I bought the last Vivaldi VII

Post by **fxdxt** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:16 pm

I ordered Vivaldi S2 yesterday afternoon from Chris and got the last one they had on the shelf.
It will most likely be towards the end of January before they get any more in.
Looking forward to getting info from the group.

Tom

chas · Post by **chas** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:45 pm

So you got the 100th S2/VII? That's pretty impressive that Chris can sell 100 machines in this class in about 6 weeks. That's about 2 per day!

Post by **fxdxt** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:05 pm

So you got the 100th S2/VII?

That

Post by **Niko** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:12 pm

Congratulations.
You are now among the elite.
We're not snobs, we just love our coffee...

Post by **Niko** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:17 pm

Update:

Curse you! (just kidding)
I'm actaully considering adding a VII to my collection...
good thing you bought the last one.
I get to wait another month or so before I call Chris for one.

Post by **fxdxt** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:17 pm

Actually I

Post by **woodchuck** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:53 pm

Congrats on your new machine - there was just six left when I got mine. You will love it!

Cheers

Ian

Post by **Niko** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:55 am

[quote="fxdxt"]Actually I

Post by **blacroix** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:44 pm

After 9 months of reading, lurking and research... we're finally making a move on our Espresso purchase:

For X-mas, I got an Espro tamper, knockbox, Grindz and then 4 days later, for my Birthday - a dozen Illy "logo" espresso cups/saucers (fond memories of drinking espresso after proposing to my wife in Paris)... we are going to be placing an order with Chris Coffee on Monday for an S1, V2 and a Macap M4 Stepless (and other accessories - pitcher, thermo, cleaning tools, filtration... oh, and some beans).

With the amount of research I've done (drives the wife crazy - I blab on and on about the stuff, but she humors me, smiles and pretends to be listening), I can't wait to dive into the whole process. Grind - distribute - tamp - polish - extract... hehe... I wanted to avoid upgraditis, so I'm going straight from no machine to this class in one fell swoop. Wish me luck!

The wife said that after spending this kind of money, she expects a fresh cup every morning before work. No problemo!

For the record, this site was a very big factor in my decision to go with this machine. With this many passionate people ranting and raving about the machine, the support base was the final deciding factor.

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:55 pm

blacroix wrote:a dozen Illy "logo" espresso cups/saucers (fond memories of drinking espresso after proposing to my wife in Paris)

This is what it's all about!

Post by **bbqnut** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:57 am

blacroix wrote:After 9 months of reading, lurking and research... we're finally making a move on our Espresso purchase:

For X-mas, I got an Espro tamper, knockbox, Grindz and then 4 days later, for my Birthday - a dozen Illy "logo" espresso cups/saucers (fond memories of drinking espresso after proposing to my wife in Paris)... we are going to be placing an order with Chris Coffee on Monday for an S1, V2 and a Macap M4 Stepless (and other accessories - pitcher, thermo, cleaning tools, filtration... oh, and some beans).

With the amount of research I've done (drives the wife crazy - I blab on and on about the stuff, but she humors me, smiles and pretends to be listening), I can't wait to dive into the whole process. Grind - distribute - tamp - polish - extract... hehe... I wanted to avoid upgraditis, so I'm going straight from no machine to this class in one fell swoop. Wish me luck!

The wife said that after spending this kind of money, she expects a fresh cup every morning before work. No problemo!

For the record, this site was a very big factor in my decision to go with this machine. With this many passionate people ranting and raving about the machine, the support base was the final deciding factor.

Dude, you will be so glad to do it right the first time.

I had a Livia 90 for a year, sold it (just wasn't really what I wanted), bought a FrancisFrancis! X3 (don't ask), returned that, finally got the S1 VII I had been dreaming about, and love it so much. Wish I had just got the S1 in the first place and saved the headache and money.

Post by **blacroix** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:42 pm

blacroix wrote:... we are going to be placing an order with Chris Coffee on Monday for an S1, V2 and a Macap M4 Stepless (and other accessories - pitcher, thermo, cleaning tools, filtration... oh, and some beans).

Order placed... also added the filter and water softener to the list, as I did a little research to find in Dallas, we have hardness at the 100-ish ppm level. Does anyone know how often we'll need to service the softener with this level of hardness?

I ran to Home Depot to pick up a new breaker, wiring and a 20-amp GFCI plug to install this weekend. Wanna be ready! There's a local coffee house that has awesome drinks (even though they use a super-auto, the quality is better than almost any shop in the area). I figure I'll begin with their beans since they roast on site.

Brian

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:35 pm

Your answer is right on the Chris Coffee FAQ page:

http://www.chriscoffee.com/faq#27

and here's the hardness scale in grains and PPM so you can convert:

Post by **Niko** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:33 pm

blacroix wrote: I ran to Home Depot to pick up a new breaker, wiring and a 20-amp GFCI plug to install this weekend. Wanna be ready! There's a local coffee house that has awesome drinks (even though they use a super-auto, the quality is better than almost any shop in the area). I figure I'll begin with their beans since they roast on site.

Brian

Brian,
You'll be glad you get the electrical and plumbing ready before the machine arrives. I had mine ready so when the Spaz showed up, it was plug and play all day and night with no worries about the major start up details.

Now about that local coffee house, you'll be blowing them away soon.

Update:
I just placed my order for a 2nd Vivaldi earlier today.

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:47 am

The next shipment of VII's will be hitting port within the next several hours...
I'm sure whoever placed an order for one will be very excited.
They should start shipping by next week if they don't get hung up in Customs.
Does anybody recall the time it took in November - between Customs and actual ship date?

Post by **blacroix** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:44 am

When I placed my order, they said that if everything goes well through customs, they will look over the machines and probably begin shipping on the 21st. Seems like they are still on that timeline. Knock on wood customs didn't get a bug in their butt. :)

Over the weekend, I replaced the regular outlet in the wet bar with a GFCI outlet (15amp), put in a new box with a 20A GFCI plug and pre-ran the 12/2 with ground cabling over to the electrical panel. Last thing to do is install the new breaker and tie it into the box. Even raised the glass shelves to 21" to make sure there's plenty o' room above the unit.

Hey, how many espresso cups can fit on top of the V2? I have a dozen of the Illy logo cups.

My wife chuckled at me. We have some biscotti and fancy chocolates in the wet bar area... I moved them to the end of the shelves that the grinder will be... didn't want all that chocolate above the espresso machine; figured that could make for one sticky mess. :)

Anxiously waiting,
Brian

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:31 am

blacroix wrote: Hey, how many espresso cups can fit on top of the V2? I have a dozen of the Illy logo cups.
Anxiously waiting,
Brian

Espresso cups?-not sure, maybe all 12.
I put Cappuccino's on top of mine, it fits 8 of the Illy's.

All I have to do is unplug my S1 when the VII arrives, just swap the machines and I'm done. It's the plumbing and 20A circuit I have to redo where I'm moving my older unit that needs work, gotta' start that sooner than later.

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:18 pm

I just got off the phone with Chris Coffee... the container got held up in customs. They are hoping to get them "by the end of the month". Bummer.

Whoever said patience is a virtue wasn't waiting for something. :)

Brian

Post by **Niko** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:15 pm

blacroix wrote:I just got off the phone with Chris Coffee... the container got held up in customs. They are hoping to get them "by the end of the month". Bummer.

Whoever said patience is a virtue wasn't waiting for something. :)

Brian

Brian,
I feel bad for you, after all that preparation and anticipation...Customs takes the wind out of your sails. I'm not in the same boat, even though I also ordered a VII on that container, I still have my original S1 to make my daily grind. Just hang in there and we'll be swapping VII stories soon.
Keep your chin up and I'll turn the other cheek while I pull the next shot out of the Spaz in a few minutes here...

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:27 pm

Hello. This is my first post here. Glad I found this site as I'm sure I will have plenty of questions in the near future.
I ordered a V2 yesterday and now have to wait impatiently for it to arrive. This will be my first machine and after weeks of reading everything I could find, I'm sure I made the right decision.
Expensive new hobby to get into! I remember buying cars a long time ago for less than what I spent yesterday! Machine, timer, grinder, naked portafilter, tamper, steaming pitcher, tools, cleaner, plumbing, etc....
Hope my wife loves the caps I make for her! It will be a while before she ever knows how expensive the first ones are!

Thanks for all the info!

Ron

Post by **woodchuck** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:36 pm

Welcome Ron, what did you pick up for a grinder?

Cheers

Ian

Post by **blacroix** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:02 pm

Yes, please do tell. :) What kind of tamper?

I've decided to change my Macap M4 -chrome to the black one... and will be adding the naked portafilter to the equipment list also.

For Christmas, my parents bought me the Espro tamper. :) Oh, and some Noni Biscoti (double chocolate). My wife loves biscoti and she says those are the best she's had!

Brian

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:02 pm

Thanks Ian.
I bought the MACAP M4 stepless. Tough decision, especially knowing what I do about all of this. I have a Solis Maestro Plus I have been using for my coffee but everything I read said the grinder is so important and the Solis just wasn't up to the job. Probably a good thing to have the old one just for coffee so my wife won't have to worry about it when I'm not home and she wants to make herself something!
I can't wait to get started on the new adventure!

Ron

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:08 pm

Hi Brian. Guess we posted at almost the same time.
I went with the plain stainless for now. The sales person I was dealing with said that was the one she preferred. I had been thinking the Espro would be nice while learning so if I have problems, I'll try one of those.
How do you like it so far?
Why the change on the grinder?

Ron

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:19 pm

Did you guys get doserless?

Post by **blacroix** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:13 am

Ron -

I've heard from several people that the black one is nice cause it has a timer on it - and since I got the black S1V2, thought it would match nicely. That's about it.

Niko -

I went with the doser. I've heard a lot about the doser's de-clumping abilities. Plus, I thought it would be useful when we have company. I'm thinking about calling up on Monday and having them ship everything except the S1 so I can atleast get everything else (including the filtration) in place. Yup, definitely going to do that!

Brian

Post by **RGoldman** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:16 pm

She talked me into the doser as well for the same reason. I have a lot to learn so we will see how it goes! I was thinking of having them send out the plumbing and the grinder ahead of time too. THat way when the machine gets here, I'll just have to plug it in and hook up the water.
I hate the wait! All that research and I'm ready to get going! Would have been nice to have it here this week since we were stuck for a couple of days because of the snow. Would have had lots of time to learn!

Anyone in the Portland area that be interested in showing me a thing or two about the Vivaldi would be greatly appreciated!

Ron

Post by **fxdxt** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:55 pm

I live in Sandy, send me a pm and we can set up a time.

Tom

Post by **blacroix** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:48 pm

Hurray! I just spent a little time in the attic and garage; cut an access panel above my breaker panel, fished down the wire and hooked up my new 20-amp dedicated breaker for the machine. My wet bar now has a shared 15-amp plug (will be used for the grinder) and a brand spanking new 20-amp dedicated plug (w/GFCI since it's about 18 inches from the sink).

The wet bar is now totally ready.

On a different note... was a little dissapointed as I walked int he attic (err.. crawled rather)... why do some home owners that think they can work on houses even try? The guy that sold us the house was quite an interesting guy. "Mr. Fix It" as we call him. Quite a few Junction boxes not secured was the latest find. We knew we had a lot of fixin' up to do when we bought the house, but it's one thing after another. Just to give you an idea - he "fixed" the master bath... it had carpet that was partially ripped out, a door that was closed off with sheetrock (and then silicone caulk was used instead of tape & mud) and where the bathtub USED to be was a closet that was partially completed. Some people should just not work on houses. :) Oh well, it got me a good deal on the place and we're getting to do things the way we want them (and the right way). Ok, I'll stop ranting now. Hehe.

Brian

Post by **Niko** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:51 pm

I also want to rant about how long "Customs" has to hang on to our shipment of Vivaldi's.
I think I know what happened there, the coffee machine (at Customs) broke so they're individually inspecting each S1 to make sure the shot quality is up to par by tasting each one.

Post by **RGoldman** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:10 pm

Great news! I just got an email from Chris saying they cleared customs this morning and should arrive at their facility Wednesday or Thursday!
Looks like it won't be long now until they ship out to all of us waiting!

Post by **Niko** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:16 pm

That's the best news I've heard all day!

Post by **RGoldman** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:33 pm

I just got a phone call and my machine and all the other items will be shipping tomorrow or Friday! I wonder how long it will take to get here (WA) from NY? Do they ship the Vivaldi's UPS or another carrier? I guess I should have asked!
Time to start thinking about my first espresso roast.

Post by **bbqnut** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:45 pm

RGoldman wrote:I just got a phone call and my machine and all the other items will be shipping tomorrow or Friday! I wonder how long it will take to get here (WA) from NY? Do they ship the Vivaldi's UPS or another carrier? I guess I should have asked!
Time to start thinking about my first espresso roast.

I got mine via UPS and it took about 5 or 6 working days (sat & sun do not count).

I am in SoCal. Probably similar transit times.

Post by **blacroix** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:48 pm

I'm doing the happy dance! Can't wait to get all hopped up on some high quality caffeine!

Post by **RGoldman** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:21 pm

Looks like next Thursday or Friday should be quite a day then. I hope the plumbing goes quickly!

Post by **blacroix** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:08 pm

I called Mon to have my plumbing and other extras shipped so I could get them before the machine. :)

So next Thurs or Fri... it'll be unbox, plug and then play! Whee!!!

Post by **RGoldman** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 7:33 pm

I was going to do that but am having one of those weeks where lots of things aren't getting done. It's probably a good thing though because I still haven't decided which of the two locations I have for it I am going to use. I kind of need it here to decide. It's going to be a mad rush to get it installed and working after that!

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:05 pm

I get to do it all over again...

My 2nd Vivaldi should ship tomorrow or Friday as well. I bought the original S1 last year and I wanted another machine, I couldn't think of a better unit than the VII. I was looking into the GS3 but what a price and to be Marzocco's guinea pig as well, no thanks. If the VII is anything like the original and more...all I can say is that it's the ultimate caffeine machine.
I waited to do my plumbing with the machine on hand, I didn't know where exactly the machine would line up. Didn't want to drill any holes without seeing the Vivaldi's orifice and wiring.
With the VII on the way soon, I now have a good idea of where things fall into place but I'm still waiting for the unit before drilling anymore holes.

Post by **RGoldman** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:07 pm

Yeah.... my wife wouldn't be very happy with me if I drilled the countertop and then changed my mind about putting it there.....
She's pretty tolerant of all my "hobbies" but that might be pushing it a little!

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:22 pm

I can't believe how tolerant my wife is...

I mean, I've got 2 Vivaldi's (2nd one on the way) and an E61 Quick Mill machine. Not to mention 5 computers with countless RAIDs and other devices. I've taken over the entire house with my junk.
She even lets me punch holes in cabinets, countertops and walls...you name it, I get away with it. I still don't know how...

Funny thing is, we're all waiting for our Vivaldi II's and I'm pulling shots on one as I type this. Mwuhahah!

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:20 am

Good news confirmed - my S1V2 is shipping tomorrow morning! YAHOO! And my grinder, accessories and filtration will arrive tomorrow.

Niko -

5 computers? You a IT guy? Where do you work? I'm at Yahoo (insert yodel here)

I used to have a bunch of computers... and at one point, even had a roll around cabinet with 5 routers in it... but now, it's my laptop and that's about it. Got out of the gadget game for the most part. I really got into audio at one point, also... had a set of Magnepan MG 3.6's, a set of 1.5's and the MGCC even (if you haven't heard a Magnepan speaker and enjoy classical music in particular, these speakers are an absolute dream - I highly recommend seeking them out and having a listen). Let's just say that hobby wasn't the cheapest and after several years, I decided that I needed to go back to minimalism - and get out of the house more often. Haha! Now, I'm more into cycling, backpacking, scuba, etc. The espresso machine will be the first "indoor" toy I've had in quite some time.

Post by **RGoldman** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:28 am

Have fun with the new toys! Let us know how the installation of the plumbing goes and what you think of setting up the grinder.
So the race is on..... who will get their new machine producing drinkable shots first!

What part of the ocuntry are you in that you can scuba dive? I lived in Hawaii a (very) long time ago and was in the water every day or night. I miss that most about living there. The dark, frigid water of the PNW does nothing for me when it comes to diving.

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:10 pm

RGoldman wrote:What part of the ocuntry are you in that you can scuba dive? I lived in Hawaii a (very) long time ago and was in the water every day or night. I miss that most about living there. The dark, frigid water of the PNW does nothing for me when it comes to diving.

I live in Dallas... no good diving here. We try to take a trip every year though. Cozumel is gorgeous and easy/quick/cheap to get to from DFW. 6 hours from my front door until I have a drink in my hand at the hotel bar. :) We're looking at Belize this year.

So it's a race now? I feel my competitive spirit picking up. Haha! Might not be fair though - Niko just has to disco/reconnect and he's done. But then again, I'll just work from hom on delivery day... and be all hopped up by the time the wife gets home. Hehe.

Post by **Niko** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:29 pm

I might win allright.
Connect and disconnect, my grinder's dialed in already...
maybe I should stay out of the race, especially with a 2-group S1 (ha ha).

No, I'm no IT guy but I should be with this much equipment. I'm just a geek.

Post by **RGoldman** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:36 pm

Niko is out of the contest! In fact, I think he should fly to all of our houses and help us set up. :D

I dream of the day when I can take a trip somewhere warm like Belize!
Maybe in a couple of years if I make it until both of my kids are 18 and off in school somewhere.

Got my tracking. Should be here on Thursday. Our UPS guy is always late in the day so it looks like I'll be working on it all day Friday! Can't wait!

Tom has graciously offered to let me come out to his place on Sunday for some lessons. Should be very helpful and cut some time off of the learning for me next week.

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:17 am

RGoldman wrote:Niko is out of the contest! In fact, I think he should fly to all of our houses and help us set up. :D

I dream of the day when I can take a trip somewhere warm like Belize!
Maybe in a couple of years if I make it until both of my kids are 18 and off in school somewhere.

Got my tracking. Should be here on Thursday. Our UPS guy is always late in the day so it looks like I'll be working on it all day Friday! Can't wait!

Tom has graciously offered to let me come out to his place on Sunday for some lessons. Should be very helpful and cut some time off of the learning for me next week.

I'd love to fly out and help everyone. I'm in the S.F. Bay Area, so if anyone's getting one out here it's a short drive for me.
I got my tracking also showing a next Thursday arrival as well, I was actually the 1st one to confirm my order with Mary the other day. Call it a vibe but I had a hankerin' that the Vivaldi's arrived and indeed they did at that moment.
About next Thursday....I'm not holding my breath, it'll probably be more like next Friday for mine. The other 2 packages will show up on Thursday except for that all-important 3rd box. Last year my other S1 was delayed one day for some odd reason, they were busy beating the living day lights out of the box. They wanted to make sure every corner was mashed in really well. This time I'm shooting video to document the unveiling of Mr. Vivaldi II, not for any good reason but I'm working on a coffee video and this would be kind of a cool opportunity to get an S1 in the unpacking stage. The box should be very interesting...can't wait to see what surprises may come.
You guys are on the West Coast also, I'm just about as far West as can get (right by the water) so I wouldn't be surprised if UPS delayed any our units by a day. They sometimes delay extra heavy parcels for one reason or another and the S1 is definitely a heavy item.

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:28 pm

Ron & Brian,
I think our machines shipped out of Chris' at the same time, therefore, the UPS guys must really hate us by now. Imagine that, 3 Vivaldis in the same trailer - I wouldn't want that trailer assigned to me. They're probably going to be split off when they hit Illinois at some point, right after this weekend. I still feel sorry for them when they lift the 80 pounders, mine shipped in 3 boxes so we'll see if they all make it at the same time...

Did you guys get it in 2 or 3 boxes? - Depends on what you ordered I guess, I didn't get a grinder this time but it's still split into 3. I'm now wondering if they packed the portafilters and extras into another box since people were complaining about jammed trays on the West Coast. We shall see...

Post by **RGoldman** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:00 pm

My shipment is coming in three boxes. 150lbs. I am guessing that the macine is in one, the grinder in another and the third has everything else.
I really hope they don't damage anything in transit! I have had some really bad experiences with both UPS and FedEx in the past. FedEx

being MUCH worse than UPS when it comes to even getting them here at all.
Here's to everything arriving safely!

Post by **Niko** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:04 pm

Let me take a look...

OK, mine arrived in Illinois last night. All 3 packages are still together.
Cheers to you too.

Post by **blacroix** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:07 pm

I didn't get my order number, so I'll have to wait until Monday to find out where mine is.

Two good things though:

1. I am served from the regional distribution center, so my deliveries usually come a little quicker.
2. I received my grinder, filtration, naked PF, thermometer and frothing pitcher on Friday. The grinder is in place and "zero'd" out as per the instructions and the filtration is completely hooked up (softener first, carbon filter second - purged both units also) and poking up through the counter.

What type of connector is on the S1V2? Is it a John Guest fitting that I just need to push in like on the filtration setup? If so, I'm plug and play now - just need to dial in the grinder and start working on my barista skills!

Brian

Post by **RGoldman** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:52 pm

Oh man.... I'm in bad shape then! Unless..... UPS loses yours in transit and I get an extra day to plumb mine in while they search for yours!
Actually.... I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I guess I'll just have to face reality and know I'm going to lose this race!
The good news is that I am going over to Tom's tomorrow to learn how this thing works! Should be interesting and lots of fun!

chas · Post by **chas** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:27 pm

blacroix wrote:...

What type of connector is on the S1V2? Is it a John Guest fitting that I just need to push in like on the filtration setup? If so, I'm plug and play now - just need to dial in the grinder and start working on my barista skills!

Brian

My V2 came with a 3/8" JG fitting. I just pushed in the 3/8" tube that was already there, turned on the valve, and I was rolling.

Post by **Niko** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:50 pm

blacroix wrote: What type of connector is on the S1V2? Is it a John Guest fitting that I just need to push in like on the filtration setup? If so, I'm plug and play now - just need to dial in the grinder and start working on my barista skills!

Brian

It's sort of plug and play...
You not only have to snap into the JG fitting, you also need to screw the braided hose into the Vivaldi itself.
So it's a 2-plug-and-play.

It's still very possible that any of our units can get delayed a day, I used to work for that "Brown" company years ago. If the "loader" or "unloader" doesn't have the required help to move a heavy box, they'll just simply push it into the next day. It's just how it goes sometimes...

Post by **blacroix** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:43 am

Sounds like I'm ready to rock then!

My delivery is scheduled for Thursday according to UPS. Knock on wood there isn't a delay - as I work from home that day, so I'll be able to help the UPS delivery person if needed!

Maybe I'll need to work from home Friday... heh heh...

Post by **Niko** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:11 pm

It's 8:00pm Pac Standard time...Do you know where your Vivaldi is?
Mine's still on the way, it left Illinois early this A.M. and it's still on time for a Thursday delivery.
I bet you're jumping out of your skin!
You better stay home Friday, forget Thursday - let the machine land at your doorstep and spend the next day playing.
I'm changing my filters on the old plumbing kit before I hook up the VII, even though the cartridges are only 7 months old they still have some junk in them. After that, the flushing follows for at least 5 minutes before connecting the new Spaz. My old S1 will get the new plumbing kit with new filters of course.
BTW, you might want to get some help lifting the VII out of the box, it's heavy and a bit awkward - just watch your back muscles because you'll need them when you flip the machine on its sides to work on it and make adjustments before connecting it.

Post by **blacroix** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:25 am

YEAH!!!

Mine is already at the Mesquite distribution center - arrived at 4:38am! I am giong to give them a call to see if I can go pick it up to save them the hassle of loading it again (ok, the real reason is because I'm antsy).

Cross your fingers!!!

EDIT: Just got off the phone - that facility (huge distribution center) doesn't allow customer pickups. Oh well, guess I have to wait until Thursday...

Post by **Niko** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:43 am

blacroix wrote:YEAH!!!

Mine is already at the Mesquite distribution center - arrived at 4:38am! I am giong to give them a call to see if I can go pick it up to save them the hassle of loading it again (ok, the real reason is because I'm antsy).

Cross your fingers!!!

EDIT: Just got off the phone - that facility (huge distribution center) doesn't allow customer pickups. Oh well, guess I have to wait until Thursday...

They don't allow it anywhere.
You see, your package resides in a trailer below thousands of lbs of other boxes which they're not about to touch for another day or so...
That's how it works, I've been there.

Post by **blacroix** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:23 pm

Sniff sniff. Oh well, in the mean time, I went ahead and ordered a couple pounds of Black Cat since it seems to be highly recommended. I figure I'll practice on the pound that comes with the machine - and if I'm still having problems, go pick up a pound or two from the local roasters... then have my Black Cat to get all hopped up on.

Post by **RGoldman** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:31 pm

My tracking still only shows the departure from Illinois. Should still be here Thursday though. I am planning on having it up and running on Friday.
I just ordered some 1/2lbs of Espresso Vivace's roasted blends and their reg and decaf green beans. I haven't had the need to roast for espresso before so this should be interesting. I have quite a stash of green coffee that should blend nicely once I have something to judge it against.
I will probably try the Black Cat and Kid O's at some point since they receive such rave reviews.

Come on UPS!

Post by **Niko** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:38 pm

Ron,

Did you go over to Tom's on Sunday?-How'd it go?

Mine still shows that same Illinois departure. I feel like I'm waiting for another child to be born, we're like fathers waiting for the stork to drop them off. This time I'm a little more excited about the VII than I was for the VI, only because I don't have to do the plumbing in again. The thing I anticipate the most is to feel the difference in steaming and every little nuance of the two compared side by side. I'm going to get totally geeked out when I get the Scace Device on them eventually.
I plan on temperature surfing with the VII on a regular basis, something I don't really mess with on the S1/VI.

Post by **RGoldman** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:11 pm

Hi Niko. Yes, I went over to Tom's on Sunday. I owe him a huge THANKYOU for inviting me and showing me so much about the machine!
I had a great time learning and talking about espresso. It sure took a lot of my initial fears away seeing how easy it is to make a great shot!
Tom is also a photographer, so we talked a lot about that too. After I get my machine set-up and everything else working correctly, I hope I can return the favor some day.

2 days and counting! Can't wait to get started.

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:55 am

I'm a photographer also. If you haven't noticed, that's why my avatar keeps changing - I'm never pleased with the same old one.
I'm glad to hear about your adventures with Tom and the Spaz.
What's the 1st thing you noticed about the S1 at first glance - what stands out about the machine to you?

Post by **woodchuck** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:04 pm

I wonder if photography and espresso have anything in common. I also make my living as a photographer ... Cheers Ian

www.underwater-imaging.com
www.stewarteventimages.com

Post by **RGoldman** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:29 pm

I was wondering the same thing earlier. I think maybe it has to do with the personalities of people that enjoy doing things for themselves, and are curious as well as creative!

Great sites Ian. Interesting that we chose the same website too!

http://www.rongoldmanphotography.com

Niko.... Do you have a website with some of your images on it?

The biggest thing about the S1 so far is that it passes the WAF!

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:04 pm

Nope...No website.
I'm strictly a film guy, old school.
Darkroom, chemistry and the like...

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:48 am

Hurray! From the UPS site:

DALLAS,TX, US 02/01/2007 4:43 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY

My UPS deliveries usually arrive around 5PM. I work from home today... boy, is this going to be a long day. Haha.

Brian

Post by **RGoldman** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:23 am

Hmmmm..... two of my boxes just listed as "out for delivery" and the heavy one has a bunch of "forwarded on to facility at destination city" then the lates one says "departure scan" from Portland again.....
At least they haven't changed the "on time" status. They better not screw this up!
My driver is usually here around 3 so I will be waiting! Maybe I can get my waterline in tonight so everything will be ready to go in the morning.

Post by **Niko** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:19 am

Yup, that's what happened to my 1st Vivaldi...got hung up somewhere and I ended up getting it the next day.
No big deal, I was able to do the plumbing first and when the machine arrived I drilled the final hole. After that it was plug and play, I had a drinkable shot after no tries! The 1st shot was really nice (it wasn't my skills, it was luck).
It's OK with me if this VII gets hung up, I'm not shooting any weddings or events this weekend - so I got time to play with the newer machine.
And yes, if you haven't figured it out by now Ron, I'm just a boring wedding and event photographer.
Good luck, I hope you get yours today - I'll sacrifice mine for yours...

Photoshop rules!

Post by **RGoldman** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:36 am

So they just updated the tracking to "out for delivery" on the machine itself! :D Looks like all is well for this afternoon. Guess I better get all of my work done for the day pretty soon!
I don't have anything else scheduled until Monday. Someone wanted me to shoot their CD cover on Saturday and I told them I was "unavailable due to a previous commitment" and they would have to wait until Monday. Of course, I didn't tell them that my previous commitment was installing and setting up my new espresso machine!

As far as "boring" goes with photography, that's where I make all my money too. The "artistic" stuff is just for fun and an occasional print sale. Stock, product, and corporate work pay the bills.... Oh, and I am now teaching 3 different online classes through PPSOP. It's actually a lot of fun and the money is good too!

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:50 am

Excellent news, Ron!

Niko - drinkable after no tries? That's pretty impressive. I would think you'd have to try pulling atleast one. Hehe. Seriously now - I've NEVER made anything other than drip and french press. :) Luckily, I am a technical person and have good mechanical understanding, so I am hoping that I can get it dialed in after just a few shots. Wishful thinking? Only time will tell.

An interesting thing happened yesterday... I was at a coffee shop by work - they just opened and have a Nueovo Simonelli 2-head machine. I asked if they knew if it was a dual boiler or HX... they didn't know. I looked it up on my compter at work - it's an HX. They have very low volume business (like a shot maybe every 10 minutes at this point - bad location and brand new), so I suggested they pull a cooling shot after a brief explanation why... they did, and the water was sputtering and shooting steam all over for the first half of it... then it calmed down and streamed. They then locked and pulled my shot. Quality was much better. They thanked me by giving me an extra shot in my latte. :) Glad I can help educate... even if I have no actual experience.

Brian

Post by **woodchuck** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:44 pm

Ron, keeping my fingers crossed for your delivery today. I ended up getting the machine one day but the box with the tamper etc in the next day. The coffee still tasted good plastic tamper and all :D

Cheers

Ian

Post by **RGoldman** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:40 pm

Come on UPS! He must be getting close by now! I have the tools out and I'm ready to start drilling for that waterline!
It'll be just my luck that his truck will break down or get a flat tire today.....

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:51 pm

I'm sitting here in my office, anxiously looking out the front window. As if watching will make them come faster. Should be here anytime in the next 45 minutes.

Post by **RGoldman** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:37 pm

It's all hooked up, on and heating up! That was way too easy!
I have to go unpack the grinder now and clean up a little!
Oh.... it arrived without a problem. No dents in the box, nothing loose or broken! Way to go UPS! :D

Post by **blacroix** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:33 pm

That is good news - glad to hear.

Mine arrived about 6:15. I was worried as the outside box was a little messed up (bottom was even open). Luckily, all was well. The only damage was that little black plastic thing that goes around the back of the cup warming tray. No biggie - I'll give Chris a call and get a replacement I'm sure...

The only other thing that was a bummer - there was supposed to be a pound of beans... but there were none... so I had to run out to the local coffee shop/roaster. Unfortunatly, the closest one to me isn't that that good. Their espresso tastes bitter and slightly burnt... and my espresso now tastes just like theirs. Lattes are decent, so I'm sure when I get good beans, all will be fine.

Holy crap does this thing have some serious steam power! 15-20 seconds and I've got 150-160 degree milk... just awesome. Introduced too much air the first time - got some pretty stiff foam. Second time around and it was much better integrated - poured it in a glass and watched as the tiny little bubbles fell in slow waves - kindof like watching Guinness if you put it in a glass. I'm assuming this means I did a decent job with steaming the milk? It sure tasted good!

Tinkered with the grind quite a bit - sweeping the chute and doser clean between adjustments (as I've read is the proper process - don't want any coffee from the previous grind tainting the new grind setting). I'm getting about 1.75 ounces in about 25 seconds - give or take 5 seconds... it'll take some practice to get the pull times more consistent, but I think the grinder is now in the ballpark. I've noticed I am having a little bit of a hard time getting the tamp flat, as I can see it's off kilter by looking at the distance from the rim around the edges - I'm consistent... but tilted a little... will work on that over the weekend when I get all hopped up and give myself heart palpitations. Haha!

I've played with the naked portafilter and the regular one with a double basket. It was nice to see how bad my technique was with the naked, but then used the regular portafilter so I didn't have to worry about squirting or anything when I was checking pressure and really focusing on watching the timer to work on the grind setting. Again, I'll do more work with the naked this weekend to try to get rid of any channelling - I did see one solid pull with no obvious channelling (squirting).

Watched the pressure meter while pulling a shot - it was about 9.2 bars. Does that sound about right?

It'll be fun to play with new (good) beans tomorrow - Black Cat will be here then.

One last question... when I pull my portafilter out, I see a slight indentation in the center of the puck from the screw... not a really deep one, but it has been there just slightly on every single pull. I've heard this is normal and since it's the same depth impression each time am assuming my dosing is consistent. If so, atleast I have ONE part of my process that's consistent. Must... get... more... experience. :)

Comments appreciated on any of my post so I can learn from you all.

Brian

PS: Beans I got is called an "american blend" - south american beans, roasted to full city roast and done on 1/29. I've heard you want to let the bean rest atleast 3 days before pulling... is there truth in this? Maybe that's part of my issue? Is there some place I can see a chart of light to darkness of all the names of the roast?

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:26 am

Well.... that was interesting! I got a pound of coffee with the machine and tried to dial in the grinder with that. Talk about channelling! Yikes! I had espresso spraying everywhere! So, I grabbed some of my own roasted coffee and it turned out that the grinder was set too fine for it and I got seveal drops in 25 seconds! I know there is a happy medium somewhere!
I ran out of mine while setting the grinder coarser and then decided to just drink what I had left as a cappucino and call it good for tonight. I have some Vivace from Seattle showing up tomorrow and I will work with that to get the grinder set up and see what happens.
I am also roasting more tomorrow as I think that will be the most consistent in the long run.
My coffee tool brush wasn't in my order and I emailed CC at 8:00PST. To my surprise, I received an email from Chris a few minutes later (11:00pm EST) telling me they would take care of it tomorrow and have one to me right away. Now that's customer service! A lot of companies could learn from them!

Post by **Niko** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:31 am

Hi Guys,
Good thing I wasn't in the contest!
I got mine Thursday 1st thing in the morning!! The "Brownie" showed up at my door at 8:30 a.m. That's certainly a record for me with UPS, they never delivered that early.
Sorry I haven't wrote...too busy pulling god shots on the VII. All I can say is WOW, I'm impressed with Mr. Vivaldi II. Steams like a T-Rex, brews like a smooooothie. The 1st shot, now I'm not trying to brag but it was unbelievable - wish I had the video rolling because it was perfect in every way. Of course I used my new Coffee Labs tamp and old portafilter, the new ones suck by the way. They're so tight and yucky fitting that I tossed them into a drawer and I might EBay them if they start growing a beard (talking about the portafilters here). I did the old switch-a-roo with the Coffee Labs tamper, I already have a 58mm version and Chris' only had the gun metal colored ones available so I arranged it so my VII has the "raw" all silver one. Really nice tamp even in the 53mm version, seems really puny next to the 58 but it did the same job - perfect tamp every time.

Post by **Niko** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:37 am

RGoldman wrote:Talk about channelling! Yikes! I had espresso spraying everywhere! So, I grabbed some of my own roasted coffee and it turned out that the grinder was set too fine for it and I got seveal drops in 25 seconds! I know there is a happy medium somewhere!

Hey "channel boy", I just poured another beautiful shot about 5 minutes ago. Really nice crema, I think it was about 95% crema because the coffee was too fresh - just roasted it hours ago. Looked fantastic, tasted really gassy though. almost to the point of fizzy...burp (excuse me).

Ron, I can't wait to hear your thoughts about the VII once you really dial it in with your roasts.
As for me it was plug and play and no redial of any sorts, my 2 S1's must be pretty close in settings because my shots are identical. I noticed the milk steaming is different...
more on that later.

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 11:38 am

Ok.... I really need to wait until the new coffee shows up or I roast some more. I adjusted the grind finer on the stuff that came with the machine and ended up not getting anything but a drop or two. So, I made another adjustment, a few more drops, another adjustment, espresso flying everywhere except into the waiting shot glass. It was even running down the handle of the portafilter and onto the counter! What a mess!
I did manage to salvage a few shots out of it before I gave up for the morning. I hope the mail comes early! What is the shortest rest time after roasting that a decent shot can be pulled? Well.... at least one that doesn't cover the walls and ceiling.

Post by **blacroix** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:10 pm

I just got off the phone with Dallas from Chris Coffee. They are shipping me a new warming tray guard (got broke during shipping) and a pound of Black Pearl (was missing from the shipment). This type of customer support is exactly why I went with Chris Coffee. Pleasant people, prompt support. Sure wish all my shopping experiences were like this!

Great job Chris!

Tonight... it's time to dial in the Black Cat!

Based on my experience with the extraction time changing so much from when the bag gets freshly opened until the next morning - I'm wondering if it's good practice to open any sealed bags of beans a day before they go in the hopper to "acclimate" to the humidity in the house so the next morning isn't so drastic. Any thoughts?

Brian

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:16 pm

Yes... Their customer service is outstanding. I had an email from Dallas this morning about my missing coffee tool. Just my luck, they are sold out but they are going to ship it as soon as they get one.

Let em know what you think of the Black Cat. I have heard great things about it. I'll do the same for the Vivace that I have coming today.

What grinder did you get again? I zereod the Macap and then backed it off 2.5 like in the instructions and that was way too course for the black pearl. I guess I need to start over with the new coffee today. What did you set yours at for the first time and what adjustments did you have to make?

Looks like I'll be having fun and drinking lots of shots over the weekend.
Who needs sleep?

Post by **woodchuck** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:33 pm

Congrats on your new machines! Happy espressoing!

Cheers

Ian

Post by **blacroix** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:40 pm

RGoldman wrote:What grinder did you get again? I zereod the Macap and then backed it off 2.5 like in the instructions and that was way too course for the black pearl. I guess I need to start over with the new coffee today. What did you set yours at for the first time and what adjustments did you have to make?

I got the Macap M4 stepless w/doser.

My experience was the same as yours - followed the instructions but it appeared too coarse. I say assume because it may be right... I'm not the most consistent with distribution yet. One pull will pull in 30 seconds, the next with the same grind and dose will be 15 seconds. Both have some channeling, but the 15 second ones are ghostly white. :) I really don't like the flavor of the beans I have... in fact, they even smell a little funky. So I'm giving up for the time being and waiting for the good beans so atleast that question is out of the way.

- Good beans
- Good machine
- Good grinder
- Questionable barista

It'll be nice to have 3 of the 4 in check. :) Hopefully after this weekend I won't be as much of a "channel boy".

Oh, and someone mentioned to me that if I think the beans are bitter to turn down the temp... if they are sour, turn up the temp. Mine were really bitter at 93, 94 and 95... a little less so at 92... but still not what I'd call good.

Niko - when you're brewing your coffee, what pressure are you at? Mine is around 9.1-9.2 bars... wondering if that's right.

Post by **italyhound** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:11 pm

Niko

I am glad you are working with the V2 now.

Will be interested to see your steaming thoughts with this machine.

I am totally loving mine - in a major way. I have become addicted to the steaming process. Haven't had a straight shot in weeks. Macchiatos bebe!

Evan

Post by **Niko** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 8:55 pm

YES INDEED!
There will be a milk report soon.
I'm currently making a side by side comparison of the 2 machines and I can say this; there's some MAJOR differences as soon as I fired Mr. Vivaldi II up. Can't say anything yet, I have to live with the new arrival for a few days - don't want to jump to any conclusions.
Stay tuned...

Post by **blacroix** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:16 pm

Black Cat arrived a few hours ago. What a difference a good bean has.

Previous bean:
- Watery
- LOTS of channelling
- very bitter, even when turned down to 92 degrees
- even smelled off
- pull times ranged from 15-35 seconds without changing the grind

Black Cat:
- Thick shot
- minor channelling - much, much less - I'm sure this is my fault at this point
- vert consistent pull times - five in a row at 22-25 seconds!
- latte is much smoother now

So now, it's up to me. :) Must build skills... anyone in Dallas that could give me an in-person hand (either my place or yours - or both even). I'd love to get some hands-on training.

Brian

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:36 pm

That is great news! I am about to head into the kitchen for round 3. New beans this time and I'm hoping I see the same results as you!
I am so lucky to have such a patient wife! :D

Post by **Niko** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:33 pm

blacroix wrote: Niko - when you're brewing your coffee, what pressure are you at? Mine is around 9.1-9.2 bars... wondering if that's right.

My VII's pressure is at 8.2 bar, EXACTLY where my other S1 is firing.
My brew temp is 93c (for now) but I jump between that and 94. My other S1 is brewing at 95c.
Hope that helps.
Take care and keep us posted on your progress.

Post by **RGoldman** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:56 pm

SUCCESS! Ok, I got a little more serious about it tonight and weighed my dose. At 15gms, I got a 2oz shot at 25sec with no channeling that I could see. No spraying across the room, no huge mess to clean up.....
I feel much better now and am sure that tomorrow morning will be even better.
I was using Vivace Dolce. 1/31 stamped on the bag. Only took to attempts to get the grinder set correctly. I am now positive that my earlier attempts were hampered by the coffe that I was using and not weighing. I'm sure that I will be able to lose the scale pretty soon but I want to get very consistant before that. :D

Post by **Niko** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:14 am

Sounds great Ron.
I dose my double basket with at least 16 grams, I usually go 17 grams and sometimes 18 depending on which bean.
I never put the scales away, I weigh almost every shot...I know, call me conservative but I use so many different varieties that I forget which bean fills the basket and so on.
Sounds like you're making progress very quickly, can't wait hear about the next morning's episode.
Did you get the timer? I programmed mine right when I got it (without a manual) and it works beautifully. I'm so glad I got a timer because latley I've been SO LAZY, especially on Saturdays. I'm so lazy that I won't get up to hit a button, holding that power button for 3 seconds has become a real chore.

...forgot to mention, I've also been too lazy to shut off the machine. Glad the timer does that too because it takes that extra effort for my finger to push yet another button.

Post by **blacroix** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:14 am

Niko - thanks for the info. Sounds like my pressure is set a bit higher than yours. I'm not giong to change it at this point, but it's good to have a reference point.

Ron - sounds like you're getting excellent results. I think I'm going to make a run to bed, bath and beyond today and pick up a scale... might be a good way to confirm consistency. Also, since you're on here pretty often and having good results, what is your pressure at during extraction?

I thought about the timer, but since I have to take a thyroid pill every morning... and I'm supposed to wait an hour to eat (or have any milk - apparently milk reacts to the thyroid horomone and neutralizes it)... I am my own timer. :)

EDIT: Thought I'd pop an update instead of another post... I did adjust my pressure down (8.3 now) and using temp of 93. While I still need to tweek the grind a bit more... the espresso coming out is much smoother. The wife said she can now drink the straight espresso. I tasted it and fully agree. This is exciting to have made so much progress in such a short time. Now... it's time to drink lots of water. :)

EDIT2: I went ahead and drilled a small hole in the drain pan (my machine is sitting directly above a small veggie sink in my wet bar). Sure is nice to pull shot after shot and not have to keep an eye on the drain pan level. The only thing I'm not overly thrilled with is that the bottom of the pan has some support ridges which doesn't allow for it to fully drain. I may get some of that self leveling resin (used for creating clear bar tops and such) to create a slope towards the drain hole so the drain pan is left completely empty.

Thanks for all the feedback! Your help is making my espresso better... faster!

Post by **RGoldman** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:44 am

Even better this morning. All of my channeling problems are gone (for now) I tried going up to 16 gms and still got a great shot. I think I might have had the grind a little too fine for that one as it was rather slow but still tasted great. Speaking of which.... Is there any sort of "time limit" whike the machine is running? Can anything be damaged by a really long pull? I was reading somewhere (and need to go back and find the information again) about pulling 6 or 7 second shots as a cafe crema or something like that. Anyone heard of this or tried it?
I need to do a little research on all the different type of espresso drinks I guess and start experimenting. I am also anxious to roast for the new machine now that things are going well.

The timer is wonderful! Simple to program and it's really nice to get up to a heated machine!

My extraction pressure looks to be half way between the 8 and 9 mark on the manometer. Does that seem about right? I have my temp at 94c.
Once I am more comfortable with everything, I suppose I can make some other changes to see what happens.

Thanks to everyone here for all the help so far. I'm sure this would have been much more dificult without all the information I have found by reading through this site and getting to see Tom's machine in action last weekend!

chas · Post by **chas** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:15 pm

Chris Coffee sets them at 9bar before they ship to you. However, the pressure setting is relative to the line pressure so when everyone gets them home and checks, they will vary from 9bar unless their home water pressure is exactly the same as that at Chris Coffee.

Post by **Niko** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:34 pm

RGoldman wrote: My extraction pressure looks to be half way between the 8 and 9 mark on the manometer. Does that seem about right? I have my temp at 94c.
Once I am more comfortable with everything, I suppose I can make some other changes to see what happens.

Mine keeps hitting that 8.2 bar exactly every time with 3 different coffees so far. I think Chas is right, the line pressure has everything to do with it. My incoming is 25psi according to the gauge (finally installed a gauge the other day).
I haven't changed my temp, Chris' had it set at 93c so I left it there for now. The coffees have been tasting different than other S1 because of this, different in a good way so far. I'm kind of surprised at the low temperature setting and how the coffees haven't been sour, yet.
Another thing I noticed right out of the box; the volumetric dosing is set already, my last machine wasn't set anywhere in the ballpark - the double cup button poured forever and the single poured for about a nano-second.

Post by **RGoldman** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:22 pm

I am on a well here and my pressure goes from 40psi-60psi so I had them send along a regulator. I don't have a gauge on it so it's set at wherever the default setting is. Seems to be quite stable so I"m sure everything is fine.
My flowmeter is not set andit will pour forever when I hit the double button. I figure I need a lot of practice before I bother setting it.
Tomorrow I am roasting for the upcoming week and I will make sure there is plenty to play with!
I got some green decaf from Vivace. I have never roasted decaf before. The beans sure look funky compared to the regular greens!

Post by **Niko** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:40 pm

Your regulator should be OK, I just put a gauge on mine recently and it's been firing the water in at exactly 25 psi since I had the old S1 on it. I just installed it before I connected the VII, everything was fine before but I was just curious about an actual reading.
Decaf beans do look weird and smell even weirder, they actually look roasted already but I guess that's what that process does to them.
How's the quality of water from the well?

Ron, you also said: "My flowmeter is not set and it will pour forever when I hit the double button. I figure I need a lot of practice before I bother setting it."

I think you should set it anyway, you don't have to be an advanced user to utilize it. As soon as you get some consistency, which sounds like you're there, program that thing to dispense just a little more than you need - you can always manually cut it off.

Post by **RGoldman** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:51 pm

Just pulled some shots of the Vito. 16gms and 30 seconds to get 1.75oz. I probably had it a little on the fine side but didn't adjust it from the Dolce. I like the Vito better. Very deep flavor. I am still savoring the taste as I type!
I thought the green decaf was roasted already when I first looked at it! Pretty funny.
My well water is great. I am completely spoiled after living here for the last 20 years. I am a bit of a water snob.....

My pH is 6.2, hardness below 50ppm, alkalinity is 40ppm. I am hoping that won't cause a problem over time with the Spaz since the pH is a little low.

I will work on the flow meter tomorrow while I'm roasting.
So far, I love this thing!

Post by **blacroix** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:50 am

Even though I have limited experience and have lots to learn... we went to dinner with another couple last night. After dinner, we came back to the house, fired up the espresso maker and had a couple drinks. Our friends loved their drinks... and I love how quickly I can pour them (the machine has to patiently sit and wait on me to get my routine down...)

What an absolute joy to have friends over and have drinks of the quality a machine like this can deliver.

My wife is having some of her girlfriends over later in the week. She said I'll be on barista duty. :)

Post by **Niko** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 1:31 pm

Did you get the timer?
If not, you should get the timer. It's awesome and it's so underrated, I can't live without it now.
Imagine coming home from dinner finding the ol' Spaz heated up and waiting for you. I just got to remember to disable the timer before I leave for the weekends...

The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

I bought the last Vivaldi VII

I bought the last Vivaldi VII

Placing my order on Monday!!!

Re: Placing my order on Monday!!!

Re: Placing my order on Monday!!!

Re: Placing my order on Monday!!!

Re: Placing my order on Monday!!!

First post