Sounds of DreamStation

[Pesser]

Does anybody find a difference in noise of DS Bipap vs. APAP? I wonder if Pale Rider is still around?

[zonker]

Does anybody find a difference in noise of DS Bipap vs. APAP? I wonder if Pale Rider is still around?

can't answer the first question.

as to the second, yup. comes in multiple times a day.

[DreamDiver]

Does anybody find a difference in noise of DS Bipap vs. APAP? I wonder if Pale Rider is still around?

Your profile doesn't specify whether you're currently using Apap or Bipap. I'll assume Apap, since if you already had Bipap, you're less likely to be asking.

Literature suggests:
DS Bipap 26 dB
DS Apap 25.8 dB

To most ears, it's sort of a wash. However, if you need min pressures at ~18cm, it's obviously going to be louder than the same machine with min pressures set at 10cm, regardless of version. If you're using APAP, I'm assuming your pressures are not on the high end of the spectrum. If your doc (or you) think you could benefit from Bipap even with the lower pressure regimen, the difference in sound transmission between APAP and Bipap should not be a limiting factor in your acquiring a Bipap. Heck, ResMed's Airsense 10 (What I have) is 26.6 dB, and it's fairly whisper quiet. Respironics is known for having the quietest machines in the business. If the Apap works for you, the Bipap should too. It's definitely more expensive though. Given the above data, if sound transmission is problematic for APAP, it will likely be more so for Bipap.

[palerider]

I wonder if Pale Rider is still around?

Indeed.

And many bilevel machines do make more noise than cpap/apap machines, because they can operate at higher pressures, and larger pressure variations.

At the same pressure(s) though, they should make the same amount of noise.