I have been researching the sonic machines for some time now and have a few suspicions.
I am starting to wonder if the models are all coming from the came company because several times I have found that the people selling these machines have used the same jargon and in the same order as if they were educated by the same company/distributor/importer/manufacturer/ or whoever they are getting the machines from. It has taken me over a year to come up with several conclusions. Also, on the new sonic model, the warranty form was and still is nearly identical for both competing companies. Curiously, the sales people at one of the companies deny knowing anything about the new model that just came out so I guess they don't want people to know that both companies are related, if that is the case, but I cannot say at this time if they are, or perhaps the sales people just have never used the newer model before.
I've spoken to several people about the newer model, including anaturopathic physician at the manufacturer of the new sonic model. Nobody has been able to offer me a solid comparison between the new sonic model and the Ovation which I am familiar with so I am having to have several people in different weight classes and humidity zones buy the new sonic model to see if the claims are accurate and how it holds up. I will not sell a single model until my results are back. I will get the feedback and post. I do not base my feedback just on my own results because everyone is at a different weight and have different opinions.
For now, based on a few customer comments comments, the newer model seems like a stripped down version of the Ovation. It appears to have a smaller voice coil, does not have levelers, and comes with a lesser warranty. There are several other details that makes both units different, but ultimately, they seem to be of roughly the same value. One dealer tried to convince me that the newer model was a "better" version of the Ovation but I think he is dead wrong, and I'm not sure why he was trying so hard to get me to buy the newer instead of the Ovation. Supposedly the newer model does have a slightly better power supply, and some people will appreciate the lighter weight, but that's it. But then again, the Ovation has some features that the newer model doesn't have.
The newer model seems ideal for somebody who wants to spend a little less and does not mind giving up some extra features. I can help people decide if those extra features are really worth the extra 1,500 dollars or not. I think some people, for example, are really going to need the levelers that the Ovation has.
In addition, I was surprised by the limited knowledge that most of the sales people have about the power requirements of these units. One dealer told me that a dedicated 20 amp circuit is recommended. Yet, both manufacturers recommend a line conditioner that is only capable of delivering 10 amps. With a background in amateur sound engineering tells me that this is strange, and I will probably be doing my own tests on these WBV machines to find out their surge and nominal power draw characteristics. One dealer never mentioned anything about this, and I think it is very important that anyone who is purchasing these units understand that, at a MINIMUM, a dedicated 15 amp circuit is recommended. I know a person who can explain what this is and why it is recommended and it all made sense the way it was explained. The person was also familiar with most residential grade and many commercial grade line conditioners, so he can help people get the right equipment to make sure these WBV machines do not burn out or blow fuses constantly.
That's one of the cool things about the Theravibe -- I understand that it has a strong power transformer built in, so people do not need to worry about power requirements as much.
Look forward to an in-depth comparison between the two units. I will be taking pictures and making a report that can be easily read on this website. Again, it will be about a week or two and about mid April before I have the comparison done.
The sound engineer that I am working with has a lot of integrity and is helping me with this review so I can connect people with the machines that are right for them.
This type of vibration is different than the motorized vibration. There is no impact from the inertia of a spinning motor.
I guess the Sonic name says it all about this one. This says, "I'm on a mission to work the lymph cells to keep the toxic waste cesspools from becoming stagnant tissue, developing into fat and acidity. I am certainly down for that if it will do that.
These are made usually in Korea and the USA.
What I like about the sonic models:
First, its silent. I have had complaints in my apartment where people complain about the how it sounds like the roof is going to cave in. On the model I used to have, I almost got kicked out. That was the main reason I started looking at other brands. I ended up making this site after the issues I was having with my "loud" model.
Because there is not a motor... there is less friction so the parts don't wear out like the motors.
The less movable parts... the less friction and energy loss.
Vibrating across the plate, up and down but no left to right, forward and back, its integrity shines
through. My ankles are so happy here, and that's where it takes its biggest swipe at the lower
quality vibration machines on it's perch: it holds its form!
Real deal, sonic vibration pretty much match the organic linear motor models for smooth action while
giving firmer, and further cell compression at maxiumum load (the bottom of the vibrational curve).
The sophisticated design also means it can satisfy weights ranging way beyond the models with motors.
Also, the plate integrity provides for an even vibration. The combined effect transcends the sum of
the parts and scores a better fatigue factor than the models with linear motors..
It's friendly to your tile or linoleum floor and the neighbors beneath too.
Most of the top sonic models are considerate of chemical sensitivities (i've sniffed it after being in the
hot sun on a truck for 5 hours and didn't get dizzy) and dressed in classic black. With the chic design,
there are no excuses for not wanting to use a sonic model any chance you get.
My evaluations put the top sonic model as the benchmark for the top motorized model to now compete with.
The top sonic models have a solid molding and looks as if it were robotically welded. I have not seen any
cold factures or any flaws in any of the demos I have seen.
Every detail is made with perfection or it is tossed out. There are no cold spots on these that I have noticed
and it is the most balanced and uniform of all models.
I agree that the sonic models do not vibrate like a typical models. Their sonic system makes a night and
day difference in the vibration and smoothness. I do not like how many companies are making comparison
videos with "new" machines. Most of the WBV machines when new do not sound as loud as the older ones
when the motors wear. By the way, if you get a model that is not powerful enough for you, you might end
up paying more in the future but less up front for their machine. In about a year you will notice a difference
in vibration.
Vibrating standing near the edges of a sonic model does not bottom out like some of the other types either.
The top sonic models give the feeling of natural "roving" without the feeling of vibration from friction
from the motor. Just as you don't want to pound yourself on asphalt, you don't want to absorb useless
friction. The goal is to rover. It is sad how people walk. I hardly see anyone with a bounce to their walk.
Roving connotes lymphasizing, or walking off the trail. When I started wearing Earth shoes, I stopped
craning my neck forward. In nature, we would walk in the dirt and sand and our heels would sink deeper
than the front of the feet. The machine that mimics the natural g-force we would get will be the most
beneficial to us.
The story behind the top sonic model that I feel people should know. The vibrational exercise trend
that began recently has met controversy with the possibility of injuries due to inferior equipment, but
they claim they have solved this problem. The welding of these models keeps it from breaking ove time.
This also helps so it will not wobble as the welds do not bend. I have heard stories of people having to
put a superglue quarters to the bottom of the feet due to the frame warping over time, just like restaurants
put something under the leg of a warped table so that it is balanced.
This model will let you vibrate anywhere on the plate without worring about if you are stepping one
foot in the middle and one foot on the edges of the plate. This machine will NOT pronate or invert your
ankles from side to side motion when doing certain dynamic exercises. On most of the other brands
you will either have to learn how to vibrate with feet equal distance from the center point of the plate
or perhaps wear running shoes that are designed for people that pronate their ankles while running.
I do not like it when I have to always watch my feet so I don't bottom out the motor when stepping
too close to the edges. The contender that the top sonic has to battle out with daily is the top
motorized model at this time.
Depending on the needs of the user, 50% of the people will go for the sonic model if they can afford
it and the other 50% will go for the motorized model. The motorized models offer a few things that
the sonic model doesn't offer and the sonic model offers a few thing that the motorized model doesn't
offer. The top motorized models hit a higher hertz level but the sonic model has a more smooth ride
and lasts longer and doesn't wear and tear.
Although both people giving different arguments over why you should buy the sonic over the motor or
the motor over the sonic, I will say that both are different. I have studied the results from both and
know which one is better for lymphatic movement and which G-force at which frequency gives the best
workout.
The sonic and motorized z-axis models have different G-forces at different frequencies. If you study the
G forces from speakers at high and low volumes versus motors at high and low speeds, you will find that
there is a big difference. When a speaker is turned up loud, you can see the difference in the way the
speaker moves compared to when its turned up low.
Some models give more G force at lower frequencies and other models give more G force at higher
frequencies. That's the big point I am trying to make. Each type has a different feel when you stand on
it. You either like one over the other. Most people have a preference when standing on the two. That is
why just listening to a sales pitch that agrees with your logic isn't always accurate.
It's like saying, I wear a size 10 shoe and buying shoes off the internet. Just because you wear a size
10 doesn't mean all size 10 shoes will feel comfortable on you.
I won't try to convince you to buy a motor over the sonic, and vice versa, but I will tell you what to
expect from each and the differences and let you make the choice. Most people call and just ask me,
"which one should I get". And, most people ask this question to sales people. What do you think they
are going to say. I get the most naive customers calling and its very annoying.
That "little exta" slowed cellular compression before the plate brings you to halt makes the difference
between that "bottom out" feeling and a feeling of gently halting without jarring the body.
The heavier someone is or the harder the vibration for getting a better workout will make the cellular
compression at the bottom the most noticable. If a person is doing exercises that focus on lymph
movement and one is working with gravity to move lymph then one will want the least jarring of the
vibration plates.
Almost anyone can notice the difference between a sudden stop when the plate cannot give anymore.
On the sonic model, it's like you are vibrating on an air cushion that has just enough give at the bottom
of the vibrations to give you that plush feeling.
Sonic ones are unlike others in that they don't take much energy at the low speed settings to balance yourself to get a full lymphatic flush. Unlike others that raise your heart beat, a sonic model that works at low frequencies won't increase your heart rate or cause you to start breathing heavily to get the results most people are looking for. It takes very little energy to stand on a sonic plate as no stabilizers muscles have to work to keep your balance. On a sonic, you just stand on it and it does it all for you.
Defining Sonic-
This is so retarded. OK, so a speaker consists of three parts - the chassis, a diaphragm or cone and a voice-coil actuator. If you take away the cone and the chassis then you are only left with a voice-coil actuator. The voice coil actuator is really just a special type of linear motor. It's called a linear motor because it moves linearly. (in-out versus round and round like a rotational motor. The motors in these types of vibration machines also use voice coil actuators. It's a voice coil actuator that is connected to the plate, instead of a cone if it was part of a loudspeaker.
(NOTE: THERE IS NOT A SUBWOOFER IN THESE SONIC MACHINES. I AM NOT SURE WHY PEOPLE THINK THERE IS A SPEAKER IN THESE.
One of the sonic companies uses a moving magnet actuator instead of a moving coil actuator like the models that have them under the plates. It's the same type of motor - it's just a different part that moves while both have a coil and a magnet and are both liner motors. The models that ahve a moving magnet actuator are much more expensive than the ones with the moving coil actuators, which are under the plate types.
Without taking these apart I couldn't get the real answer on how these work. Everyone says they make the best sonic model. I don't like asking sales people as none of them I asked have taken them apart. How can you sell someething to me if you are only reiterating what someone told you or what you read. It's not like I can't ask the engineers who made them because they all speak Korean.
How can someone say there is a loudspeaker in these if they haven't even seen the loudspeaker, or subwoofer. It is so funny that people don't understand this.
Here is what I know about sonic machines that I had to learn on my own
This might help clarify things for you: There are only two types of technologies on the market at the time of writing this.
The first type uses a LINEAR MOTOR that is DIRECTLY COUPLED to the plate by a SHORT STEEL ROD. The plate moves in EXACT RESPONSE TO THE MOTOR. For example, if the motor armature moves 1/1000 of an inch, then the plate moves 1/1000 of an inch.
The other type uses a LINEAR MOTOR that is DIRECTLY COUPLED to the plate by a PAIR OF "ROCKER ARMS" UNDER THE PLATE. The plate moves in EXACT RESPONSE TO THE MOTOR. If the motor armature moves 1/1000 of an inch, then the plate moves 1/1000 of an inch.
Based on my reserch, I will have to say that I disagree on a few things that have been told to me. Neither of the two types are "sonic'. They don't work with sound waves. You stand on the plate and it vibrates. It's movement of a plate, that's not sonic. They don't even make that much noise. They are actually the quietest of all machines out there. How in the world is that sonic? I believe it is a translation error or a lack of better words to describe the technology to customers. It might be cuz the manufacturers don't speak English and when they were trying to explain how their machines work, subwoofers and loundspeakers were the terms they used to describe the motor in their machines. So, the sonic idea came about. This is only my opinion which I believe is accurate. I am not exactly stating this as a fact but based on everything I researched when dissecting these, it seems the most accurate. The word sonic seems like a good name to call them and differentiates these types of machines from the rest but I don't think it is a good description on how the technology really works.
These types of vibration machines are the best for what the linear types can offer and are well worth it if you can use one everyday.
Its been 3 years and now there are four brands of sonic vibration out there now. There is a lot of confusion going on right now and it really pisses me off that every company says that they have the best and better than the other brand. What bothers me more is that the cheaper brands say they do the same thing as the more expensive ones. Do you really think your 5000 dollar model works like a 15000 model?
It is not so much what they say that is pissing me off... its what they AREN'T telling me. Just like one of my customers said, they didn't tell him that he would have to shut the machine down if he and his wife wanted to use it at the same time so it wouldn't trip the speaker. If the freakin company knew he would be working out with his wife who is lighter than him, why would they sell him their machine knowing there is a different model that he and his wife could both use it at the same time without having to shut it off every time before they step back on.. This is just an example of what I am taking about. Don't get me wrong. I love all the sonic machines but only if I know their expectations and limits.
Each of the sonic technologies has their limitations and this is what I didn't find on their manuals. You had to be the guinie pig and buy it to find out. ONly that I get feedback from people that use them and not just from my own experience.
Two types of voice coils on the market:
When it to sonic machine, you can get either the type that has the speaker built under the plate or located in the rail. The ones in the rail definately have a different feel to them than the ones under the plate. A total different resonance. With EMF considerations, the speaker will have the EMF shooting mostly upward but this can be counteracted with similar type stickers that you put on your cell phone that block the EMF. But, you can get get stronger conditioners or you might have to put several hundred stickers on there that would have to be changed every year or so and can be very expensive. The in-rail type voice coils work differently as their is a linkage mechanism that connects the motor in the upright meconism in the rail to the plate. One 1/16 of an inch of movement in the voice coil will always mean 1/16 of an inch in the plate.. PHYSICS....
But what many people complain about is that (mostly heavy users) is that they can't stand near the edges which makes it awkward.
LARGE SIZED VIBRATION PLATE AWARE NOTICE: ANOTHER THING TO BE AWARE OF.....
More and more companies are coming out with sonic vibration machines. Be careful if you see a company sell a cheaper machine that has the same size plate as the really expensive, heavy duty models, usually 15,000 or more. The plates might look the same size but you might find that you cannot stand near the edges without straining the machine. The large plates that still only have a small sweet spot regardless of the large plate size is only there for show. I have found that the only people they show on these cheaper models with the large plates are women that are fit and around 110 to 120 pounds.
On models that are not designed for heavy users to stand near the edge, it will lower the life of the machine and cause more noise. I have went on the same sonic models of the same brand but from different owners and all of them have a slightly different noise. ON a
Dynamic exercises: Another difference to be aware of if you are doing anything but standing or stationary exercises. If you plan on getting on and off the plate the in rail speakers are the only ones that allow this without tripping the system.
Many people prefer to be able to stand right on the tippy edge of the plates. Only the in-rail speaker types can allow that. Their is less strain on the bearings on these types so their is less noise and you don't get less movement when standing near the edge. Don't get fooled by the illusion of a large plate thiking you will have a larger sweet spot. The standing room on the low powered ones are usually about a one foot circle from the center unless, of course, you get the very powerful ones that have two speakers but the edges are still an issue, but just much less.
On a rail-speaker system, you can stand anywhere on the plate and it won't affect the movement or sound. With the rail type, you can stand right on the tippy edge even with 500 pounds and it won't strain or bottom out.
Why choose a sonic model?
The sonic, linear type keeps the body more aligned and is a more natural feel. The slower types activate the lymphatic system (one way valves in the vessels and helps stimulate the whole body, not just the legs where the hips cancel out, but this can be good for someone with a bad back, as it lowers the impact to the spine.
When is it good to get the lower frequencies instead of the higher frequency models?
For those who are overweight who have joint or bone concerns, they will appreciate the lower accelerations instead of just vibrating their body, which many say feels like a jack hammer. Sonic models rarely go over 2 G forces
At the lower accelerations, depending on the amplitude, the one way valves can have enough time to open and close to allow the toxins out and fresh lymph fluid in, which cannot be done as well at higher speeds that don't allow enough time.
I am not a biologist but I have studied the lymphatic system and have received all of the feedback I need to know that the lower frequencies help people more than the higher ones. There must be a pump created to flush the lymph, not just vibrating them. All the cellular debris that are clogged up in teh lymph nodes get released when the vacuum is created. Again, there is no vacuum created when the one way valves in the lymph nodes are just vibrated. I have had too many returns from people saying they still are inflamed all over their body and get no feeling of lymphatic flow that everyone claims.
I suggest that no one first starts out with one long session. Regular two minute lymphatic sessions 5 times a day instead of 10 minutes at once on it can work more efficiently. For building bone density, the same is also more effective based on all the feedback I get.
If there is no rhythm and just chaotic vibration, the lymphatic system cannot do its natural action against gravity. The hydraulic pump must be made for circulation of lymph. The slow up and down movements must cause this pressure to circulate this lymphatic fluid. There is a point where when it gets too fast the acceleration of speed of the plate decreases the pumping back and forth of the one way valves, decreaseing the detoxification and replenishing of cleaner fluids back into the cells.
Most of the lymph vessels run up and down the legs, second the arms, and third the torso. Many of the models that cancel out at the hips focus on the lymph movement in the legs. Although this cancels out the vibration at the hip, since the main lymphatic vessels are in the legs, it is often strong enough to pump it through the whole body. If you can handle the pure vertical, especially at the lower vibrations, you can experience the lymphatic movement not just from the legs but from the arm and torso's lymph channels. Having all of the valves in the body opening and closing at once is when most of the fluids can be released. 4 teaspoons, which is around 15 times the normal lymphatic movement as when resting, is what you can experience on this machine depending on the amplitudes. More amplitude means more hydraulic pump but only if you can handle the higher amplitudes.
For those wondering how you can lose weight by moving lymph just by standing on one of these machines, it is not really obvious at first glance because it doesn't seem any way related to fitness or losing weight without burning calories by exercising. When you stand on it, the bad stuff releases out and the good fluids replace it. When the lymphatic system is working and not sluggish and full of wastes, the body can regulate weight and the metabolism can work more like it should. The body works very slow when it the lymphatic system is clogged. So, please don't over look the advantages of working out on a slow moving sonic vibration plate while your one way valves are opening and closing during your whole workout.
