Aqualung Core Supreme - advice

[JDalts]

Afternoon all, looking to delve into your collective knowledge again.

I'm soon to buy my first regulator. I'm UK based, so need cold water capability, but would like it to travel well too.

If i'm honest, budget isn't great, but 2 HP points on the 1st stage is a must, as I have the Sunnto Vyper novo that i'd ideally like to wirelessly transmit to, one day.

The best value I can find for those criteria is the Aqualung Core Supreme. The equivalent Apeks would be £100 more at least, which i'm not against necessarily, but budget aware.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with this regulator? I'd love some real feedback.

Does anyone also have any ideas on servicing prices on Aqualung vs Apeks, (or even Mares) in that if it's more expensive to maintain, I might as well pay more now and save over time?

Any advice, suggestions, greatly appreciated as always.

 

[TheCoolBeans]

I've got a couple of Supreme's (and a couple of XTX100's)

I love how easy to breathe it is on the Aqualung reg, it's almost like the gas has a slightly positive 'push' into you, but it's never free flowed and I dive in some really cold water being from the UK too.

I moved to a technical setup last year and so bought a couple of apeks DS4's and XTX100's but pretty quickly swapped out my second xtx for one of my Supremes as it's a lot smaller around my neck on a necklace type setup.
This makes looking back towards my chest much easier.

Overall, as I've been diving longer i started to prefer my regs not to have so much 'push' when breathing. That's not to say the XTX is difficult to breathe from but it is definitely more of a forced breath (which I now personally prefer than when I first started diving on the Aqualung reg)

One of my stage cylinders now has the other supreme reg with the Aqualung 1st stage.
The 1st stage is definitely a lovely piece of metalwork, very small. If I had another one, I would defo swap it onto my twinset.

The extra HP port would be really handy for the transmitter.

 

[JDalts]

I've got a couple of Supreme's (and a couple of XTX100's)

I love how easy to breathe it is on the Aqualung reg, it's almost like the gas has a slightly positive 'push' into you, but it's never free flowed and I dive in some really cold water being from the UK too.

I moved to a technical setup last year and so bought a couple of apeks DS4's and XTX100's but pretty quickly swapped out my second xtx for one of my Supremes as it's a lot smaller around my neck on a necklace type setup.
This makes looking back towards my chest much easier.

Overall, as I've been diving longer i started to prefer my regs not to have so much 'push' when breathing. That's not to say the XTX is difficult to breathe from but it is definitely more of a forced breath (which I now personally prefer than when I first started diving on the Aqualung reg)

One of my stage cylinders now has the other supreme reg with the Aqualung 1st stage.
The 1st stage is definitely a lovely piece of metalwork, very small. If I had another one, I would defo swap it onto my twinset.

The extra HP port would be really handy for the transmitter.

Great thanks so much, that is useful. The XTX range I was also looking at....
What sort of price/time scale are you looking at for servicing with the Aqualung vs. Apeks
And have the aqualung's 'aged' well then?

 

[JackD342]

Core Supreme is a good regulator, and relatively light weight. Pretty good value. Service should be similar effort to those others you mentioned. Other points:

1. Core has ACD, Apeks does not.
2. Core 1st stage is balanced, Apeks is over balanced.
3. Core has rubber hoses, some Apeks have braided.
4. Core 1st has removable HP conical seat, most Apeks do not. While not at all likely, if that ever needs replacement then it is the whole body and not just a part. Again, very unlikely if you don’t abuse your gear.
5. There are adapters/splitters available to add 2nd HP port if needed.
6. Apeks XL4+ is new, has 2 HP ports.
7. Core 2nd has Venturi switch, no cracking effort adjustment. Several Apeks have both.
8. Some Apeks have changeable exhaust tee, and anti-microbial coating.

Side note: Core is not as new as it seems, it is a rebranding/evolution of Titan LX.

 

[JDalts]

Core Supreme is a good regulator, and relatively light weight. Pretty good value. Service should be similar effort to those others you mentioned. Other points:

1. Core has ACD, Apeks does not.
2. Core 1st stage is balanced, Apeks is over balanced.
3. Core has rubber hoses, some Apeks have braided.
4. Core 1st has removable HP conical seat, most Apeks do not. While not at all likely, if that ever needs replacement then it is the whole body and not just a part. Again, very unlikely if you don’t abuse your gear.
5. There are adapters/splitters available to add 2nd HP port if needed.
6. Apeks XL4+ is new, has 2 HP ports.
7. Core 2nd has Venturi switch, no cracking effort adjustment. Several Apeks have both.
8. Some Apeks have changeable exhaust tee, and anti-microbial coating.

Side note: Core is not as new as it seems, it is a rebranding/evolution of Titan LX.

Thank you, useful info.

I wondered about a HP splitter actually, good to know they exist, as that opens a few other possibilities for me to look at.

I do really like the look of the Apeks XL4.

My only hesitation about a splitter would be crowding the first stage and would it all fit in OK and neatly?

 

[JackD342]

Thank you, useful info.

I wondered about a HP splitter actually, good to know they exist, as that opens a few other possibilities for me to look at.

My only hesitation about a splitter would be crowding the first stage and would it all fit in OK and neatly?

It is a little extra added brass, but works well. Keeps my transmitter on the left side of my head and extends it out an inch or two, so less dropped connection with computer on left wrist.
High Pressure Port Adapter

 

[Centrals]

The ONLY Specialist Apeks Site in the UK. In stock for fast despatch.

 

[keyshunter]

Core Supreme is a good regulator, and relatively light weight. Pretty good value. Service should be similar effort to those others you mentioned. Other points:
Core 1st stage is balanced, Apeks is over balanced.

Overbalancing is a function of the second sealing diaphragm on a diagraphm first stage. Some years ago, the advertising types jumped on this fact and "overbalanced" became a buzz word. In actuality this overbalancing, which is minimal, is of no practical use at normal sport diving depths. The Core supreme first stage. since it has the second diaphragm should be overbalanced as well.

 

[JackD342]

Overbalancing is a function of the second sealing diaphragm on a diagraphm first stage. Some years ago, the advertising types jumped on this fact and "overbalanced" became a buzz word. In actuality this overbalancing, which is minimal, is of no practical use at normal sport diving depths. The Core supreme first stage. since it has the second diaphragm should be overbalanced as well.

Well, I think I learned something today. I couldn't immediately agree or disagree with the statement that ANY second diaphragm is over-balanced, so I did some research.
From what I can find, the over-balance is a function of the ratio between the size of the two diaphragms. So the Legend and Apeks use a diaphragm on the environmental seal that has a larger operative surface area than the main diaphragm, and make the over-balanced statement. If they are the same surface area, then I believe there is no over-balanced effect. And of course, if they are close to the same size, I could see not making a statement that a 1st stage is "slightly" over-balanced.

If anyone else has something definitive to add, I am always ready to learn. And no, I did not break down any regulators to compare operative surface areas of diaphragms today, but you can bet I will be looking closely the next time that I work on one.

 

[runsongas]

from what i can tell, the hydrostatic transmitter and spring carrier that are sandwiched in between the two diaphragms are matched in size for the newer core/legend, so there should be minimal overbalancing if at all. apeks (and the taiwanese copies) has overbalancing because the spring carrier is smaller in diameter than the hydrostatic transmitter. the hog d3/deep 6 signature may also have a similar matched size to reduce the overbalancing issue.