Mares Abyss & Voltrex
CHONG KIAN FAH, ALSON
the price).
Thanks.
Mattisson Thomas
From what I've heard, the mayor difference is the first stage. I don't know
what the differences are except that the outlets for hoses are placed
differently. The only difference in the second stage is that the Abyss
has a teflon coated lever, and the voltrex has not as standard. If you
install the cold water diving kit on the voltrex, which includes the teflon
coated lever, there is no difference at all in the second stage.
As I said, I'm not really sure about this. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
/Thomas
Carlton Chong
>
>Can someone advise me the different of Mares - Abyss and Voltrex (beside
>the price).
>
>Thanks.
>
Not much difference other than the first stage and LP hose. The Abyss
uses the MR22 first stage while the Voltrex uses the MR12. The MR22 is
an L shaped but not swivel style. It has two HP ports unlike the MR12
which only has one. The Abyss uses a 1/2" primary LP hose while the Voltrex
uses a high flow 3/8" LP hose.
They both breathe REAL nice!! I've been diving with the Voltrex for 3
years now and I won't switch to any other reg... other than a Abyss Titanium. :-)
DiverGAway
in design and output of air. Both are good regulators but the
specifications for the Abyss are better. If the difference in price is
not to much I would recommend the Abyss. THis will do just about any dive
you will want to do now or later.
Have fun and Safe Diving
Bob Wills
Divers Get-Away
wvi...@mail1.i1.net
In Article<4iotci$i...@raffles.technet.sg>, <chon...@po.pacific.net.sg> write:
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> From: "CHONG KIAN FAH, ALSON" <chon...@po.pacific.net.sg>
> Newsgroups: rec.scuba,rec.scuba.equipment
> Subject: Mares Abyss & Voltrex
> Date: 20 Mar 1996 12:23:46 GMT
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>
> Can someone advise me the different of Mares - Abyss and Voltrex (beside
> the price).
>
> Thanks.
>
better designed and improved. The 2nd stages seem very similar. The Abyss has
a special LP on the 1st stage for the 2nd stage hose that is configured
specifically for the very fine air flow rates. I have asked Mares for more
info. If that arrives I will follow up.
-Wayne-
afm
>
> In Article<4iotci$i...@raffles.technet.sg>, <chon...@po.pacific.net.sg> write:
> > Path: news1.i1.net!news.keyway.net!news.atlantic.net!despina.neptune.com!news.new-york.net!news.iag.net!news.math.psu.edu!psuvax1!news.cc.swarthmore.edu!netn
> > Newsgroups: rec.scuba,rec.scuba.equipment
> > Subject: Mares Abyss & Voltrex
> > Date: 20 Mar 1996 12:23:46 GMT
> > Organization: HOME
> > Lines: 5
> > Message-ID: <4iotci$i...@raffles.technet.sg>
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> >
> > Can someone advise me the different of Mares - Abyss and Voltrex (beside
> > the price).
> >
> > Thanks.
Bothe the Voltrex and the Abyss have the MR22 second stage and both have
DFC (dynamic flow control) in their first stages. The basis difference
is that the Abyss has an extremly high performance first stage. The
comment we hear from customers who try the Abyss is that it breathes so
easily that they forgot that they were breathing. If you can afford it,
It is well worth the money.
Art Melvin --- Discover Scuba --- Houston, Texas
http://www.discoverscuba.com
in...@discoverscuba.com
713-480-8530
Brian Raskin
: is that the Abyss has an extremly high performance first stage. The
: comment we hear from customers who try the Abyss is that it breathes so
: easily that they forgot that they were breathing. If you can afford it,
: It is well worth the money.
: Art Melvin --- Discover Scuba --- Houston, Texas
: http://www.discoverscuba.com
: in...@discoverscuba.com
: 713-480-8530
Allow me to step in here.
I own both the Abyss and the Voltrex. They DO NOT have the same first
stage. However, they are effectively THE SAME second stage. They
differ, in fact, in their first stages.
The Abyss uses the MR22. The Voltrex uses the MR12. Both are high
performance....very high performance. Both second stages have DFC. The
MR22 first also has its own style DFC. The MR12 does not.
Hope this helps.
For the record, I have breathed a great many at great depth. The
Poseidin line is as good at depth as the Abyss. No other that I have
used does as well. However, the Poseidin also free-flows, ironically, at
shallow depths (30 feet) whereas the Abyss is more stable all around.
Safe diving all.
Brian
Life - for a limited period only.....
Whilst at a Dive Show a few months ago, I asked the bloke on the Mares
stand the difference between the Abyss and the Voltrex.
He said the only difference was in the first stage, and that the Voltrex
performs the same, if not better, anyway.
So, saves ya dosh, and buy the Voltrex.
TTFN
CAS
*I reserve the right to change my opinions without prior notice*
JT.Ripper
>wvi...@mail1.i1.net wrote:
>>
>> In Article<4iotci$i...@raffles.technet.sg>, <chon...@po.pacific.net.sg> write:
>> > Path: news1.i1.net!news.keyway.net!news.atlantic.net!despina.neptune.com!news.new-york.net!news.iag.net!news.math.psu.edu!psuvax1!news.cc.swarthmore.edu!netn
>> > From: "CHONG KIAN FAH, ALSON" <chon...@po.pacific.net.sg>
>> > Newsgroups: rec.scuba,rec.scuba.equipment
>> > Subject: Mares Abyss & Voltrex
>> > Date: 20 Mar 1996 12:23:46 GMT
>> > Organization: HOME
>> > Lines: 5
>> > Message-ID: <4iotci$i...@raffles.technet.sg>
>> > NNTP-Posting-Host: max81ppp109.pacific.net.sg
>> > Mime-Version: 1.0
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>> > X-Mailer: Mozilla 1.22KIT (Windows; I; 16bit)
>> > Xref: news1.i1.net rec.scuba:91568 rec.scuba.equipment:1526
>> >
>> > Can someone advise me the different of Mares - Abyss and Voltrex (beside
>> > the price).
>> >
>> > Thanks.
The Voltrex and Abyss have identical second stages. There is no
difference in preformance between the two. The first stage are
different. The Abyss uses the MR22, which is a vertical mount first
stage with different hose routing than the MR12 first stage that the
Voltrex uses. Both first stages, although different in appearance,
use the same identical components internally. The difference in
performance between these two regulators would have to be measrued on
a flow bench with a very accurate magnehelic test gauge. The only
real reason for the advent of the Abyss, is that the first stage
offers two HP ports because of the new hoseless air integrated
computers. Mares wanted a first stage that could support a redundant
SPG. If you have no intention of using a hoseless air integrated
computer, then save your money because the Voltrex will perform just
as well as the Abyss. As for the DFC technology, they both use the
same size hoses and port diameters. That is what makes the DFC
techology. DFC means Direct Flow Controll, i.e. more air flow at
depth, i.e. larger port and hose diameters.
DiverGAway
is wrong. The Voltrex uses the Navy 12 1st stage and the Abyss the MR22
1st stage. There is no comparrison in design or preformance. Some parts
may be the same but that is not what makes the preformance. The Voltrex
is an excelent regulator but the Abyss is better. This is not only per
the test bench but by customers who have both. I do not care which one
you buy but if you are going to spend your hard earned money at least know
what you are getting for it.
Have Fun and Safe Diving
Bob Wills
Divers Get-Away
JT.Ripper
differences between the Abyss and the Voltrex. I have been a
regulator technician for the past five years and a Mares technician
for the past three years. I have serviced and overhaul both of these
regulators on a regular basis and see the results in the field and on
the bench. I did not intend to post erroneous information in any way
shape or form.
However, I did make the statement that the hose diameters and the port
sizes are the same among the DFC regulators. That statement is
untrue. I should have chosen my words more carefully. The point that
I was attempting (albeit poorly) to make was that there is no
NOTICABLE increase in performance between the two regulators.
However, in order to retract my misinformation. The Abyss does have a
larger DFC port and a larger ID on the LP hose. But the Second stages
are identical. There is no increase in the diameter of the valve cone
orifice or the bypass tube. In order to appreciably increase the
performance of the regulator, you would have to increase the diameter
of the entire circuit involved. Which you cannot do without balancing
the second stage. Otherwise you would need a hammer and chisel to get
the second stage to crack and give you air.
As for the advanced technology in the MR22 first stage. The only
change in the technology is the increased port size and a change in
the orientation of the DFC to reduce the developed turbulence during
gas expansion. Advanced technology? Hardly. As for the
"performance" increase, I called the Mares USA service technicians to
verify that my information was not just a figment of my imagination.
The only increase in performance that Mares and The Navy could measure
between the two regulators was an increase in first stage flow rate to
a maximum of 300 lpm over the 4500 lpm that the MR12 first stage
offers. That represents a 6.7% increase in flow rate at 200 BAR
(~3000 psi). That is measuring the maximum flow rate of the first
stage. It does not include the rate reduction that occurs when the
second stage is added to the circuit. When asked what that 6.7%
increase translated into for a diver, the Mares tech responded, "it is
a negligible increase that would never be noticed by a diver". I
would like to meet the diver that can tell they are getting 7% more
air off one regulator than another when both regs have the same
cracking pressure. If a Voltrex doesn't breath as well as an Abyss,
the Voltrex is not adjusted properly.
If I offended anyone (Abyss owners or otherwise) I apologize. My
initial posting was not intended to create an argument. My only
interest was to simplify the matter for the person that originally
asked the difference between the two regulators. In response to that
original query, I repeat. Do you need two high pressure ports? If
not, save your money and buy a Voltrex. You will not be disappointed.
So far, our customers have not been able to tell a difference.
JT.Ripper - AKA Divers.
John Stevens
for a limited period only....." <ca...@coventry.ac.uk> writes
>On 24 Mar 1996, DiverGAway wrote:
>
>> The first stage is completly different between the Voltrex and the Abyss
>> in design and output of air. Both are good regulators but the
>> specifications for the Abyss are better. If the difference in price is
>> not to much I would recommend the Abyss. THis will do just about any dive
>> you will want to do now or later.
>>
>> Bob Wills
>> Divers Get-Away
>>
>>
>
>
>Whilst at a Dive Show a few months ago, I asked the bloke on the Mares
>stand the difference between the Abyss and the Voltrex.
>
>He said the only difference was in the first stage, and that the Voltrex
>performs the same, if not better, anyway.
>
>So, saves ya dosh, and buy the Voltrex.
>
>
>TTFN
>
>CAS
>
>
>*I reserve the right to change my opinions without prior notice*
I am fortunate ( or unfortunate, depends on your point of view ) enough
to have done many dives with the Voltrex and the Abyss in many different
countries and climates / water conditions. They are both exceptional
regs and perform very well with reasonably cheep maintenence costs. ( I
now own two Abyss and one voltrex - so this may be a bit biassed ! ).
The Abyss is a fair chunk dearer ( at least in the UK ) but more than
worth the extra cost. Air delivery is excellent from depths ranging
from 5 meters to 48 meters ( sorry all you "Deep Dudes" but I'm not
brave / stupid enough to go any deeper ) and I cannot remember ever
having a free flow with it even in water down to 2 degrees C!
For those of you with oodles of disposeable income the Abyss is now
avalible in titanium as well - although I think that it's a bit
overkill!
--
John Stevens
PADI,ANDI & HSE Instructor
DiverGAway
avalible in titanium as well - although I think that it's a bit
overkill!>
The titanium is a coating only. The body of the regulator is the same in
the chrome and titanium. Only the surface is different.
Have Fun and Safe Diving
Bob Wills
Divers Get-Away