Now that the new OHCO M.8 massage chair is on the market, I am getting more and more inquiries about the differences between this new M.8 model and the older Inada DreamWave. There are a considerable number of differences between the two models. Let me begin with the similarities.
Similarities:
- 3D roller mechanisms – Both have the ability to adjust the depth of the rollers to make your roller massage more or less intense.
- Headpiece with trapezia massage – The headpiece of both chairs offer massage of
the neck (although one of it’s differences is the type of neck massage) and the top of the shoulders (the trapezia muscles). Airbags are located at the the bottom of each side of the headpiece and, when deployed, compress down onto the top of the shoulders to massage the trapezia muscles. Not many chairs have a trap massage. This is a unique thing.
- Headpiece with attached back pad – At the bottom of each headpiece is an attached back pad that extends down to the low back. If you are looking for a more intense roller back massage, you can always lift the headpiece and attached back pad up and over the back of the chair so that there is less material between the rollers and your back.
- Warranty – Both chairs come with a 3 year parts & labor, in-home warranty.
- “Made in Japan” – Both models are “Made in Japan” in that their quality control testing, assembly, and programming are done in Japan. Their components are still Chinese, for the most part.
- Design – The M.8 was designed by world-renowned Ferrari designer Ken Okuyama, while the DreamWave was designed by Toshiyuki Kita, who’s world-renowned furniture designs have earned a permanent place in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Pinakothek der Modarne in Munich.
Differences:
- Neck massage in the headpiece – As I mentioned above, both chairs have the headpiece with neck massage. The difference is that the M.8 has rollers built into the headpiece while the DreamWave uses airbags to massage the neck.
- Zero gravity – The OHCO M.8 has zero gravity positioning, which involves a 30 degree tilt of the seat and a 120-128 degree articulation between the chair back and the seat. The DreamWave does not have that, so the seat always stays in the same position.
- L-Track – The DreamWave has an S-track roller mechanism so the rollers travel along
the S-shape of your spine from the neck down to the low back. The M.8 has the L-track, which is a continuation of the S-track to under the seat. This means that the M.8 offers massage of the glutes and piriformis muscles of the buttock region.
- DreamWave technology – The original DreamWave name alluded to the airbag technology in the seat that moved it from side to side and up and down in a figure 8 pattern to facilitate passive movement to the pelvis and hips. The DreamWave has that feature whereas the M.8 does not, but has the L-track rollers working the same area.
- Arm rests – The arm rests of the DreamWave are fixed and stationary, while the arm
rests of the M.8 open like car doors to allow for easier access to the chair seat. Arm rests in both chair still offer airbag massage of the arms, but the dual purpose of the opening arm rest is only available in the M.8.
- Arm massage – Both chairs offer forearm, wrist, and hand airbag massage, but the DreamWave has upper arm massage while the M.8 offers shoulder airbag massage/compression.
- Aromatherapy & air ionizer – These are two features newly added in the OHCO M.8 and
not available in the DreamWave. An electronic aromatherapy component comes with the M.8 into which you can place a few drops of your favorite essential oil. You control it’s function from the remote control. The function of the air ionizer is also operated from the remote control.
- Bluetooth technology & speakers – Bluetooth and speakers is pretty much available in almost every massage chair nowadays. Japanese designed and engineered chairs never used to have this technology. As a matter of fact, most of them still don’t have it. The DreamWave is no different. However, the OHCO M.8 does employ those additional features allowing you to pair your device with the chair and then play your playlist over the chair’s speakers.
- Heat – Most chairs come with heat anymore, but the M.8 really excels in this department. Whereas the DreamWave has heating elements in the low back and seat, the M.8 has heated rollers as well as heating elements in the seat, hands, seat, and feet! That chair really warms you up.
- Space saving – Since the OHCO M.8 is an L-track chair, it also has a space saving feature so that you can place your chair within a couple of inches from your wall. As with all purely S-track chairs, the DreamWave is not a space saver and you have to place it about 16″ from the wall so that it doesn’t hit your wall during a full recline.
- Approach lighting & chromotherapy – Mind you, not many chairs, if any at all,
have approach lighting that turns on when you walk near the chair. The M.8 has that innovative feature, while the DreamWave does not. The same goes for chromotherapy lighting.
- Mechanical foot & calf rollers – The DreamWave does not have either of these features. The calf rollers are a fairly new technology that we don’t see in a lot of chairs just yet, but foot rollers are in almost every new massage chair model. The M.8 has both of these features.
- Color options – The DreamWave comes in black and dark brown colors; the M.8 comes in Walnut, Black, Saddle, Bordeaux, and Pearl colors.
- Thera-Elliptical calf kneading – The OHCO M.8 employs a kneading feature of the calf airbags. Pioneered by Inada’s Yume years ago, the calf kneading is becoming more popular with other manufacturers. The M.8 uses that technology to enhance even more the therapeutic value of the mechanical calf rollers.
- Remote control display – The M.8 has a bright LED display that lights up as soon
as you press the power button. It is very easy to read in a dark room. The DreamWave has an older push button remote where the auto buttons are backlit.
That’s a pretty good summary of the similarities and differences between the Inada DreamWave and the OHCO M.8.
Dr. Alan Weidner
P.S. Give us a “Like”, “Share”, or “+1” and leave me a comment or question below to share what you learned or ask any questions, so other folks can benefit from this material.