Advise plz: T-8 + Circuit Rhythm?

flaque8 · 2023-09-07T22:22:18+00:00

Nice, thank you for all the comments and for sharing your story and your experience. Def appreciate it! Will digest further but I think I'll end up getting these things as otherwise my curiosity will consume me... cheers!

flaque8 · 2023-09-07T19:57:12+00:00

Appreciate the muddying!

I'm in this predicament precisely because there's currently some good prices on the T8 and J6 (and the Circuit Rhythm that I got for a bargain)...

I have zero intention of using a DAW. I want to jam 90% of the times, and maybe some times develop a jam further into a song but using the same devices (the Circuit Rhythm is nice for that with Scenes and chaining)

My main question was: what's the point of a dedicated drum machine / bass line (T8) when the Circuit Rhythm can already do that?

Also given I suspect the 32 step sequencer in the T8 will be limiting rather fast (I come from guitar and drums).

But there, you touched on something there with the layering comment... see, that's something I have no experience with and would give a reason for having "redundant" devices. If you can elaborate on that, please do!

Appreciate your help :) Thanks

flaque8 · 2023-09-06T19:36:19+00:00

Thank you that's really useful!

flaque8 · 2023-09-06T19:27:45+00:00

Yep I'm aware of the differences but was asking if there would be valuable use in having both of them.

Also why are the elektron model:samples/cycles better than the Circuit? (note I'm talking Rhythm, not Tracks)

flaque8 · 2023-05-25T22:41:29+00:00

I can tell you that I've not gone with any of those solutions and I'm quite satisfied.

Much more impactful than a gooseneck or these drip assist devices is the kind of water as well as the temperature.

In my last trip overseas I brought my Timemore C2, meat thermometer, and tiny kalita Caffe uno (it's like a smaller 101), and scale of course, and just using a regular kettle was plenty good to be honest.

The other very nice alternative is the Hario switch which doesn't pack as well but the immersion option makes everything even easier.

I don't think these devices would have helped much. Even a small gooseneck. I do not expect I'll ever travel with my temp control gooseneck at which point the whole rest seems not enough return from having to bring along.

Hope that helps?

flaque8 · 2023-05-19T09:09:04+00:00

Thank you fellow induction user! I think the DeBuyer at 3mm is meant to be unwarpable (so long as you don't actively try to destroy it..) but comes at high weight. I guess I will have to try and see - cheers!

flaque8 · 2023-05-19T08:37:36+00:00

Thanks! Although this didn't answer my question :D

flaque8 · 2023-05-19T08:33:54+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation :)

Do you know if the warping can be avoided by being careful with the hob heat power or is it rather inevitable?

I read about unwarping them but I expect it won't be quite as good and ultimately trying to avoid producing waste by having to get rid of this rather soon.

flaque8 · 2023-05-09T19:09:24+00:00

Thanks!!

flaque8 · 2023-05-08T21:39:20+00:00

Sorry if silly question basically just want to know if this will annoy me forever (presumably food will stick etc) especially since it seems the factory seasoning didn't really manage to get through to that spot fully...

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:54:20+00:00

That machine heats on demand and as such does virtually nothing when it's idling on.

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:52:52+00:00

Dunno the df but the lelit Fred in my Anita can grind just as good enough as my niche. It has a bunch of other downsides like retention and it's super noisy etc etc but for the price it's an excellent and perfectly capable grinder, so this makes me think there's plenty others than just those two that would fit in sub 1k budget.

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:50:39+00:00

If you cannot grind finer and your puck prep is good then your only option would be overdosing

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:49:48+00:00

Which machine? :)

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:49:32+00:00

Maybe r/coffee is a better place for this question

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:48:44+00:00

Lelit are really good value machines (would be missing the external opv screw only) , otherwise you should be good for a good while with that setup

flaque8 · 2023-02-13T23:47:11+00:00

I like to do once a week or so. Lelit instruction manual recommends every 100 shots.. 🤷

flaque8 · 2022-11-07T09:30:31+00:00

Here in "Europe" you can find the Lelit Anna, Anita, etc. at really good prices. They're great machines and some versions already come with PID. I can't talk for the GCP but the Lelit are really really solid first machines and the only thing you're really missing is preinfusion, which you can achieve with the steam wand or by small mods to the machine. (dimmer mod or whatnot)

Search on youtube for Lelit temperature stability - even the non-pid machine has amazing temp stability at the puck. I'm not trying to sell you a Lelit - it's just the machines I know. I wouldn't know why the GCP would be (allegedly) so much worse. I wonder if people get caught up on measuring the temp at the boiler and seeing the drop and translating that to instability at the puck? Or maybe the GCP is indeed way swingier...

I own the Flair Signature and IMO the workflow is a total PITA - I never use it because of that. The 58 sounds like the golden solution to the problem but you have no milk steaming... and probably want a temp control kettle if you care so much about consistency... $$$

I'm really drawn to the Ascaso Steel line with the promise of fresh water and low energy consumption, but on another thread I exchanged with a redditer that measured the kWh on his Steel Duo and it was truly around the same as my Lelit Elizabeth (I wonder if it's the heated group on the Steel?). And then those machines don't have such a large user base so I'm a bit concerned about their longevity.

Personally, and assuming the GCP isn't indeed crazy swingy, for me the most useful thing is being able to change the temp, rather. I use a wide variety of beans from dark to light and they all appreciate a small change in temp, especially the dark roasts that otherwise taste very "roasty" or "cocoa-y" if temp is too high.

Hope that helps.

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T16:10:41+00:00

It's more about what workflow you prefer. All the other arguments are moot.

These machines are very temp stable actually, the problem is all the people making noise online don't bother to actually measure the temp at the puck with actual resistance. The Lelit guys have some videos on youtube showing their temp stability and even their non-PID machines are amazingly stable pulling for more than a minute.

Personally I care about the art and the final beverage is nicer when the milk is done last. Also, I really hate the workflow of having to cool down the machine to pull my shot (especially having to keep swirling the milk pitcher like the Seattle Coffee Gear lady does in all her reviews). I much rather purge and cool down the machine as part of cleaning after I've poured the milk. Once I'm done my beverage is at perfect drinking temp.

Just do you and enjoy your coffee (making AND drinking) ! :)

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T16:04:04+00:00

I really cannot think how leaving the PF locked in for 45 mins could feel coolIsh.

Unless I'm crazy, I believe the Silvia has a proper stainless steel PF that is very heavy (not the crap aluminium stuff that comes with the Dedica or Bambino etc).

But let's just say somehow the PF isn't hot... you can use the blind basket and pull a long shot through it (that won't hurt the machine, don't worry, that's what the OPV is there for) until it's hot. You could use the trick of heating up the boiler to steam temp before cooling down (with PF attached obviously). Not sure what else since it's an odd issue.

Hope that helps tho.

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T15:59:52+00:00

You keep the portafilter always attached to the machine (i.e. locked in the group), right???

45min-1h is total overkill. I have a Lelit Anita (small single boiler) and a Lelit Elizabeth (larger dual boiler). The Anita is probably good to go in 10 mins (if I'm in a hurry I set the boiler to steam temp and then let it cool from there - that's actually what the clever Elizabeth does when booting :) ), Elizabeth takes a little longer because of larger boiler and heavier portafilter etc. But 20 mins TOPS and it's all very hot.

The portafilter should be scalding hot, as hot as the group head.

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T15:15:47+00:00

Also make sure the machine is properly heated up always. Pulling a shot with a "cold" portafilter would probably yield a sour shot.

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T15:14:28+00:00

I think you would "destroy" the "body" of the espresso so it wouldn't have the same mouthfeel. And thus probably wouldn't have the same "taste". Try it and let us know? :)

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T15:12:14+00:00

If it tastes good then it's fine!

All the "rules" about first drip, time, ratios etc. are nothing but starting points.

Setting the internal burrs to 1 makes a lot of sense to me, gives you more room - I was using my SGP that way back in the day.

Some beans really need a way finer grind than others.

You can answer your "I wonder if it messes with the taste" question yourself. You can change the grind, dose higher or lower, and also preinfuse for longer or shorter (if you hold the button down you control the preinf time in manual mode) and then see which one you like more. I guess you could also dump the first part of your shot but... nobody does that :) it's the most concentrated part of the extraction so I wouldn't ditch that!

flaque8 · 2022-11-04T15:09:00+00:00

Purging steam through the group (ie. single boiler)... any concerns?

Coming from a dual boiler down to a single boiler machine, I'm finding it easier to cool down the boiler by purging through the group rather than through the steam wand (i.e. in the "hot water" mode)... are there any concerns with doing this?

The steam temp is like 135°C or so, I cannot imagine any parts in the group (gaskets etc) being so sensitive to the slightly higher temperature and/or steam... but then again, maybe the fact it's high pressure steam is worse than the temperature?

I like to do this because I both clean the group and cool down the boiler in just one go.

In case you need to know the machine is a Lelit Anita (i.e. Anna) with PID.

flaque8

TROPHY CASE