My Scubapro A700 and my wifes Scubapro S600

[rockinrebel]

I hadn't breathed on my wife's S600 for quite awhile and since we're heading to Marathon next week we were getting in a little pool practice.
When I tried the S600, it was like ...Wow. To me it breathes better than my A700. The A700 is very good but the S600 seems smoother with less cracking pressure. Both were just serviced. Both have MK 25 first stages.
Got me to wondering what the G260 is like. I might look around for a good used S600 or G260.
Anybody else had this same experience?

 

[redacted]

No good reason for them to be noticably different. I would suspect a tuning issue.

 

[rhwestfall]

I own practically ever variant 109/156/G250/G250Graphite/G250v as well as an S555 converted to an S600. Little to no difference between the 156/Gxxx or the S600. It's all in the tune.....

IMHO - Anything claimed in breathing performance is marketing...

Now, cold water, that's another story....

 

[johnnywulff]

That's why I start serving my on regulators, own only the D series, best smooth natural breath and lowest cracking effort D400/MK25

 

[halocline]

I'm not sure, but I think the A700 might use a different poppet than the S600, G250, et al. I can't remember where I heard that or even if I'm thinking of something else. Anyhow, I've never had much of an interest in the A700 so I haven't bothered to look into it. But I suspect that awap is right, there's a tuning issue.

I just spent a week sharing air repeatedly with a cave instructor using apeks regs. He was pretty surprised by how much better my D300 and converted 109 breathed than his regs. It's not like his were bad or inadequate, it's just a different level of smoothness. Old regulators rule!

I do notice a difference in character between the metal case and the newer plastic barrel poppet regs. That's why my G250 has been sitting in a closet for years. It's not about cracking effort; there's just a different feeling from the old metal case regs. Maybe it's the mass of the case smoothing out the air flow, maybe it's the metal warming and moistening the air, who knows. But to me there is a difference.

The D series also has it's own character, which I guess is due to the totally different valve/poppet/lever/case geometry.

 

[Cadderly]

I'm not sure, but I think the A700 might use a different poppet than the S600, G250, et al. I can't remember where I heard that or even if I'm thinking of something else. Anyhow, I've never had much of an interest in the A700 so I haven't bothered to look into it. But I suspect that awap is right, there's a tuning issue.

I just spent a week sharing air repeatedly with a cave instructor using apeks regs. He was pretty surprised by how much better my D300 and converted 109 breathed than his regs. It's not like his were bad or inadequate, it's just a different level of smoothness. Old regulators rule!

I do notice a difference in character between the metal case and the newer plastic barrel poppet regs. That's why my G250 has been sitting in a closet for years. It's not about cracking effort; there's just a different feeling from the old metal case regs. Maybe it's the mass of the case smoothing out the air flow, maybe it's the metal warming and moistening the air, who knows. But to me there is a difference.

The D series also has it's own character, which I guess is due to the totally different valve/poppet/lever/case geometry.

It sounds like you found some good ones, but curious why so little interest in the a700? That was what initially appealed to me was the metal, which you like in your 109/156. I'd also love to hear someone compare the 109/156 and a700.

 

[sbijou]

I added a G250 to my D400 / m25 thinking the G250 since newer , would be my primary. Boy was I wrong. They breathe so differently. Still miss my Pilot, but the D400 still reigns. Will Scubapro rework the case symmetry and valve to the older models or did the X650 kill any chance ?

 

[halocline]

... curious why so little interest in the a700?

It's new and expensive. I'm old and cheap!

I really don't think SP 2nd stages have improved, actually it's kind of the opposite IMO. The pilot was probably the best of the bunch in terms of sheer performance, and it's very difficult to imagine that any 2nd stage will ever have the longevity and influence that the 109 has had.

 

[redacted]

It sounds like you found some good ones, but curious why so little interest in the a700? That was what initially appealed to me was the metal, which you like in your 109/156. I'd also love to hear someone compare the 109/156 and a700.

A700 is about $500. 156 is about $50. Other than that they are quite similar.

 

[Cadderly]

A700 is about $500. 156 is about $50. Other than that they are quite similar.

Is the from experience or what people say? I have an a700 and want another reg and the 156 looks like a great choice.