Quality of S9 equipment

[cortez356]

I am new to Cpap. Just over a month. Before buying my equipment I did a lot of research. Mostly on this forum. I was going to buy an Intellipap but did not like having add a module to get real detailed data. I do know that you can use the unit and get a code that gets you data. I read a lot of posts on the S9 and I got the feeling that the Resmed was a "Cadillac" machine but that a lot of people hate Resemed for their sales practices. It is still too ealry for me to come to an accurate conclusion but the Resmed does lack quality for the most expensive machine on the market. The plastic latch for the humidifier is cheap junk. The humidifier tray cannot be opened up to clean and it is made of thin poor quality plastic. I had to buy a cleanable unit after the fact! The plastic chrome will look like hell in a few years. The climateline hose is terrible. Their have been a lot of troubles reported yet Resmed continues to make the same hose! Mine has quit. It does not heat . I was having trouble with rainout and I think it was the hose. I am the owner of a packaging Company and can usually tell the country of origin from the packaging . I have to wonder how much of the Resmed product is made in China or some other Asian country. I also wonder about the life expectancy of the S9. I keep thinking I should buy a backup unit in case mine gives up. My S9 does what I consider a good job on APAP and I have no complaints of how it functions. Might just buy that Intellipap at some future date. Resmed has "snookered" the consumer. It is a good unit but does not offer anything to justify the high price. Double the price of the Intellipap. It won't be long before some enterprising Medical Device mfr. partners with a Chinese mfr. and offers a quality product at a competitive price. I still think the Intellipap is a great deal at less than $500.00!! There are a lot of happy users on this forum. One on line distributor told me that he has never had one come back for service. He has sold about 200 units.

Bob

[jbenenson]

I'm sorry to hear that you don't like your S9. Did your research lead you to a false conclusion? My S9 does everything that it is supposed to do; I don't care about the external appearance. I'm not going to do anything with it except breathe through it, and it does an excellent job reducing my AHI to below 3.

[kempo]

I have a s9 auto and a PR One auto for a back up. There is no doubt the PR One is built better to take more use and or abuse. You can see it and feel it when connecting the humidifier to the machine and when you remove the tub. Its just a more solid built apap machine and humidifier. When I received my s9 I noticed how cheap the components looked and felt. The slimline and climateline hoses are very fragile. My slimline tore the second week I had it and there are many complaints about both of those hoses on this forum. The tub feels and looks cheap but I have never used anything but distilled water and it looks as new as the first day I used it (6 months). I am very careful when lifting the humidifier door to remove the tub or when I am taking the unit apart for travel. I have a fear of breaking it.

Now having said all of that the s9 delivers better therapy "for me". It is much easier for me to sleep with it over the PR One. Time will tell about the length of service we will get from the s9.

[cortez356]

kempo: I am glad to hear that your therapy is great. I have nothing to compare to but I also feel it works well. What worries me is how long will it work well? So far the only problems reported are the hoses and some inner software issues. It will take another year for anything else to show up. The s9 was a complete redesign but I think they were more interested in making everything cheaper instead of better. Perhpaps the inner workings, the most important part, are built well. I hope so!!!


Bob

[Big S]

Haven't had any problems yet, but I sure have slept well. I started with PRS1 and had problems with noise transmission up hose that made it hard for me to fall asleep. Like many have commented, it was a well made machine, just not for me. When I finally had an S9 in my hands, it did appear to be more fragile. Combined with comments I have seen on this site, I was nervous to use this device for the first time. My sleep time doubled and my fears have dissolved. I happen to like the humidifier since the warming interfaces are larger which I think translate to consistency and faster response time when I want a temperature or humidity change. Combined with the climateline hose I can pick a setting that is comfortable for me right where it is important. I also find it easy to fill and maintain. I've not had a problem with the integrity of the hose and several times have awakened with it wrapped around my neck. Once I even bolted out of bed on my wife's side during a bad dream without removing the mask. This move even jerked the cpap off it's stand. Thank goodness it survived without even a leak to clean up. The hose seems to be the same quality as the PR hose except it is smaller. Since it has electronic interfaces I feel I have to pay a little more attention to it to protect it, like bolting out of bed on my side to keep everything upright. I like both machines, there are tradeoffs for all of us, sleep is good.

[billbolton]

One on line distributor told me that he has never had one come back for service.

I bought my S9 in March. It's been literally around the world with me since that time, and been in and out of the travel case over 100 times, and I have had no problems at all with it. It seems to me that that is probably well in excess of what constitute normal domestic use.

Cheers,

Bill

[jonnybee]

snip..The plastic latch for the humidifier is cheap junk. snip..

Bob

FWIW, I don't think it's plastic.

[cortez356]

jonnybee: You should check the S9 humidif er again. The lid, hinges and all the latches are totally plastic. The 2 latches look like metal as they are chrome in color but all plastic.

Bob

[MoonBear]

Hi Bib,

As I do work around apnea, not the work of stats and machines and masks, but the emotional work, I have had periods of severe depression, sadness and of anger. I chose the S9 and am one of the very few lucky people who got to go to sleep the first night and sleep all night with a mask on with only very occasional minor leaks and adjustments. So I bless my S9.

I am writing this because you say you are getting good results, but are still angry. We know we have a lot to be angry about, and knowing that you're angry is a way of moving through it. I am not preaching here and, like everyone, have had issues. I am only suggesting that, as someone said, this is about a whole lot more than air blowing into your mouth. There is a new world and unverse to be mapped and understood. We all know this is not an easy path to walk.

I am not preaching, chiding or anything else. I am wondering if you asked yourself, what am I REALLY angry about if it wouldn't be something more than a plastic clip.

Trying to be of service here, and know my own blind spots are no doubt very present. I am sure I will run into more of them. I do know this, and I NEVER thought I would be saying this: I am very, very grateful to have actually slept last night and to have had 5 nights of sleep in a row. More than I have had in at least ten years. Focusing on that part of it, and honestly dealing with the anger, grief and fear when they come up are, I think, a necessary part of this process.

Therrapy for depression has lasted years for me. Of course, I was depressed. I was slowly dying. But my therapist -- cognitive behavioral therapy -- has been very valuable. Also, strange as it may sound and woo-woo though it may sound,
shamanism is a very valuable and extraordinarily powerful healing practice that works on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Go to http://www.shamanism.org for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, largely acknowledged as the best shamanic organization in the world, to find a qualified practitioner. Lest you think I am nuts, the NIH has invested money into studies on the clinical efficacy of shamanic work. look for someone who has completed the Three-Year training program. There are articles on the site to read, and I can suggest some books if you mail me privately.

Acupuncture, especially five-element, may also be helpful.

Just my $.02 and hope you read this in the way in which I have written it. only trying to be helpful just as others have been for me. Warm regards, and

Namaste,
MoonBear

[msradar65]

I am a new S9 user. I picked this machine after doing research as the one best for me. I am very pleased with the performance and the appearance of the machine. I could really careless what its made of...as long as its doing the job for which I paid my money for. Which it is!!! So I am thrilled.

I even chose my DME company by which one offered the S9 Autoset as there standard choice of machine for CPAP patients. I mainly chose it because its the only one on the market with heated hose to prevent rainout.

If you are so dissatisfied with the machine, why did you even accept it? You could have requested a different machine from your DME if you felt S9 has such shoddy construction. Or you could have researched DME companies and used one that gave you the choice of the machine that you prefer.

[cortez356]

moonbera: Thank you for your insight. However I am not angry. Just disappointed. I know the machine works well but $1000 plus is al ot of cash for something that is cheaply made. I dont get angry at machines!! I hope it will serve me well and the plastic will not deteriorate.
msradar: I am not dealing with a DME or an insurance company. I self pay. And I might add that as others have reported the climateline hose is a POS. Mine has already failed. One poster has reported this issue to the FDA as Resmed does not seem to care. All this being said I think the machine works well. Some think it gives better therapy than other units. Enough said.

Bob

[Emilia]

Well, I can't say enough good things about my Intellipap Auto w/smartflex. I have had excellent therapy with it. It is very quiet and has a 3 yr. warranty. Because I was buying out of pocket, the cost was a factor, but I could have bought the S9 if I had wanted to. I just didn't see any reason for the exorbitant price. After research about DeVilbiss and knowing their 120+ yr reputation, talking with a company rep, and being luck enough to need to purchase just as they upgraded the machines to include Smartflex, I was sold on the IP. Everyone buys what they feel they need to have. I noticed from my first day on this forum that there was a strong S9 cheerleading squad, and I was quite taken by their accolades. However, I just could not find any reason to make me believe it was so far superior to the other popular models. Even cpap.com shows the IP as their best selling model. Secondwindcpap.com, where I purchased my machine/humidifier says, "We believe this device represents the best Auto CPAP machine on the market, for quality, dependability, and price."

To each his/her own, but I am a happy cpaper with my IP!

[cortez356]

Emilia: I plan on buying a back up unit and it is going to be the Intellipap! Forums can be a strange community. This forum differs as there are so many people who help others but you are right about the cheer leading squad. Sometimes when one criticizes a product users take this as a personal affront. As much as these machines are an important part of our lives they are inanimate. Just machines!

Bob

[cflame1]

Emilia,
Over time... you'll see that the cheering squad is usually for the "newest" technology. It's like everybody sees that there's something new and has to go and get it.

[msradar65]

moonbera: Thank you for your insight. However I am not angry. Just disappointed. I know the machine works well but $1000 plus is al ot of cash for something that is cheaply made. I dont get angry at machines!! I hope it will serve me well and the plastic will not deteriorate.
msradar: I am not dealing with a DME or an insurance company. I self pay. And I might add that as others have reported the climateline hose is a POS. Mine has already failed. One poster has reported this issue to the FDA as Resmed does not seem to care. All this being said I think the machine works well. Some think it gives better therapy than other units. Enough said.

Bob

Bob,
Again I wonder why you got the S9 when you seem to be so unhappy with it and your were a selfpay (assume cash) customer. You could have bought whatever machine you wanted?

May of us are not self-pay and can't afford to spend the money to buy what we want, but we are at the mercy of our insurance plans. I hope you machine does serve you well. Mine seems to be fine and my climateline hose seems to be fine. Its only been a little over a month since I started therapy.

I will have to say this....At least you had the ability to chose the machine you wanted. As far as cheerleading is concerned everyone who is pleased with there choice of equipment will recommend and cheerlead for that being the best, at least the best for them.

I probably would have gone with the intellipap if it had intergrated hose heater....however they did not offer that feature and that was important to me.