Is the MK2/R190 obsolete?

[Eric Sedletzky]

Just curious about other people’s thoughts on this.

Years ago when most or all regs were made here, there seemed to be a need for economy entry level models of regulators such as the unbalanced first and second stage piston designs. These designs were simpler to manufacture and had less parts so they could keep the cost down.
Just out of curiosity, I did a search on what a Scubapro MK2/R190 goes for now and Leisure Pro had it for $339.00. That’s just for the first stage and one second stage and one hose, no safe second no gauge, nothing else.

I’m now seeing a lot of other companies out there selling complete sets of regs for about the same or just a little more, and they are balanced diaphragm designs with balanced seconds, choice of hose lengths, simple gauge. And the customer can buy parts.

I’m just wondering if this new gear trend has actually made regs sets like the MK2 obsolete to some degree?
Why would someone spend over $339 for a completely unbalanced setup?...And still have to buy all the other components to complete the setup.

 

[mdb]

Just curious about other people’s thoughts on this.

Years ago when most or all regs were made here, there seemed to be a need for economy entry level models of regulators such as the unbalanced first and second stage piston designs. These designs were simpler to manufacture and had less parts so they could keep the cost down.
Just out of curiosity, I did a search on what a Scubapro MK2/R190 goes for now and Leisure Pro had it for $339.00. That’s just for the first stage and one second stage and one hose, no safe second no gauge, nothing else.

I’m now seeing a lot of other companies out there selling complete sets of regs for about the same or just a little more, and they are balanced diaphragm designs with balanced seconds, choice of hose lengths, simple gauge. And the customer can buy parts.

I’m just wondering if this new gear trend has actually made regs sets like the MK2 obsolete to some degree?
Why would someone spend over $339 for a completely unbalanced setup?...And still have to buy all the other components to complete the setup.

I do not think the reg set you describe is obsolete; just priced higher than other regs available now.

Deep Six, HOG, Dive-Rite, and others, offer more up to date and sophisticated regs at better pricing.

Leisure Pro is advertising MSRP price online since they are an Authorized Dealer for SP and staying
in compliance. A direct phone call and conversation with a LP rep would probably result in a better price.

 

[lexvil]

Completely, since 1965, unless you want dead nuts reliable and simple.

 

[Couv]

Bullet proof will never become obsolete.

You won't be able to serve several divers at > 100 fsw with the MK2 R190, but how often do you need to do that?

Let's talk about the now "obsolete" 108 which was replaced by the R190. I just serviced a couple (HP versions) and they breath just as well as the R190s I have. They have all metal cases, and a metal orifice that is still found in the G250V. I suspect they will still be around when the plastic/fantastic regulators are recycled into bench seats by the sea.

A future life under the sea:

A future life watching the sea:

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I do not think the reg set you describe is obsolete; just priced higher than other regs available now.

Deep Six, HOG, Dive-Rite, and others, offer more up to date and sophisticated regs at better pricing.

Leisure Pro is advertising MSRP price online since they are an Authorized Dealer for SP and staying
in compliance. A direct phone call and conversation with a LP rep would probably result in a better price.

I just used retail as a base line since that’s the “ligitimate” authorized dealer price, and not the back room secret handshake price. I’m sure that’s how SP would prefer it to be.
Whereas Hog, Deep 6, etc. have their standard average price too.

It just seems to me that a reg as simple as a MK2 using old technology to be “discount” is a little out of date when you can get a reg that blows it out of the water for about the same money.

Is brand hyping and related pricing also then considered obsolete too in this day and age?

Yeah MK2/R190, nothing wrong with it, but is it really worth $339.00??

 

[Couv]

Yeah MK2/R190, nothing wrong with it, but is it really worth $339.00??

Absolutely! Send me $339 and I'll send you a set!

 

[buddhasummer]

I can get a DS4 with XTX50 for almost the same price, one will outperform the other when pushed, I know which I'd choose. Seems a high price for what you get, perhaps simplicity does in fact come at a cost.

 

[buddhasummer]

Absolutely! Send me $339 and I'll send you a set!

I could do a Titan D and G250 both freshly serviced and in near mint condition for the same, just saying.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Bullet proof will never become obsolete.

You won't be able to serve several divers at > 100 fsw with the MK2 R190, but how often do you need to do that?

Let's talk about the now "obsolete" 108 which was replaced by the R190. I just serviced a couple (HP versions) and they breath just as well as the R190s I have. They have all metal cases, and a metal orifice that is still found in the G250V. I suspect they will still be around when the plastic/fantastic regulators are recycled into bench seats by the sea.

A future life under the sea:
View attachment 443858

A future life watching the sea:

View attachment 443859

I have a lot of SP stuff, including the MK5 I got from you, and a MK2 that I bought new as a deco reg back in 2002. At that time the MK2 was the go-to reg for that.
I think full retail at my LDS then was $225.
I love all my metal seconds, my 109’s are the best. I had a MK3/108.
All of this though isn’t the point of the original post.
The point is more about the first stage. So here we are in 2018 and the same reg set now is $339.

I completely agree they are bullet proof; I’m not arguing that point, they are also super easy to work on, etc. And they can be picked up used cheap. This I suppose is where it would be worth it, especially if you have a black market source for parts which for the MK2 should be fairly easy.

But when it comes to buying NEW, has modern SP gone a little too far into the stratosphere with their pricing on a reg who’s technology has pretty much been forgotten about and bypassed by every other reg company. Does anybody else even still make an unbalanced piston anymore? I know Oceanic had one, and if they do who’s buying it?

Let’s say a new diver comes to me for advice on what brand new reg set would be a good option. In this day and age it would be very difficult for me to recommend a MK2/R190 as a starter reg based on all the other options out there.

 

[runsongas]

a large part of it is markup. the regs get marked up twice once they leave the factory, by scubapro and then the LDS. it probably is like a 80 dollar set if you could buy it directly from TUSA or whoever oems it.