SP MK25/600TI vs Atomic B2 vs ........

[Murphy in NC]

Plan on doing a lot more diving and I am updating my reg as my current Agualung Titan is going to be used as a backup/spare or for son's girlfriend.

Looking at the SP MK25/600TI and the Atomic B2.
My main concern is the BEST BREATHER.

If I have to pay a couple bucks more or less per year to service that fine.

I am not planning on diving cold water however who knows what opportunity could present it self.

I would like to stay around 1500 or under for 1st, 2nd and octo.

There is a shop which offers excellent service on ALL brands not that far way from me so all is good.

Looking for reasons to choose one over the other or another brand/model altogether..

Thanks in advance

 

[Shabaday]

I have a SP Mk25/D420 Octo SP R195
SP Mk19/G260/ Octo 620ti
An Atomic M1/ Octo M1
Two Atomic ST1's/Z2 Octo's
Apex XTX 200 with fifth port added/Octo XTX 50
Deep6 Signature series
My XTX 200/Both Atomic ST1's and the SP Mk19/G260 breathe relatively close to each other. They are set at about 1-1.1" on a magnehelic.
I had one Atomic ST1 with a Z2 octopus and after using my wife's ST1 I went out and got one...LOVE it
The big surprise to me is how well the Apeks XTX 200 breathes.
I typically dive the Mk19/G260 when I travel but plan on changing that to the new ST1 that I got
I guess my point is any of the top of the line reg's can be made to breathe beautifully. Rsingler has worked on almost all my regs and does an amazing job.
My least favorite are the Atomic M1
and the SP Mk25/D420 as well as the 620ti and that is also still splitting hairs
I chose the Mk19/G260 for travel due to the availability of parts and service.
I much prefer a sealed first stage and the lightness of the Atomic ST1 second stage and the way it breathes that will be my new travel reg. Look into the Atomic ST1 and Z2 Octo. Supposedly all the Atomics are suppose to breathe the same however that is not the issue with both my ST1's...they breathe "easier" than the M1 and the Z2 in my case
The Apeks XTX200 will be my cold water reg

 

[Murphy in NC]

I have a SP Mk25/D420 Octo SP R195
SP Mk19/G260/ Octo 620ti
An Atomic M1/ Octo M1
Two Atomic ST1's/Z2 Octo's
Apex XTX 200 with fifth port added/Octo XTX 50
Deep6 Signature series
My XTX 200/Both Atomic ST1's and the SP Mk19/G260 breathe relatively close to each other. They are set at about 1-1.1" on a magnehelic.
I had one Atomic ST1 with a Z2 octopus and after using my wife's ST1 I went out and got one...LOVE it
The big surprise to me is how well the Apeks XTX 200 breathes.
I typically dive the Mk19/G260 when I travel but plan on changing that to the new ST1 that I got
I guess my point is any of the top of the line reg's can be made to breathe beautifully. Rsingler has worked on almost all my regs and does an amazing job.
My least favorite are the Atomic M1
and the SP Mk25/D420 as well as the 620ti and that is also still splitting hairs
I chose the Mk19/G260 for travel due to the availability of parts and service.
I much prefer a sealed first stage and the lightness of the Atomic ST1 second stage and the way it breathes that will be my new travel reg. Look into the Atomic ST1 and Z2 Octo. Supposedly all the Atomics are suppose to breathe the same however that is not the issue with both my ST1's...they breathe "easier" than the M1 and the Z2 in my case
The Apeks XTX200 will be my cold water reg

Shabaday after initial research my first thought was the Apeks XTX200 however I heard of HP seat failures. Have you had any issues ?

 

[lexvil]

Between the two listed, I would likely go with SP, the titanium being the tie breaker. Now toss in the T Atomic it would win for the titanium and the sealing option.
that all have the same tuning capabilit, seat saver is a nice feature in the atomic.

 

[Murphy in NC]

I have a SP Mk25/D420 Octo SP R195
SP Mk19/G260/ Octo 620ti
An Atomic M1/ Octo M1
Two Atomic ST1's/Z2 Octo's
Apex XTX 200 with fifth port added/Octo XTX 50
Deep6 Signature series
My XTX 200/Both Atomic ST1's and the SP Mk19/G260 breathe relatively close to each other. They are set at about 1-1.1" on a magnehelic.
I had one Atomic ST1 with a Z2 octopus and after using my wife's ST1 I went out and got one...LOVE it
The big surprise to me is how well the Apeks XTX 200 breathes.
I typically dive the Mk19/G260 when I travel but plan on changing that to the new ST1 that I got
I guess my point is any of the top of the line reg's can be made to breathe beautifully. Rsingler has worked on almost all my regs and does an amazing job.
My least favorite are the Atomic M1
and the SP Mk25/D420 as well as the 620ti and that is also still splitting hairs
I chose the Mk19/G260 for travel due to the availability of parts and service.
I much prefer a sealed first stage and the lightness of the Atomic ST1 second stage and the way it breathes that will be my new travel reg. Look into the Atomic ST1 and Z2 Octo. Supposedly all the Atomics are suppose to breathe the same however that is not the issue with both my ST1's...they breathe "easier" than the M1 and the Z2 in my case
The Apeks XTX200 will be my cold water reg

Who is Rslinger?

 

[Shabaday]

Shabaday after initial research my first thought was the Apeks XTX200 however I heard of HP seat failures. Have you had any issues ?

So my research shows that the hp seat material was changed in 2019. The white cardboard packaging for service kits are the new ones. Not the yellow or blue The service kit RT141114 has the new seat. I added the fifth port for my long hose primary and it comes with a new hp seat. The downside of that is I have no clue what material that seat was made of so I sent my reg to rsingler who put in a white cardboard packaged hp seat and adjusted the IP and all is well now. My Apeks XTX 200 was new. I just didn't know if it was new old stock. If you can verify that the XTX200 was manufactured after 2019 you would be good to go....hope that made sense.
I would also highly recommend the Atomic T3...downside is it is $1969. That is why we ended up with the Atomic ST1

 

[Shabaday]

Rsingler is the regulator guru who teaches the regulator courses on here. Rob Singler is his name. Napascuba is his business name

 

[Shabaday]

Go to the upper right search button and search for member rsingler

 

[Murphy in NC]

So my research shows that the hp seat material was changed in 2019. The white cardboard packaging for service kits are the new ones. Not the yellow or blue The service kit RT141114 has the new seat. I added the fifth port for my long hose primary and it comes with a new hp seat. The downside of that is I have no clue what material that seat was made of so I sent my reg to rsingler who put in a white cardboard packaged hp seat and adjusted the IP and all is well now. My Apeks XTX 200 was new. I just didn't know if it was new old stock. If you can verify that the XTX200 was manufactured after 2019 you would be good to go....hope that made sense.
I would also highly recommend the Atomic T3...downside is it is $1969. That is why we ended up with the Atomic ST1

Thats why I was looking at the Atomic B2, dealer stated the price was the performance was exactly the same. For all Atomic regs and I like the swivel.
I assume the Atomics have the automatic venturi however they have a cracking adjustment knob?

 

[Shabaday]

Thats why I was looking at the Atomic B2, dealer stated the price was the performance was exactly the same. For all Atomic regs and I like the swivel.
I assume the Atomics have the automatic venturi however they have a cracking adjustment knob?

Correct on the Atomic auto Venturi and adjustment knob.
I will say I started with a B2 when they first came out years ago. Never had an issue but started using the M1 due to DPV use. Anyway our ST1's breathe easier than the Z2, and M1 that I have which is not what Atomic says. They say they all breathe the same but materials are different. My guess is just how the second stage is adjusted