Noise level of Respironics Dreamstation vs Resmed Airsense 10

[keys]

i know it was just 20 minutes since my last post. i was so interested that i tried it. i lasted 3 minutes. it was way to much noise for me. not so much at the machine, but at the mask. the volume of air increased allot. not sure how to solve that.

[Newbee2016]

Hi keys, I'm using the Dreamstation w/o the humidifier attached with a standard 22mm diameter hose and the wisp. Pressure range is as in my profile. I can hear the air moving through the hose, and not at the mask. Perhaps it's relative but it does not sound loud. It gets loud if the air stream hits a pillow or the blanket. Do you use a standard hose or the narrower heated one? Without the humidifier, you will need to set the machine for the correct hose size.

[keys]

i am using the heated hose. when i tried the ds without the humidifier, the noise was in the mask. it was like my head was outside the car window on the highway. the only time i hear noise with my mask is either a leak, or if the air stream hits the pillow or the blanket. markoad mentioned the noise,and i thought i would try it. he is planning to travel with his. i have know idea how to muffle the noise without affecting the pressure. there is a way, just not coming to mind right yet. maybe large diameter hose might be something to try.

[Newbee2016]

Ahh ok..... Perhaps without the humidifier, markord needs to set the hose size on the machine manually, if he hasn't done that. I had mine fixed manually since i use the 22mm size hose with or without the humidifier.

[scottdooley]

Hi,

I have an Airsense 10.  I will say that it's noisier than even my old CPAP machine, an old remstar that doesn't have all those tracking or auto features.  It's not loud enough to disrupt my sleep but it took some time to adjust.  I would agree that it's louder when it first starts up and then gets quieter.  It is also louder when using the humidifier.

I don't know how much quieter the Dreamstation would be, they have similar ratings.  

Scott

[Mosquitobait]

I'd say, as JamesW suggests, you could have bad seals that were a factory error. The only time I get a Darth Vader sound is using the Dreamwear mask, but it is VERY CLEARLY the mask, not the machine. I've put 3700 hours on my machine and it is still dead silent as is my brother's Respironics Bipap (slightly more than 3700 hours on that).

[Beej]

I discovered the other night that if the humidifier tank is too full, the pressure skyrockets and is very noisy. Emptying out some of the water fixed it.

[MARKOAD]

My new Dreamstation without the Humidifier is TERRIBLY noisy. The noise is two parts- a high pitched whistling sound on inhale at the machine (I believe), and a loud air noise at the mask. That noise can be slightly (10-20%) reduced by removing the 2nd air filter (the disposable fine one). If you add in the humidifier attachment, the noise goes entirely away. The machine seems to not be meant to be used without the humidifier in place. (A serious design flaw).

[Hydrangea]

After not enough hours of sleep, this morning I awoke to a gross smell... my humidifier ran out of water (oops, should've refilled it before bed). Remembering this thread, I figured I'd remove the humidifier and go back to sleep.

Alas, nope, it sounded like a wind-tunnel! It wasn't so bad while exhaling, but the noise was too much for me while inhaling or not actively exhaling. :-/

I considered earplugs, but also the air was too dry. Bummer.

So... I will agree with the others who said that the DreamStation is obviously designed to be used with the humidifier.

[tonylkc1668]

So after MUCH playing around with the machine, here is what I learned:

The Dreamstation is designed for Humidifier use. I haven't been using that, as I plan to travel with it, and the whole appeal of the machine was it's small form factor (without the Humidifier attachment).  The problem is that without the humidifier, the airflow in the machine is wonky, and it makes a LOT of Wind noise at the mask (and a high pitched whistle on each breath in).  With the humidifier attached and in use, the noise is reduced by 60% or more!

Also, the disposable fine filter adds to the noise.  After removing that (and using just the washable filter) the noise was decreased by 20%.  It still makes the high-pitched whistling sound (when the humidifier is not attached/in use), which many (including me) find REALLY annoying. 

So- for the quietest machine:  Humidifier attached and in use, remove Fine Disposable filter, and set Flex to 3.
The noisiest setting (so bad you can't sleep due to the windflow sounds at the mask: is Humidifier not attached, Flex at 1, and Both filters installed.  It's so loud in this scenario is it very hard to sleep and I almost returned the machine as unusable. 

It's pretty stupid that it is designed to be used mainly with the Humidifier, and it works less well without it.
Hopes this helps anyone else with the same issue.