craig1225
Registered
Hi al, I'm new to board. I'm advanced diver w/approx. 90 dives. Recreational warm water. Buying first set of equipment. Looking at Aqualung Titan LX or Mares Prestige 12S. Any suggestions out there?
Titan LX or Mares Prestige 12S
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axxel57
Contributor
Welcome to the board.
No problems with Mares regulators, but the Titan LX for me is the better choice.
In the water you probably will not feel a difference between the balanced Titan 2nd and the unbalanced Prestige 2nd, but the Aqualung for me has the better performance.
If you would go for the Titan LX Supreme, you would have even a great cold water regulator, just in case one day you might want to try.
The Titan LX regulators are for me the best value for the money in the Aqualung Line.
If you should decide to go for the Mares, you don't do anything wrong, but I suggest to get yourself the Titan LX.
Good luck!
No problems with Mares regulators, but the Titan LX for me is the better choice.
In the water you probably will not feel a difference between the balanced Titan 2nd and the unbalanced Prestige 2nd, but the Aqualung for me has the better performance.
If you would go for the Titan LX Supreme, you would have even a great cold water regulator, just in case one day you might want to try.
The Titan LX regulators are for me the best value for the money in the Aqualung Line.
If you should decide to go for the Mares, you don't do anything wrong, but I suggest to get yourself the Titan LX.
Good luck!
LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
Either regulator would make you happy.
I'm a Mares fan, own and service several sets, but all things being equal would probably lean towards the Titan (but not the LX model, the Titan model with the fully adjustable 2nd stage).
The adjustable 2nd gives you the option to de-tune the 2nd stage when needed. Balancing of the 2nd stage is not that important... well designed unbalanced 2nd stages breath very well. Balanced 2nds can in theory breath slightly better (they can use a softer demand spring), but it really comes down to overall design and how well the 2nd is tuned rather than balanced vs unbalanced.
The two first stages are close enough in design that the Mares MR-12 can be serviced with the Titan service kit... performance for either will be very good.
You really cannot go wrong with either.
Best wishes.
I'm a Mares fan, own and service several sets, but all things being equal would probably lean towards the Titan (but not the LX model, the Titan model with the fully adjustable 2nd stage).
The adjustable 2nd gives you the option to de-tune the 2nd stage when needed. Balancing of the 2nd stage is not that important... well designed unbalanced 2nd stages breath very well. Balanced 2nds can in theory breath slightly better (they can use a softer demand spring), but it really comes down to overall design and how well the 2nd is tuned rather than balanced vs unbalanced.
The two first stages are close enough in design that the Mares MR-12 can be serviced with the Titan service kit... performance for either will be very good.
You really cannot go wrong with either.
Best wishes.
keyshunter
Contributor
Neither of the Titans has a fully adjustable (breathing resistance knob) second stage. The plain Titan has a simple downstream unbalanced second, and the Titan LX has a balanced second which is the same as the older plain Legend. The adjustment knob can be added to the LX, but at ridiculous expense.
We currently have 5 Titans--3 LX with old style (barrel) firsts, one LX with new style, and one plain Titan with barrel first. We would not have so many if I did not believe that they are excellent regs.
I moved away from Mares about 20 years ago, not because they were not good breathers, but because of the difficulty in obtaining parts, and because of the ridiculously short HP seat life. Now that Mares has cleaned up their act with the new style seat and (hopefully) with parts availability, I would have no problem diving them.
Thanks again for all input. Today I found a shop that has a Prestige 22 DPD. MR 22 1st stage and prestige unbalanced second stage w/vortex assist. I know it's discontinued, but I know mr22 is well known workhorse, and this reg did get great scubalab reviews. What do you all think ? Still Titan LX ?
IME I see more problems with MARES regs than with Aqualung. I have had MARES regs, computers, wetsuits and BCDs for personal and rental gears and I would not recommend any of them.
Mares Quattros however are still one of my favourite fins.
Mares Quattros however are still one of my favourite fins.
LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
The MR-22 is a great first stage, I have two of them. A number of years ago the high pressure seat was upgraded to a new composite material (Mares calls it the Tri-Material seat) that "solved" a lot of problems with longevity of the seat. This problems with high pressure seat longevity is not unique to Mares, other brands have gone through the same issue. Anyway, it is an established, proven high performance diaphragm 1st stage.
Any of the first stages (Titan, MR-12, MR-22) will provide more air than two divers would ever need, so you will not notice any difference underwater between these 1st stages. The performance difference will come down to how well the 2nd stages are tunes.
Best wishes.
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