My new baby

[pierre63]

I just got my new machine 5 days ago, i'm very pleased with it. For the past 5 years i used the Silvia/Rocky combo, the Silvia did the job,
but i was tired of temp surfing, and i wanted a machine with a PID. So i went for the Vivaldi, i bought it from idrinkcoffee.ca it came in 6 days later
in perfect condition.

So far i'm happy and i'm very proud.

[slo]

Congratulation!

Montreal is starting to develop as a major Vivaldi Hub!

[Endo]

Looking good!

There seems to be a distortion in the reflection on the left side of the front panel. Is the screw tightened too tight or does it perhaps need a spacer/shim?

Is the Nespresso jealous?

[GDK]

Good catch Endo. I also suspect the left side of the pressure gauge not being in place thus pushing the plate forward and causing the bent.

A beautiful machine!

[pierre63]

The Nespresso belong to my wife, she does not use it much, i don't know why... but she always
drink the latte i make every morning, even during Miss Silvia's years !
I'm pretty much against super automatics, pods and all the alike, but, ce que femme veut, dieu le veut.
(what wife wants, god wants)

In your opinion, should i upgrade my grinder ? Until now, i was very satisfied with the Rocky, with the Vivaldi i feel
that i could use a better grinder but i don't want to change if it does not make a difference in the cup (better extraction)


Thank you everybody,
Endo, i will check about the front panel.

[slo]

In your opinion, should i upgrade my grinder ? Until now, i was very satisfied with the Rocky, with the Vivaldi i feel that i could use a better grinder but i don't want to change if it does not make a difference in the cup (better extraction)

Yes,it would change the extraction, pour and more importantly the taste. I dare recommend any grinder not knowing your budget but since you could afford a Vivaldi, you should at least spring for a Baratza Vario. I also had a 50mm Rancilio (MD40) grinder and when I switched to the B-Vario. I was very happy with the change.

Edit: For the front panel. I was also was getting some distortion until I installed rubber spacers behind the panel.

[GDK]

I also have the Rocky and have been exploring upgrade options for quite a while. Budget is not a significant constraint in my case. You may have the same restriction like me - grinder will have to fit under the kitchen cabinets. So, for me the SJ and the likes are out of the question. I am now between the Vario and the Pharos (manual grinder with large conical burrs).

[Endo]

I've owned both the Silvia and Rocky so I figure I can comment:

The Vivaldi is a big step up in taste compared to the Silvia. The jump up in taste going from the Rocky to the Vario is about the same sized jump.

You could probably sell the Rocky for $150 in Montreal, and a new Vario will cost you $490 online at idrinkcoffee.

If you are on a tight budget, you might want to consider the Baratza Precisio which sells for $320 at the same place.

I own the Vario but have never tried the Precisio, although I've heard it is as good as the Vario in taste, but lacking in the timed dosing convenience (which is easily worth the extra $170 in my opinion).

The Pharos is interesting, and only $250..... but it's still just a unproven hand grinder. For me, it doesn't go with the Vivaldi philosphy.

[pierre63]

Thanks for the replies, i will wait a few weeks before getting a new grinder,one thing for sure; i will not buy a manual grinder, i already have gone that way
and i never use it, it's to much effort; i had to spin the handle for 2 or 3 minutes only to have enough for the first double of the morning.
So i will take the time to get acquainted with the Vivaldi first, and then make the right move... hopefully.

I have another question, i'm getting wet pucks, is it normal to have muddy pucks? I tried 15, 16, 17 and 18 grams dosing and i always
get wet pucks, i'm surprised because i'm getting good results in the cup, good crema no sink shot, my best extractions are obtained
with 15 to 16 grams dosing. I'm not concerned that much because My shot were pretty good right from the start.

Web album of the arrival of my new baby,
https://picasaweb.google.com/pierre.hdn ... aleVivaldi

[Endo]

Wet pucks are fairly common. It seems to depend largely on your coffee.

Seems like you're doing all things right. 16g is a good dose. The grinder can always wait. Enjoy your new machine!

[jbb]

In your opinion, should i upgrade my grinder ?

I also have the Rocky and have been exploring upgrade options

congrats on the new machine Pierre.

I'd concur with Endo and Slo re comparisons between the Vario and Rocky. Endo's grind adjustment problems notwithstanding, the Vario would be an especially good choice if you want a single grinder that can handle drip/press and espresso. I used a Rocky/Silvia kit for years before moving to Vario/S1. right now the s1 is out of commission while the tile guys complete the work on a new coffee bar. i was going to just do drip during this period but after reading this post decided would be interesting to haul out the Silvia and pair it with the Vario. just for fun here's a picture of the two, hanging out taking up space on the kitchen counter.

VarioSilvia.jpg (94.2 KiB) Viewed 15415 times

Impressions. I'd quickly forgotten how much work is involved in making espresso with Silvia; the S1 has definitely spoiled me. Using a familiar blend (Redbird) the flavors i've been getting from the Vario/Silvia pairing are noticeably more defined than they were with the Rocky. In fact, some of the shots i've been getting are darn good if i say so myself; in particular a nice 1 oz 85% brew ratio pull this AM with pronounced cherry. never got the cherry very clearly with the Rocky before. but the rich sweetness that i've come to associate with my S1/Vario set up is more muted from Silvia, and the pulls aren't nearly as pretty. Based on this comparison, and considering the great drip I get from the Vario, I come away thinking its a pretty good deal at $450 US. sets the stage for getting a dedicated espresso grinder at some point in the future and switching Vario to drip.