Resmed S9 or Respironics PR System One?

Hi. I'm a new member. I've been a CPAP user for 11 years and I'm going to get a prescription Tuesday for a new machine. I've had a Remstar with AFLEX in the past which seemed to work for me most of the time AND was VERY quiet. I now have a class M (CFLEX only) that is very noisy and does not adjust very well to my varying sleep positions (both sides and back). I often wake up with so much pressure that it blows out of my mouth and causes mask leaks. I do have occasional central apneas, but usually only when I am going through a stressful time. I don't have software so I don't really know any specifics. Is software expensive?

I want to go back to AFLEX or something similar. I've heard about the new S9 with EPR and have read some of rested gal's comments on it which were excellent, but have not gleened enough knowledge to really make an informed decision. I'm gonna have to live with it for a long time since Medicare only lets you get a new machine every 5 years.

As I mentioned, the class M is very noisy and I'm afraid that the PR System One will be as well. I guess the old Remstar was better insulated for sound or something. My understanding from the techs at CPAP.COM is that the Resmed is very quite. So that is one issue. On the other hand, rested gal's comments on the fact that EPR can delay resuming air pressure for 15 seconds concerns me because that seems a long time to wait if you're having an event.

I want to come armed with the exact machine I want on the prescription when I see the doc on Tuesday since my supplier says that it will determine exactly what I get.

By the way, my sleep study showed 71 events an hour, so you can see why a machine is very important to me, as I'm sure it is for all of you. Thanks everyone.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I can't speak for RemStar machines as I've never had one but I've had the S8 and now have had an S9 for nearly two months now and am really loving it.

The S9 takes the technology to new extremes and although I might be a little biased around the machine especially as I haven't tried both, I'm not too sure you'll get the same level from the RemStar's (at least a number of people here have converted and been very surprised at just how great the S9 is).

The software is free for the S9, you can easily get into the Clinicians menu if you need to tweak the settings if you need to, and you could be looking over your reports every morning to see how well you did the night before. The S9 uses an SD card so you can read it in most SD card readers connected to a PC. ResMed software only is available for Windows and not Mac''s yet.

The S9 comes with an additional humidifier the H5i and also a heated hose. The best thing about the S9 when coupled with the H5i is it has climate control. Set the temperature and forget it and it will ensure the air coming through the hose at night remains at the same temperature even when the temperature drops in your room (possibly due to the heating going off at a set time).

I haven't seen any problems with the EPR being turned on, in-fact I've manged to drop my AHI from a previous 4.5 on the S8 to 0.1 on average now.

I think you would like the S9, but the decision is entirely yours!

Thanks dave21. Sounds like it could be a good way to go. Is it your experience that the S9 is quiet? Also, how does one obtain the software?

And is the Clinicians menu available to everyone or do you have to obtain a clinicians manual to get into it? I've had my supplier lock me out of the Respironics menu on my previous machines and had to buy one on ebay.

As far as the humidifier with climate control goes, it sounds like the answer to my prayers. Do you find that you need any insulation on the mask? I also use the Activa and I get a lot of condensation in the cushion and on the short hose.

rpc981 wrote:Thanks dave21. Sounds like it could be a good way to go. Is it your experience that the S9 is quiet?

The S9 is whisper quiet, even the air coming down the hose is almost non-existant, really don't know how ResMed managed to achieve this other than the machine has been 5 years in the making.

rpc981 wrote:Also, how does one obtain the software?

Any of us can provide you a link to the software if you PM us.

rpc981 wrote:And is the Clinicians menu available to everyone or do you have to obtain a clinicians manual to get into it?

It's not accessible directly on the machine but a PM will sort that out so you can access it

rpc981 wrote:As far as the humidifier with climate control goes, it sounds like the answer to my prayers. Do you find that you need any insulation on the mask? I also use the Activa and I get a lot of condensation in the cushion and on the short hose.

I don't need any insulation on the mask, I've known other people on XPAP's in the past to use sticky back toweling on masks, I've never needed it with the Activa masks, they're really good quality masks. With the S9 the room temperature is at 20C prior to going to bed but does drop throughout the night. To combat rainout I usually have the S9 set with Climate Control for 23C and don't drape the hose over the top of the bed posts and that 90% of the time reduces the rainout to zero. The odd night I've woken up with 1 or 2 drops in the mask but no where as much as I would have on the S8 with the Activa mask.

Thanks
Dave

Thanks again Dave. I'll check back after I'm able to get the S9. I'm really excited about it. Bob

I had opportunity to buy whatever machine here a few months ago and bought the PR1 because
it worked well and simply was the quietest available- I am amazed when I hear people say that it has noise problems-
in my experience of several months it is the quietest- so I simply dont understand about noise issue.

the software works well -- you just pop the sd chip in card reader-

another great feature is the humidifier- my mask is a real rainout champ- and PR 1 seems to handle it well

so- just responded because in my months of experience with it- the PR 1 is quiet and works well- AHI under 1

good luck with whatever you get, but if you have a PR 1 thats noisy- take it back - you got a bad one

packer

I'll chime in and say that I think my PRS1 is very quiet, too. I thought it was a lot quieter than the S8. I have to say the PRS1 has been a great machine for me, after using it for a while now I have few complaints.


I am going to be trying an S9 tonight, so we'll see how it compares to the PRS1.

S9 is very quiet. All I can hear is my own breath. I used to have CPAP with preset pressure at 8 cm H20. I used to wake up at 2AM and hardly went back to sleep. Since I used S9 APAP, I am no longer waking up at the mid of the night. This make me wonder why we want to use CPAP instead of APAP. I asked my doctor, he told me to use CPAP without good explaination. I ignored his advise and bought S9. It worked great for me and I beleive I made a right choice. Sad thing is RemMed just boosted up the price. Very pricey!!

Compared to my S8, my PR1 is quiet.

However, the S9 is almost silent - quite unbelievable!

My wife is using the S9 as I write this. I suspect I will need to get another, if I ever want one!

I do prefer the understated appearance of the black of the PR1, as well as the swivel hose connector at the top of the unit, rather than the S9's fixed hose connector at the rear of the unit.

Both the S9 and PR1 are great machines, I do not believe that you can go wrong with either machine.
Both machines are exceptional quite but the S9 is as Dog Tires said unbelievably quite.

I have both but really like my S9 because of the climate control - no rainout = which was a major problem with my PR1 only because I like to sleep in a real cold room which is not the PR1's fault however the S9 with heated hose and temp setting etc. I do not get the rainout at all.

The are a lot of other differences between the machines and some of these differences might matter to some people and some might now matter at all to others.

One might say the the S9 is more like a Apple product verses other machine which are like PCs - both get the job done but the Apple machine gets it done with style and ease of use.

I like the swivel hose on the PR1 and I sort of wish the S9 had this but I would not give up the S9 because is doesn't.

Now for couple of more of my reasons other than the rainout issue for liking the S9 over the PR1:
- I can not stand the unlighted crappy LCD display on the PR1, I have to use a flash light to see and read it at night - the S9 is the first c-pap machine to have a bright back lit high res color display that is hands-down the best display on a x-pap on the market today, no worry the display goes off after a few seconds of non use.
- I hate the water box on the PR1, so hard to fill, I am always spilling water on the floor - the S9 is the first machine that I have seen where it is actually easy to remove the box and fill it with out spilling a drop again the best on a machine hands-down
- To me looks are important, after all you have to look at this machine every day of your life and I like the looks of the S9, it's a cool looking machine - does not look like a disguised medical device - nice color - nice controls - great display - the humidifier even has a window over chamber that glows blue or orange (blue & orange for a couple of seconds during the change) depending whether or not the heating plate is Warming, Warm or Cool.
- Both machines have exhale relief however most people will tell you that the Respironics A-Flex is better than the EPR - to me they both work however I did have problems with both the M-series and the PR1 with A-Flex and a cycle of breathing that the machines starts up in the middle of the night where the machine is trying to breathe for you - very annoying, I have to turn the machine off and on again - so far I have not had this problem with the S9.

As far a therapy is concerned it seems that the S9 likes to give me a little higher pressure at times during the night than my PR1 - I am still going over my stats, it may be because the S9 is finding some centrals now and then.

In all the S9 seems like ResMed was really trying to make changes for the better for appearance, comfort and therapy. This is not just a re-package machine in a new plastic case but a radically new machine with a lot of new good features and lots of bells and whistles and I am convinced that the other c-pap makers will be playing catch up in the near future.

I have a real appreciation for companies that go the extra step in manufacturing a product that is easier to use, more appealing to look at and with a few extras that maybe you really don't need but they are nice to have

I really like my older Bipap Auto. Persoanlly, I think bilevel should be the base for all machines.

It is nice to have the option of seperate exhalation (EPAP) and inhalation (IPAP) pressures. That allows you to set the pressure to the minimum that is effective for you. The EPAP pressure is set toi a number that is sufficient to prevent OA's. Then you can "tweak" the higher IPAP pressure to elimintae hypopneas, snoring, flow limitations, etc.

For example, my CPAP pressure was a straight 12. I needed the Flex setting to make exhalation comfortable for me. On Bipap, my exhalation pressure is set at 8, and inhalation is set 10 or 12 (usually - I have auto turned on.) So I have an overall lower pressutre, that is easier to breath with, and quieter. I also have central apneas, so it is important to keep pressure low (higer pressure can cause more centrals) until I get an ASV machine.

I think the S9 is not yet available in a bi-level machine? That would be the decision-making criteria for me. I don't think I would ever buy another machine that is not bilevel, or bilevel auto.

Hello all!

I just got diagnosed with REM apnea and am getting a machine tomorrow. They said they are bringing an ResMed S9 and a Respronics PR for me to choose. They are pushing the Respronics but its ultimately my decision. In doing my research I found this wonderful site - so great that it exists.

If anyone has any additional thoughts on these machines - let me know. But I appreciate everyones input so far.

With regard to the software settings - its seems that some members can get me access if I PM them? Is this just for S9 or is there a similar set up for the Respronics PR? I haven't gotten to far down the path of the interpretative software and changing settings but sure it will be important once I get compliant.

Thanks to all in advance!!