Nuova Simonelli is presenting a slick-looking new line of what look like home machines at the HOST show this week in Milan. Seems to be called "La Musica." Anyone have any information on them?



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Certainly an improvement on the Oscar in appearance

Marshall,

Thanks for posting this. I was looking at Victoria Arduino's Adonis and thought it was one beautiful machine, though it seems to be somewhat of a commercial semi-superautomatic. The La Musica looks like a close cousin and is available as a single group, obviously by your picture. Hoping the La Musica is in the same price range as the Appia, but I doubt it.

another_jim wrote:Certainly an improvement on the Oscar in appearance

I suspect the price will be an "improvement" as well.

Look at the machine's size and accompanying Grinta grinder -- it's almost certainly an Oscar replacement. No clue about the price, but it's hard to see them going to, say, 2K, when the Oscar is less than 1K.

Looks pretty cool I think.

Steam wand doesn't look to be on a ball joint. looks like it swivels, like on the Isomac Tea and Millenium. Looks like it might not give a good angle in the pitcher. Of course, I could be wrong here, and this could just be a "version 1" for the show. Who knows.

I do like the buttons on the group, as well as the steam "lever", like on their commercial machines. And, Ive always liked the way the cup trays are "lower", or "sunk in" surronded by walls.. Like on the Appia. 100% a looks issue, but nice in my book.

If its the replacement for the oscar, it is a nice replacement indeed, aesthetically anyway. And Im someone who thinks the Oscar looks pretty good.. Not great, but good.

Would love to see some specs.. Im assuming an HX.

Wow! This looks like a really nice machine. Assuming that it is a "replacement" for Oscar, I think it would be a winner at anything close to Oscar'a price. It remains to be seen if the $ vs. Euro can allow a ~$1k La Musica - but just at first look, it answers all of Oscar's detractions, vide: metal vs. plastic housing and the inclusion of hot water tap & pressure gauge.

Under Oscar's plastic skin (actually it is quite thick ABS plastic) is an insulated copper boiler (size: ?), Sirai P-stat (according to Chris Coffee), etc., etc. If the final production La Musica is as the picture appears, it will come with several useless doo-dads which we Americans insist upon. Stuff like a chrome body to be forever smudged and streaked, a pressure gage which will rarely be consulted and a hot water tap which will rarely be used.

Still, if it is anywhere near $1k, it is the machine to get!

Len

It's not about the chrome or the sex appeal; it's about the love. We often make fun of machine "fan boys," but if a machine and its shots are so plain, boring and forgettable that all it gets from its owners is an "it's OK, I guess," that's the kiss of death. And nobody ever sang a rhapsody to the Oscar.

I've been reviewing machines for a while, and I still don't know the combination of factors that makes some a yawn and some a hit.

Jim,

An interesting post! Actually, I NEVER hear anyone "ooooo-ing" about the shots from Oscar...but there seem to be so few who have/use them.

In your opinion, does Oscar produce boring shots?

Len

The Oscar is delivered with a 12 gram basket and a PF so shallow, it that can't even hold the deeper double baskets like LM's, Faema's or Cimbali's. So for the high dose blends, the stock machine is a non-starter, producing thin shots. This is the only configuration I've sampled, so I can't give even close to a fair comment on how the machine would do once properly set up.

But in terms of sex appeal, it's the Dodge minivan of espresso machines.