I replaced the original vibration pump into a gear pump to change water pressure during extracting

What's the machine recommended warm up time in each mode? Can you realistically brew good shots (both espresso and steaming) in 20 minutes or less?

I give it 30 minutes minimum and use a timer to start up in the morning.

kangkang wrote:I replaced the original vibration pump into a gear pump to change water pressure during extracting

Which gear pump?

I'm hoping to catch another_jim's attention here, because I want to ask something about his repeated comments that the preinfusion of the Mara X "makes it significantly better for light roasts than any conventional E61." This excited me when I read his original review of the X.

Sour espresso has been the bane of my existence since I started pulling shots for myself about 10 years ago. Originally, I assumed the problem was my Gaggia Classica, which has well-documented problems with temperature stability. I upgraded that to a Quick Mill Carola about 7 years ago, giving me a solid E61 machine and that helped a bit. Three-and-a-half years later I upgraded my grinder from a Baratza Virtuoso Preciso to a Niche Zero and that initially seemed to solve the problem. Over time though my shots have gotten sourer again and recently they've been nearly undrinkable.

Given that I've changed machines and grinders, and used dozens of highly respected coffees, it would seem that the problem has to be my technique. On the other hand, I'm a very careful person, measure grams going in and coming out, use WDT, watch my naked portafilter for channeling...it's hard to see where I could be going significantly wrong. I've also experimented ad infinitum with recipes to increase extraction.

To be clear, I get great results with traditional Italian blends. It's the modern American roasts that don't work. I know what these are meant to taste like and I like integrated acidity. That's not what I'm getting.

So along comes another_jim and says: "The E61 is tuned for coffees and grinders as used in 1961. Lelit retuned the X's E61 for contemporary coffees and grinders." Presumably, temperature control is already comparable on my Carola, so what I'm getting if I trade up is preinfusion geared to modern American espresso, right? Is this finally going to solve my sour espresso problem?

Just a bit more background. I drink only espresso, so steaming capabilities are a complete waste of money for me; this is the reason I own a Carola, which doesn't do steam (SBSU!). I don't have a Scace to check if the Carola is broken and failing to produce hot enough water, but I have taken online advice and increased temperature (via the PID) to see when/if I get flash boiling. I do and it's almost exactly at 100C. This is pretty good evidence that temperature isn't my issue. Lastly, my Niche Zero has required lower and lower settings over time. I used to be at 10-20; now I'm never as high as 10 and regularly down near zero or below. Niche claims that this is normal and doesn't affect grind quality. I have no way of verifying this, but I did dig out my old Baratza. It produces similar (sour) results). All this makes me think that neither my espresso machine or grinder are actually misfunctioning; more that they're not up to the task. On the other hand, I then have no explanation for why my shots have gotten worse over the years since I bought the Niche Zero.

DaveC wrote:It's all in my review for the V1 machine, wait times between shots, temperatures...etc..Including steaming advice. If using it in the new V2 modes, as long as your set in steam boost, that's basically similar to the old non HX mode. In fact the V2 software was my idea, to loose HX completely and concentrate on espresso only and a slightly improved steam boost mode.

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpres ... -progress/

Sorry, DaveC, but does this mean that the MaraX V2 is now behaving as either
1) an espresso only machine in coffee mode, or
2) a machine where you cannot steam and brew at the same time in steam mode?

I like the design decisions behind MaraX, but I would get seriously stressed out if serving a full table of 10 guests their usual choice of espressos, cappas and lattes, if the above was the case.

Am I not understanding your explanation correctly?

This is only an opinion, I have very little practice with the MaraX, I am kind-of impressed with them for being able to perform as well as they do, when I first heard what they were supposed to do, I didn't believe they could, and I now believe I was probably wrong...

I believe, that if you knew you were going to be serving 10 people drinks of their choice that you'd set the machine in Steam Priority so that it isn't "acting strangely to look after its brew boiler"... Thus, it would be acting like a normal E61 Heat Exchange machine, it may require a cooling flush before the first pull, either to actually cool or just to confirm that it's not too hot, then it should be able to pull 10 shots with some steaming and very little time between pulls, just like a traditional heat exchange machine would in a busy environment. I have no proof of this, but the claim is that it will behave like a normal heat exchanger while in steam mode.

Almost what JRising said. In coffee only mode, it's good for espresso and in the boost mode, it will boost enough for everything you want to do, as it will keep boosting as you make shots. To the point where you may have to start flushing. I'm talking about the revised V3, I think software. JRising is referring to the V2 software.

I just received new Lelit Mara X v2 and it makes constant "breathing" sound.

I would appreciate your opinion if this is normal behavior for Mara X and if not, your help if there is a easy fix for this problem or if I should take the machine back.

If I understood correctly from Daves video on youtube sound goes in sync with water and air movement from tube coming from vacuum breaker.

Would be interested to know as well if your machine is mostly totally silent when its turned on or if there are any constant noise coming?

Below are pictures and videos which show that problem might come from vacuum breaker although I could not observe leaks on top of the boiler.

It seems that with the "breathing" sound there is movement in tube coming from the vacuum breaker. I have attached image and a video below which shows movement of water and air in that tube.

tube from vacuum breaker where water and air move in sync with "breathing" sound (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v4Z4qvvs8o)

I dont know if this might be related but when the machine is warming up theres initially some condensation in vacuum breaker as well which makes noises but it disappears mostly. When machine starts to breathe it has mostly turned into condensation.

water causing bubbling sounds in vacuum breaker tube? when warming up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz3cNt3ILrc)

picture of the tube connection below

(https://i.postimg.cc/y8GZCRzC/IMG-0208.jpg "Picture of the connection from where the tube where air and water move in sync with "breathing" sound")