motors Hypervibe G17, noblerex, zaaz 20k, vibratrim, vmax pulser, whole body vibration review WBV, Vibration machines, Nitrofit, Vibratrim VT500 Vibeplate

Motor Scams:

The first thing I realized after reviewing all these vibration machines is that the horsepower rating doesn't matter. Usually they are rated by input power, not output. Nearly all the 1000 watt machines were less powerful than the 400 watt Zaaz machine. The 900 watt Hypervibe had nearly 3 times the power as even some of the 1500 models. I really wish they would state their output power so buyers won't be confused.

The amperage and output horsepower is what to really go by. Many companies say they have a 3HP machine. Hypervibe, which is the most powerful of all machines, only has a 1.25 HP motor but a super high amperage and magnitude delivered through the plate. The machines with ample power will give that "pop" people want to help drain lymph and build bone density. Otherwise the plate is just moving up and down without the force that’s needed.

Note: I only promote DC motors that produce low EMF. There are only a few exception of AC motors that are quality built that emit low EMF.

Noise: I avoid these cheap vibration machine motors that are made of aluminum windings. Copper wires are much more expensive and don't make all the frictional noise like the aluminum ones. They are much heavier and usually don't get loud a few months after you buy it (almost every machine under $1,000 I opened up uses aluminum). Also with a better motor, you don't have to wait for the machine to cool down before another person uses it. With cheaper machines, once you finish a 10 minutes session and another person wants to use it, you have to tell them to wait. After ten minutes on some of these machines the motors get so hot that the aluminum wirings oxidize and this is when you start to see a decline in performance until one fine day the machine gives out. At my clinics delays of machine time after usage of previous clients is a major inconvenience and bad for business.

Push VS Pop of the Plate

This has the most to do with amperage and how the motor is geared into producing the torque on the tilt table mechanism beneath the plate. The vibration machines most people get the best results from are the ones that have an initial pop rather than G force pushing the plate up. My best analogy is if you threw a baseball 30 miles per hour or you hit it with the crack of a bat at 30 miles per hour. Both end up going the same speed but with a different force.

Most of these motors are very inefficient so they have to go by input wattage. A sonic machine consuming 1000 watts might only produce 200W (20%) of motive force. This is the actual energy going to the plate. I am tired of seeing incomplete specifications like Peak Power. Also if the motor is running at its peak power too long, the motor can be permanently damaged from overheating. Cheap machines usually run at peak power the whole time but break down within 12 months. Some companies know their machine is cheap but want to extend the life so they have an automatic shut off if it overheats…that’s good for not damaging the motor but not good when it cuts of after 10 minutes.

On the other end of the spectrum we have machines with good engineering and a grade of components like the Zaaz 20K which can be run all day long even in a commercial setting (this company has studios across the country). Long duration performance is also achievable on the Vibeplate and Hypervibe. I've run them at clinics for hours without breaks and I have never noticed any performance decline or catastrophic failure.

With cheap low amperage, aluminum motors, you never want to run them at their peak capacity for longer than 10 minute sessions without letting them cool down. Also a heavier person should always look for a higher amperage motor. A good motor should lasts years beyond the warranty period. Just make sure your weight doesn't exceed the weight limit of the machine or you will be pulling too many amps from the wall and exceed the limit of the motor.

Note: many importers put higher weight limits than the manufacturers claim. This makes their machine look more powerful so they can charge more. I've seen the same machine have a 265 weight limit and some USA importers put 400 pounds. When you actually stand on your heels and the machine bogs down, then it's easy to see when the weight limits are inflated.

A heavier person should be aware that an AC motor gives less torque as the weight of the person increases while a DC motor is more efficient with heavier loads. The torque which is responsible for the "pop" at the instant acceleration of the plate is missing on many of the high powered AC motors.

Note: a 500 watt DC motor is not the same power as a 500 watt AC motor. Cheap AC motors usually get hot after a 10 minute session with a heavy load. Most of these cheap motors have around 1 to 2 Amps and high wattage. It's like asking for a high EMF motor. Read my EMF warnings.

Note: Certain motor give the plate more push and others allow more pop. The ballistic impact generated (G force) depends on how much amperage the motor can pull and the weight on the plate. A Hypervibe motor or a Zaaz motor has a more sudden vibration unlike a more "rolling" vibration that gives more push. In general, a good machine will get rid of 7/8ths of the ballistic impact and compact the G force at the beginning of each acceleration.

Many machines have a higher amplitude and lift the body more but have less pop. The Hypervibe G17 has a lower amplitude but a much higher G force concentrated at each acceleration. I do not recommend this unless the body is prepared to move a large amount of lymph per session.

Powering a 21 inch plate or a 27 inch plate:

The extra 3 inches on each side of the plate on a 27 inch plate exponentially takes away the "pop" from the plate. The shorter plates like the Zaaz 20K have a shorter plate and the G force is concentrated. While this can be a good thing for people wanting to drain more lymph per session, the 27 inch plate like on the Vmax Pulser drains a little more slower and can be better for people just starting out or who are not taking any probiotics to assimilate the wastes.

See my review on Plate Sizes.