Apeks ATX40 2nd stage vs XTX50

[Jason Cook]

First, apologies if this is already a well discussed topic.

I currently dive a DS4 1st stage with ATX40 2nd stages. I see a lot of people going for the XTX50 seconds. Aside from the breathing adjustment and the ability to route the hose from the left side, what's different about these two? Is there a dramatic difference in breathing quality?

 

[Centrals]

I don't use XTX50.
But between TX50 and ATX40, I can't tell the difference in breathing quality. However, ATX model is lighter because it is smaller than the other series.

 

[runsongas]

xtx50s don't really perform any better than the atx40. they do have a slightly wider exhaust tee than the atx series in addition to the reversibility and adjustment knob.

 

[tbone1004]

so you have two things going
first
40 vs 50
The 50 has the adjustment knob. This can be added to your 40's quite easily making it an atx 50. I personally like having an adjustment knob, especially for secondaries and sidemount, but not required

second
ATX vs XTX
some case improvements that supposedly helped with work of breathing-I haven't been able to tell this personally
ability to use the wide exhaust t's-this is actually quite nice
reversible-not actually useful except for rare circumstances with deco bottles *if you subscribe to right rich, left lean*, or in some sidemount hose routing paradigms

 

[JMBL]

Got a TX 50, an XTX 50, an ATX 40. Except the cosmetic differencies, they are the same to me. All very reliable.

 

[buddhasummer]

I've owned both. Couldn't tell the difference and I DIY so had them tuned the same. I prefer the case on the ATX range, it's more robust and has a way better purge button. I like the ability to adjust as would tune them to the edge so added the adjuster. The wide exhaust T on the XTX is a "little" better at bubble dispersement not that the smaller ATX one is anything to complain about.

 

[JMBL]

One useful thing concerning the XTX, you can have it left mounted, that's why I bought one.

 

[tbone1004]

One useful thing concerning the XTX, you can have it left mounted, that's why I bought one.

I'd say it's more "nice to have". For 99.9% of divers, it's a useless feature. A handful of sidemount divers have limited use for it, it has some use for decompression cylinders if you hang them on the right hand side of your body, and if you have a severely injured/missing right hand, then it would be nice to mirror image the whole regulator set, but for the majority of divers I wouldn't consider it a selling point. That said, I think more manufacturers should offer it since it doesn't add hardly anything to their cost or manufacturing *Apeks does it without having to replace any parts btw which is super nice*, but Apeks and Dive Rite are the only ones offering it as standard on their regulators