IntelliPAP Auto 19, M Series Auto A-Flex 11

[johnnygoodman]

Howdy CPAPtalkers,

The DeVilbiss IntelliPAP AutoAdjust has defeated the Respironics M Series Auto A-Flex by a score of 19 to 11. Congratulations to the DeVilbiss team on a most impressive performance! CPAPtalkers can get all the details and comments here:

http://intellipap-aflex-auto.cpaptalk.com/

This is a big deal to CPAP users everywhere. Consider:

1. This is the first product challenge testing machines.

2. This is the first major upset of a current market leader.

3. This is the first product to overcome the "home court advantage" of switching from an existing and preferred product. This refutes those who say "well, of course the home team will win each time".

We at CPAPtalk will be working very hard in the coming weeks to make sure everyone in our industry gets a look at the results and has a clear picture of the rigor under which they were gathered. These are unbiased, unfiltered CPAP user opinions.

Thank you to all who enrolled and all who participated. You level of professionalism during this process is greatly appreciated. What really blew those working on the product challenge away was the level of detail in the comments. It is amazing how easy it is to piece together common threads of praise and complaint. The manufacturer who heeds your advice will be far ahead of the one that does not.

In past challenges, we accepted 30-50 participants and turned away 500+ applicants. This was a source of frustration for many, including us. This time around, we made a point to send out a thank you email to those who enrolled but where not selected. The email we sent contained a discount code good for a discount on the purchase of an IntelliPAP AutoAdjust. Unfortunately, I blew it and the code expired before the results of the challenge were announced. I received a LOT of emails pointing this out. Sorry guys.

To those who enrolled, wanted to see the results first and still want to get an IntelliPAP on the cheap - we have extended the code to work through April 30th 2009! Thank you for supporting the Product Challenge! Sorry you weren't selected, but take heart - we're going to host plenty more.

I hope there are many machine challenges to follow. I hope that the people of this community know that those running Product Challenges are going to absolutely nuts lengths to be beyond reproach. Finally, I hope that you realize that when you enroll or participate in product challenges, you are helping each and every CPAP user on this planet lobby for better equipment and for a voice in treatment.

We can do this. We are doing this. Lets keep going.

Johnny

[ozij]

But those overseas, or outside the US can't enrole -- and won't get a product code...

O.

[dieselgal]

Johnny, I was lucky enough to be chosen for this challenge and I wanted to tell you again how thrilled I was. I couldn't believe I had been that lucky. It gets even better than that because due to this test I now have a new favorite machine because I am one of those that preferred the Intellipap and I had not started out believing that would happen.
Thanks again for choosing me as a participant !

[Hawthorne]

I, like Ozij, was disappointed that I could not enter the challenge because I live in Canada and not the United States. Now I feel even more "left out" since I couldn't even get a discount coupon either!

I realize that cpap.com is a United States company but it does have lots of customers worldwide and cpaptalk.com is an International forum.

[Paul56]

Me too... Canuck and cannot participate.

But, I expect in the next year that I may be living in San Antonio... so problem solved.

[MrSandman]

Let me be the first to say SKEWED either in the selection of participants or some other way...

I tried them both and I traveled with them both and no way it wins based on actual treatment of the condition in auto mode or in comparing useful data/software and I wanted it to be better but it just isn't. This at a pressure of 15. I would rather have blue lights and a machine that is proven.

Sample too small to matter and selection process unpublished. Not a big deal with masks but a very big deal with machines.

[Pineapple]

OK participants - dieselgal your one. What was so wonderful about this machine. Tell us about it!

[dieselgal]

I wrote most of what I thought about the machine in my feedback. I am listed as Donna N. It is probably easier to read it there instead of repeating it. Those are my exact words, they weren't changed at all and I did pick the Intellipap as the winner for me. If people want to see that as skewed in some way that is their choice. Just because you disagree with me doesn't make me wrong.
Like I said I was happy with my m-series and never thought I would like the Intellipap more but I do.

[zebrajeb]

I also was in the trial. I think it was a great service and really appreciate cpap.com for putting it together. I am sticking with the M Series for my main machine simply because of the A-flex feature which I think makes breathability better. Otherwise, I generally liked the IntelliPAP better and rated it better overall - especially for travel. As was mentioned, you can read everyone's comments on the product challenge results.

John B.

[SharkBait]

I also was in the trial. I think it was a great service and really appreciate cpap.com for putting it together. I am sticking with the M Series for my main machine simply because of the A-flex feature which I think makes breathability better. Otherwise, I generally liked the IntelliPAP better and rated it better overall - especially for travel. As was mentioned, you can read everyone's comments on the product challenge results.

John B.

That's what shocks me is that so many chose a machine with no exhale relief over a perfectly good machine that does. I guess you can get used to no exhale relief if you try...

[Hawthorne]

I wasn't in the challenge ,and I have the M Series Auto which does the job well for me.

As an outside observer, who has never used the Intellipap, it look, to me as if machines may be as individual as masks in some cases. Participants, on the whole, seem to like the exhalation relief feature on the M Series.

[dieselgal]

Sharkbait, what I found was that I could not even tell the machine didn't have exhale relief. I initially thought it did! I felt no difference there. I do not feel resistance on the breathe out. I also found the machine to sync better with my breathing pattern.

[tdm5032c]

How can you not tell that the machine doesn't have exhale relief? I use the M-Series Auto with Aflex set to 2 and there is a dramatic idfference between breathing in and breathing out. The pressure drops to almost nothing on exhale and then goes back to full pressure on inhale. Maybe its just the fact that my nostrils seem to flare a bit when the pressure comes back on that makes it more noticable to me, but I would think even with other masks it would be VERY noticable. I guess everyone is different and some, like myself, are more sensitive to the pressure than others.

I do agree with one comment that was on here about this challenge that this is too small of a group to make any accurate conclusions as to which is the better machine. My M-Series is VERY quiet and as long as you use the proper distilled water in the tank, is VERY easy to clean and maintain. I couldn't do without the exhale releif either, and my pressure is fairly low compared to some on here. The machine I used in the sleep study was just a straight machine and I found it very difficult to breathe out against the pressure. That was in the sleep study seting though, so probably not too accurate either, lol.

Tracy

[Guest]

I found that a group of Harley Davidson riders prefers Harley Davidson-brand helmets. Scientific relevence? NONE. It's what works for you. What a bunch of nonsense.
If you don't care about whether something is clinically-proven or has the endorsement of world-class physicians, by all means, buy the cheapie brand! LOL

[dieselgal]

Maybe GUEST works for M-series. Most Harley riders I know don't wear ANY helmet. Uncool
I can only tell you that I like both machines. I purchased my M-series Auto out of my own pocket and loved it.
My pressures are set 8 -14 . With either machine I don't use ramp . With M-series I use Aflex, with Intellipap I could not feel pressure back at my while breathing out. I was surprised but happily so. That is what is good about the world. We all have our preferences and after actually trying both machines I like the Intellipap better. I am not asking others to buy it. I don't own stock in the company. It is definitely a great option for someone on a budget.