Hi VashDaStampede,
I just realized that I missed where you already mentioned where you were in the first line of your first post. Oops
There is a Raleigh/Durham list in post #6 here but the odds are good that you are already heading in the direction of your best value with OMF. Some of the others there will have some other possibilities and types of mattresses but in terms of “value” OMF is likely to be your best choice.
This would be a good example of coil counting that could be misleading because the Orthopedic line actually has a better coil than the Regency. It has a higher number of turns and is lower gauge (stronger) and is knotted rather than free arm so overall it would be a more solid, stronger, and firmer support core. In addition to this … each type of coil will use different insulator materials (the layer over the coil and below the foam) to create the even support and feel of the mattress.
Different types of innersprings have different properties and response curves and are used for different reasons and purposes in a mattress. Some are designed to contribute more to the comfort of the mattress along with the support (more dual purpose) while others are used more for the support and the comfort is created through the combination of more specialized materials and foam above the coils. The insulator layers above the coils are also part of the coil support system and may use different materials in different designs.
In the same way for example … a very firm foam may be suitable for a mattress base layer but would be less conforming than a softer base foam so would need a different combination of materials and foams above it. A support core that was softer and more conforming would need less foam on top to create a similar feel and would be less specialized in each layer. So the coil in the Orthopedic line is more “specialized” to provide higher levels of support and the combination of layers above it are where the feel and pressure relief of the mattress is designed into it while in the Regency line the coils would be more conforming, less supportive, more “stressed” and use a different combination of materials to reach the design goal of the mattress.
In both cases … what you feel on the mattress in terms of PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) would be more important than the specific differences in design and identifying any “weak links” in the mattress would be much more important than specific coil counts between two different innerspring designs.
The “short” answer is that the innerspring in the Orthopedic has a more specialized design (along with the other layers above it) and no … I wouldn’t be concerned.
Phoenix