PR System One Auto vs S9 Auto

[PaulaO2]

In terms of these two machines, which provides the best data? As far as I can tell, they both do basically the same thing (blow air up my nose).

Supplier #2 on the supplier list has some gently used (minus humidifier) at a freakily good price. The DS550 auto for $300. Another commercial site has it new and with humidifier for less than $650. Way cheaper than the S9 Auto.

BUT, I know nothing about them. The Respironics website frustrates the snot out of me. I either get information way over my head or I get pretty words that tell me nothing.

Has anyone used both?

I am fairly certain the DME will not upgrade me at this point (but I will try) so I'll be paying out of pocket. I really want one that collects data. I'm on a mission to gain more control over my health and SA is the one area I am lacking the most.

[greatunclebill]

i have a DS550HS that i got for 619 from supplier 6. that's pr sys one auto w/a-flex with the heated humidifier included in the price. my wife has the same model that came thru the dme. they blow air, they both are very quiet, the hose port on the top swivels 360 degrees and is not fixed pointing back like the s-9. we've never had rainout, we do not have a heated hose. the water tank comes apart easily and is easily cleaned. theres not so much data from the display, but the point here is to use sleepyhead and SP02 on the computer to get the full picture.

i hear the majority in the forum sing the praises of the s-9. that's loud and clear. but i also recognize that a majority of maybe 20 in a forum, if its really even a mjority, does not represent a majority of all users and sales. for the life of me i can't see paying the bigger price to be able to see the ahi on the display and get a heated hose. the machines do probably use different proprietary algorithms to get the numbers, but in the end the numbers are probably the same. there's no way to test that at home because you can't use both machines at the same time.

this is a tough one because people tend to think what they have is the best, whether it's anti-virus, cars or coffee makers. so if i were you where money is a big part of it, i would go for the most machine for the lowest price like i did. i could have got anything and i got this one and have not one regret. now to be fair, if it was opposite and the s-9 was cheaper i would say get the s-9 because the differences are that small as far as i'm concerned.

new vs used is another tough one. if you can afford it, go new. you are going to have this thing for many years to come and want it to last the longest you can. they can say the used one is gently used, but you have no way of verifying that or even knowing what gently is. this is not like a used car that you can have checked by your trusted mechanic.

good luck.

[Sleepster]

I have a PRS1 machine (although not the one you're asking about) and it seems like a well-built robust machine. Unc is right, I think ResMed has more info on the display, but you can at least see the AHI on the PRS1 machines.

Zonk knows a lot more about the differences between the machines.

[zimlich]

I have used both Respironics and ResMed machines- but not those models. The ResMed did give more information on the LCD screen, but I have software for the respironics and get all I need from that. I don't think you could go wrong with either one. In terms of function- it's about even. Respironics makes a quality machine. Because we have learned you get what you pay for we tend to think the more expensive machine is better, but Respironics makes a quality product. Be sure to get a humidifier though.

[SuperSleeper]

For the majority of my CPAP years I had one of the old pre-2007 Respironics REMstar Pros with C-Flex. Built like a TANK and still works fine. Quality control for those old REMstars was excellent.

I was very close to going with the newer PR System One units... but then was influenced by all the folks who rated the new ResMed S9 units very highly.

I'd say either is a good, relatively safe option. What swayed me is that overall, it seemed more people had quality-control issues with the PR units than with the ResMed units. Maybe it's just me, but with electronic devices, I've found that when smaller, successful companies get bought out by larger conglomerates (the way Respironics was bought out by Philips), quality control generally suffers on the altar of volume manufacturing and cost-control. Not always the case, but it did influence my decision somewhat.

Also, the ResMed machines seemed a bit quieter and had a smaller footprint on the nightstand.

One big factor for me, was (at the time I purchased my machine), PR System One units required that you purchase the EncoreViewer software to see your data on your computer at a cost of around $100, while ResMed offered the ResScan software for free. I wanted that option and that effectively reduced my overall cost when choosing an S9 AutoSet. Now that SleepyHead is here and is very close to coming out of beta-testing status, that may not be as huge of a factor, I realize. But, eventhough Mark's work on SleepyHead is nothing less than spectacular, I also realize that if he goes on to other projects and decides not to spend more time on developing the software, SleepyHead may not be as good a solution in the future since it's pretty much dependent upon one man's efforts, as opposed to ResScan, which has an entire company behind it.

As far as cost, at Supplier #1 on our CPAP Supplier List, the PR System One Auto is about $124 cheaper than the S9 AutoSet (not considering humidifier cost). We always seem to think in terms of one-time cost. But when you think about it over the lifespan of an average CPAP machine, getting a machine that costs $124 or so more is really not extremely significant. That's a bit over $2.00 extra per month in cost, spread out over 5 years. But I do understand that you still have to pay that at one time, up front.

As far as market share and how many people get a PR unit over a ResMed unit, all I can do is offer what I'm experiencing with CPAP Clinician Setup Manual requests via email during the past year or so from our CPAP Clinician Manual Page. Generally, the ResMed S9 requests outnumber the PR System One requests by a factor of about 1.5 (for every 100 PR requests, I get 150 ResMed requests)... if that somehow equates to market share for newer APAPs, I don't know... but it is an indication anyway.

There might be a reason why there are more used (and less expensive) PR System One units available at such a deal - more people are turning them in for other machines (perhaps)?

Again, none of this is really hard evidence either way, so keep that in mind.

[JumpStart]

The facility where I had my sleep study used a Resperonics machine. I don't know the model, since it was hooked up through their monitoring system, and I had no occasion to view it closely. I was more interested in masks, and getting through the event. However, I understand a member of the tech's immediate family uses an S9 Auto. For me, I did have a dog in the race, although more limited. I shared the cost 80-20 (or I guess, the reverse of that) with my insurance, and I requested, after a lot of study (including information gleaned from this forum), that the sleep doc write an order for an S9 Autoset, which he did. I am as happy with this machine as I could be, considering the overall thrill I get from using cpap nightly :grin: . Oh well, something to be said for longevity.

But in many things I have purchased over the years, I have found that the issues SS mentioned about buyouts are true - very true. And, although I knew SleepyHead was available free, it was (and still is) a beta, unchanged for a considerable period of time, and I have not yet correlated its results vs. ResScan. And PR charges for their software, which, if that management mindset continues, may result in their changing their proprietary information so that SleepyHead can not access it.

I suspect either machine is a good choice - I just felt ResMed, at this point, was a better one, and as SS also mentioned, the difference in cost was very minimal, particularly when considered over the life of the unit.

And if I have issues, I have a very large user base from which to get information.

[PaulaO2]

The software issue is one of the negatives with the PR One. If SleepyHead stumbles, I'd still have ResScan.

What data is visible on the PR One's display? Meaning if I want to see how the night went at a glance?

[cbramsey]

I have the Respironics System One APAP. The default settings will not show you any of the "good stuff" such as AHI, PBreathing, Leakage, etc unless you go into the clinical menu and turn those items on. What the default settings will tell you is stuff like hours used, etc.

I have a Mac so ResScan is not an option for me.

[zonk]

Another S9 and you would have two of everything (humidifier, water chamber, hoses) and it,s OK to mix and match and always have a spare to use. Rain or shine you,ll always something nice to wear.
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I get up this morning and with a touch of a button can see that slept over 7 hours. Green smiley face means mask fit was good and AHI 0.4 and turn the dial would see the breakdown of the AHI, pressure, leak rate which is mask leak during the night (unlike other machines this info isn't available instantly on the device as ResMed engineers work out the calculation for you)
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Beside the S9AutoSet being more functional its better designed and sleeker and yes ...yes its a work of art. You wont be going to art gallery, its like having a Monet or Picasso in your own bed room.
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[Sleepster]

The software issue is one of the negatives with the PR One. If SleepyHead stumbles, I'd still have ResScan.

What data is visible on the PR One's display? Meaning if I want to see how the night went at a glance?

You can see the average AHI for both the last 7 days and the last 30 days.

Same thing for percent time in large leak and periodic breathing, although these are not as useful as the AHI.

At least this is true for the PRS1 BiPAP Pro.