Opinion please

[Divin'Papaw]

My vote would be the AL Leg3nd Elite. I've been diving AL Legends for 17 years. I own two Legend LXs and one Leg3nd Elite. I also used to own and dive an Apeks XTX200. I know it has its fans, but I far prefer the Legends. They are fantastic breathing regs and the ACD really helps keep the inside of the 1st stage dry. The Leg3nd Elite is my primary go-to reg these days and it has been since I bought it a couple of years ago.

 

[ValkyrieDesigns]

I have the Mk19/G260 and the XTX 200. Both were tuned by rsingler....both are GREAT..can't go wrong with either. I usually dive both about the same amount of time. If you want lighter weight for travel then the Mk17evo/G260 is great as well....both the Mk19 and XTX200 are heavy. I added the fifth port to the XTX200 since I dive long hose primary and short hose OCTO....In my avatar was the Mk19/G260. If you are doing a lot of travel I would think the ScubaPro would be the way to go with servicing worldwide. I would actually say the Mk25evo/G260 for warm water and servicing might be a better choice although I prefer sealed diaphragms to pistons

Ah! I'm excited I've found someone that has used both. I have an old MTX. Love it, but it is not an easy breather. Was looking to add something new and I've been in a toss up between the MK19 EVO and XTX200 Tungsten (mostly for 5th port and turret). How would you say the breathability compares between the two? Is there a noticeable difference on inhale or exhale? I thought I was going to be sold on the MTX-RC, tried it and it wasn't a significant upgrade over my old MTX in the breathing department. The MK19 EVO definitely was. However, I haven't been able to get my hands on the XTX200 to try.

 

[Shabaday]

Ah! I'm excited I've found someone that has used both. I have an old MTX. Love it, but it is not an easy breather. Was looking to add something new and I've been in a toss up between the MK19 EVO and XTX200 Tungsten (mostly for 5th port and turret). How would you say the breathability compares between the two? Is there a noticeable difference on inhale or exhale? I thought I was going to be sold on the MTX-RC, tried it and it wasn't a significant upgrade over my old MTX in the breathing department. The MK19 EVO definitely was. However, I haven't been able to get my hands on the XTX200 to try.

I think if you send either one you buy to Rsingler you will be happy. There were some initial issues with the Mk19evo the way I think the diaphragm was from the factory on mine. The G260 was also adjusted too hard of breathing. My XTX200 has the fifth port because I bought it and installed it. I think if rsingler set up both you wouldn't be able to tell. If I was forced to pick one over the other based solely on breathing I would say if the XTX200 was a 9.9 out of 10 the SP Mk19evo/260 was a 9.85 out of 10. If I was going to be traveling around the world I would buy the ScubaPro 19evo/G260 and have rsingler adjust it and be happy for the rest of my diving. I have dove maybe 15-20 regulators The only other one that I put right up there for me is the Atomic ST1. I bought an extra one after rsingler tuned my wife's. You can see the pattern...it's rsingler
I know it might sound odd to send a brand new regulator off to be serviced but it sounds like you are looking for something great and usually the factory doesnt tune them like these experts so it will be well worth the money and peace of mind...it is priceless to me

 

[BoltSnap]

I think if you send either one you buy to Rsingler you will be happy. There were some initial issues with the Mk19evo the way I think the diaphragm was from the factory on mine. The G260 was also adjusted too hard of breathing. My XTX200 has the fifth port because I bought it and installed it. I think if rsingler set up both you wouldn't be able to tell. If I was forced to pick one over the other based solely on breathing I would say if the XTX200 was a 9.9 out of 10 the SP Mk19evo/260 was a 9.85 out of 10. If I was going to be traveling around the world I would buy the ScubaPro 19evo/G260 and have rsingler adjust it and be happy for the rest of my diving. I have dove maybe 15-20 regulators The only other one that I put right up there for me is the Atomic ST1. I bought an extra one after rsingler tuned my wife's. You can see the pattern...it's rsingler

@rsingler

For a brand new regulator:

1. What adjustments do you make on the regulator aside from cracking pressure and IP assuming no other complaints?

2. What other complaints/issues do you see with brand new out of the box regulators (most common) in addition to cracking pressure and IP issues?

 

[rsingler]

@rsingler
For a brand new regulator:
1. What adjustments...?
2. What other complaints/issues...?

1. Nope. No adjustments beyond IP and cracking effort, though I do open the second stage faceplate to check lever height (often slightly low).
2. Most Scubapro sealed diaphragms (Mk17EVO, Mk19EVO) need to have the environmental seal reapplied, due to trapped air. My Mk19 had a barely tight DIN bolt. Both Atomic and Scubapro pistons commonly have 5-6psi of drift before lockup. While it's not dangerous, it offends me and I'll polish the piston knife edge with 6,000-10,000 grit micromesh for a crisp lockup. As noted above, lever rattle is common.

 

[BoltSnap]

While it's not dangerous, it offends me and I'll polish the piston knife edge with 6,000-10,000 grit micromesh for a crisp lockup.

You do this for Atomic's sealed first stages?

 

[Shabaday]

1. Nope. No adjustments beyond IP and cracking effort, though I do open the second stage faceplate to check lever height (often slightly low).
2. Most Scubapro sealed diaphragms (Mk17EVO, Mk19EVO) need to have the environmental seal reapplied, due to trapped air. My Mk19 had a barely tight DIN bolt. Both Atomic and Scubapro pistons commonly have 5-6psi of drift before lockup. While it's not dangerous, it offends me and I'll polish the piston knife edge with 6,000-10,000 grit micromesh for a crisp lockup. As noted above, lever rattle is common.

I came here to post this but coming from the man who does it for me is even better! Some of my new SP second stages cracking effort has been awful from the factory. I do want to add that when I get a new regulator I do first check the IP....check for creep...check for cracking effort....if its good to go I don't send it to Rob. If I think it can be improved off it goes. I do know how to adjust cracking effort and I have an inline tool but if it is off too much I just as soon have Rob do it and then I can keep an eye on it. I also have a magnohelic. I am also OCD and anal retentive. Rob knows this about me as we have talked alot on the phone. Probably way more than he cares to LOL

 

[rsingler]

You do this for Atomic's sealed first stages?

Hahaha! Fortunately, no one's ever sent me an in-the-box sealed Atomic to test. I don't personally know what the drift characteristics of a new sealed Atomic reg would be. I don't have any reason to think it would be different, as when you look at a factory piston under the microscope, the machining marks are visible.

Interesting that you bring this up. I brought my sealed, recently serviced T2 and T3 on my bucket list trip to Raja Ampat two months ago. As is my habit, both first stages had crisp lockup after service and sealing with Tribolube.
The trip was a liveaboard where our gear was stored for us and our setup was done by the crew. It was the exact opposite of my preference that no one touches my gear but me. But to have insisted would have been impolite and inconvenient, as the gear locker was at the opposite end of the boat.
After 12 days and 39 dives, we came home and my wife's T2 was just the way we left town. But my T3 now has 6psi of drift after only 39 dives!!!
It's been killing me to wait, but I'm going to open that reg up during the May Reg Tech Seminar as a real-world diagnostic adventure. Speculation as to the cause would derail this thread entirely, so I'll leave it at that.
But for a reg with a 300-dive, 3-year service interval to have new 6psi drift is upsetting. It just goes to show that you should check your IP before the first dive of any long trip.

 

[BoltSnap]

Speculation as to the cause would detail this thread entirely, so I'll leave it at that.

Oh, please tell us what you are speculating, pretty please??? Don't keep us speculating on your speculations

But for a reg with a 300-dive, 3-year service interval to have new 6psi drift is upsetting. It just goes to show that you should check your IP before the first dive of any long trip.

None of mine do, all of them are sealed. It must be YOU!!

 

[rsingler]

None of mine do, all of them are sealed. It must be YOU!!

That could well be...