Questions on SR1 Auto

[MyIdaho]

Hello,

I have a friend whose Doctor provided a loaner SR1 for her try. She is sleeping much better with the newer technology in the SR1 but life has not been so good for her husband. He has complaints about the machine being very noisy as it cycles through the night. It's bad enough that he needs earplugs. Pressure settings are modest (8 to 13 cm). So with that background:

Is this level of noise common for the SR1 or is this an earlier SR1 model?
Where do you find the model number on the machine? Can you a post a picture?
How does noise level compare between SR1s compare to the S9's?
Any particular SR1 model needed to download data using sleepyhead?

Thanks!

[khauser]

I have the PRS1 auto (model 560 ... model 550 is very similar).

I would not characterize it as "loud", but it is audible, and the sound will change somewhat between inhale and exhale. That's true of any CPAP machine, I'm afraid.

MOST sleep partners find the sound much more bearable than the snoring that had been present, but in some cases people have a sleep disorder that doesn't include snoring.

There are some things that can be tried, such as placing the machine on a rubber mat (mousepad?) if the surface it needs to be on is a natural amplifier. They can tell if this will help by running the machine while holding it instead of while it's on a surface. Another idea, if the machine is currently on their headboard (some headboards are more cabinet than headboard) would be to move it to a side table.

[Pugsy]

Model number is on a sticker on the bottom of the blower...3 digit number usually has DS or REF in front.
Also on the same stick is an 8 digit number...beginning with 2010 through 2013 and that is year of manufacture. Rest of the number is year/month/date.

Yes, the older machines were a bit more noisy but I had the 550 model made in Feb 2011 and I didn't think it was loud at all..
2010 models I hear had some "noise" issues because Respironics came out with changes in 2011 that were suppose to help reduce the noise.
Also filters and Flex setting make a difference in noise. Also pressure changes.
Though normally not loud enough for wake a bed partner. My husband says he can't even tell my machine is on...either back with I had the APAP model or even now with the BiPap model (which just by the nature of the beast has a noise level change between inhale and exhale). I barely hear it myself.

It's possible that there is something wrong with the machine to be making such a loud noise.
Uncle_Bob had a brand new PR S1 machine go bad and get awful noisy. He got it replaced under warranty from cpap.com...last summer I think it was.

[Janknitz]

A few things can make the PRS1 quieter:

1. Is she using a humidifier? My HMO did home titrations on loaner machines with no humidifiers, and they were MUCH louder than a machine with a full humidifier.

2. I suffered with my machine being noisy for quite a while until I experimented with turning the flex down to the lowest setting. It made a huge difference in the noise level.

DH is much happier listening to the white noise of my machine than my snoring, but if it continues to be a problem, counteracting with white noise like a fan, sound machine, soft soothing music may help (music, OTOH, would drive me BONKERS). I sleep with one ear bud in and fall asleep listening to podcasts. I got in that habit when I first started with CPAP, it kept my focus off the machine.

[porete]

I have a 550P and it is very quiet, sometimes it will whistle a little if I need to change the filter, but usually the only way I know it is running is the air blowing in my mask.

[beautifuldreamer]

My PSR1 Auto A Flex (that was paid for through HMO coverage) seems very noisy to me, and often times I feel like my breathing is working against the flow of the PSR1 . . . (it did seem even noisier when I was using it on a trip overseas, without the humidifier)

Recently I purchased out of pocket an S9 Autoset, and I feel it is very quiet, and my breathing is not fighting against the flow . . . So, I've been using this one as my main device, and the PSR1 is being kept as a back-up.

[Drowsy Dancer]

I have a PR S1 550P (Philips Respironics System One Auto--gosh these names are confusing). Got it in February 2011.

My husband says it is MUCH quieter than my former snoring.

(1) It's quieter with the humidifier running.
(2) It's quieter with the various Flex settings (there are three possibilities: C-Flex, C-Flex+, and A-Flex) set lower or turned off.

[jencat824]

My hubby got his PR S1 560 in December 2012 & his is so quiet I can't hear it. I got mine, same model, in February 2013 & mine is audible, not necessarily loud, but I think its because my pressure is higher than his (mine is running around 13, his around 7). My F&P ICON (pressure straight CPAP 19) sounded like a plane on a landing strip - very loud! My older M Series was kind of loud too (also straight CPAP at 19), it was older (from around 2006-07) and hubby commented on it frequently. I am beginning to think different machine & different pressure = different level of noise. Just a theory.

Jen