What nonsense. We aren't talking about eighteenth century frigates or twentieth century dive computers here. Scuba demand regulators are fully worked out mechanical devices. A better metaphor would be a block plane or, if you want a a more complex mechanical system, a carburetor. These things were all perfected decades ago.
Basic reliability and decent performance was readily available as early as the 1950s. Modest improvements in performance continued in uneven bursts over the next few decades as gas flow dynamics became easier to model. By the 90s, regulators had reached their performance limits and we've basically been coasting since then. When a new model of regulator is introduced today, nearly all of the "improvements" are either marketing gimmicks or changes made to lower manufacturing costs.
For example, we've been talking about the original Abyss. It is highly doubtful that anyone has produced a superior reg for extreme deep dives. Mark Ellyatt used a stock MR22 with Abyss second when he set the then depth record (and still 3rd deepest OC dive) at 313m in 2003.
The regulators were chosen for there heavyweight all metal construction helping to maximise internal temperatures. The DFC system is great at managing high gas flows with its smooth operation as opposed to Venturi flow support, Finally no environmental seal means less Intermediate pressure amplification with the ensuing high pressure seat instability etc The water temp was 3-4 c at depth, the gas flows were enormous but all resulted in zero free flow or stutter. - Mark Ellyatt Scuba Depth Record
The pre-2008 Abyss first stage is a giant hunk of metal which helps prevent internal icing and the oversize (1/2") primary LP port flows a vast amount of gas. Some Apeks regs had this feature as well, including the regs used on the deepest and 4th deepest dives. This feature has been value engineered out of current regs. Which is sensible since it only becomes an advantage below 150m, but suggests that newer regs aren't necessarily better for "extremely difficult and demanding dives".
The second stage is also all metal which again is more resistant to freeze ups than thermoplastics, gas flow is unobstructed as it enters the main chamber through its own tube rather than threading through all the valve hardware (which also makes internal icing less likely) and the parts count is much lower so there's less to go wrong. The same second stage is still the flagship of their XR line.
BTW, Ellyatt's record was broken by Nuno Gomes who used a Poseidon Cyklon 5000, a reg that was introduced a decade before the Abyss.
Most BS loaded self-contradictory post so far. Pure Mares marketing misleading promo disguised as informational post.
I'm going to have a word with my Instructor/LDS sales clerk...
