

Why did this simple little vid hold my interest so firmly?! The human angle, the tech angle, and your gentle will to heal and preserve a device with sentimental value. :^} Strangely, thru-out my view of it, my laptop's fans were bathing me in white noise...

[@alextirrellRI]

After years of sleeping with a fan or air conditioner this is fairly calming to me. Something about that 'ol analog fan.

[@arthursredni1598]

You can still buy these on Amazon. Search for Yogasleep Dohm. Marpac just rebranded early this year. Best way to fall asleep.

[@2flyabove]

@@arthursredni1598 Thanks! I may buy one.

[@BrucesWorldofStuff]

I have slept for 60+ years with a fan in the room. Can't fall asleep without one! Mom had a old GE black and Chrome oscillating fan with Gold inlays on it in my room when I was 2 and I had it for 30 years and still running...It got lost in a move, I never saw it again... :-( LLAP

[@titfos1970]

Thanks Fran, for the peak inside this wonderful device. A magically simple device that will last for generations. You are the best.

[@sheiladawg1664]

I worked in a Motorola building in the 80's that had white noise coming out of ceiling speakers throughout the whole building. It was barely noticeable when you walked and you acclimated to it very quickly but it worked very well for its intended purpose, masking sibilants to conversations possibly overheard and was very effective for this purpose which is probably why therapists had this, for patient privacy. Someone could be talking in the next cube over and you could hear it but since you couldn't make out the sibilants you really couldn't understand it. It really worked well but they never did it in other buildings that I knew after that for whatever reasons.

[@gingervytis]

SibilanCE.

[@xerox8080]

I always have a fan running in my bedroom during the night. It helps me sleeping without noticing every little sound from inside or outside. When I am on vacation and sleeping in a hotel room I use an app on my tablet or smartphone that emulates wind noise or peaceful nature sounds to help me fall asleep. I'm doing this for years alreasy and I can't miss it...

[@fluffycritter]

Oh hey, I used to see a therapist who had this exact model. No idea if he'd bought it recently or if it was just REALLY OLD. It looks like the company is still around but they've changed their name to Yogasleep. They still sell this product as the Dohm Classic. It looks slightly different now.

[@Burps___]

Maybe Fran’s dad was your therapist. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@kenmore01]

Yep, yoga and sleep are the same thing lol.

[@kevinhevans]

My therapist had one too! Did you by chance see a therapist in West Seattle?

[@fluffycritter]

@@kevinhevans Ah, no, this was in San Francisco. I imagine a lot of therapists have these things.

[@fluffycritter]

@@Burps___ That would be a neat trick, although it would also explain a lot.

[@headshotdyn0mite149]

I've seen things like that on the floods of offices and businesses but never knew what they where. Thank you so much Fran. This is one of my favorite videos of your now. Really cool old school tech. Keep it real and stay safe. Laters Gators!

[@LymanPhillips]

Me too. I always thought that was a weird place for an air filter.

[@MRCNC1967]

"Reverse screw method"...I thought I was always so smart for figuring this out all in my own (after stripping many threads on plastic) then bam! along comes another human who also independently figured it out!

[@zaraak323i]

The same. lol

[@earthlingjohn]

same 👍

[@davidblindt9291]

Totally!

[@gbrussa]

+1, I never felt smart for doing it though, but I always wondered if someone else did it as well.

[@G56AG]

I'm a light sleeper and I use an old Norelco air purifier that I've had for 30 or so years as my white noise machine for when I'm sleeping. Its very similar to what you have there, they just added a replaceable filter, which I removed years ago. I used those bottles with the pull out spout for many years, they are a staple in the HVAC business, the ones we used to get said 'Zoom Turbine Oil' on them, they were originally intended to oil blower motors on HVAC equipment, back when they needed to be oiled. I'm pretty sure the little motor in your white noise generator has bronze oilite bushings and oiling them won't do much since they aren't designed to be oiled.

[@zodak9999b]

I had a friend who worked in an old building in downtown St. Louis where the office was a huge area with super high ceilings. They had rows of speakers playing noise and acoustic foam panels mounted up there. It was weird going over there with her on a Saturday once when it was turned off.

[@toonman361]

Fran, you changed my life! I bought one of these after watching your video and I LOVE it. Thanks for the review.

[@owenmerrick2377]

Just like mine, still on the nightstand! Bought it from Edmund Scientific, 20 (?) years ago...never had the guts to take it apart, and masks a lot of noise. Cool!

[@owenmerrick2377]

..and helpful for some people with tinnitus.

[@erstwhilegrubstake]

I was going to post that I remember them being advertised in the Edmund Scientific catalogue. An actual printed catalogue. It's cool that you own one.

[@dinkledankle]

I've always wondered what these even were but never bothered to look them up, so it is opportune for me you've done this. Thanks, Fran 👍

[@dolinick]

it's funny my daughter just got a rock tumbler. we had in the living room with us for 48 hours last weekend. also my uncle had a radio that was always on in his kitchen/dining room. they would only adjust the volume up or down. i think that radio may have been on for years. not sure if they turned it off even at night. one reason i figured this out was only the volume knob had dirt from the years of touching it after coming in from the fields. he was farmer.

[@gadgetsage]

That's cool

[@lmull3]

I have one of these in my bedroom! Mine seems like it might be from the 2000s since it is black and has one of those see through cords I remember from the early part of that decade. I like the sound they produce significantly more than the ones that just use digital audio. These have a nice natural sound whereas the electronic equivalents have a harsh sound to my ears. You have satisfied a long curiosity I've had by opening one of these up, super cool! Much beefier fan in there than I expected.

[@finnw1]

There are also things called "sound conditioners" that audiophiles use. When I first saw the title I thought it might be one of those.

[@TheGentlemanRider]

@@xmlthegreat who knows. Everything and the opposite iof everything s true in the audiophile world. It' s like quantum phisics, in the sense that actual (or at least, as recognized by most educated folks) science and plain scorchery can coexist in the same sentence!

[@NealB123]

I've been using one of those every night for 30+ years. Can't sleep without it. Still works as good as the day it was new.

[@GARCKY]

And 30 years later, it's still working as designed. No planned obsolescence there. Shhhhhh.....

[@GARCKY]

@Hunter D Well, I'm 75 years old. And you're right. Planned obsolescence has been in the vocabulary since I was a teenager. It's the American way. Personally, I'm a big fan of advances in technology.

[@WolfiiDog13]

@Hunter D Well, back in 1990, if you bought something, you would still be able to use it indefinately if you mantained it, conplains were usually about build quality. But the "make everything a smart device" trend nowadays is a horrible trap

[@c128stuff]

Not really. Many devices starting in the early 1980s already have proprietary ICs which are not trivially replaced, and this only got more prominent towards the 1990s. Some of those ICs have been reverse engineered and can be replaced with a pcb with off-the-shelf components, but especially many of the more advanced ones have not been reverse engineered. ICs do not live indefinitely, and hence, those devices cannot be used indefinitely, with few exceptions where all the custom ICs have been reverse-engineered and re-implemented. Of course, they do in general last a lot longer, and do not all stop working when the related 'cloud service' dies. But that isn't so much a matter of making the device smart but of making it depend on an online service. That is not the same thing.

[@Kalvinjj]

@@WolfiiDog13 I wonder how many of those "smart" devices are already useless or barely useful nowadays already (2020 for whoever is watching this 15 years later or whatever), many of those web services and apps just get abandoned if not enough income is made. Looking at it again tho, it's just a sort of evolution from proprietary cartridges of any consumable we've had since forever. Ideas to lock you into an ecosystem and make your stuff useless after the company abandons it have been a thing for a while it seems.

[@rickschrager]

Thank you for sharing some of your family history. Back in the day we used something similar...the prosaic "air purifier." We kept them behind client chairs where they were heard but not seen. Fran, I couldn't help but notice that your hands have picked up a shake. Mine did too until I talked to my doctor who diagnosed it as essential tremors (I don't know how the word essential figures in). Anywho, the doc prescribed propranolol and the tremors disappeared. I've been taking it for nearly ten years now. It isn't effective for everyone but the doctor has other tools in his/her bag of tricks. Thanks again!

[@albertbatfinder5240]

Nice one Fran. Question: Do you get a funny feeling when you see you dad’s handwriting? I do. My dad died 16 years ago but I still have hundreds of books from his shelves, every one with a signature inside the front cover. He was a teacher and lent books out widely.

[@elkabong6429]

I do, Albert. I have thirty Bankers Boxes of my mom's stuff, mostly papers (she was a teacher as well), that I can't bring myself to go through yet. She passed in 2014. It's in storage (thankfully free, as a cousin has a large facility that she uses for business and she lets me keep the boxes in a corner). I keep saying I'm going to go through some boxes each Mother's Day, but I haven't so far.

[@rogerb5615]

Wait until you find an open reel or cassette tape recording of your deceased parents speaking. Time travel!

[@mysock351C]

My mom has one of these that I've been keeping going for decades now. A good way to prolong the life of the motor is to ensure the wicks around the oilite bearings have plenty of oil. This can be done by unscrewing the shaded pole motor and unbolting the bearing caps and putting some oil around the bushings. 3-1 brand SAE 20 oil works well for these.

[@TimoNoko]

In the Russian spacemovie Solaris they masked the annoying everpresent fan hum with rattling strips of paper. "как в лесу" - like living in a forest.

[@bunberrier]

Thats a great movie!

[@dextertreehorn]

The russians use it also in reality - on the space station (and former on MIR). Watch "Cosmonaut Poljakov" if you can - very interesting.

[@sclogse1]

A detail man. Very affecting film. It's about the audience realizing as much as the protagonist. The more the suicidal wife keeps returning from her deaths the more she understands herself. And since she is a hallucination of the husband, it is really his increased understanding of her. Extraordinary.

[@sclogse1]

It's hot in my top floor flat in S.F. Our "Indian" summer in October. A vintage Vornardo table fan aiming at me while trying to hear your fan. A fan using a fan watching Fran repair a fan. What a life.

[@briansrcadventures1316]

Unlike a smartphone white noise app, you won't get loudly interrupted by an advert blaring away!

[@josugambee3701]

I'm not a white noise user myself, but good god, white noise apps have noisy ads? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!

[@Charky_Creations]

If you don't want ads in your white noise, check out mynoise.

[@howtowithelizabeth7513]

KZbin is doing this with meditation videos it sucks You’ll just start getting relaxed then BAM there’s an ad and it snaps u out of the relaxation

[@jeffd3844]

I use White Noise Lite...No ads!

[@unknown_10453]

@@howtowithelizabeth7513 That's due to the creator choosing what ads play. They could just choose starting or ending ads.

[@markjames3393]

I am surprised to see a website printed on the instructions for a device from ‘93

[@oldestnerd]

It would be nice to think of my daughter showing things I'd built and collected years later. In my case I don't think that's likely to happen. I'm glad you can work with your father's things.

[@Scottie_S]

I detect a note of regret there, John.

[@onometre]

You'd be surprised about the things your kids will cherish most when you're gone. Regardless of whether your daughter is interested in your projects now, I'm sure they'll be invaluable keepsakes to her.

[@Paul_VB]

Oh wow... I have the same exact model of white noise machine! Sound screen model 980! I got it when i was a kid about 20 years ago and it still works fine. I use it every night to help me sleep and i cant sleep without it

[@pauljs75]

Who else wanted to see that dusty crud get cleaned off with a slightly soapy damp rag or paper towel, only to watch it closed up instead?

[@bodijisattva9333]

Yes I keep saying to myself , surly she will wipe that down. It was a stressful situation lol

[@johnwclick]

I'd have Windexed it with the good ol paper towel....then let it dry... I actually had a Marpac until a few years ago; a friend of mine needed one to block outside noise, so I mailed it to him.

[@Chris_the_Muso]

A wipe out with some isopropyl alcohol!

[@earthlingjohn]

At the very least, a paint brush

[@josephmazzeo9413]

I was thinking the same too...but it probably won't get used again until another 30 years from now LOL

[@goodun2974]

My wife and I honeymooned in North Carolina (the state where this machine was manufactured), staying in a seaside cottage loaned to us by a friend. Our white noise generator was the sound of the waves hitting the beach. Best "sound conditioner" you could imagine!

[@kevinhardisty6465]

I've used those for years, can't sleep without it. There is a new electronic version "Electro Fan" on Amazon. Much nicer, many volume levels, with a quality speaker, and twenty digitized fan and white noise options. About $45 dollars. A great device if you like that sort of thing.

[@ExtendedJet8]

My wife and I have one in the bedroom, use it every night. Bought it new, off the shelf at Target about 3 years ago. Just bought our aunt one last year. It's much nicer than playing a sound loop on a tiny phone speaker.

[@rougenaxela]

I appreciate the elegance of these sorts of old electromechanical devices. 🙂

[@andreasmith8735]

That was interesting, always wondered how those machines work. It was cool watching you work on your dad's device. COOL!

[@kc9kepextra460]

Very helpful suggestion: "never use 3 in 1 oil on bearings". I did not know that! Thanks! :-)

[@martinda7446]

I think that is wrong. That is why you never heard it before.

[@kc9kepextra460]

@@martinda7446 Ahhh .. "I see!", said the blind man :-)

[@SeboDigital]

A blue bearing grease can do the job!

[@dfpguitar]

it completely depends on the use of the bearing. Any bearing that will take a lot of weight needs thicker grease, but for something with little or no weight a liquid oil like 3in1 is fine. also another tip, vehicle engine oil is fine to use as 3in1 oil for purposes like sewing machines and bicycle chains. what you should never use as lubricant is wd40. which is more akin to lighter fluid type naphtha degreaser than lubricating oil. But wd40, just like lighter fluid makes an excellent cleaner or stubborn stuff like glue and tree sap.

[@martinda7446]

@@dfpguitar All I would add is sewing machine manufacturers are very strict about their oils. Nothing but sewing machine oil is recommended. Obviously 3 in 1 is a fairly light duty oil but it is absolutely fine for many applications. Not for the motors on the QEII. I honestly have no idea where she got that one from it is certainly completely wrong.

[@LT-de6zk]

They still use and make these today. I have recently seen them as you mentioned, in a hallway of offices. The newer ones have a few more settings. My mother used one of these in the bedroom for years to help her sleep. And affectionately called it her "Hummer". Now they have apps for your tablet and phones that do the same thing. But in a large physical environment, I am sure these are still more effective (Louder), or they still wouldn't be used. Thank you for showcasing this interesting item.

[@N0GIY]

Mine is a marpac dohm and I couldn't sleep without it.

[@xponen]

there's natural noise in our ear. When I wore hearing protection earplug that block sounds I hear them loud, it help me sleep.

[@astrorad2000]

Thank you for the tip about the reverse screw method of getting those self tappers back into the plastic housing. I was unaware of it.

[@waltman333]

Thanks so much Fran.....no matter what you bring out of your collection, you always make it so interesting.....I taught my daughter the basics of electronics very early in her childhood.....when I'm gone she will likely be overwhelmed by all the test equipment and thousands of components going back to the 50's! It will be a nightmare for her to determine what to save and what to sell! Walt in Miami

[@lsdzheeusi]

Hey Fran, the reason the instructions called out the polarized plug is because this device was originally designed in the early 1960s. Although polarized plugs were introduced in the 1800s, they weren't included in the National Electrical Code until ... yep, you guessed it, 1962. Consider that the average person lives in a house that's 15 or 20 years old, so a lot of buyers would not have had polarized outlets in their homes. Why wasn't the text updated? In the years before word processors, consider that redoing the paperwork would have required paying the print company a typesetting fee ... and, as you observed, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". They just kept doing print runs of the original insert. Love this old tech, thanks!

[@DanielleWhite]

You shouldn't make me laugh, Fran. My mother made me laugh once...once. My last few managers used them when having 1:1 meetings, performance reviews, etc. I thought that was a particular considerate move.

[@CarloRoosen]

Very nice episode Fran. I like how you take the time to read the manual for us and explain all those little things like reverse turning the screws. Relaxing and interesting at the same time. Thank you!!

[@Kreln1221]

*I caught the Johnny Dangerously reference at the **3:54** mark... I love that movie...*

[@thatsunpossible312]

Came here to make this comment :)

[@drumhed]

fargin base hole bastidges!!

[@EarlGray_kd7sjt]

I have always wondered how these worked. I'm glad you did this video.

[@N4BUT]

They still sell this a Target for $50 under the YOGASLEEP Brand

[@Slazlo-Brovnik]

Wow

[@TheMacGeek]

Yes, $50 at Target. I just bought one today. The new design is a bit different, but it sounds and works the same. The noise is great for masking unwanted sounds. Good to know oiling it will make it last longer if it produces bearing noise or vibrates.

[@trendbreakr]

​@@cactusjackNV just looked them up after finding yogasleep devices in the official marpac amazon store, and apparently the yogasleep / yogabed brand was acquired by marpac in 2018. i also found a page tying vintage 'sound screen' ads into the history of their machines yogasleep.com/pages/yogabed-merger yogasleep.com/pages/history

[@yehudagoldberg6400]

@@cactusjackNV Yogasleep is a Marpac brand.

[@dillonbussard9576]

My mother used this EXACT model for at least 15 years daily. I even think she still uses it. That sound will never leave my mind!

[@albertbatfinder5240]

Hey did anyone notice the vacuum cleaner made pretty much the same white noise? When you opened it up I was reminded of an old joke: “Finally got rid of my dad’s old vacuum cleaner the other day. It was just gathering dust.”

[@bf0189]

I literally just turned off my sound conditioner after I made coffee! I use a almost identical newer version to help me sleep. Basically for the same reason as your Dad but to drown out noise outside my roommate/home since it can be noisy. Works like a charm and has never failed me!

[@jeg1972]

I've never seen one of these in the UK, I didn't even know that the concept existed!

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

Oh sure you did. You knew the concept existed. You just werent aware that a product for this was on the market

[@jeg1972]

@@whatyoumakeofit6635 No, as I said originally, I did not know the concept, of a device to produce noise that is meant to hide other noises, existed.

[@medes5597]

Never seen a shrink? I've never been to UK shrink without a white noise machine.

[@mark314158]

I have never seen this in the UK either. And I didn't know that there was a need for such a device. Neither I - or anyone I know - have ever been to see a "shrink".

[@bazahaza]

@@mark314158 I'm from the UK too. this is the first time I've heard of these devices.

[@TheGreatAtario]

I used to have one of these around '93. Worked a treat for sleeping

[@SuperHyperExtra]

2:21 Italicized, in quotes AND in bold...

[@Josh_Fredman]

I had one of these when I was growing up in the '80s and '90s! I had a hard time sleeping without sound, so my dad gave me one of these. I remember mine being a dark beige, and curvier on the top than yours is. Probably it was an older model, rocking those groovy '60s - '70s curves. I tried looking for it online a few years ago, but without knowing the name I had no hope. So cool to see one again, and from the inside no less!

[@fanbladeinstruments]

Me: please show me how to reduce air fan noise in my recording studio. KZbin: here is the exact opposite of that. Me: fascenating...

[@kittenkorleone2918]

I gave one of these to my son when he moved out on his own and was having trouble falling asleep because of noisy neighbors and a third shift job that required sleep during day. He said it was most useful gift he ever got.

[@MhzUHF]

"welcome to my Server Room". Just rent out the waiting room for servers no one will hear themselves think 😁

[@WeedMIC]

I was thinking cisco switch myself :D

[@princerosalium]

Thank you. I have misophonia and ADHD, and every night i've been tormented by sounds, even if I use white noise from my phone. Electronic speaker machines really annoy me, and after finding out mechanical ones exist from your video, I got one as soon as i could. It's been an absolute miracle, and I can finally sleep!

[@supercompooper]

My ADHD therapist office has these in abundance.

[@ishelton750]

I think Mine has one also

[@derekchristenson5711]

I've seen this exact "sound conditioner" in use outside the confessional at our local church. The first time I saw it, I thought it was some kind of rodent trap, LOL. But then, as I walked closer, I noticed that the "air conditioner" seemed to get louder, and then I saw the cord, and I realized that it was a white noise machine. It made just the right amount of white noise to make hearing confessions from the outside impossible while still being quiet enough to easily converse right next to it. I had suspected for years that it was probably a fan inside a housing designed to generate a nice "gentle whoosh" noise, and I'm glad to see that my guess was right. Sometimes, it's important to remember that if a simple solution exists for a problem, that's probably the one to go with! A couple of the offices I worked at had "white noise machines" throughout the building, but the only visible portion of those was a series of discrete speakers mounted in the ceiling, blending in color-wise. My boss told me that that's what they were for, and you could definitely hear them if you were at the office very early or very late, as there was a quiet but unmistakable white noise throughout, even when you were the only one there.

[@spectrHz]

every therapists office ive eever been to has one of these :3

[@jts3339]

Exactly how many therapists have you been to? Are you getting any relief from your issues?

[@mabaker7155]

You make my mind and my heart smile Fran.

[@MoBangFoYoBucks]

Look at the "Made in USA" and metal fan blade. Thing was made to last forever!

[@rogertycholiz2218]

Everything was "Made in USA"! Now everything is "Made in china".

[@davidlewis8594]

Thank you/ I really enjoy your content and simple delivery

[@stevenvohl]

Did anyone else get the "Johnny Dangerously" reference?

[@bunberrier]

Fargin Bells

[@donaldsouthern5662]

Them fargin bastages

[@deepsender]

My mother gave me one of these about 20 years ago, and it changed my life. I know that sounds extreme, but it's not. I keep it on my bed near my pillow and turn it on whenever I hear a neighbor's dog barking in the night. You can mask different sounds like dogs, birds, cars, music, by turning the baffles as Fran showed.

[@AngDavies]

I've always wondered why those polyurethanes break down like that I've a feeling it's probably microbial but I've never been able to pin that down one way or another. There are numerous organisms able to digest it, that much is certain, and it seems to be otherwise fairly chemically resistant. There are two main types, and the higher quality/more chemically resistant is suposedly much more susceptible to microbial attack (gets an F for resistance to microbes and A to pretty much everything else). All the papers about its degradation are either growing cultures on it or just mention "hydrolysis" which is vague as all hell.

[@AngDavies]

@@AquarianNomadic while I don't doubt that UV can degrade these polymers it can't be the only thing at play here, the "goopifaction" is a notorious plague of old electronics, most of which will never have been taken outside, like a computer mouse for instance. It's also seems to be worst where the person has been touching it.

[@conwaytwt]

Plastic and foam degradation is probably enhanced by ozone and other pollutants. I have read that anything made with rubber is especially deteriorated by ozone. Any urban area probably has a mix of noxious compounds that might break down these items.

[@fitzinthewindow9736]

I just watched your video about a week ago, and while out and about doing estate sales, I found a unit! Mine appears to be a bit older, and it's called a "Sleep Mate". I brought it home, took it apart, cleaned it similarly to the way that you did, and my 50 cent investment works like a charm and looks brand new. I'm so excited! (Doesn't take much to get me off.) It's most interesting how over the years they changed the design--the way the bottom attaches, the main power switch, and the foam on the bottom. Cool piece. I will enjoy.

[@lvdovicvs]

I have a slightly newer one of these that I use every night - Sticker on bottom with hand-written "2-15". Thanks to you I just got rid of that annoying extra noise coming out of it by opening it up and lubing it. Used my Zoom Spout (which I'd forgotten I even had) with White Lily sewing machine oil in it. I did remove the other screws and put a drop of oil in the bottom bearing, too. Extra sound is gone now and runs just like new! Thanks for the inspiration.

[@erichimes3062]

Yes! I had one of those to drone my baby son to sleep. Great “analog” tone!

[@andrewscrazy]

Fran your pop kept it in the box because he was the person I bet that took good care of things,unlike people nowadays that just throw everything around and toss it out and buy a new one, throw away society we live in now. You're dad like my parent's were a rare breed.

[@toonman361]

I have never seen this thing but after this video, bought one on eBay. I love white noise at night. Thanks Fran.

[@dashcamandy2242]

This is the perfect video to watch as I unpack my new Yihua soldering station. This will (hopefully) get me in the mood to tackle this Fisher CAV-975 surround sound receiver an acquaintance wants me to fix. I'm procrastinating because not only do I need to diagnose a problem (which may or may not already be repaired) but I need to un-botch his attempt at repair. Dry, blobby solder joints, solder balls sitting on the bottom panel, a three-conductor ribbon cable broke from pulling on it while he was "fixing" the rectifier, so he soldered it back into the board from the reverse side (who knows if he switched the connections, and I clearly see one dry solder joint on the middle conductor), and he said he damaged a trace (you should see the solder bridge he made) so I might need to bodge-wire things. Then, I can cross my fingers, and see if his "repairs" didn't blow something else, since that three-conductor cable he messed with plugs into the main board! (Yes, he could have saved himself some of the hassle by simply unplugging the cable at the main board and giving himself all the slack he needed.) Thank God he bought the schematic. Without that, I'd tell him to go pound sand! As it is, I'm probably just going to be wasting time on it. Oh well, at least it gives me a chance to practice with the new soldering iron. He's got a stack of Fisher stuff at his house he needs me to perform miracles on, stupid me for mentioning that I had a _little_ bit of experience in electronics!

[@Xol1004]

I have one just like it, this brand and everything. I must have bought sometime it back in the 90/00s. The walls in my condo conduct sound easily, so I turn this on just as I go to bed at night. This way I'm not disturbed by the incidental living noises of the neighbors, and the road noise outside my window. Over time, I've found that I sleep much better with the device's white noise.

[@nv1493]

We had a couple of these many years ago when the kids were little, they worked great. The one we have now is digital that includes other sounds but we will always prefer that simple white noise version. Beautifully uncomplicated.

[@suzannelebizarre5705]

Good morning yet again Ms Frannie...have followed you for years!

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Fascinating! Never seen one like this, thank you for the video!

[@AdrianPardini]

Thanks Fran! Like many others I use an old atx supply with extra fans for background sound.

[@bobpowers9862]

I had one of these from the 1970s. Mine was nearly the same as your dad's, except it had just one speed. The top and sides were exactly the same, though, although mine was a bit more rounded in profile. A nice trip down memory lane.

[@bill-2018]

Before you opened it I thought it sounded like a fan. I don't think I'd like to try getting to sleep with that whirring sound.

[@brianpetersen3429]

I had one of these "white noise" generators back in the 70's to help me sleep. I also noticed an old Texas Instruments calculator on your bench. In my early college years I was a technician for the Art Department at Cal State University, Northridge, and I rewired that calculator to trigger a 16mm film camera to control single frame advancement and counting for the Animation Lab, along with designing a digital control panning table for motion control of animation cell photography.

[@tomclark6271]

Fran, I'm more than a little disappointed in hearing your comment regarding 3in one oil. In the beginning, WD-40 was being used by the general public as a lubricant, regardless of the fact that nowhere on the label does it state that. They needed a lubricant that they could sell along side WD-40. The original formula was found by the WD-40 company to be the best lite lubricating oil ever formulated. When the WD-40 company decided to invent a superior lubricant, their scientists gave up after realizing that 3in1 had already developed and patented the formula that they were looking for. The WD-40 company liked 3in1 oil so much, that they bought the company and reorganized the WD-40 company under the 3in1 corporation which they then owned. Don't believe it? Look at the label of any WD-40 product, and you'll see the 3in1 parent company logo.

[@jeffmcmu]

We have this very same unit at our home for about 30 years or so. Use it for sleeping - it will cut out noises of lawn-mowers, cars, traffic, etc... also works as a sedative great for getting a good nights sleep while traveling on the road. Ours runs every night during our sleep - we wake immediately when the power goes out... We have tried electronic replacements, but discovered a clicking repeat loop that doesn't have the same effect. After watching this video, we probably should clean the thing out too... Thanks for the video.

[@speedpro8192]

I have been to their warehouse / manufacturing facility numerous times, they still make a unit like this and the design hasn't changed much in many years, they also make a lot of other cool products