LM in Australia has started advertising an updated Linea Mini that includes the no burn steam wand used elsewhere in the LM universe.

Anyone have any extra details about what else changed in the update?

I've spent the last 5 months getting to know my GS/3, and while I can honestly say I don't anticipate ever replacing it with anything other than another GS/3, I do have a few things that I would like to see if La Marzocco ever went back to the drawing board.

The Niche Zero V2 thread got me thinking about what other folks might like to see, as well. So, following Rob's lead, what would current or future owners of a GS/3 like to have implemented if there was a V2? What might persuade you to make your next machine a GS/3 if you've been on the fence?


Customized your GS/3: Body, panels, portafilter, group cap can be changed (at a price!)

For me, I'll break it down into a few categories:

Performance/Features:

• Needle valve profiling. Preferably with a paddle activating a potentiometer and remote actuation of the needle valve to allow flow based, pressure based or valve position based profiles.
  
  This is where my profiling valve lives and I wouldn't give up this capability for anything. Tying it to a paddle would be slick. Making it smart, even better.
• Record/Playback profiles based on above criteria.
• Preinfusion programming that offers line pressure as an option instead of just opening the 3-way.
• Gravimetric dosing.
• The steaming is fantastic, but the low-mounted valve assembly leads to a large volume of condensate to be purged out before each use.
  • E-Steam?
  • Strada style proportional steam lever?
  • Side-mounted lever actuated steam like Slayer/Synesso?
    Custom side mounted steam lever from user chrisvarghese
• Smart timer with multiple on/off times and day of the week schedules.
• Eco/Standby/Shot Puller Modes

Ergonomics/Ease of use:

• Give me a paddle on the AV. Make it like a Synesso or Slayer. Select your dose button for flow based or gravimetric dose size, slide paddle to center for preinfusion, all the way left to pull the shot and have the shot terminate automatically when the correct yield is reached.
• Better UI. 16x2 LCD may work, but I think it's time for a refresh, but I'm not a big fan of touchscreens on espresso machines...
• Barista Lights?

Reliability/Serviceability

• Rethink on how the logic board is protected from possible leaks; perhaps have the components secured to the top of the electronics tray and have the cables enter from below.
• Conformally coat the logic board
• Improved quality internal plastics -Brain box, keypad box and drain box subject to cracking.
• Easier to work on. It is very tight under the hood of a stock GS/3. Could the plumbing be revamped to make it less cluttered while still maintaining excellent thermal stability?
• Consider ditching the Tea water mixing valve, simplify the hot water plumbing a la LMLM
  
  It may be functional, but it sure is tough to get to any leaky fittings buried in here!

Aesthetics:

• I am a fan of the basic shape and appearance. What would you change?
• More custom colors/handles/side panels/feet?

Something Else?:

• Maybe I'm missing a category all together. What would you like to see if La Marzocco gave you free reign on your dream GS/3?
• I'd like to see a new model. MP-V or AV-P for the tricked out model with volumetrics/gravimentrics as well as manual/automated profiling.
• Leva X Group!

Let me know your thoughts! What would you add, subtract, or improve? I can update this first post and pretend like your ideas were mine!

Cheers!

- Jake

Needle valve profiling.

This this this this

And for good measure again, this... is why don't have a GS/3 today. And why I took other measures to get needle valve profiling.

My mod was Ironically based on guidance from GS/3 Jake

-Peter

Before Jake's post I would have said a gear pump and no wasting of water to do a profile but when Jake says they've exceeded his dreams I might be ready to bite.

Jake, might you be able do this same analysis for the KvdW Speedster Idro-matic?

All or most of what you are asking for is available as a single group Strada. AFAIK.

The problem with that is size. Not just of the machine but if the price sticker.

When you average in the price of the components - it isn't that expensive. My guess is that it takes more time to assemble the parts and the likelihood of a leak that has to be fixed increases. Also, the stick of spare parts goes up.

IMHO - a flip of what you are asking is what I'd "give up" for the FrakenG3. IMHO giving up the mixing valves (a-la LMLM) would make a lot of sense for my 1-2-3 espressos a day. So giving up the mixers and getting an automated needle valve in its stead would be a worthwhile trade.

Flipping the board to the top of the box should have been done. Even at the cost of a new box. It is a time bomb for lots of machines out there. That had a few leaks - maybe insignificant - and capillary action packed water between the board and the box. Silly. Obviously - if you Conformally Coated it it becomes a non issue but few did.

A gear pump is great BTW - but it doesn't cover the same range as a metering valve. So it needs an extra gicleur to help. Or perhaps a high flow regulator set to low pressure - like the big Watts.

Oh - and better quality plastics. The plastics fall apart after 7-10 years. I replaced the brain box, the keypad box, and tar cared the drain box.

BaristaBoy E61 wrote:Before Jake's post I would have said a gear pump and no wasting of water to do a profile but when Jake says they've exceeded his dreams I might be ready to bite.

It was hard to tell from your post, but just so you know, there is no wasting water with Jake's mod. All of it goes through the group... At whatever flow rate you like, and you can change/adjust it on the fly. And precisely too, I should add.

-Peter

When discussing the GS3 remember there are two versions - the
MP and the AV. Obviously Jake is referring to the AV version which has no bypass and does not waste water.

Many default to the MP when they hear GS3.

LM GS4 Leva X would be dope

Quick question.

I've seen before Jake you adding flow profiling to the GS3. Was this because you had the AV one?

I was at the La Marzocco Cafe in Seattle and to my surprise they let people pull shots on their equipment. So I chose the MP GS3 and honestly I fell in love. Maybe because it's just my first time using commercial quality equipment but everything just even from how snug and perfectly the PF locks in feels great. I felt that the manual paddle was sufficient enough if you wanted to do flow profiling except other than the paddle maybe being a little too stiff to find a good position.

AssafL wrote:When discussing the GS3 remember there are two versions - the
MP and the AV. Obviously Jake is referring to the AV version which has no bypass and does not waste water.

Many default to the MP when they hear GS3.

Yes, the current conical valve MP is the "water waster". I'm aware of that. But I believe Jake told me you can install a "Jake-valve" on a conical valve MP and make it not waste water... It's just that you will not be using the conical valve the way you do now. You might be bypassing it altogether. I'll have to defer to Jake here for anything further.

-Peter