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Guest
under adverse conditions. Mk16 is a balance diaphram design. With a balanced first stage, performance is mostly uneffected by tank pressure (at least until it gets real close to empty). The Mk2 is an unbalanced piston so performance may get noticably worse toward the end of a deep dive. Pistons are a less complex design than diaphrams but are a bit more susceptable to problems in cold or dirty water.
The S550 is a balanced barrel poppet design (more complex but somewhat easier breathing). The R190 and R380 are classic downstream designs (simple & reliable).
The Mk2/R190 is a reliable, budget setup that will serve a diver well in most recreational diving conditions. Properly tuned and used atn moderate depths in warm water, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between it and the setups that are more than twice the price.
But the high performance regs should show their colors when you get into deeper diving or diving under adverse conditions where higher levels of work are required such as strong currents.
