# ECM Synchronika vs EK43



## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Here's my current, and newest setup: ECM Synchronika and an EK43









Placement is still temporary as i'm waiting for a new, and a bit larger, kitchen table/island

Previous setup was a Rocket Appartamento and an Anfim SP450 75mm ti burrs

I'm still adapting to the new workflow and definitely need to do something about those ek burrs. Titus adjustment tool already on the way as i can't get anything below 21seconds on light SO roasts.

Anyway, dropped the pump down to 6 bar and those 21sec shots are really good and clean. Just need to get some more sweetness out of them.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

mikas said:


> Here's my current, and newest setup: ECM Synchronika and an EK43
> 
> View attachment 34839
> 
> ...


1. Whats your dose?

2. Throw tie out the window, you can get really good shot time shots with these burrs.

3. How old are the burrs? What amount of coffee have they had through em


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Using 20g on a 20g VST basket.

Burrs are +-1.5y old, used for +-10 coffees/day, i would say.


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## fluffles (Sep 4, 2012)

I guess alignment could be poor but there's plenty of life left in those burrs. As it happens, 21 seconds is generally my happy place with EK43 shots


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

mikas said:


> Using 20g on a 20g VST basket.
> 
> Burrs are +-1.5y old, used for +-10 coffees/day, i would say.


Whats your brew ratio BTW

I used to work t 1:2.5 ish


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I grind around 3 on that dial for 28-30sec shots with a 20g dose.


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## unoll (Jan 22, 2014)

fluffles said:


> I guess alignment could be poor but there's plenty of life left in those burrs. As it happens, 21 seconds is generally my happy place with EK43 shots


Even with SSP?


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Mrboots2u said:


> Whats your brew ratio BTW
> 
> I used to work t 1:2.5 ish


1:2 to 1:2.5


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## fluffles (Sep 4, 2012)

unoll said:


> Even with SSP?


No that's with standard MK burrs


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

It's going to be a fun evening...


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> I grind around 3 on that dial for 28-30sec shots with a 20g dose.


Yeah but your EK is a law unto itself.


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## Amvantage (Jun 20, 2018)

Great looking set up.


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Well, finally managed to get some time to try the Titus Alignment Tool...

Measured -20micron on a 2 quadrant area. Shimmed it, measured it, shimmed it, measured it, shimmed it, measured it, shimmed it, measured it, shimmed it, measured it, shimmed it, measured it and eventually got tired and called it quits before i managed to get it perfectly aligned. Gave up with a +10 micron bump on an two finger width area and have no idea how to fix it.

Anyway, on the light filter roast that i wasn't able to go beyond 21 sec on 20g dose and a 1:2.5 extraction and with the burrs totally maxed out and barely touching, i now get 29-30sec with 1.1 on the dial. Satisfied for now as i have some more room to play. We'll see how it goes from here.


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

A bit more space now.


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

I was always a bit disappointed with the milk foam quality i got out of my Synchronika. I tried every switching from the 2 hole tip that came with the machine to a 4 hole tip, increased steam pressure, decreased steam pressure, etc, and never got what i thought was the perfect latte art foam. I thought it was my technique...

I recently did a morning's worth of barista work, at a friends coffee shop, on a La Marzocco GS3 AV and man... perfect foam every time! Silky, smooth and, more importantly, uniform throughout the milk jug. On the synchronika the foam splits too easily.

Went home and removed the inner teflon tube. Better! Much better than before. Drier steam, less dripping. Still not up to par with the GS3, but much, much better than before!

Anyone with similar experience?


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## christos_geo (Feb 9, 2016)

mikas said:


> I was always a bit disappointed with the milk foam quality i got out of my Synchronika. I tried every switching from the 2 hole tip that came with the machine to a 4 hole tip, increased steam pressure, decreased steam pressure, etc, and never got what i thought was the perfect latte art foam. I thought it was my technique...
> 
> I recently did a morning's worth of barista work, at a friends coffee shop, on a La Marzocco GS3 AV and man... perfect foam every time! Silky, smooth and, more importantly, uniform throughout the milk jug. On the synchronika the foam splits too easily.
> 
> ...


Identical experience on my previous Alex Duetto, removing the Teflon tubing made all the difference!


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

mikas said:


> I was always a bit disappointed with the milk foam quality i got out of my Synchronika. I tried every switching from the 2 hole tip that came with the machine to a 4 hole tip, increased steam pressure, decreased steam pressure, etc, and never got what i thought was the perfect latte art foam. I thought it was my technique...
> 
> I recently did a morning's worth of barista work, at a friends coffee shop, on a La Marzocco GS3 AV and man... perfect foam every time! Silky, smooth and, more importantly, uniform throughout the milk jug. On the synchronika the foam splits too easily.
> 
> ...


Thanks to @El carajillo in this thread I did this exact same thing in post #17 huge difference,

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcoffeeforums%2Eco%2Euk%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D47836&share_tid=47836&share_fid=6813&share_type=t


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Meanwhile, i decided to order a new original steam wand for my Synchronika, for wanting to return to a no burn wand. Ordered part P6005 from here: https://www.kaffeenudel.de/Dampfrohr-III-IV where, curiosly, they say:

"ECM article number: P6005 (corresponds to item no. P6002, but with new union nut design and with no-burn design)"

and, in fact, there are some design differences. The wand on the left is the one that came with my 2018 (pid updated) Synchronika. The one on the right is the new wand.

The steam tips are also different. The left one is the new wand one. The middle is the original one. The one on the right is a four hole tip i ordered after i bought the machine. Notice the hole diameter difference between the two hole tips.

Performance wise, the 4 hole is the faster, followed by the original 2 hole and last the new 2 hole tip.

Best microfoam comes from the new 2 hole tip. A bit slower but so much more control.

Excelent microfoam everytime with the no burn wand is a breeze now!

(PS: I have no idea if the new steam wand design is better than the previous one because i have no means to test it now. All can say is that i'm extremelly satisfied with this new "updated" one)


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Well... one and a half years after EKspresso, a return to a more... tradicional espresso









Still readjusting to the slower and shorter extractions.


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

New, just arrived, goodies!


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## Gavin (Mar 30, 2014)

Looks great but I'm curious. Your synchronika already has the group pressure gauge on before the kit came?

What's the point of this being there if there's no flow control. Not being funny just genuinely curious because I don't know.


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## mikas (Dec 19, 2017)

Yes, i bought a pressure gauge for the group head a while ago.

It let's you check what your puck pressure is in real time. It gives you a lot of info regarding your grind size, puck prep, puck erosion, etc. And it's cheap as peas...

https://www.elektros.it/pt/en/equipment/pressure_gauge_la_pavoni_5530011.html


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