any suggestion for a noisy CPAP machine ?

Hello, I’m writing from Italy; maybe you can help me.

I’ve been a CPAP user for more than 2 years and I was happy enough with my CPAP machine (I think it was a Fisher&Paykel SleepStyle, with humidifier).

Recently, I’ve been provided with a new and different one (a DeVilbiss SleepCube Standard, with humidifier) because – I’ve been told - our National Health Care Service has made a different choice for CPAP devices.

Now, it happens that this new machine is more noisy than the other one and is making it difficult to sleep both to me and to my wife.
I am speaking not only of the engine noise, which is also more annoying than the other machine (perhaps because it has a little sharper tone).
I am also referring to the fact that the machine seems to pant in sync with my breath: it emits a kind of whistle to my every single breath.

Of course, I called for technical assistance; they came and checked the machine; said that its behaviour is normal and that for me (for us) the solution is just to get used to.

As a result, my wife now gets by sleeping on the couch in another room, while I’m hardly trying to cope with these noises but cannot get accustomed.
I struggle to fall asleep and wake up frequently and I can then go back to sleep just by pressing the delay button.

I am going to address the health service and ask to give me the previous equipment back but fear that the answer will be negative.

So, first, I would like an opinion from you: are these problems avoidable?

Thank you in advance for your attention

Placing the machine below the edge of the bed may help by putting soft material in the straight line between you and the machine.
Make sure the table under the machine is not acting as an amplifier by using rubber pads under the legs, or the corners of the machine.
If your hose is lying on the bed, you may try hanging it up or wrapping it in fleece. Good luck.

If the other suggestions are insufficient, you might consider building an acoustical box that has foam on the inside.
Leave the back of the box open (away from you) so there is free access to air. Make a hole for the hose to exit the box.

Place the machine inside the box preferably on a firm foam pad like a mouse pad and place the whole assembly somewhat lower than the bed. Wrapping the hose in a fleece type fabric will also help to muffle the noise.

Hi Simone,
Many machines have a feature that helps some people feel comfortable. Phillips Remstar machines have A-Flex, C-Flex, etc (depending on the model). ResMed machines call this EPR. Unfortunately if you really have the "Standard" (vs even the "StandardPlus") your machine won't have such a feature (called SmartFlex). If it DID I would highly recommend turning it off for an experiment because that is very often the reason these machines make noises that are 'variable' and disturb some people.

According to DeVilibiss, your machine should be very quiet, at 26dba. By comparison the current model of APAP from Phillips simply states "less than 30dba".

So it's possible that your machine is too loud and if you could try another of the same model you might be happy ... and frankly it is possible that you both need to give it a little time to adjust.

Good luck!

Dear Chunkyfrog and JDS74, thanks for your suggestions.
They are very wise and in the coming days I will try to put them into practice, starting from the first.

Dear Khauser, I will try to get to the bottom of this thing that you say to me.

have a good sleep, all of you

thanks again