New toy

[osks]

Hi everyone!

I just unpacked my new toy: a Vivaldi 2. I'm already in love with it! Already on the third try (including dialing in), I got a really good espresso. Way easier than I ever expected it to be. I used a naked portafilter and the extraction looked very nice as well (this surprised me even more...), but no pictures on that I'm afraid.

I haven't finished my real set-up yet, so just the machine for now:


Of course I had too see what's inside!


The manometer was (is) a bit of, but it seems to be a common issue. Some other minor stuff, but nothing that you can see unless you look for it, so I'm very pleased overall.

[osks]

Seems like the pictures doesn't work now. I'll try to fix them.

[chas]

There is just one bolt at the top center of the gauge that holds it in place. It looks like your gauge rotated slightly counter-clockwise around that bolt. It should be an easy fix.

[Endo]

Hmmm....something odd here.

Looks like one of the new machines with the embossed logos and non-plated brew boiler, but the top cover is the old one (no stainless sides and holes rather than grooves). Did they run out of the new tops at the factory or something?

Steam wand looks like the old short model too.

Did you at least get the new portfilters with it?

[osks]

There is just one bolt at the top center of the gauge that holds it in place. It looks like your gauge rotated slightly counter-clockwise around that bolt. It should be an easy fix.

Ah, thanks for the tip!

[osks]

Hmmm....something odd here.

Looks like one of the new machines with the embossed logos and non-plated brew boiler, but the top cover is the old one (no stainless sides and holes rather than grooves). Did they run out of the new tops at the factory or something?

Steam wand looks like the old short model too.

Did you at least get the new portfilters with it?

I got the new portafilters, yes. Unfortunately with a manufacturing error: The grove (or what you would call it) for the spring was cut far down, close to the bottom in the portafilter, so the springs (which weren't included either...) didn't really work. New ones are on the way though.

It's indeed the old top (I got the plastic guard/rail, but I won't be using it). I have no idea why they sent the old one, could be that they had some left and decided to get rid of them or something. Doesn't matter that much to me, to be honest, but it's a bit confusing.

There's a longer steam wand? I was surprised by how far down it sat; you really have to know how to turn it, to get it above the drip tray for the purge. How does that work with the longer steam wand? (Edit: Found pictures of the longer steam wand (from S5?). I must have the short one then.)

(I bought the machine from Espressolutions. They have been helpful so far.)

[Endo]

If the wand fits close to the tray, it's the new longer arm. Must have been the camera angle that made it look shorter.

I agree the new top is mostly cosmetic. It has sides which hide the hollow inside of the side covers and prevent smaller items from falling down inside. I removed my plastic tray too and have never had any problems, so it's no big deal. I suspect LaSpaziale had some old tops left over when the new fanless machines came out.

Your machine does have no steam boiler fan...right? (That's the most significant change on the new machines). To check, you should hear no noise at all when the steam boiler light comes on.

[osks]

Your machine does have no steam boiler fan...right? (That's the most significant change on the new machines). To check, you should hear no noise at all when the steam boiler light comes on.

Nope, no fan. (Edit: I removed all sides before I even turned it on the first time, and I couldn't see any fan.)

[Endo]

Nope, no fan. (Edit: I removed all sides before I even turned it on the first time, and I couldn't see any fan.)

Good. That's all that really matters, since it is the only functional change/improvement over the last 3 years (after the p/i software improvements were added). All other changes have been mostly cosmetic and/or cost cutting (i.e. top cover, embossed logos, portfilters, boiler plating removal, longer wand, etc).

[BeRad]

I thought only the 120VAC versions had the fan. If it was bought through espressosolutions it must be 230VAC and to my knowledge these never had fans.

I still think that the new top may be exclusive to CC. I bought my machine last August through espressosolutions (via a German retailer) and it had all the 'upgrades' minus the new top. Was a little disappointed at first but it's completely a non-issue now. I'm curious if anyone has gotten a machine from a distributor other than CC and received the new top.

Enjoy your new toy!

[slo]

Your machine does have no steam boiler fan...right? (That's the most significant change on the new machines).

How is this a most significant change? How is it important? (Edit: although I do recognise that it is a an improvement).
It would not difference to me what so ever! All the cosmetic change, which are for the most part minor but improvements, are much more "important" really! But not important at all!
I have the fan. Installed 2 washers below and that was it for the noise.

[JanLundDK]

I still think that the new top may be exclusive to CC.

Spot on! I'm about to buy a mini, and was talking with the dealer here in Denmark. He said, that he had the newest model with the new logodesign and portafilters. The new top is something Chris Coffee has helped design, and he is the only one allowed to sell the machines with this new top.

So if you buy a machine by someone else than Chris, you'll "only" get the new logo and portafilters.

[chas]

Too be completely clear, since CCS is the sole US distributor for the S1, pretty much any supplier in the US will get you the CCS special design features. As I understand it, when you buy from other US vendors, the S1 still drop ships from CCS.

Of course most of the examples in this thread are from outside the US so that fact is not much help.

[BeRad]

I thought I recalled another thread where a person got a new machine via a CCS distributor and didn't get the new top. Rereading that thread I see that the buyer was in Canada (does CCS distribute there as well?) and the machine was actually an older model w/ none of the recent changes.

So, you're probably right. Any S1 coming through CCS should have the new top. I can't imagine they would go through the trouble of adding the tops to the machines they sell directly but not to ones they supply to other retailers. But that's just a guess. Someone w/ firsthand experience may want to chime in w/ the actual facts.

[chas]

Well then there's also the problem of factory inventory. For example, I received one of the first S1 V2's and the decal on the front of the drip tray did not have the V2 on it due to LaSpaz burning off old inventory or having older machines/parts in the pipeline. So every time there is a minor design change it can be a while before you are assured of getting a machine with all the latest design changes.

My current GS/3 machine is an extreme example. I purchased it in February a couple of years ago. When I received it I discovered it had been manufactured the previous April!

[Endo]

It used to be a few years ago that CaffeTech was the only CCS distributor in Canada. Now, there seem to be quite a few other Canadian retailers that sell the CCS machines. Makes you wonder how much mark-up there is with all these middle-men??

I got my machine from Cafe Union in Montreal. They've been the business a while (very old school with no machine changes) and sell direct from LaSapziale (not through CCS).

[Endo]

Your machine does have no steam boiler fan...right? (That's the most significant change on the new machines).

How is this a most significant change? How is it important? (Edit: although I do recognise that it is a an improvement).

Most significant in the sense it is actally a functional change (not purely cosmetic like the others). Though I agree with regard to taste improvement, all these change are insignificant. The last improvement in the cup came with the additon of p/i.

The removal of the fan should be an improvement in reliablity. Adding a little computer fan 1 inch away from a 3-way valve water exit is a dumb idea IMO! An obvious afterthought for the 120v version.