S9 vs PR System One

[cpapernewbie]

after 4 nights with S9 and 3 months with PR Systems One (in total my CPAP experience in the last 3 years is 2 straight CPAP and 4 autos, all Respironics) here is my short writeup

what I dislike about PR System One
1. design - the filter is located at the bottom end - for what? to suck dust?
2. noise level is higher than S9
3. color scheme
4. software - the professional version is complicated to install and very slow to run
5. only weekly average is available on screen
6. LCD is impossible to read without glasses and light
7. humidifier setting through LCD
8. the travel bag - bigger size and clumsy to carry

what I like about PR System One
1. the humidifier
2. water level is visible
3. easy to setup
4. low price (vs S9, around 50% of S9 price)

what I dislike about S9
1. water level not visible
2. price, price control and policy

what I like about S9
1. human interface is very well designed (use color scheme, friendly icons etc)
2. very very quiet
3. slimline hose is a great idea
4. better sleep quality
5. simpler software
6. daily stats are available on screen
7. the travel bag looks just like laptop bag

[cpapernewbie]

As an afterthought
overall rating
PR system one auto *** (3 star)
S9 auto ***** (5 star)

[slaaplekker]

Thanks for sharing your review. I've only had the System One for one day, I tried to get the S9 but the DME who is an RT and a APAP user really pushed the System One. I finally just decided to go with it since it looked to have most of what I want. He did say that he uses the System One and used the S9 for a week and prefers the System One. I came close to just bagging the whole DME option and had an order ready at CPAP.com but decided to try to work with the DME and System One knowing that I can always buy an S9 at another time since I have a copy of the Rx.

I agree about the display it is horrible to read especially at night. I really don't plan on using the display much since it is easy to turn on and off and I'm getting my stats from the SD card. The software was a pain to get going, I have the Viewer Software coming but wanted to check my stats for the first view days so spent the effort to get the Pro software running in VM.

Noise isn't an issue for me since I sleep with a white noise machine anyway. My spouse says she can't even tell it is on. Color and bag are no issue since most of my travel is by car and I'm usually hauling camera equipment and computers anyway, one more bag of any shape is a hassle. If I were traveling by air a lot I would change bags so it is more conventional. Not planning on changing the humidifier very often, since humidity here is pretty stable.

The real point is how you sleep and most folks some to love the S9 so I'm going to wonder about that, but my first night of stats on the System One looked pretty good, I posted them and while I wasn't really comfortable, I have to admit I slept better than I have on 99% if the nights in the last year.

[cpapernewbie]

Hey John "slaaplekker", I like your name.

I know some Dutch from long time ago and understand what slaap is (sleep) and lekker (delicious) - is that correct?

My problem with Respironics CPAP is that they become noisier after several months of usage. Like the PR System One, since beginning of this year I have used 2, all quiet in the beginning and then after 1-2 months the noise began to irritate me. Sometimes I just start my room humidifier to drown the CPAP noise but then like this evening, the humidity without humidifier is already 60%

Well, I was a Respironics fan in the past and was happy with PR S1 (except the LCD, the filter placement and the noise) until I read those reviews on S9. I always want to improve my CPAP experience since I want to "slaap lekker" after so many years of sleeping problems and panic attacks due to apneas. I do not have any sleep study, so I want to treat myself to the best standard there is the CPAP world. I pay everything from my own pocket so nobody will complaint with my overspending

[Jay K]

Thanks for the comparison of the two machines. However, left out is what I consider the most important factor in choosing betwen the two: which provides more effective therapy? Did you find one machine more effective than the other in terms of how you felt after using it?

[GertJan]

Hi newbie,

close on the Dutch name, separate words are translated correct.
But together they are better translated as "sleep well".

Gertjan

[cpapernewbie]

Jay K
That's why I decided to include the "continues sleep" - less disruptive sleep - factor and the start rating. From AHI and other stats and the better sleep, so far the rating is conclusive of S9 superiority

Get Jan,
I realize that! The overall translation cannot be as literal as the sleep "delicious". Thanks

[slaaplekker]

Thanks for the feedback on the machines cpapernewbie. If I were paying out of pocket I would have gotten the S9. I had to be yanked kicking and screaming in to the CPAP world since I resisted even the idea that I needed one. Until I let the Dr. convince me to at least do a overnight Oximeter study. When I woke up at one point in the night and saw an 84 on the Sat meter I knew I was in trouble. I have a medical background and did 1000's of blood gasses when I worked in the hospital so I know a bit about 02 saturation.

Good for you taking control of your own health, since my take on it is if you don't look after yourself no one else will.

I will see how the System One does for me, always time to change latter if necessary. So far the 2nd night went well.

As for my screen name I spent a couple of years in the Netherlands and Belgium and I'm from Dutch descent so it came naturally.

regards
John

[cpapernewbie]

Hi Jan
thank for the sharing of experience. My frequent change of CPAPs are all due mostly to quality issues/ One of my auto CPAP was out of order, its motherboard decided to stop working and the repair cost offered to me was a shocking $1,600. I laugh it out and bought a replacement straight CPAP for only $200 second hand from Craiglist. The other CPAP I used exhibit problems with humidifier and noise fter several months of usage..

I bought them several through auction and Craiglist, some new and some used, my experience with on-line sellers are excellent, they are better than the 2 DMEs I have personally met and deal with. I

This CPAP industry I think may need reform as much as the American car industry in terms of pricing and quality of the people in the profession..

[Slinky]

Resmed hasn't come out w/their S9 VPAP yet, BUT, I can already tell you that I MUCH prefer Respironics' method of Pressure Support rather than Resmed's method of Pressure Support.

With Resmed IPAP and EPAP can never get closer or further apart than the Pressure Support setting. I don't anticipate this PS method changing w/the S9.

With Respironics, the IPAP and EPAP can never get closer than the PS setting but they CAN get further apart than the PS setting.

[okitoki]

Im currently using the PR system one, but have not used the S9 before, so cant comment on that.

it seems quiet enough at the begining, when I first put on the mask and started breathing... the sound was obvious from the tube to me, but my GF cant hear the machine pumping... it feels like Im breathing really hard as Im still getting used to it, but after 5 min, it feels like Im more relaxed and able to breath normally. Noise level did increase during the night when I was probably at my average pressure of 9cm, and my GF did say it has woken her up and had to put her ear plug back on again.

Interface seems clumsy using the nob to control the screen and click clacking the knob to select...

Humidifier is good with the visible water level... my room is pretty warm at the moment during winter at around 19C, and I would have it at level 2 - 3 with no rain out... however, I have a slightly blocked nose yesterday, so I turned it up to 4... and I had a lot of condensation in my nasal pillow this morning... didnt wake me up, but could be a problem for some...

As a newbie user of APAP machine, so my comment might be taken lightly

[cpapernewbie]

Slinky
I have noticed your particular problem with Resmed algorithm
however for majority of us who have more simpler needs, the Resmed algorithm seems to work great

Okitoki
I have visited Perth several times, so I know the climate there. Suggest not to exceed 3-4 in your winter and probably 0-1 during summer/fall/spring.
The Pr has a tendency to become noisier after months of usage, in the last 4 months I used 2, the first I resell after becoming more noisy. The last one is still quiet but then I am now testing S9

[Janknitz]

The PR S1 is dead silent with the humidifier running. I used one for about a month without a humidifier and that was NOISY. But I cannot tell the machine is on from the machine itself.

However, the S9 claims to dampen the conducted noise as well. I've never tried the S9 so I cannot speak to that, but the PR S1 does NOT dampen the conducted noise. I hear a lot of it "in my head" from the mask tubing.

Last night was interesting because for once my ears were not congested, and with my ears clear I did not hear the conducted noise--except when my internal pressure increased during a swallow--for those few milliseconds during the swallow only, I could hear the conducted noise. It was kind of strange.

I did hear a gentle inspiratory sound, only slightly louder than I ordinarily hear if I pay attention to my breathing sound without CPAP on.

Now I want to figure out how to keep the pressure down in my ears so I don't have to listen to that conducted noise

[cpapernewbie]

Janknitz
the nise problem might be originated in the hose.
I should have tried to use the slimline hose of S9 into the PR System One and if it is better in terms of noise, the the slimline hose is the solution.

Unfortunately I already neatly packed my PR System One for sale, either through CPAPauction ir Craiglist or direct. Anybody who are interested to buy my PR System one with ONLY 160 hours usage, pls PM me

[Slinky]

CPAPperNewbie and others, just to clarify: I had NO PROBLEM w/the Resmed S8 Elite algorhythm, nor w/the Resmed S8 AutoSet Vantage algorhythm.

I also have NO PROBLEM w/the Resmed VPAP Auto (bi-level) set to run as a straight bi-level in auto mode so that the EasyBreathe technology was in action. So there is no reason to assume that I do not do well w/the Resmed algorhythm. The EasyBreathe technology is NOT active in straight bi-level mode w/the VPAP Auto. Furthermore, there are "comfort features", the Rise Time, Ti Minimum and Ti Maxium, that can be adjusted AND MIGHT have alleviated the problem in straight bi-level mode IF I had sleep professionals who KNEW and UNDERSTOOD and had ANY INTEREST in properly adjusting the VPAP Auto.

I would make note that so far I am using the PR SystemOne BPAP Auto w/Bi-Flex in auto mode ONLY and have NOT attempted to use it in straight bi-level mode yet so we have NO IDEA if I will run into a similar problem w/the PR S1 in straight bi-level mode yet or not.

Frankly, I STILL PREFER the Resmed VPAP Auto over this PR S1 BPAP Auto - NOT for any better therapy - I find them EQUAL in therapy, at least in auto mode, - BUT RATHER for the data reporting capabilities, the ease of access to and amount of data available via the LED screen and the ResScan 3.10 software over the EncorePro 2.2 software. I also prefer the Humidaire 3i integrated humidifier over the PR S1 integrated humidifier. Again, not for the humidification since I've had no problem w/either, but because the water level for the H3i is readily apparent and I can just pop the lid and in a short time the condensation at the top of the tank dissipates. W/the PR S1 humidifier tank even popping the lid does not dry out the condensation at the top of the tank. I have to actually remove it from the humidifier "sigh".

Even more frankly, I"m not sure at all that I would like an S9 VPAP Auto over the current VPAP Auto given the design unless it does in some way provide better therapy that is noticeable to me than my VPAP Auto. The only REAL improvement I see is in the CSA recognition and reporting via both brands, S9 and S1.

I guess I am in the same boat as those who used and loved the Respironics "tank" vs the Respironics M Series. And it may well have more to do w/which brand we used first and got used to than anything else. I know many of the Respironics EncorePro users really dislike the ResScan reports and graphs whereas I, having used ResScan first, much prefer its manner of reporting than EncorePro's. The EncorePro users dislike ResScan's graphs whereas I LIKE my ResScan graphs and dislike EncorePro's dits and dots. I do really like EncorePro's "Daily Events Per Hour" table and I do like the Respironics Pressure Support method better than the Resmed Pressure Support method because I find it easier to understand.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that for the VAST MAJORITY of PAP users the actual therapy they receive from either brand would be EQUALLY effective, comfortable and liked and our preferences would be much more affected by the data reporting capabilities and its ease of access. And the Resmeds STILL have the lead in ease of access to and amount of data available via the LED screen even w/the S9 over the PR S1.

If I had the wherewithall, meaning money, I'd like the opportunity to try the DeVilbiss, Fisher & Paykel and especially Sandman PAPs if they all had a fully data capable bi-level auto. Curiosity killed the cat.