Panasonic ma70 Massage Chair vs. Inada Sogno Dreamwave

March 7, 2012
 By Dr. Alan Weidner
March 7, 2012
 By Dr. Alan Weidner

Panasonic ma70 Massage Chair vs. Inada Sogno Dreamwave

Comparing the Inada Sogno and the Panasonic ma70 Massage Chair

It seems that when the discriminating massage chair shopper contacts me, it is usually a question about the Inada Sogno Dreamwave massage chair, either a question specifically about it or how it compares to some other massage chair model. This is the email I received from a massage chair shopper asking for a comparison between the Sogno and the Panasonic ma70. I make a point by point comparison between these to higher-priced but popular models.

Massage Chair Question:

Hi Dr. Weidner

I am interested in a top of the line chair.

Obviously the inada sognio is not a bad pick.

I wondered about the panasonic ma70. You have not written a review on your page.
How does it compare to the inada?
I kind of like the sleeker design, but obviously that is not the main issue with a massage chair.
Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,
Marc 

Massage Chair Answer:

Hi,  Marc

Thanks for your inquiry.
The Inada Sogno has typically been our top seller. However, the Panasonic ma70 is drawing a lot of interest and the clients of mine who own it…love it. The reason I haven’t done a review of it yet is because I don’t have one in my showroom at this point. When I do get one in the showroom, I will be doing written and video reviews of it.

I have written a brief literature review of the ma70 on my blog. Here is the link to that:

I also had a client buy the Panasonic ma70 massage chair after comparing it to the Inada Sogno. He wrote a brief review about his experience of the new ma70. Here is that review:

Here are the major differences between the two chairs, as I see them:

1. # of Airbags
The Inada Sogno has 100 airbags, while the Panasonic ma70 has 33. Once you see the Inada Sogno, you totally understand why there are more airbags. Between the calf, feet, full arms, seat, thigh, neck, and shoulders you will see more airbags than you have ever seen on any other chair.

2. Neck Traction
The Inada Sogno pioneered the idea of airbags in the neck area with its Cervical Traction Device, which really is a very fancy head piece. Airbags knead your neck muscles and it feels like fingers of a person massaging your neck. It also has the shoulder airbags that inflate and push down on the top of your shoulders (on the trapezia muscles). This is one of my favorite features of this chair. It feels like the elbows of a Licensed Massage Therapist digging into my trap muscles. Great for desk workers, by the way. 

The Panasonic ma70 does not have the cervical traction device, but does have some shoulder airbags that inflate towards the outside of the upper arm/shoulder area (deltoid muscles).

3. Dreamwave Technology
The Inada Sogno also pioneered airbags in the seat that make up what is known as Dreamwave Technology. These airbags move the seat from side to side in a figure-8 motion, as well as up and down. It is very soothing for the low back and pelvis, particularly if you acute low back pain. The ma70 has seat airbags which massage the buttock and thighs, but without the dreamwave motion.

4. Arm Massage
The Panasonic ma70 massage chair has arm rests that lift up and allow the user to slide their arms underneath for an airbag massage. It will massage the fingers, wrists, and forearms. The Inada Sogno has airbags that massage the fingers, wrists, forearms, and upper arms. 

5. Rotating Ottoman
One thing I really like about the ma70 is the rotating ottoman. It is a full foot and calf massager but you can rotate the ottoman when not in use to hide the calf and foot wells. This helps make the chair look more like a regular chair and not so much like a therapeutic massage chair. The user can just rotate the ottoman and lay their legs on the ottoman just like a regular recliner. The Inada Sogno has calf and foot wells in the ottoman but the ottoman is not reversible.

6. Heat
The Inada Sogno massage chair has heat in the form of a little element in a small area at the back of the seat. It is hardly noticeable when in use, but the heat creates the desired effect, which is to increase blood flow to the area. However, on the Panasonic ma70 massage chair, a new innovative heating system is built into the massage rollers. The rollers are actually jade stones that have a heating element built into the jade rollers. This provides a moving heat as the rollers go up and down the spine. It is a very deep heat as well.

7. Length of Roller Track
Because the Inada Sogno uses the airbags of the Cervical Traction Device (head piece), the roller track is shorter (28.4 inches) and extends deeper into the buttock area. You will love how low the rollers go in the buttock. This is a great massage for the Sacro-Iliac area, where many sciatica and buttock pain problems originate. The Panasonic ma70, on the other hand, has a 31 inch roller track, the longest of any chair we carry (along with the Osaki 7000 massage chair). The roller goes from the base of the skull down into the top of the buttocks. A nice long track that hits everything between the head and the buttocks.

8. Manufacturer Warranty
Inada has the best all-around parts and labor in-home warranty in the business. It is 3 years, whereas the head to toe in-home warranty for the Panasonic massage chairs is only 1 year, which is more typical of most other massage chairs in the market.

9. Auto Programs
The Inada Sogno has 8 automatic, pre-set programs, whereas the Panasonic ma70 only has 6. I don’t think that affects therapy too much, but it is fun to have different auto programs. 

10. UPDATE (03/10/12): I just learned that the Panasonic ma70, along with all other Panasonic massage chair models are now manufactured in China, and not in Japan as initially it was. So, this is another difference between the two models. The Inada Sogno is manufactured in Japan, while the Panasonic ma70 is now being made in China.

Some other minor differences include: massage speed adjustment in the Panasonic ma70, junetsu massage in the Panasonic ma70, less power consumption by the Inada Sogno, the Inada Sogno is a heavier chair, greater color selection with the Inada Sogno. 

I hope this helps you in your research, Marc. Please feel free to contact me if you have other questions or if you need assistance placing your order. You probably know this already, but we are offering $700 off on the ma70 for a limited time. You just have to check off the $700 discount box on the product page:

Dr. Alan Weidner
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