Look what came in the mail today.

[Angelo Farina]

This is what I purchased from @axxel57 a couple of months ago, during the lockdown.
He did buy it for a very small price (50 eur, if I remember correctly), and was so kind to resell it to me after upgrading to balanced with S-wing poppet. It was absolutely new, still smelling of vanilla flavour:

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

This is what I purchased from @axxel57 a couple of months ago, during the lockdown.
He did buy it for a very small price (50 eur, if I remember correctly), and was so kind to resell it to me after upgrading to balanced with S-wing poppet. It was absolutely new, still smelling of vanilla flavour:
View attachment 596524

This is what I purchased from @axxel57 a couple of months ago, during the lockdown.
He did buy it for a very small price (50 eur, if I remember correctly), and was so kind to resell it to me after upgrading to balanced with S-wing poppet. It was absolutely new, still smelling of vanilla flavour:
View attachment 596524

well that’s a beauty did it come with the MK5 looks brand new?

 

[Angelo Farina]

well that’s a beauty did it come with the MK5 looks brand new?

Yes, it was what here we were calling a MKV (MK5+109). At those times it was not easy to buy them separately, this started to be common later, when the usage of an octo became common, so you was able to buy just a second stage+hose.
Also to be noticed the original DIN mount. This was a reg manufactured for the German market.
And yes, it was absolutely new, never touched water. It was also stored very well, possibly in a sealed package. If not, the vanilla flavour had vanished...
My wife almost cried when we opened the package and she felt the aroma, remembering when I did gift her an identical MKV (but yoke version) for her 18th birthday...
It was in 1977...

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

Yes, it was what here we were calling a MKV (MK5+109). At those times it was not easy to buy them separately, this started to be common later, when the usage of an octo became common, so you was able to buy just a second stage+hose.
Also to be noticed the original DIN mount. This was a reg manufactured for the German market.
And yes, it was absolutely new, never touched water. It was also stored very well, possibly in a sealed package. If not, the vanilla flavour had vanished...
My wife almost cried when we opened the package and she felt the aroma, remembering when I did gift her an identical MKV (but yoke version) for her 18th birthday...
It was in 1977...

That’s a nice story. I think my older 156 weighs more than this newer balance adjustable that I just purchased. The case is a little different the barrel has some kind of a step in it instead of being straight. The satin case finish is different not sure how they did that over brass.

 

[Kupu]

Reading a thread with photos of these shiny SP regulators always makes me happy.

 

[Angelo Farina]

That’s a nice story. I think my older 156 weighs more than this newer balance adjustable that I just purchased. The case is a little different the barrel has some kind of a step in it instead of being straight. The satin case finish is different not sure how they did that over brass.

This should be the latest version, the one with a larger exhaust valve. If so, it is a very nice piece, because they were manufactured only in small numbers, and only in US. It is a collector's item! It should be matched with a MK10, possibly the sealed version (SPEC rubber boot).

 

[Kupu]

This should be the latest version, the one with a larger exhaust valve. If so, it is a very nice piece, because they were manufactured only in small numbers, and only in US. It is a collector's item! It should be matched with a MK10, possibly the sealed version (SPEC rubber boot).

Interesting to see you mention a US version with the large exhaust valve, I have seen the Mark X Dual Balanced version of this second stage also had larger exhaust valve and was European only? I have have purchased several satin Balanced Adjustables simply because they looked to be made near the end of the production years in hopes of getting lucky and ending up with that feature, no joy yet.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

This should be the latest version, the one with a larger exhaust valve. If so, it is a very nice piece, because they were manufactured only in small numbers, and only in US. It is a collector's item! It should be matched with a MK10, possibly the sealed version (SPEC rubber boot).

Yeah unfortunately it didn’t come with the first stage it was new in the box looks like it was sold just the 2nd stage regulator with LP hose. Check out the SN seems to support what your saying about the small numbers. Anyway to decode?

 

[axxel57]

Yeah unfortunately it didn’t come with the first stage it was new in the box looks like it was sold just the 2nd stage regulator with LP hose. Check out the SN seems to support what your saying about the small numbers. Any way to decode?
View attachment 596579

Yes, it seems to be a true '156' with the CE stamp.
Looking for that one for years......
Okay, now I understand what you mean with satin version, haven't seen that one before.
Congrats.....!!

 

[Couv]

Also note the band clamp is different in that only one side has screw threads and the other side accommodates the screw head. This setup allows for the same part to serve as top or bottom.