Which Massage Chair Suits You? The i7 PLUS or the Pharaoh S II?
When choosing between two massage chairs of the same price, such as the Luraco i7 PLUS and the Bodyfriend Pharaoh S II that both come in at $8,999, deciding which chair provides the features you need will be crucial. Both these chairs offer very in-depth massages, foot rollers, heat therapy, and zero gravity, but is there one chair that will serve your needs better? Are you looking for something made in America? Or maybe you want more features like cooling and binaural beat technology?
To help you choose which of these chairs might be better for you, let’s take a look at their core features- 3D and 4D massage and their tracks. The Pharaoh offers an L-Track and the i7 PLUS offers an S-Track.
First off, let’s take a look at the 3D vs. 4D rollers.
3D Massage Rollers
A 3D massage system is a step up from the initial 2D roller system. It’s found in the Luraco chair we’ll be discussing below. The reason for the draw toward 3D rollers is that they can work deeper into the muscles of your shoulders and back for a more intense, more effective massage.
Because these rollers can also protrude further out from the track, they can attend to areas that the average chair can’t, such as the upper neck and between the shoulder blades.
The rollers can move up and down, left and right, and in and out. This helps them to simulate the massage human hands can offer. With 3D massage chairs, you can also adjust the intensity of the massage to as intense or gentle as you like with some limitations based on the chair itself. If more than one person is going to be sitting in the chair it’s a useful feature.
4D Massage Rollers
For a bit more intensity, there are 4D rollers. These 4D rollers can speed up and slow down to add another level of control over how the rollers attend to your massage.
The 4D massage chair frequently causes the most confusion for consumers. What possible change could there have been from a 3D chair? Is there really much of a difference? Essentially, in a 4D massage, the rollers can do what a 3D roller can in addition to being able to speed up or slow down automatically.
The goal was to make the rollers even more responsive so that it feels like an actual person is tending to your muscles. Many of these chairs merge this feature with an L-Track which means they can attend to your hamstrings, glutes, and go all the way up to your neck.
The 4D chair can do some things a 3D chair can’t, but they are quite similar. Most agree that the determining factor is what you can afford and if you like the feel of a 4D massage chair’s programs.
If you have the budget for a 4D chair and will use it regularly to tend to sore muscles and after workouts, they can be worth the investment. However, if your budget is smaller, you’ll still get an excellent massage from a 3D chair.
Now, what are the differences between the S-Track and L-Track?
S-Tracks
In modern massage chairs, you either have an S-Track or an L-Track. The less expensive option is the S-Track, and it was named for the shape of the human spine as it resembles the letter S. S-Track rollers glide up and down your back and won’t lose contact with your back since they follow the curvature of your spine.
An S-Track chair curves in to address your neck and lower back and curves the opposite direction to hit the middle of your back and tailbone without utilizing too much pressure. This feature allows for the most comfortable, most productive massage.
Spines aren’t straight lines, so your massage track shouldn’t be either.
L-Track
As developments in massage chairs proceed onward, the S-Track saw an extension in the form of the L-Track. The L-Track was showcased years back and revealed its ability to travel down the spine to under the seat, massage down to the glutes and hamstrings. That chair was an Inada, the first manufacturer to present an L-Track prototype.
Inada took time to perfect their chair, however, and because of this Infinity introduced its Iyashi model, which became the first commercially available L-Track massage chair.
More and more models have come out since then, and many have started to provide the extended L-Track to serve more of the user’s sore muscles and trouble spots.
Let’s discuss what each chair offers so that you’ll know which one will best suit your needs.
Bodyfriend Pharaoh S II
The Bodyfriend Pharaoh S II massage chair features an SL-Track, 4D massage, heating and cooling, genuine leather, Bluetooth speakers, body scanning, and more. The Bodyfriend also features an all-new Brain Massage. Take your relaxation to the next step with the binaural beats that soothe the mind.
Features
4D XD Massage
The 4D massage of the Bodyfriend Pharaoh S II can change from a quad-style roller to a dual-head. This functionality provides deep kneading for the back and better concentration on the shoulders. You can also adjust the intensity through six levels while enjoying massage programs that have speed changes built right into the routine.
SL-Track
The SL-Track of the Pharaoh gives you the benefits of the S-Track with contouring rollers, and those of the L-Track that reaches from your neck, down your back, and wraps underneath your glutes to your thighs.
Body Scanning
Turn on the power and select an automatic program. From there, the body scan will locate your shoulders and map your back to understand your size and shape. Once the scan is done, you can adjust the shoulder position if needed.
Zero Gravity
Zero gravity distributes your weight evenly across the back of the chair, minimizing the effects of gravity on your spine. Plus, elevating your legs above your heart can help to improve relaxation, circulation, and spinal decompression.
Calf & Foot Massage
The calf rollers help reduce swelling as the air compression massage kneads both sides of the calves and feet. The reflexology rollers utilize an acupressure massage that targets acupoints on the bottoms of your feet. The calf and foot rollers offer three levels of adjustable intensity.
Auto Programs
The Pharaoh has 16 automatic programs that include:
- Waist-Focused: targets your core to strengthen the waist and improve posture.
- Neck/Shoulder: Acupressure and tapping massage for your neck and shoulders.
- Recovery: concentrates on kneading the entire back for 30 minutes.
- Stretch: uses tapping and kneading while fully reclining at different angles to gently stretch the legs and body.
- Rest: 30-Minute kneading for the entire back.
- Refresh: kneading and tapping on the shoulder area.
- Auto Upper: Alternating tapping and acupressure massaging across the upper body.
- Auto Lower: relieves tension from the lower body by massaging the legs and feet.
- Office: Tapping and acupressure on the waist while reclining the body at different angles.
- Hip-Up: Alternates acupressure and kneading on the hips and buttocks.
- Athlete: tapping, kneading, and acupressure targeting the shoulders.
- Adolescent: gently massages the spine with a pressure massage targeting the shoulders.
- Rejuvenate: Tapping and acupressure targets the shoulders and waist to relieve tension.
- Lymphatic: Pinponted massage stimulates the Lymphatic system of the arms and legs to drain toxins.
- Low Lymphatic: Alternates kneading and airbag massage on the soles of your feet to eliminate swelling.
- Digestive: Acupressure massage helps to facilitate digestion and improves circulation.
Brain Massage
Bodyfriend has exclusive massage modes that combine massage and binaural beat music to improve brain activity. A binaural beat is a third sound created in the brain when two sounds with varying frequencies enter each ear. This sound aligns with brainwaves to create a deeper level of relaxation and heightened concentration.
Massage Techniques
The Pharaoh can perform kneading, tapping, chopping, combination, acupressure, and rhythmic.
Air Compression Massage
The airbags apply a compression massage to the Shoulders, Waist, Arms, Hips, Calves, Head, and Feet. You can independently adjust each region through five intensity levels.
Auto Leg Extension
The leg extension automatically adjusts up to eight inches in length to accommodate taller users.
Space-Saving
The Zero-Wall feature automatically slides the chair forward when it reclines to save space and only needs four inches to fully recline.
Heating & Cooling System
Cool in summer and warm in winter. The seat temperature in the Phantom II can be easily adjusted by selecting a heating or cooling mode, enabling the best massage experience for all seasons. There are three levels of heat and cooling available.
Genuine Leather
The Pharaoh features genuine leather that’s more durable and stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Bluetooth Speakers
You can sync your smart device with Bluetooth to play music, TV, or audiobooks during your massage.
Slim LCD Remote
The remote is a slim LCD that displays the active functions and gives you access to the menu for more features and functions. It also has language options in both English and Korean.
Now let’s talk about the Luraco.
Luraco i7 PLUS
The Luraco iRobotics i7 PLUS massage chair offers a medical-grade massage experience that was researched, designed, and built in the US. Add the optional health monitors and you can see exactly how your massage will affect you in real-time. The i7 PLUS has been upgraded with added features that make your massage experience even better. This robotic massage chair is easily one of our best-sellers thanks to the full host of customizations available.
Features
Made in the USA
Luraco massage chairs are the first and only medical massage chair brand that sells chairs that are researched, developed, and built in America. This is the 7th generation massage chair that features cutting edge technology including the ability to monitor your heart rate and blood pressure, something you won’t find anywhere else.
Full Body Heat Therapy
The i7 PLUS is one of the few we carry that features a full body heat therapy system. There are several heating elements in the footrest, seat, and throughout the back that apply gentle heat to your back to loosen them up more easily. This is a great complement to any massage program, especially if you are carrying a lot of tension.
Zero Gravity
Zero gravity is an essential addition to any massage chair, particularly one of this caliber. The i7 PLUS is a zero gravity massage chair that provides the benefits of this position at the push of a button. As you recline, your legs raise above your heart to minimize gravity's influence on your spine and joints, which allows them to decompress and relaxes the surrounding muscles. Plus, the majority of your body weight is focused on the backrest, improving the intensity of your massage significantly.
Advanced Operating System (OS)
The i7 PLUS massage chair features an advanced operating system that manages every aspect of your massage and accomplishing a host of more advanced features, such as the health monitoring systems that you can add to the chair.
Optional Health Monitoring Features
The Health monitoring system is an optional feature, but if include it in your purchase of the Luraco i7 PLUS massage chair, you add the ability to monitor your heart rate and blood pressure to make sure you are getting the most out of your massage and are improving your life in more healthful ways.
3D Massage Technology
The Luraco i7 PLUS is outfitted with 3D technology that allows the roller heads to protrude from the track to better massage areas where the spine curves away from the chair, including the neck and the lower back. The i7 PLUS’s 3D rollers feature a robotic arm system that aids them in providing an incredible lower back and neck massage.
Double Foot Massage Rollers
In each footrest are two rows of high-quality foot massage rollers. These rollers apply a reflexology massage to the soles of your feet and the air cells improve the massage and ensure that the rollers can really work into your feet. This feature is perfect for those who are on their feet all day.
Stretch Program
Stretching programs are a wonderful addition to any modern massage chair. Stretching allows the chair to access muscles within the body that the massage roller can’t reach for a full body massage experience. Stretching can also help the chair to work out any knots.
Three Layered Adjustable Footrest
By far one of the best features of the i7 PLUS is the adjustable ottoman. With this extension, this chair can cater to users from 4’7” all the way up to 6'7". This is by far the widest range of any massage chair we carry.
Genuine Leather on Touch Surfaces
Everywhere you touch, the massage chair is upholstered in genuine leather for a soft, comfortable experience that synthetic can’t provide. Touch surfaces include the head, arms, shoulders, and feet.
UL Listed Massage Chair
If you’re looking for a massage chair for your places of business, like a salon, medical office, or health care facility, UL approval is required by the U.S. Government. The i7 PLUS complies with UL 1647 standard and those set by the FDA and CE.
High-Quality Bluetooth Speaker
An OEM speaker was designed specifically for the i7 PLUS. Incorporating sound into your massage creates a mentally relaxing experience on top of being physically relaxing. Pair your smart device to your chair and listen to music, audiobooks, or your favorite podcast.
Advanced Air Cell Massage
The i7 PLUS features one of the most comprehensive compression massages. The system utilizes 80 air cells placed throughout the chair to massage the hands, arms, shoulders, back, hips, seat, legs, calves, and feet. You can control what massage you get from the remote.
Shoulder & Neck Air Cell Massage
Air cells in the neck and shoulder, upholstered with genuine leather, apply a compression massage to help relax your muscles and press you into the backrest to improve your back massage.
Forearm & Palm Massage
Airbags by the forearm and hand, also in genuine leather, use compression to help relieve tension and promote circulation.
Hip Twist & Swivel Massage
The air cells at the hip inflate independently to provide a twist motion to stretch your core and loosen up your lower back.
Leg & Feet Air Massage
Air cells in the legs and feet squeeze your muscles to relieve tension and promote circulation. Additionally, these airbags comfortably grab your legs to keep you in place during the stretch motions so that you receive a deeper massage.
Upgraded Comprehensive Remote
The remote, designed much like a smartphone, includes several different menus that offer the highest number of options to customize your massage experience giving you a fully customizable massage experience. There are nine automatic programs, such as the Pause option that allows you to leave the chair and pick up right where you left off.
Adjustable Intensity Locations
The i7 PLUS allows you to adjust the intensity in the neck, back, arms, feet, lower back, and calves. The Kneading and Tapping programs have also been given new variable speed controls with three different rhythms.
Multi-Language Voice Response System
The i7 PLUS menu can be programmed for English, Spanish, French, or Vietnamese.
Deciding Factors
These two chairs are quite similar and offer corresponding features such as zero gravity, deep tissue massage, airbag massage, foot massage, heat, and Bluetooth with high-quality speakers.
However, there are some key differences in their construction. The Pharaoh is touted as a 4D massage chair and can provide auto programs where the speed of the rollers changes instantaneously during your massage. However, the 3D technology in the Luraco i7 PLUS is well-known and provides an excellent massage. Your personal preference here regarding how it feels will be key to your decision.
The heating in the chairs is also different. In the Pharaoh, the chair can both heat up and cool down. In the i7 PLUS, there are several heating elements throughout the chair but it cannot cool down. If you tend to run warm and still want to enjoy your massage chair on hot summer days, you may prefer the Pharaoh. However, if you tend to get cold easily than the cooling element may not be important to you.
The Pharaoh S II also offers that brain massage. If you enjoy binaural beat music and have used it previously to relax this might be a wonderful supplementary feature that can help you enjoy using your massage chair even more.
Lastly, the Pharaoh offers space-saving technology, which means that you don’t have to worry about how much room the chair needs to recline. The i7 PLUS does not provide this.
Between those two chairs, those are the main differences. Let your desires be the guide and go with the chair that calls to you most. And if this is important to you, remember that Luraco is the only brand that manufactures its chairs right here in America.
If you have any questions about these massage chairs or any others on our site, you can contact us over the phone or through email at info@massagechairplanet.com. We can also offer you financing options that can make taking home either of the best-sellers much more doable. After all, nothing should stand between you and ultimate relaxation.