altes.tauchen -> Technik --> Kompaktregler ---> FAQ ----> Der beste Kompaktregler

Ich hebe diesen Diskussionsbeitrag von Luis, einem technisch sehr erfahrenen amerikanischen alten Taucher,  hier mal hervor, nicht, weil ich unbedingt der gleichen Meinung bin ;-)), sondern weil er gut darstellt, welche Punkte man beachten sollte, wenn man sich heute einen Kompaktregler beschafft, um mit ihm zu tauchen:

The Best Double Hose Regulator  (hier kann man die komplette Diskussion lesen)
Luis said in the Vintage Scuba Supply Community Forum, Apr 8, 2008:

Golden Royal Aquamaster von 1968IMHO the Royal Aqua Master is the most versatile and over all best double hose for diving.

Most of the new Aqua Lung regulators use the
same first stage parts as the RAM and the second stage in the RAM is a basic down stream design that also shares the soft seat with many single hose second stages.
Therefore,
replacement parts for the regulator itself will be available as long as Aqua Lung is in business and they are available most anywhere in the world, since Aqua Lung has one of the largest dealer net works.

With a
hookah adapter it is also very easy to adjust the IP and low pressure accessories can be used such as dry suit inflator, etc. Some accessories (like the dry suit inflator) may not be vintage, but are real life needs for some of us.

Also the
Royal Aqua Master with its balanced first stage can be used with any tank pressure and the only limit would be some of the yokes with tanks over 3000 psi. Rental aluminum tanks with 3000 psi are never a problem.

The
Mistral is a great simple regulator and we can obtain reproduction seats from VDH, but being an upstream single stage regulator it only likes low pressure tanks, 2475 psi or less. The lower the pressure the better it breaths and higher pressures puts undesirable wear on the seat.
The
Mistral is a fun regulator, but it has limitations in everyday diving if there is a need for low pressure for dry suit, etc. It doesn't have any intermediate pressure since it is only a single stage.

The
Aqua Master is also a great regulator. The second stage, main body, and cans are the same as the Royal Aqua Master. The only difference is the first stage in an Aqua Master is not balanced. Its IP is affected by tank pressure. It breaths harder with high tank pressure (it is the opposite as an unbalanced piston regulators). It can be used with tanks up to 3000 psi but it performs better with lower pressures.
New reproduction first stage seats for the Aqua Master are not available.
Some NOS are around and many of us have resurface an old seat, but there is a limit as to how many times you can polish a seat back to being flat and still have material left.

An
Aqua Master can be converted to a Royal Aqua Master by replacing the first stage assembly. First stage nozzles/ bodies for RAM are hard to find, but it can also be converted with a Phoenix nozzle.
The
Phoenix nozzle will convert any Aqua Master (or regular RAM) into what we call a Phoenix Royal Aqua Master. It is mechanically the same as a RAM, but it has low and high pressure ports for pressure gauge and any other accessories. It makes it compatible with modern gear and therefore acceptable on charter boats and other places that require the use of a pressure gauge, BC, octopus, etc. (BTW, Luis ist der Entwickler des Phoenix Nozzle ;-))

The
Phoenix RAM can also be used with any pressure tank that allows a yoke (or even a DIN at least in theory). One of my buddies uses his with 3442 psi tanks all the time with no issues.

It could said that I am biased towards the
Phoenix Royal Aqua Master since I designed the modified first stage, but my preference for any RAM dates back to the very early 70's.

altes.tauchen -> Technik --> Kompaktregler ---> FAQ ----> Der beste Kompaktregler

updated: 28.12.21