Jump to content

NLCbanner2024.jpg.2478be509670e60c2d6efd04834b8b47.jpg

Avalon or wait?

Phillyo

By Phillyo
in Discussions - Mounts

Recommended Posts

Phillyo

Phillyo

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

I'm in a bit of a quandary and looking for advice. A friend is selling his Avalon Linear Fast Reverse for a very good price (around £2100 I think) and I'm in two minds whether to upgrade from the EQ6 to the Avalon...or keep saving my pennies for another year or two and jump right up to something like the 10Micro GM1000HPS.

Would the Avalon last me a long while? Would I outgrow it? Is it a big enough upgrade over a standard EQ6 bearing in mind I'm happily getting 30min exposures with my widefield setup (though I will probably get a longer FL scope in the future).

I hate decisions like this :(

Thanks all,

Phil

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PhotoGav

PhotoGav

Posted
Posted

Is there actually anything wrong with the EQ6? It certainly sounds and looks, from recent images, like there isn't! So, why would you want to change? I always think that it's time to spend money when you can't do something and the way to do it is to buy a new piece of kit that will let you do it.

I reckon, unless you come up with a good answer to the above, hang on to the pennies and buy something else that will make an improvement to your images.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted

I have a couple of EQ sixes here, a couple of Tak EM200s ( a junior which is mine and a full Temma on loan) and a Mesu 200.

The Mesu is by far the best and by far the most expensive. I like the 10 Microns (which are not mine) up in our robotic shed but won't be swapping the Mesu for anything. You never do when something works perfectly.

The Avalon is very nice. It really is well made, uses a technology which is insensitive to maintenance, has some elasticity but no backlash (I hate backlash)...

So it comes down to what you want to use on it and how you want to use it. The Avalon is good at long focal lengths (ask Sara) and tracks very consistently and easily. I use mine at a mid FL of about a metre but with a long refractor heavy at both ends, so with a hefty moment.

In%20obs%201-L.jpg

The elasticity looks and feels alarming with this long refractor. The results, however, are excellent...

SAG%20TRIPLET%20TEC%20MOSAIC-L.jpg

If you aim, one day, to do DS imaging with something huge don't buy the Avalon. It won't carry an ODK14! But if you are thinking of smaller scopes needing accurate tracking then yes. For just over £2K, more than yes!!!

Olly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kirkster501

kirkster501

Posted
Posted

Sounds like you have money burning a  hole in your pocket.  A nice feeling that.  But if your subs are as long as that then I think stick with your EQ6, certainly for now.  but then what the heck do i know...!  Sometimes, you just gotta spend it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tinker1947

Tinker1947

Posted
Posted

My thoughts would be buy the Avalon, sell the NEQ6 save some money over the next year or 2, go for the the 10Micro, selling the Avlon for close to what it cost you, you get a couple of years with a better mount and your get your money back....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kirkster501

kirkster501

Posted
Posted

Haha no I don't have money burning a hole in my pocket, but when there's the opportunity to buy around £4600 worth of nearly new kit for around £2500...

It's tempting!

Under those circumstances, and if you have the money earmarked, I would buy it, you only live once my friend and if you'd get a lot of pleasure out of it then go for it. I went through a similar loop with a TEC140 that was on ABS recently and wimped out.  I regret it now......

Link to comment
Share on other sites
StarryEyed

StarryEyed

Posted
Posted

I agree with kirkster buy now enjoy it for two years and you might find that in time you don't need to get your money back on it and perhaps it was such a bargin to start with you keep it in any case.

Two years is a long time. Does the mount come with an extended warranty?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Earl

Earl

Posted
Posted

Upgrading to an Avalon from a eq6 is a logical path as they work with eqmod

Its a better mount, and id probably get it if i was considering the same.

However if your EQ6 is working fine and delivering the results and you dont intend on changing to longer focal lenghts, its works job done.

I have an eq6 as my secndary setup (just sorting it out) and i doubt very much ill upgrade it as its only ever going to take a self guiding lightweght widefield setup, ill be overmounted as is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted

Under those circumstances, and if you have the money earmarked, I would buy it, you only live once my friend and if you'd get a lot of pleasure out of it then go for it. I went through a similar loop with a TEC140 that was on ABS recently and wimped out.  I regret it now......

Chucle chuckle. Yes, a few years ago one of our most loved guests sent me a mail to say there was a TEC 140 going in the Netherlands. I did two things. 1) I knew what he was really saying which was, 'Tell me to buy it myslef!' so I did tell him that and he did buy it! 2) I wimped out myself in so doing. But, and this is a big 'but,'  :grin:  the next time I saw a used TEC140 I bought it. Don't expect to see mine for sale!

The thing about the Avalon is that it's really well made. Long term, that matters. The EQ6 is not well made, it's 'ish' made but effectively made, so it really can perform out of its skin.

Both are good at their price.

As for the next step up, everyone knows what I think so I won't repeat it!

Olly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted

Ah, I see! Mr Penrice is going for an unguided GM3000HPS! No less!

/p

Hehheh. :grin:  Mesu 200, coming up to three years without dropping one single sub to guiding error. Most of that with 14 inch scope at 2.4 metres FL/0.6 arcsecs per pixel. Two salesmen at my door. One sells Mesu 200s. Decisions, decisions!!!

:evil: lly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Phillyo

Phillyo

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you everyone for your input. I have decided to buy the mount and the scope and will hopefully have it next weekend...apologies to anyone in lincolnshire for the bad weather (Can it get much worse?!)

As a few people have pointed out, at the price he was asking, it was almost too good to pass up. Even if I only keep it for a handful of years if I look after it, I may get close to what I paid for it when I do upgrade to a 10micron or similar mount (I'm sure Per will convince me there :p)

Gav, sorry buddy but the reason I saw the sale was because I'm looking for a Star 71 myself. However my little Megrez 72 will be up for sale within the next week if you're interested ;)

Thanks again everyone.

Phil

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Scott

Scott

Posted
Posted

The beauty of owning an avalon (I don't) is that when it's sitting there doing nothing due to the uk weather, it's a darn sight sexier than an eq6 :). Being Italian, it just has to look like a ferrari doesn't it :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.