Aqua Lung regs and bubble noise?

[peterak]

Hi all. First post on these most informative forums.

I'm looking for an inexpensive warm water recreational regulator. I see that Aqua Lung's cheap (Calypso, Titan) regs claim to have exhaust deflectors that break up bubbles, which supposedly results in reduced bubble noise. I'm pretty flexible regarding most aspects of regulator performance, but I find bubble noise quite annoying. I'm also rather skeptical that the Aqua Lung regs are significantly quieter than any other reg. Thoughts?

 

[tbone1004]

if you want less bubble noise you have to get them away from your ears. Poseidon Jetstream and the Apeks XTX series are probably the best at that for current regulators on the market

 

[buddhasummer]

The wide one available for the M1, which I assume fits other Atomic models, is pretty slick too. The wide option ones on the XTX range are the bees knees. Having said that I find most to be acceptable save the Micra, although eventually it did come out with a wide version, and the Mikron. Didn't SP at one point offer one for a S600?

 

[StefinSB]

My XTX is super quiet and so is my M1. I had a Mares proton and though it was breathing very nicely, the noise and exhaust port location sucked.

 

[buddhasummer]

And isn't the one on the new S600ti supposed to be an improved version?

 

[fmerkel]

I wear Docs Proplugs. It's mostly to keep water out of the ears but definitely damps the sound a bit. Most modern regs have very short to almost absent exhaust deflectors. Exhalation is definitely a part of the work of breathing, though people tend not to notice nearly as much as the inhalation.

 

[peterak]

if you want less bubble noise you have to get them away from your ears. Poseidon Jetstream and the Apeks XTX series are probably the best at that for current regulators on the market

Makes sense. Thanks for all the suggestions— XTX and M1 are a bit expensive for me. Proplugs are an interesting idea though.

Does anyone have first hand experience with the Aqua Lungs I mentioned up top?

 

[northernone]

Depending how serious your desire for bubbles noise reduced is. Double hose regs are remarkable in that regard as they vent behind your head instead of streaming bubbles up past your face.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[peterak]

Thanks, but as indicated in the original post, I'm looking for inexpensive and works well. As not indicated in that post, I'm also looking for uncomplicated. Double hose regs don't seem to combine these features.

So no one has any input on the Aqua Lung Calypso or Titan with regard to bubble noise? Guess I'll have to rent and find out myself.

 

[northernone]

Thanks, but as indicated in the original post, I'm looking for inexpensive and works well. As not indicated in that post, I'm also looking for uncomplicated. Double hose regs don't seem to combine these features.

So no one has any input on the Aqua Lung Calypso or Titan with regard to bubble noise? Guess I'll have to rent and find out myself.

I've dove both. Neither do anything notable for reducing bubble noise compared to the other common styles with similar width of exhaust ports.

For interest. My last double hose reg cost me 23$ and if it needed rebuilt perhaps another hundred (rough numbers as it functions beautifully)