Respironics 560p Loud?

Being my first machine I dont know what they are suppose to sound like but my gf hasnt slept since I've gotten my machine. At 4 cm it sounds like either a vacuum cleaner is being used a few floors above you or someone snorning on another floor while inhaling (on a-flex auto). At 6cm it becomes about double the decible. Sounds like a small motor winding up or a higher pitched vacuum on inhalation. I know its hard to to describe a sound but the techs are just dismissing the sound without even listening to it probably because it would require a trip to my house.

Also to pugsy I saw on a older post that you said the 560 comes with a heated hose humidifier but mine is just the heated tank, regular light hose no connections 60w power. Is my DME ripping me off?

Hi acidragon,
The 560 is one of the quietest units on the market, and it certainly should NOT sound like a vacuum cleaner. However, if you tested it without connecting the mask and putting said mask on, it will sound quite loud.

I barely hear mine. Also, the 560 is an APAP, which is good, and has good data.

The 560 *used* to be sold in two ways, without and with the heated tube humidifier. There is a different cost associated with each, but IMO you should have got the heated tube unit. I know there is a conversion kit that will let you swap it out, but it isn't cheap (in part because it needs a different power supply).

acidragon wrote:Also to pugsy I saw on a older post that you said the 560 comes with a heated hose humidifier but mine is just the heated tank, regular light hose no connections 60w power. Is my DME ripping me off?

Well...maybe yes and maybe no to the ripoff part. The machines that come with the heated hose stuff may cost the DME a little more than the machines that don't have the added equipment. When using insurance the DME normally gets paid X amount of dollars no matter which machine is supplied so they make a little more money on a machine that does have the heated hose equipment.
They could supply the added equipment if they would just do it. I don't know what billing code they could use though or what it might pay above the initial machine allowable amount.
From cpap.com the upgrade kit is $75.
They may have thought you didn't/wouldn't need it...or they may have just not thought period.
Ask them for it if you want it...see what their response is.

Also...these machines should be nearly silent once you get the mask on. Did they give you a filter or filters. Normally supplied with a gray foam filter (make sure it is in place) and a white fine filter that is considered optional by some but not me. The white fine filter goes in first and the gray foam filter goes in last.
No way should they sound like a vacuum cleaner once properly put together with mask on the face and properly sealed.

It will be rather loud sounding until the mask gets properly fitted though.

If it is that loud then the standard ideas of putting the machine lower or on some sound absorbing material (towel, rubber mat, mouse pad) is unlikely to help much.

Check filter placement. Check all your connections. Fit the mask so fit is perfect and turn the machine on.
Make sure the lid on the humidifier is closed tight.
If it is still that loud and those relatively low settings...hand carry it back to DME and tell them to either fix it..show you what you might be doing wrong...or give you a new machine. Some minor motor noise...yeah we can handle that but not vacuum cleaner noise..something not right for that amount of noise to be present. I use the PR S1 BiPap which is a bit louder machine and my pressures are 13 on inhale...my husband says he simply can't hear it at all once I have everything on.

I quickly adapted to the very slight nightly sounds of my PR Sys One 550 by repeating this mantra: "This is the sound of my life being saved". You'll get used to it.

I have a 560 that i use at my lady's house on weekends, it sets below the bed, on the floor actually and I don't hear it at all..she is a very light sleeper and it doesn't bother her at all. I hear myself breathing in the mask if anything.

Bed partner shouldn't be hearing noise that is like a vacuum cleaner.
Something is not right if someone else in the room is hearing this much noise.

Yes the sounds I'm speaking of is of course when my mask is on and fitted. The noise doesnt bother me but shes a light sleeper... I wouldnt say its the same decibel as a vacuum but its similar in the way it sounds and its no way near silent. Say if you stand at my doorway (about 10 feet away) you can hear the machine if its quiet.

Okay, so it really isn't as loud as a vacuum cleaner.

Some things to try to help reduce the motor noise.
Put the machine on something that might help absorb some of the motor noise.
Place the machine on a much lower level than the mattress level like on the floor maybe on a small stack of books.
Possibly add some white noise (like a fan) in the bedroom to help mask the annoying noise or tones.
Are you using the AFlex or CFlex exhale relief? If so try turning it off to see if that helps reduce the noise...and/or try a different setting maybe.

No machine is totally silent...they all have motors but those of us who say the machines are near silent...well, we aren't deaf and having the hearing aids out of our ears. We really can just barely hear our machines.

Has it always been loud?
Mine got loud and i sent it back to our hosts cpap.com from whom i purchased it from.
They ran some tests and confirmed mine was a defective unit.
They sent out a replacement unit under warranty.

So much for made in America eh

acidragon wrote:Being my first machine I dont know what they are suppose to sound like but my gf hasnt slept since I've gotten my machine. At 4 cm it sounds like either a vacuum cleaner is being used a few floors above you or someone snorning on another floor while inhaling (on a-flex auto). At 6cm it becomes about double the decible. Sounds like a small motor winding up or a higher pitched vacuum on inhalation. I know its hard to to describe a sound but the techs are just dismissing the sound without even listening to it probably because it would require a trip to my house.

Also to pugsy I saw on a older post that you said the 560 comes with a heated hose humidifier but mine is just the heated tank, regular light hose no connections 60w power. Is my DME ripping me off?

It's the DMEs job to rip you off.

There is a 560 blower unit.
There is an optional heated humidifier that will not work with a heated hose.
There is an optional heated humidifier that will work with an optional heated hose.
There is an upgraded external power supply that is necessary for the heated hose model humidifier.
There is an optional heated hose that requires the heated hose humidifier and the upgraded power supply.

I think there are 6 "legal" combinations of blower units, power supplies, humidifiers and hoses. Different sellers "bundle" them differently. Only one combination gives you the heated hose.

The PRS1 CPAP machines are pretty quiet, as are the ResMed S9 units.

Every so often someone reports a noisy CPAP machine. Some people may actually have noisy ones, some people are just more picky about noise. Some people have psychological problems.

Sometimes, it matters where you place the machine. If you sit it beside the bed lower than the top of the bed, you may hear it less. Sometimes, if you put it on certain surfaces, the noise may be amplified. Try sitting it on something like a rubber pad, but don't put it on something so soft that it will sink in and cover the air vents.

If you run a fan in the same room, is it as noisy as the CPAP machine? Some people use one to generate "white" noise to cover up the CPAP.

You could also try putting the machine in a drawer or a box of some kind. As long as you have a hole twice the diameter of the hose to run the hose through, you shouldn't have a heat buildup problem. As long as the hose is coming out of the box, it should get enough fresh air to cool itself. Be sure to leave some air space around the machine.

BTW, I'll comment that acidragon said as noisy as a vacuum cleaner "a few floors above you."

I can hear mine in a quiet room if there are no fans running or other noise. It never bothered me, but I could hear it. My PRS1 sat in direct earshot of me close enough that I could push the buttons without moving anything but my arm.

Is it loud without the humidifier connected?

Not to muddy the waters, but it could be that individual units have different noise levels. My hubby got his in Dec 2012 and it is so quiet I can't tell its on without looking for the light when he is asleep. Now his pressure is set at 7-15. I just got mine yesterday, and last night mine was significantly noisier, but my pressure is 19, this may make a difference. Since acidragon is using a really low pressure, like my hubby's, I would think the machine should be as quiet as my hubby's. Hubby has the heated humidifier, but not the heated hose. Mine has heated hose (and remember is noisier).

Sounds to me like these machines may vary (should only be slightly) in the amount of noise they make. I've been on CPAP 13 yrs now & on my 4th machine & NEVER heard one as quiet as my hubby's. Seriously, I cannot tell if it is on! His came new, with no hours on the blower. My F&P ICON sounded like a jet landing next to the bed and it came new also. My new PRS1 560 is relatively quiet, but you can definitely tell it is on.

I would check your blower hours to make sure they didn't give you a 'gently used' or 'reconditioned' unit. If it appears to be new, then I would take that machine back to the DME & ask that they swap out the machine, tell them it is too noisy, that you really feel like something is wrong. If you haven't had it very long (a week or so?) they should be able to give you another unit just like that one. If another unit makes the same noise, your gf may just be a light sleeper & you will have to try some sound modifications for her like stated above.

Good luck & keep us posted,
Jen

I've had it for about 3 weeks now. I checked the hours when I first got it and it was at 0 but the tech brought it to my house already unwrapped and the humidifier attached already, dont know if that was a sign of something? Also if the machine just breaks months later who would cover the cost for a new machine or repairs, me or the insurance company?? I know this might be the wrong place to ask such a question but maybe someone here has experienced this before?

The machine has a warranty and your DME will be the point of contact. They probably took it out of the box to set it up.

I don't think anyone gets a sealed unit from the factory. I have gotten 3 different brand new machines. All were touched by some grubby tech's hands to input the setting

acidragon wrote: Also if the machine just breaks months later who would cover the cost for a new machine or repairs, me or the insurance company?

The machine comes with a 2 year manufacture warranty...if there's something wrong with the machine Respironics will replace it but you have to go through the supplier.
If the machine is as loud as you say then take it down to the DME and force them to listen...ask to hear a different machine to see if a different machine has the same noise level.
Maybe your machine has the same ailment that UncleBob's machine had.