How to Use a White Noise Machine: A Comprehensive Manta Sleep Guide

A man sitting on a bed holding the control pad of a white noise machine to operate the speaker on the window sill.

It might sound counterintuitive, but nowadays, many people depend on noise to help them get deep and restful shuteye. According to Sleep Doctor, 52% of adults surveyed in 2023 used some form of background noise to help them sleep better.(1)


Now, let’s not confuse this background noise with disruptive sounds. The background noise we’re referring to can mask loud and jarring environmental sounds, like traffic, construction or a snoring partner. They’re known as pink, brown and white noise.


There are several ways to listen to different kinds of colored noise, but a sound machine is the most popular, convenient and effective way. Specifically, one that plays white noise and a variety of other sounds, plus customizable volume and timer settings. Enter Manta White Noise Machine.


We wrote this guide to help you use our sound machine for optimal sleep, relaxation and focus.


Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What Are White, Pink and Brown Noise?

White noise is a mix of all the audible frequencies. You can liken white noise to a consistent static-like hiss, or hum found most commonly in TV and radio static and the sound of a running AC or vacuum cleaner.


White noise is particularly effective at masking sudden and loud noises to promote better sleep quality, relaxation and focus. As mentioned earlier, other noise colors may help with these, too.


Pink noise is known for its ability to enhance relaxation. It has a lower pitch than white noise, which makes it more soothing. Examples of pink noise include heartbeats and steady rainfall.


Brown noise, on the other hand, is characterized by its deep and rumbling sound. Examples include waterfalls, thunder or the current of a river. It can drown out low-frequency noises and is also helpful for easing stress and boosting focus.


The good news is that Manta White Noise Machine offers pink, brown and white noise, among other soothing sounds.

What Is Manta White Noise Machine?

A blue, black and red white noise machine speaker and control pad.
LEARN MORE

We developed our white noise device to help you sleep better in a world of distractions.

Manta White Noise Machine Features:

A bedroom with a white noise machine creating a sound barrier to the noise from a white car outside.

Unlike other sound machines, our white noise device provides a sound shield, blocking disruptive noise before it reaches you.


Most white noise devices are designed for placement near your head. Ours is meant to be placed near the noise source. This feature ensures safe volume levels and a more substantial sound barrier.


You can also add a booster speaker or opt for a dual-speaker system.

A white noise machine control pad and speaker. Icons with images of a fan, ocean waves, colored noise and rain represent the sounds it provides.

It offers 15 gapless, non-looping sleep sounds, including brown, pink and white noise. There are also fan and nature sounds, including ocean waves.


Its powerful speaker has a deep and rich sound quality. It’s also upgradeable to a dual-speaker system for broader coverage.

A white noise machine’s speaker and control pad. There’s a finger pressing the play button.

The speaker has an 8-foot-long USB-C to DC power cable and power adapter. The machine is dual voltage, working with 120V and 220V power outlets.


Its battery-operated tactile control pad lets you remotely control the speaker settings from 32 feet away.


Its ease of use is due to the non-pairing, one-click start. The 100% LED-free design ensures no light disruptions for deeper sleep.

Why Use Manta White Noise Machine

There are several reasons to use our white noise device:


  • It’s effective for helping adults fall asleep, but it also works for babies or toddlers. However, it has small parts and shouldn’t be handled by children under 3 years of age.

  • Our white noise device is helpful when you’re in a noisy area and can’t focus. For instance, it can help block out office chatter so you can concentrate on your tasks. This sound machine is also a good study aid, boosting concentration despite noise pollution.

  • It's a handy tool for when you want to kick back and distance yourself from stressful thoughts and anxiety.


Manta Safety Tip: When using a sound machine for babies or toddlers, ensure it's at least 7 feet from a baby's crib or a child's head. The sound machine's volume should be under 50 decibels. Read our blog post on when to stop using white noise for babies or toddlers for more.

How to Use Manta White Noise Machine: A Step-by-Step Guide

Read the Instruction Manual

Whether you’ve purchased the regular Manta White Noise Machine, dual-speaker system or booster (add-on) speaker, reading the instruction manual is essential. It’ll help you identify the parts of the device and provide pertinent information on its operation, maintenance and safety considerations.

Familiarize Yourself With Its Parts

Counter-clockwise from upper left: speaker, control pad, USB-C cable, power adapter, instruction manual of a white noise machine.

Here’s what’s included with Manta White Noise Machine:


  1. 1 speaker

  2. 1 control pad (1 coin cell battery already installed)

  3. 1 USB-C to DC power cable

  4. 1 power adapter

  5. 1 instruction manual


A dual-speaker system includes everything with the standard Manta White Noise Machine, except you’ll get 2 speakers instead of 1 with their respective USB-C to DC power cables and power adapters.


Meanwhile, if you buy the booster speaker separately, you’ll receive 1 speaker with 1 USB-C to DC power cable and power adapter.


Now, let’s examine the main parts of the white noise device.

Speaker

The front and back portions of a white noise machine’s speaker.

  1. FRONT OF SPEAKER: Place the speaker on this side, facing up.

  2. RESET/PAIRING BUTTON: Hold this for 10 seconds to reset to factory settings or press it to pair with a booster speaker. Locate this button on the back of the speaker.

  3. PORT: Where to plug in the cable once it’s attached to the power adapter. Locate this on the back of the speaker.

Control Pad

A control pad of a white noise machine with numbers indicating the parts.

  1. PLAY/PAUSE BUTTON: Hold this for 10 seconds to unlock or lock the remote control. Pressing this pauses or plays the white noise device.

  2. VOLUME UP BUTTON: Press this to increase the volume of sound.

  3. VOLUME DOWN BUTTON: Press this to decrease the volume of sound.

  4. SELECT SOUND BUTTON: Press this to choose from 15 sounds. You’ll hear a jingle once you return to the first sound.

  5. SELECT TIMER BUTTON: Press this to choose your preferred timer setting from 30 minutes to 8 hours.

Determine the Source of Noise

Identifying the noise source before setting up the sound machine is essential. It determines the placement of the speaker/s.

A woman standing beside a window, cupping her ear to listen for noise.

We designed our sound machine to be placed safely away from your head. The speaker/s should be near the noise source to experience the full effect of its sound-shielding feature. (We recommend placing a sound machine at least 3 feet away from your head.)

For instance, if you live near a busy intersection, ideally place the speaker nearest to the noise source, like your windowsill, where traffic sounds emanate.

Setting Up Manta White Noise Machine

Now that you’ve identified the noise source, it’s time to set up your device.

Step 1: Position the Speaker

A woman positioning the speaker of a white noise machine on her window sill.

  • Place the speaker facing towards you and near the source of noise.

Step 2: Plug the Speaker In

A USB cable is plugged into a white noise machine’s speaker port and the other end is connected to an adapter that is plugged into an outlet.

  • Plug the USB-C cable into the power adapter. Then, plug the other end of the cable into the speaker port.

  • Fit the cable into the notch near the speaker’s port to lie flat on any surface.

  • Plug the adapter into a power outlet. (Note that the adapter is compatible with 120V and 220V outlets.)

  • Listen for the jingle, which indicates that the white noise device's speaker is powered on.

Manta Safety Tip: Ensure your hands are dry when plugging the speaker/s into a power outlet. Also, ensure all power cords are correctly routed to prevent obstruction or accidents.

Step 3: Test the Speaker

Once you’ve set up your speaker, it’s time to give your white noise device a spin.

A hand pressing the play button of a white noise machine’s control pad to test the speaker.

  • Make sure your speaker/s are correctly plugged into power sources and paired.

  • Press the PLAY/PAUSE button on the control pad to power on. If this is your first time using the white noise device, it should play the first sound: brown noise.

  • If you’ve used the machine previously, it will remember your sound settings and play the last sound type at the same volume.

Now that you know how to set up our sound machine, let’s move on to its settings.


Manta Safety Tip: Keep the volume of your sound machine at a safe sound level of 50 to 70 decibels. Use apps like NIOSH Sound Level Meter (iOS) and Decibel X (Android). Or better yet, a decibel meter instrument. To learn more, read our blog post on how loud should white noise be for adults.

Setting Up a Dual-Speaker System

If you’ve opted for a dual-speaker system, it includes a primary speaker and an add-on (booster) speaker. You can tell them apart because the add-on speaker has a black RESET button, whereas the main speaker has a red PAIRING/RESET button.


Note that the exact instructions apply to a booster speaker purchased separately. The speaker included with the regular Manta White Noise Machine will be the primary speaker.

Step 1: Decide on the Placement of Your Speakers

The control pad of a white noise machine is on top of a table. One speaker is positioned near a window. The other is placed near the door and mounted on a wall.

  • When setting up your dual-speaker system, place the add-on speaker in a different position from the main speaker. This placement allows for a broader coverage of the sound barrier to mask noise from various sources.

  • Ensure you place your speakers on flat surfaces like windowsills, tables or walls.

Step 2: Pair the Speakers

A hand pressing the pairing button of a speaker to sync it with the other speaker.

  • Like the instructions for the single speaker mentioned above, plug the USB-C cable into the power adapter for both speakers. Then, plug the other ends of their respective cables into their speaker ports.

  • After plugging in the primary speaker and hearing the jingle, plug in the booster speaker. Then, press the primary speaker’s PAIRING button.

  • Once paired, you can use a single control pad to operate both speakers.

Step 3: Test the Speakers

  • Using the same process as testing a single speaker, press the PAUSE/PLAY button. Both speakers should play the same sound at the same volume simultaneously.


Note that you can’t have more than 1 speaker paired with another. The controller can be paired with a maximum of 2 speakers. The speakers will always play the same sound type at the same timer and volume settings.

Select Your Sound Type

Manta White Noise Machine offers 15 gapless and non-looping sleep sounds. These include:

From left to right: colored noise, fan, rain and ocean sounds.

The sound machine plays a variety of sounds, including different kinds of colored noise, as well as fan and nature sounds. These are designed to help you sleep soundly, relax and focus.

A hand pressing the select sound button of a white noise machine.

  • Press the SELECT SOUND button to cycle through all 15 sleep sounds.

  • You will hear a jingle once you’ve returned to the first sound.

Choose Your Timer Settings

A control pad of a white noise machine with timer settings: 4 hours, 2 hours, 1 hour, 30 minutes, 6 hours, 8 hours.

Manta White Noise Machine offers 6 timer settings. Timer Off is the default setting that provides continuous playback. They are the following:


  • 30 minutes

  • 1 hour

  • 2 hours

  • 4 hours

  • 6 hours

  • 8 hours


Unlike other white noise devices, our sound machine gradually lowers the volume as the timer ends. Follow the instructions below to choose your timer settings.

A hand pressing the timer setting button on the control pad of a sound machine.

  • Press the SELECT TIMER button to choose your preferred setting. Once the timer has cycled through all the settings, it will return to the continuous play setting.

  • Pressing the SELECT TIMER button after you’ve set a timer will cause it to restart to the same setting. For instance, if you set the timer to 4 hours and press the SELECT TIMER button after 2 hours, the timer will restart for 4 hours again.

Troubleshooting Manta White Noise Machine: FAQs

Running into issues with operating your device? Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions:

What Should I Do When the Speaker Isn’t Emitting Any Sounds?

If the speaker isn’t emitting any sounds, it’s possible that the USB cable or power adapter isn’t fully plugged into the port, the power adapter or the outlet.


Ensure the speaker’s USB cable is firmly fitted into the port and the adapter. Then, ensure that the adapter is plugged into the power outlet.


Press the RESET/PAIRING button of the speaker and wait for the jingle.

What Should I Do if One Speaker Isn’t Pairing With the Other?

Check if each speaker’s USB cables and power adapter are connected to their ports and power outlets.


Then, try pairing the speakers again by pressing the RESET/PAIRING button of the main speaker. Listen for the jingle, which indicates the speakers are paired and powered on.


Then, test the speakers by pressing the PLAY/PAUSE button of the control pad.


If the speakers still aren’t pairing, hold down the black RESET button on the booster speaker for 10 seconds.

How Do I Perform a Factory Reset?

You may want to perform a factory reset to revert to the machine’s default settings.


First, ensure the speaker is powered on to perform a factory reset. Remove the cable and reattach it to the port. Listen for the jingle, which indicates that the speaker is on.


Then, press the RESET/PAIRING button of the speaker for 10 seconds. Then, hold the PLAY/PAUSE button of the control pad for 10 seconds. You’ll hear a jingle that indicates the control pad has been reset successfully.


To factory reset 2 speakers, hold down both speakers' RESET/PARING buttons for 10 seconds simultaneously. Repeat the abovementioned reset instructions for the control pad.

What Should I Do if the Control Pad Isn’t Working?

It’s possible that the battery of the control pad has run out. It uses CR2450 coin cell batteries (24mm x 5mm), which you can easily buy online. Note that the batteries last about 7 years (with daily and regular use).


Open the battery compartment of the control pad with a screwdriver and fit in the new batteries. The compartment is at the back of the control pad.

Why Does the Noise From the Device Sound Distorted?

External sources may be causing the interference. Ensure that electrical devices like transformers or electric motors are placed far from the white noise device.

Why Won’t the Sound Machine Work With My Phone, Bluetooth® Speaker or Headphones?

Manta White Noise Machine doesn’t have Bluetooth® capabilities or an app.


It can’t pair with any type of mobile device or speaker. This white noise device also doesn’t have a headphone jack. It was designed to work specifically with its accompanying speaker/s.


The speakers are designed to operate using electricity and must be plugged into power outlets. This simple design ensures easy setup and eliminates blue light from devices that negatively impact sleep quality.


(Also, the device isn’t rechargeable, so you can’t use a power bank or portable charger.)

What Should I Do if I Spill Liquid on the Device?

Immediately unplug the speaker from the power outlet and turn it upside down. Let it dry completely (about 1 week) before plugging it into an outlet.


If the white noise device is submerged, unplug it immediately and drain the water before retrieving it to prevent electrocution.


Note that there’s no guarantee that the machine will work after it gets wet.

Why Can’t I Add My Custom Sounds?

You can’t add custom sounds to the device. Manta White Noise Machine is already pre-loaded with 15 sleep-promoting sounds, including white, brown and pink noise, and more.


You can opt for Manta SOUND Mask, which has built-in Bluetooth® speakers that you can pair with compatible devices, while providing 100% blackout for better sleep.

Care and Maintenance of Manta White Noise Machine

A hand holding a soft cloth to clean the control pad.

We designed our sound machine with durability at the top of mind. Care and maintenance of the device will keep it in optimal working condition for years to come.


Here are essential tips on caring for your sound machine:


  1. Clean it regularly with a soft, dry cloth. You can vacuum the speaker grill to remove dust particles. Avoid using liquids or sprays like solvents, chemicals or alcohol and abrasives to clean the white noise device.

  2. Don’t leave the speakers plugged in if you won’t use the machine for some time.

  3. Keep the sound machine away from direct sunlight. Do not store any of its parts in areas that are humid, moist, dirty or lacking ventilation.

  4. Do not place it near heat sources like fireplaces, stoves, or other appliances.

  5. Avoid placing the sound machine near water sources, including swimming pools, sinks, bathtubs or any body of water to prevent electrocution.

  6. Do not place the white noise device in an area with constant vibration.

  7. If possible, only use the power adapter/s and USB cable/s that are included with the machine.

  8. Conserve the control pad’s battery by locking it when not in use. Hold down the PLAY/PAUSE BUTTON to lock the control pad for 10 seconds. Follow the same procedure when unlocking it.

Conclusion: Using Manta White Noise Machine for Optimal Sleep

If disruptive environmental noise is causing your sleep troubles, then Manta White Noise Machine is an effective and safe solution. It offers a variety of sounds (including white noise) and customizable settings that allow you to experiment with what works best.


We hope this guide addresses any questions about using our sound machine. If you can’t find the answer to your question in this article, visit our FAQs page, email support@mantasleep.com, or click the red chat button on the bottom right corner of our website.


Comment below to let us know how your Manta White Noise Machine experience goes.

Sources:  

(1) "52% of Us Rely On Noise to Sleep: Behind the Numbers.” Sleep Doctor, sleepdoctor.com/features/52-percent-of-adults-use-background-noise-to-sleep. Accessed 23 February 2025.


Disclaimer:  The information contained in this website or provided through our blog, e-mails, or programs is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment that can be provided by your healthcare professionals.