MrShades Gaggia Classic Pro OPV Spring Mod Kit

[@itsameandrea]

It would be really cool to also see a video of the PID kit installation :)

[@AdrianNelson1507]

Came here looking for the same thing 🤭 was easy enough but a video to follow along with would have been lovely 😊

[@TheRflynn]

The process is said to take 5 hours, would be a big video.

[@ZhianLiu]

One thing worth noting is the red braided tube below is very fragile. Apparently I made some micro-cuts with the spanner while installing the OPV spring and now it is leaking water. Several Reddit threads mention this, but not this video. Make sure you protect the red tube below it, especially if you think your spanner might touch it!

[@gerardomixcoatl-mx]

The video was clarifying, but just in the precise moment you obstructed the whole thing !!

[@boogie404]

Just installed 9 bar mod and pulled test shot. I was sceptical and didn't expect any change to be honest. But it is big change for me, now espresso is delicious and not sour like before. That nice, specific for good, fresh beans taste is now on front. I'm very happy after upgrade and can't wait to pull another shot

[@simonmonty7171]

Honestly only pulled one shot in a hurry since I changed the spring and had the same exact feeling.. seems to do magic. Now I want to go back and revisit all the coffees I tried and felt were too acidic and sour to see if it changes that..

[@Xbox360gamer5000]

Installed a adjustable opv, set it to 9bars but the shots tasted like the 12 bar shots. But I only pulled 3 shots since swapping timing wise they weren't perfect but with the 12 bar spring I only had sour schots at the beginning when dialling in my coffee

[@TheRflynn]

+1, except I did this at 9pm and a second shot now would keep me awake til dawn

[@alanclarke2688]

Couldn't have gone any smoother. Got my machine this morning! Watched the video, looked up the PDF and within under 5 mins I had 9bar pressure, down from 13! Thank you

[@macsarcule]

Heads up, if you’re doing this on a brand new classic, you may find the brass nipple is covered in some sort of glue or very thick strong wax of a reddish color. I don’t know if this breaks down during use, but it is a deterrent to loosening that nipple, and it is imperative to hold on to the plastic black elbow while you try to get enough purchase on the brass nipple to get it started. It is really glued in there tightly, and will not loosen easily. Be very careful.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hey, you can just pull the hose up, and unscrew the brass fitting with the hose still attached, then feed the tube back down into the reservoir. I show how to do it here: 9 Bar OPV Mod for Gaggia Classic Pro: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqm6qn9-o9qosJI

[@wailbam]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Big brain move. Worked a charm for me. Thanks!

[@_gyepy]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner they're not talking about taking the tubing off the fitting. They're talking about the brass fitting on the black plastic piece. The threads of the brass fitting has some kind of threadlocker, so if you don't hold the black plastic piece while applying torque to the brass fitting, you can easily snap the black plastic. Leaving the tubing on isn't relevant to this.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@_gyepy Ok, well these threads were not too tight on my machine - maybe because I did the mod right after purchase. Cheers!

[@Xbox360gamer5000]

Mine was quite loose, maybe heating up the Maschine an flushing with hot water before disassembling is a good idea to get the sealant more flexible.

[@marshallbarker8792]

Thanks very much for taking the time to record this one. It made the process very simple and quick.

[@peterhardman1240]

GCPEvo arrived yesterday along with the kit. Thanks for the video. Let’s roll.

[@damonm3]

I didn’t remove the rubber hose.. and also backside down. Loosen with spanner wrench, Twist hose while loosening, don’t have to worry about thing coming out of black part of laid on back. Took less than 5 min. Super easy mod I’d say.. had 9lb in for a long while, just went to 6.5.. just needed a refresh to make sure I didn’t screw things up..thank you

[@skatertwentree267]

Oh also, in case anyone is wondering about shipping, I did the shipping without tracking and it only took 8 days to go from UK to Seattle, WA. Less time than a package sent from my aunt in Illinois!

[@drummerson49]

Second that, shipping without tracking came no drama to australia in under 2 weeks

[@MetalPirate]

Great mod. Im pretty mechanically inept and did it no problem. The hardest bit was getting the tube off. Very much worth the money.

[@seesaw7289]

I pushed, pulled, twisted - back and forth - the silicone tube on the brass nipple, but could not safely remove the silicone tube from the brass nipple without damaging the tubing. There was no way it would pop off, let alone slide off! About to give up, I decided to simply put the 10 mm wrench on the brass nipple anyway and unscrew it with the silicone tubing attached! Worked like a damn! As the tubing twisted with the brass nipple, I simply twisted the tubing along with it when needed. Worked perfectly! The 9 bar spring is in. Now to see if there actually is a taste difference. We had dialed the espresso in very well with the original 12 bar spring.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

LOL - well, that's one interesting way to do it - and yes, it should indeed work. Pulling the tube at an angle, and helping it off with a flat bladed screwdriver usually works.

[@gonzaloagurtogonzalez6072]

Excellent video. The explanation was very clear and the demonstration illustrative. I found it very easy to make the modification! Many thanks from Chile!

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Glad it helped!

[@u3619]

What about a video on how to install you're PID kit? The manual does have some guidelines that are wrong.

[@bigmikejeff]

Would you be able to post a video on fitting a PID kit to the Gaggia Classic Pro 2019?

[@dshafro]

Just installed the 9 bar spring. Hopefully did everything right. Thanks for the video and the quick delivery to Canada. Now just waiting for the low profile drip tray :)

[@skatertwentree267]

Thank you for this! It literally took less than 5 minutes to change out the spring. I just pulled my first shot and can tell a huge difference. Going to be drinking a lot less milk in the near future! One thing, the cable management on my GCP is way less nice than yours in the video. The hardest part was getting the tube off because there were huge bundles of wire zip tied in the way.

[@tag243]

Just installed OPV Plus kit. Didn't expect that taste will change but it did. Espresso became more balanced. Now I can feel both sourness and bitterness more distinguished. One thing to mention: now pipe is shipped with smaller diameter so you need to try harder. A drip of soap should help.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Due to global shortages of silicone tubing (and many other silicone products) we've had to change the tubing spec that we use multiple times over the last year or so - and we were using a thinner/smaller tube, but are now using a larger one... so it's now easier to fit over the nipple.

[@claudegable179]

great video. i did the spring mod a few weeks ago but i didnt think about the tubes...thank you!

[@ryrymckelvey3]

What do you mean you didn’t think about the tubes? Do I need to do something with the tubes? I just purchased the springs for the Pro.

[@claudegable179]

@@ryrymckelvey3gaggia produced two types of the classic pro in terms of water tubing. some have one tube leading to the water tank (like the one in the video, before the modification), some have two tubes. If you got the one tube classic, all the excess water will run into the drip tray instead of the water tank. with an unmodified OPV thats no big deal because its not that much water but after you've changed the opv spring the amount of water will increase. i didnt realize that this little extra tube could solve that problem...thats what i meant.

[@ryrymckelvey3]

@@claudegable179 thank you for the explanation. My machine is the 2019 Gaggia Classic Pro with two tubes. So I’m guessing I don’t have to worry about the tubing then.

[@AbulkhairHejazy]

I had broken the red pipe beneath the white rubber 🥲. How can I fix it?

[@Peppe73it]

Question, why my Gaggia evo has a , flavor like gum or something similar ? I found the right grind and quantity,for a cup of coffee.... bought the best blends on the internet in Naples and in the store but the problem is that I don't feel the aftertaste like at the bar.. 😅

[@hope2play]

With my new Gaggia Classic Pro I do not have to completely detach the top. After loosing the top two screws, there are two cables that stay attached to the inside top panel. The panel simply stays at about a 50 degree angle so I can loosen the tubing. Then with the 10mm wrench remove the nipple. Insert the new 9bar spring, attach the tubing and screw back on the top panel.

[@jmrw]

After watching this video i installed a 9 bar spring. But i have one concern. After pulling an espresso i'm pressing the steam button. When there is enough pressure for steaming (red light switches on) a lot of water vapor and water drops are going into the tank through the clear tube. This is not the case if i use the 12 bar spring. It also takes some time to get water flowing through the boiler while pulling the next coffee after steaming. Is this normal?

[@iyliagordon5168]

Hi mate, u mentioned that you need to replace the floating valve seat in case we change to the 6 bar. Can you explain more on this. I'm kinda noob here. Thanks mate.

[@radusebastianionita803]

I just added the 9 bar spring. The only part that was a bit tough was removing the hose off. You need to take your time. So i strongly recommend it! Before: at the smallest grind size possible i had a steady thin flow, for only 5-7 seconds, then the flow starts to get chaotic and blonding occurs( believe me i did perfect tamping work). After i mounted the 9 bar spring, the spaghetti stream was slim and brown till almost the end of the extraction. Mr shades has wonderful services, even unboxing the 3 springs feels premium. Don’t wait for 6 months like i did, just do it.

[@ersinjetrane8886]

Can you please tell your in and out grams and extraction times before & after? (ie 18g in 36g out, 10secs before, 20secs after nodding) Thanks in advance!

[@radusebastianionita803]

@@ersinjetrane8886 hey the basic: 18 in 36 out in 30 seconds ( 3 seconds i do preinfusion: open the steam valve just a bit at the beginning of the shot to get the puck wet while the pressure is halved as 50% of the water goes through the steam wand. This way you avoid channeling caused by puck breaking)

[@ersinjetrane8886]

@@radusebastianionita803 thanks for the reply. Is this after the OPV mod? Could you get the same result before the mod? Because I have been trying the technique you've mentioned but it doesn't help much

[@damonm3]

Don’t remove hose next time.. lay machine back down. Loosen with wrench while twisting hose with fingers from outside part. Super duper easy…

[@martyhopkirk6826]

Well, normally I'd be very nervous about doing something like this, but you make it look really straightforward. Thank you (not got a Gaggia at the moment, but am considering it). The main question, of course, is why on earth the machines don't leave the factory delivering 9 bars!

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Thanks Maurice - it's a very easy mod. Regarding the "Why 12 bar as standard?" - Gaggia want to make these machines work with coffee-pods, and the manufacturers of these pods need the machines to be much higher pressure than if they were brewing "proper" espresso from fresh beans using an unpressurised filter basket. As Gaggia want to market the machine as suitable for use with coffee pods, they have to adopt the higher pressure as standard to achieve that approval/certification.

[@martyhopkirk6826]

Aha, that solves the mystery. Thank you! I’ve looked at guidance on installing a PID, and I fear that really would be beyond me. I imagine there are professionals who will do that for a suitable fee ….

[@vaggelismanousakis6147]

@@ShadesofCoffee that sounds sad. Who buys a 400 dollar machine for pods ?! LOL

[@SS-pi2yi]

Can you please confirm what is the function of the silicone tubing? And the red tubing? (Attached to the pump). Nice video..thank you!

[@ramrodwillem]

I have a new Gaggia Classic Pro OPV , like to replace the spring for a 9 bar one, but why would i change the plastic tube, is there a advantages against the original one?

[@cdvax11]

Brilliant! Can't wait for mine to arrive.

[@Bilalnwo]

The seems like a great mod and very easy. But I'm curious as to why the engineers who designed these machines would include a 12bar spring and not 9 bar.

[@bsenay911]

Higher pressures are used to pressure the pressurized baskets used for "bad" coffee like pads or pregroud, most of the clients for this machine will use either of those, if youre using fresh ground coffee youre more likeley using a non pressurized basket in wich the coffe builds the pressure, for extracting fresh coffee out of non pressurized baskets 9 bar has proven to yield better results but since most buyers will use pressurized baskets gaggia had two chices, find the middle ground for both or add pressure regulation wich adds cost and makes the machine less user firendly.

[@jmbatule]

@@bsenay911 I have had this same question and never found a good answer. Thank you!

[@Bilalnwo]

@@bsenay911 ahh that makes sense. I guess I'll go ahead with the mod in that case. Thank you

[@cdvax11]

@@bsenay911 Thank you. I had wondered. Your answer makes perfect sense.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@bsenay911 ​ Absolutely! Thanks for the reply - it's exactly aligned with the reply that I was going to provide - so I won't bother typing it again, as you've done a great job.... almost as if I'd written it myself.

[@socal92871]

So why did he add a new hose/why didn't he connect the original hose? I didn't understand the explanation given int the video? thank you.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

The new hose is only needed for some RI9480 (EU spec Classic 2019) made in 2019 and early 2020, as these all have the OPV venting to the drip tray. The new pipe changes this to vent back to the water tank. All other machines (esp all US sped RI9380 Classic Pro models) already vent back to the tank and don’t need this additional tube - you simply reconnect the original one.

[@christopherma1718]

The machine you are working on looks like a new Gaggia pro 2019. My pro 2019 has two tubes sitting in the water reservoir. It looks like you are putting the tube into the water reservoir? So would I need the extra tubing or not for my 2019 pro?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

The Classic Pro in the US usually has the two tubes already. The Classic 2019 in the EU, and elsewhere, often only has ONE tube (the OPV routes to the drip tray for some crazy reason). If you only have ONE tube then you need the PLUS kit (which has the extra plumbing for the second tube to the tank), if you already have two tubes then you just need the standard kit (which is just the springs). Hope this helps!

[@christopherma1718]

Is there another way to order your standard kit not through coffee forums uk

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@christopherma1718 Reach me on Reddit u/MrShades30 if that helps?

[@cdvax11]

@@christopherma1718 www.shadesofcoffee.co.uk/

[@TimHarris2]

@@ShadesofCoffee thank, that answered my question too

[@michaeldodge1288]

The screws on top of the water tank keep on spinning and wouldn't come out. how well am I going lol

[@ShadesofCoffee]

They do this sometimes - lift the black plastic funnel at the same time as turning the screw, that normally works.

[@rjejames28]

After this mod I have horrible pressure and almost unusable machine. I have taken it apart and put it back together 5 times or so. The inner metal valve came out I put it back in blunt side toward the spring but still not working great, no crema and have to grind course so I'm guessing pressure issue.

[@furyln5671]

Did you figure out anything with this? Doing this mod right now and the inner valve came out for mine and idk which direction it goes.

[@rjejames28]

@@furyln5671 I got it figured out the small end goes toward the spring I had to contact shades of coffee to help me. Someone told me the opposite, so for a while I was fighting it.

[@chrisking777]

The screw on my lid doesn't unscrew. I have no idea what's going on

[@bmbmtube1]

And the other pipe just hangs in there??

[@selo8050]

Thank you for the very easy to follow instructions. I bought mine a couple of weeks ago. The pressurised filter basket forces me to use very fine ground coffee. But I want to experiment with coarser ground coffee. If I've reduced the pressure down to 9 bar would I need an unpressurised professional filter basket ie; VST basket.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

If you’re trying to use coarser grounds then you possibly want to stay with higher pressure. The lower pressures and especially the VST baskets will usually make flow higher - not lower.

[@turlututuuu4321]

@@ShadesofCoffee thanks for the video -I’ve just installed the 6.5 bars spring but flow is now very limited (il barely flows down to the cup) and as a result, for a reason not entirely clear to me, there is a ton of pressure build up in the porta filter, to such a point that the puck kinda explodes when I remove the portafilter once I’ve pulled a shot. I tried to dial in with coarser grind but for the moment with no result. So quite the opposite effect to what you mentioned above. Any clue about what might have done wrong?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@turlututuuu4321 it just sounds like you need to grind a bit coarser - or dose a little less; as puck resistance seems too high which is slowing flow

[@GD-th3gu]

Hi just received your opv kit and installed what I thought was the 9 bar spring from watching your easy to follow tutorial, just a bit confused as to wether this was the 9bar spring? In your video the spring has what looks like 5-6 coils. The original factory spring has 11 coils. I’m left with two springs of 9 and 10 coils respectively from your kit. It doesn’t make sense to me that the 9 bar would be the lowest coils number (6) but then with the even lower pressure 6.5 and 5 bar springs the number of coils is going back up again!? Please could you confirm I have installed the correct spring for 9bar and explain how this works - thanks in advance 🤔

[@ShadesofCoffee]

The easy way to install the correct one is to download the instructions that are sent with the OPV kit and read them - as this explains what each one is and how to select the one you want. Please download the instructions and read them.

[@eoghanhennessy15]

Hello, I have a 20 year old gaggia classic, will the spring kit work? I’d like to reduce the pressure to 9bar or lower as I’m having to grind way too fine to get sensible extraction times at the moment

[@Peppe73it]

Where to buy the 9 spring?

[@mikehandsome]

Does not work well with the european gaggia classic ri9403/11 even though it looks the same inside... Tried 9 bar and 6,5 bar and always having problems with getting good crema and thats always a sign of smth wrong... The water had problems with getting through the coffee and I actually had to grind coarser and even then the water after 20-30 seconds almost stops getting through making it impossible to do longer coffe. Like ther was not much preassure. I dont think that the little valve piece inside was not aligned correctly. I cant even takie it out so its not loose or smth. Switched back to original and all was fine again making it clear for me that it was not a problem of me putting this mod incorrectly....or maybe it was... I dont know... Tried like 4 times already...

[@Nazareth434]

question- my newly bought gaggia classic pro (Arrived yesterday) is putting out very fast shots- like around 8 seconds for 2-2 1/2 ounces for 18 grams of grounds with the unpressurized basket- with the pressurized basket, it isn't much better- around 14 seconds- the drinks are pretty awful- no matter how fine i grind the beans- and believe me, I'm grinding to the point of nearly fine flour, which should make pulling a shot impossible- but nope- on this machine- the shots still rip through at around 8 seconds- is this common? I was under the impression that the Gaggia prejudiced great espresso- I have yet to get a good drink from it- and i certainly can't get anywhere near the recommended 20-30 seconds for 2-2 1/2 ounce shots- When i let it go for 20 seconds, i have well over 4 ounces- and hte coffee is bitter and watery- thep our towards the end is pure water coming out nearly- I see other folks with what i assume are stick unmodified machines pulling excellent shots- is my machine not working right or something?

[@ersinjetrane8886]

I have the exact same problem, same results with stock double and IMS basket, finest grind, proper tamping but still get 6-7 seconds. I am not quite sure if OPV mode will fix it as other people are still able to get proper shots will stock machines

[@Nazareth434]

@@ersinjetrane8886 i never did get it to work, and the pump went out on my machine- thankfully while still under the send back time- so i got money back for it- then i tried a Cafalet Robot- got much better results because with that one you control the flow yourself because it is manual

[@ersinjetrane8886]

@@Nazareth434 I am glad that you've managed to put an end to your miseries. I am now considering getting rid of my Gaggia as well, apparently this is a common issue and nobody has a solution for it except for repeating "grind finer" argument

[@Nazareth434]

@@ersinjetrane8886 i actually got rid of the robot too- stomach just isn't able to take coffee anymore- i never id get a good espresso- and it was a quite expensive adventure- kind of a relief to not be trying to get a good cup lol-

[@andypandsshaw]

What’s the reason for changing to a 9 bar spring from the default 12 bar?

[@pierrex3226]

the 12 bar is there for people who don't grind their own coffee, and instead use pre ground, and the pressurized basket. The moment you grind your own beans and use the non pressurized basket, you want to lower to 9 bar which is industry standard. Otherwise you pull shots too fast and they dont taste as nice.

[@BigPoppa-t3z]

Yes but the solenoid removes a little water from puck. Plus, what do you do when you backwash. That water that you diverted with your hose goes into the fresh water tank. Or does that hose go to the tray.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

This has nothing to do with the solenoid - it’s the OPV. The water from the solenoid always goes into the drip tray.

[@b.a.1854]

This a great video!! Is there a way to modify the steaming power and stabilize the temperature?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Yes - fit a PID kit!

[@NormalHKAdrian]

How about backflush ? If I follow the video to install the Plus kit, will it backflush it to the tank ?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Adrian No - backflushing (either with or without the plus kit) will always be to the drip tray, never to the tank.

[@aryah1513]

I don't know much about various Gaggia machines but mine already has 2 hoses that hang in the water res. 1 for OPV, 1 for intake. Does this mean I buy the regular kit? I haven't opened it up yet and you don't show what yours looks like below but it seems like you adding the hose just catches your machine up to mine and that me buying the plus-kit would be unnecessary.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Correct - you don’t need the plus kit (most people don’t). You only need the standard kit

[@bazbazilio]

Hello! what is the length of the spring at 6.5bar?

[@Flipplt]

Hi. Is the industrial pressure really that bad. Is the quality much better when reducing it

[@TheSonOfJoker1]

Yes, I can personally confirm that it is. The difference between shots is night and day. You also get a 6.5bar spring which is also pretty neat for espresso.

[@zakariachahidi2054]

That little silicone thing you did in the pipe , it didn't arrive with the rings💔💔

[@ShadesofCoffee]

That’s only in the PLUS kit - 95% of machines don’t need it

[@jasminem.c3549]

Is this possible with a baby 06 class also?

[@sergIDbIL]

Hey man, what about delivery to Russia now?

[@yinyang592]

Thanks for the video, but Why have you replaced the silicone tube?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

The tube has to be replaced and rerouted on some early (2019-2020) EU spec machines, as these have the clean overflow water from the OPV diverted to the drip tray rather than back to the tank as standard. We supply the pipe to replumb them and correctly route the excess clean water back to the tank.

[@krenareba5920]

Why did you put a different tube and not use the same one? Also my gaggia classic is from usa so which kit do I need to buy? So if I have 2 tubes I don’t need to change any of those? I still haven’t open my gaggia

[@ShadesofCoffee]

On some European Classics the output from the OPV goes (wastefully) to the drip tray rather than the tank. So the Plus kit includes the extra pipe so that it can be rerouted to the tank instead. This is usually how all US machines are already configured - so you will only need the Standard OPV kit.

[@krenareba5920]

@@ShadesofCoffee ok thanks

[@pedrocruz5265]

i like your work and want to order some thing from you (i live in Mexico), with this springs i don't need to make myself a portafilter manometer or is still adviceable? I get that the the level of the city, around 2000 meters above sea leavel, can mess up with the pressure.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

pedro cruz you don’t need a portafilter manometer no, the spring pressure is fixed and whilst you just fit it, you can obviously still check pressure with a gauge if you wish - but it’s not needed in the same way that it’s essential for the OPV mod for earlier Classics.

[@Cenicebri0]

Cómo te fue con el Mod? Estoy viendo si hacerme con la gaggia, me podrías dar tu opinión en si vale la pena?

[@pedrocruz5265]

@@Cenicebri0 qué tal, el opv lo instalé en 5 minutos y cambió radicalmente el sabor del café. El dialing de los granos es bastante más consistente debo decir, con la presión original era mucho más difícil encontrar el molido y dosis adecuados. Ese de entrada vale completamente la pena, y estoy considerando que para ciertos granos muy particulares incluso podría cambiar periódicamente por los de menor presión siendo que es tan rápido y fácil. También es mucho más fácil espumar la leche, aunque sí se siente mucho menos potencia comparado al original. Pero creo que esto se arreglará con el PID al modificar la temperatura. Compré también un PID que no he instalado por mi carga de trabajo pero no parece especialmente difícil tomando en cuenta todo lo que hay que conectar, viene bastante bien explicado. Una vez que lo haya probado te dejo saber de su funcionamiento, pero de entrada me parece indispensable, te dejaré saber qué tal una vez lo haya probado.

[@pedrocruz5265]

@@Cenicebri0 sobre si comprar o no la Gaggia, vale completamente la pena, pero debo decirte que es muchísimo más importante el molino que la máquina a la hora de obtener buenos resultados o siquiera poder repetirlos. Tienes alguna experiencia con máquinas de este tipo? Yo tuve una Brieville automática barata y es como el día y la noche, ahí los resultados eran más bien mediocres y no había más que hacer. En la gaggia he conseguido de los mejores shots que he probado en mi vida, aún comparado con cafeterías de especialidad. Pero también he tirado muchos que eran insoportáblemente malos mientras aprendía sobre el molido, la temperatura y la extracción. Si de verdad quieres invertir tiempo (y dinero) en aprender y lo disfrutas, no podría valer más la pena. Si sólo quieres un buen café rápido en la mañana hay otras opciones para eso y ambas posturas son súper respetables. Si quieres algunas recomendaciones escríbeme por aquí y con gusto te comparto

[@Cenicebri0]

@@pedrocruz5265 muchísimas gracias! La verdad está sería mi primera maquina de espresso y me gusta que se puede modificar para mejorar su funcionamiento, además que en México es de las pocas que no le incrementan su precio exageradamente. ¿En donde conseguiste los kits del PID y éste OPV?

[@goremirov6730]

Does silicone pipe from the plus kit has inner and outer diameter same or different as the existing pipe?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

It's a similar size - though often not identical.

[@hautinip9729]

Is it the lower pressure spring we use, the finer coffee we can brew? As I am using a 9 bar one now, but it still takes a longer time to brew finer coffee same as a 12 bar one.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Usually a lower pressure requires (or allows) a finer grind, yes - especially when you get down to 6.5 or 5 bar.

[@barrytipton1179]

I thought was 15bar machine I had a original I regrettably let it go few years later and got a 2003 type big mistake

[@bazbazilio]

Hello! spring size 9 bar 7*21mm?

[@yyoud88]

Hello. I was wondering if installing opv springs with different pressure would affect steaming pressure as well or not.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Yes - if you use a spring with too low a pressure (eg 5 bar) then the additional steam pressure can cause total boiler pressure to exceed it; though there are ways to avoid steaming issues - such as starting to steam about 10-15s after pressing the steam button.

[@yyoud88]

@@ShadesofCoffee Could you explain a little more? Would it affect steaming milk? Would it affect the quality of steamed milk?

[@yyoud88]

I am thinking to try 6.5bar spring

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Read this www.shadesofcoffee.co.uk/ive-installed-the-opv-mod-and-now-i-dont-have-much-steam-power---whats-up

[@acxx4]

Hi, will this OPV mod work with a Gaggia Coffee Deluxe?

[@muratozt]

Hi Mr.Shades. I have checked your 9bar spring with a gauge installed portafilter and it shows 9 bars. Some say it has to show 10 bars to make sure 9 bar is applied on top of coffee cake. Which one is true? Thanks

[@ShadesofCoffee]

An accurate gauge should show 10 bar yes. Make sure you don’t have a basket and that you have no leaks at all, as even a drip makes a difference.

[@muratozt]

@@ShadesofCoffee There is no leakage because I did the insulation and my basket is not in. I am not sure my gauge is accurate but it at least shows consistent level of pressure each time. I actually don't worry much about difference of 1 bar, I just read it is a matter of discussion if 9 bars is better or 8 (or even 7). I am only curious about why I can't get sweety shots like the ones in coffee shops even with a PID kit and OPV mod installed. As my grinder is also a quality one like Eureka Mignon Specialita, I was suspicious about my OPV not functioning properly (shot times variating too much). This is now eliminated as well and I believe you have done your part perfectly with this spring:) It is on me now. I cleaned my grinder and on the way to check my water, how soft it is:/ If any other ideas, please let me know. Thanks

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@muratozt making espresso is more of an art than a science - you can have all the right equipment but it’s still a challenge to get everything working well together and get the right results. Grind, dose, temperature all have a big effect on end results. It’s not easy.

[@muratozt]

@@ShadesofCoffee I even thought of buying a more premium espresso machine but decided to push the limits of GC until I am sure I can't do better. If I can, I will never leave it:) Thanks for your support on my journey

[@zconiglietti]

Is there a spring for coffee gaggia 84 model?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

No, sorry - and there's no easy way to adjust pressure on a Gaggia Coffee

[@simonmonty7171]

Am I crazy to think the machine is louder now that I changed it to the 9 bars spring? I'm afraid this means it could damage the pump.. Also is it possible the shot came out quicker than usual even if we decreased the pressure?? I was expecting it to come out slower but it feels like my cup got filled a lot quicker and ot should have been the opposite..

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Vibe pumps make less noise the harder they are working - hence more noise the easier they are working… so yes, it will usually make more noise. Flow and pressure are different - just because you’ve reduced the pressure doesn’t mean that you’ve reduced the flow - in fact it’s often the opposite (as you’ve seen) and you can often have faster flow through the puck at lower pressure, and you’ll need to grind finer or increase the dose.

[@simonmonty7171]

@@ShadesofCoffee thanks for your reply!

[@Gunnl]

wondering .. that pipe you closed, where does that lead to ?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

On a RI9480 machine from 2019/2020 the pipe leads to a Y piece where it joins with the output of the solenoid valve and goes to the vent pipe - and hence into the drip tray.

[@Gunnl]

@@ShadesofCoffee is the Gaggia Classic Pro Thunder Black the same as RI9480 ? Is there any explanation for those series numbers somewhere ? Trying to figure out which model / differences I can expect if I order this thunder black version i see online

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@Gunnl if your machine was made in 2021 or 2022 then you don’t need the Plus kit anyway. Ultimately it’s simply “do you have one or two pipes in the water tank” - if it’s two then you don’t need the Plus kit. RI9480 is U.K./EU spec and RI9380 is USA/NA spec.

[@Gunnl]

@@ShadesofCoffee I haven't acquired the machine yet... just researching atm .. thanks for the help

[@DarkKnight-yc8nw]

Hi, I was talking to Marc from Whole Late Love and he believes that the 9Bar spring is not required as the brewing pressure while brewing the actual coffee should be apt 9Bar in the portafilter with the OEM spring. Any comments?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

It’s not 9 bar - it’s a maximum of 12 bar - and this has been measured by us and many others with the OEM spring. Gaggia even call it an 11 bar safety valve. Look at part no. 421944028581

[@DarkKnight-yc8nw]

@@ShadesofCoffee Thank you very much for your reply. So I guess the following statement is wrong, "The brew pressure in portafilter with correct grind setting should be apx 9 bar even with the 12 bar OEM spring".

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@DarkKnight-yc8nw no, that’s not wrong - what he’s saying is that if you can grind correctly and get exactly the correct grind and dose that provides exactly the correct resistance - then it’s possibly to obtain a 9 bar pour, even with 12 bar maximum pressure. However, with pressure limited to 12 bar rather than 9 bar then it’s far too easy to exceed 9 bar and if that happens then channeling and various other issues normally occur. Limiting the pressure to 9 bar makes life much much easier to get good extractions and save (what would previously have been) bad shots. With 12 bar maximum pressure you can have no coffee in the basket and have a pour at 0 bar - or a full basket of fine coffee and have an extraction (or attempted extraction) at 12 bar - and by varying dose and grind you can (as with all espresso machines) have any pressure in between.

[@DarkKnight-yc8nw]

@@ShadesofCoffee Thank you. Now it is clear to me. :).

[@efwefwerrrrr]

The espresso is better?

[@strongteee]

I'm a newbie to the gaggia, I bought a 2006 model (assuming this will work with an older model) anyway, my question is, why do you want to go from 12 bar down to 9 bar? Thanks

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Firstly, this won’t work with older models - as older models have an adjustable valve, so you can change the pressure with simple tools. Search on KZbin and you’ll find videos showing what to do. For the “why?” please check the FAQ page on our website for a full answer.

[@michaelhedges41070]

Just brought a second hand 2004 gaggia classic thinking of adding pid kit and spring what advantages would this have thanks

[@ShadesofCoffee]

This isn’t for a 2004 Classic - it’s only for later models I’m afraid

[@seanfshannon]

Is it best to you use the 9 bar or 6.5 bar spring? And what would the difference in results be? I have a 2003 Gaggia Classic (UK purchased) and a Gaggia Classic Pro (EU model, just purchased).

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Both work well - try them both and let your own personal taste buds be the judge. Many people prefer the taste and mouthfeel of the 6.5bar extractions - and no-one can tell you that one is better that then other, though you may prefer one over the other. Try them both.

[@JesemanuelRamirez]

So does this mod affect the 3way selenoid that keeps the puck dry after extraction?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

This has no affect at all on the solenoid valve and the way it functions (to release puck pressure and excess water at the end of a shot). It continues to work exactly as it did before and isn’t touched during the installation.

[@JesemanuelRamirez]

@@ShadesofCoffee perfect. I'm still on the fence about getting the gaggia classic pro or the Bezzera New Hobby. If i get the gaggia I'll get the mods for it

[@marcobutz3950]

do u put in the basket when measuring with the portafilter with the ptressure gauge?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

No, don’t put the basket in - water and pressure will leak out.

[@ps4058]

Hello! I own Gaggia Classic 2019 with one silicone tube visible in tank and have two questions) 1. Can you please explane, why do you advice to apply addition silicon tube (PLUS Kit)? Why not to connect it as it was before spring replacement? 2. What do you think about adding Adjustable OPV? Is it good solution or can cause any potential problems? I will be grateful if you can answer.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Sure - 1. Your current OPV dumps excess water to the drip tray; if you lower the OPV pressure then you'll get more (and more again, if you lower the pressure even further using the alternative springs) water being sent to the drip tray... to the point that you may see the drip tray filling (with completely good clean water!) within one or two shots. As I said, it's perfectly good clean water that is being routed to the drip-tray, so it should really go back to the tank (as every Classic has for the last 30+ years). 2. If you want to add an adjustable OPV (as used on the original Classic) then, yes, that's also a great solution - though much more expensive and less quick/easy than this - especially when most people don't own (or want to own) a pressure gauge to properly set the pressure. Furthermore, you can't quickly/easily swap between (eg. 9 bar and 6.5 bar) with an adjustable OPV unless you take quite a lot of time and effort, and again have a gauge to reset it each time. Springs are just much easier.

[@ps4058]

@@ShadesofCoffee Thanks for irrefragable answer! I've already made an order for you kit)

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@ps4058 Many thanks - glad I could help. "Irrefragable" - what a great word!

[@mrkanzeon]

Hi. Is this mod going to affect the steam pressure for milk frothing? Thanks

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Typically no, it shouldn’t

[@tristanpresley6420]

My kit came with 3 springs, none labeled so how would I know which is the 9 bar??

[@ShadesofCoffee]

You would read the instructions which are available at the URL that appears on the piece of folded paper that came with your kit (which says “Instructions inside” on it)

[@michiakirayayamazaki6296]

I wonder if this pressure mod will work on the Espresso Dose and Pure. I have both of the machines and found very similar valve installed like you have in this video. Can you advise?

[@adrianjwright]

I'm pretty sure that Gaggia use the exact same valve with the exact same spring within a number of different machines - so yes, I'd expect it to work in other machines using the same pump-mounted OPV valve.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Again, the above reply is from me - just using the wrong account again!

[@chrisbailey2471]

i do not know why but when i make a coffee from the Gaggia Classic Pro, water comes out off the solenoid pipe and he puck is soaking. it never used to do this until l descaled it. MISSING MY MORNING COFFEE!

[@virgiljohnny]

maybe you got a chunk of scale stuck in the valve? Maybe another descaling will fix you.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Yes, it sounds like your solenoid valve isn't sealing properly - strip it down and clean it, or remove it and soak it for a few hours in citric acid solution.

[@Kyfow]

Hey, I bought the OPV kit and I'm currently working up the courage to perform the operation on my Gaggia... I'm just a tiny bit wary about the whole process of removing the pipe and putting it back together. I've heard from many people that it's a bit difficult to pull the pipe out of the brass nipple, what should I do in that case? I'm worried that I may damage it if I put too much pressure, and alternatively when I put everything back together, I'm worried that I may not put the pipe on tightly enough and water would leak and short-circuit the machine. How tight is tight? Are there any tough bits I should watch out for, and anything to make sure I'm doing beyond holding the pump so I don't damage it? Thanks so much!

[@ShadesofCoffee]

It’s really very easy - the pipe pulls off, though it’s easiest to remove if you pull at an angle rather than trying to pull it straight off (it’s designed not to fall off or come loose, so pulling at an angle helps it come off easier). If you struggle then reverting the pipe off with a flat screwdriver also helps in some cases. Once you have the pipe off then you unscrew the nipple, change the spring and screw the nipple back in again - it feels obviously tight when it’s fully inserted, and as I mention in the video and instructions it’s easier to feel this if you use a proper wrench rather than trying to do it with pliers. Then it’s a single case of pushing the pipe back on again - wetting the inside of it or wetting the nipple can make this easier, though again it’s not difficult - as you can see in the video. If you put slightly soapy water on the nipple then it will slide on very easily. This really is one of the simplest mods you can do to a Classic and you shouldn’t be worried about it!

[@Kyfow]

@@ShadesofCoffee thanks! I'll work up the courage and do it soon. Hope to report on much improved coffee asap

[@andrewvela5064]

Hello , I got the OPV spring mod , I got three springs . But the biggest spring out of the kit was almost the size of the factory spring.. does it just have less tension??

[@joeycovington4681]

Yea, what he said.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

There are many other factors to the design of the springs than just the length of them - so you can have springs that are the same size but all have different compression rates

[@andrewvela5064]

@@ShadesofCoffee ok so I bought kit and the biggest one was obviously just the 9 bar correct? Was happy with the kit , it came quick no issues just wasn’t sure.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@andrewvela5064 no that’s the 6.5 bar - please download the instructions that are in the PDF linked to at the URL given on the folded piece of paper that comes with the kit that says “Instructions inside”. The instructions show and explain which spring is which. You’re also emailed a link to these instructions when you first buy the kit.

[@virgiljohnny]

Probably a dumb question, but if I have the ability to take that hose off and turn the inside with a hex wrench, does that mean my Gaggia Clasic is older, or newer?

[@k1fizz]

older

[@ShadesofCoffee]

If you have the original style OPV valve, that is brass and mounted on the back of the boiler - then yes, you can remove the pipe from the top, remove the nipple, and inside the valve body there is a hex screw that (with the aid of a portafilter mounted pressure gauge) you can adjust the pressure, before reassembling.

[@hugensmugen]

@@ShadesofCoffee So if you have this type of machine the spring kit is not appliable?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@hugensmugen correct

[@ricardocosteira2290]

Thank you for the video. And great work on the kits! I have a question: will the pressurized basket still work for pre-ground coffee after reducing the pressure to 9 bar? Thanks in advance!

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Ricardo Costeira thanks very much for your kind words... whilst I must confess to never actually having used a pressurised basket, it certainly SHOULD work ok with 9 bar of pressure. The valve within them should release at between about 8 and 9 bar so it should work OK.

[@ricardocosteira2290]

​@@ShadesofCoffee thank you for your reply. It just occurred to me that even if it doesn't work I'll still be able to reverse it easily. Time to order myself a kit :) again, thank you!

[@MrAngchristopher]

Hi, I did the 9bar mod, and test using the pressure gauge, the reading is somewhere 11.5 bar, is this normal, if not, what should I do, thanks

[@mikehandsome]

Ok... So why Gaggia installs 12 bar spring if 9 bar is better???

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Please take a look at the FAQs on our website where we answer this question in more detail

[@JMTrainingSolutions]

Does this work for the 2012 model? Thanks

[@ShadesofCoffee]

A 2012 Classic has an adjustable OPV on the back right of the boiler - you can adjust it with simple tools

[@Kingsfool]

Great video. This made replacing the spring very easy so thanks for this. I’m unsure about the pressure my gauge is registering however. I have a 2019 Gaggia Classic Pro (US) with a 14 bar spring from the factory. I installed the 9 bar spring but for some reason it is registering at 11 bars. Does that sound right? I haven’t measured the other springs yet. Thanks in advance!

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Hi Michael - the standard spring in the machine is around 12 bar, which would read as 13 on a portafilter pressure gauge. Our 9 bar would show as 10 bar on a portafilter gauge. It therefore looks like your gauge is reading about 1 bar too high - with the standard showing as 14 rather than 13 and our 9 showing as 11 rather than 10. I wouldn’t get hung up on what the cheap gauges show - either way it’s significantly lower than you had before :-)

[@jmoore9806]

Just did your 9 bar spring mod.....still getting crazy water flow??? Can anyone help me ?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Reducing the maximum pressure doesn’t necessarily reduce flow - they are two different things. The only way to reduce the flow rate is to increase the resistance generated by the puck and this means grinding finer or using more coffee. Hope this helps.

[@jmoore9806]

@@ShadesofCoffee oh Yeah your correct....what was I thinking....pressure is not related to flow

[@jmoore9806]

@@ShadesofCoffee quick question does the coffe grind puck need to touch the shower screen head? Or should there be a gap in between the portafillter puck and shower screen head?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@jmoore9806 there should always be a reasonable gap. Put a coin on top and lock in and then remove. If it pushes the coin into the coffee at all then there’s too much coffee (or the basket is too small).

[@jmoore9806]

@@ShadesofCoffee Yeah ok cool I can get the gap distance between like you said but still getting a disrupted puck at the top after pulling a shot that's why I didn't know if it needed a gap or it didn't matter.

[@helipilotwannab]

Is it possible to do something similar and mod the Evolution? :)

[@ShadesofCoffee]

It just depends on whether it uses the same pump mounted black plastic OPV or not. Many of the newer machines do. If it’s older and has a brass fitment on top of the pump then it probably has a brass adjustable OPV mounted on the boiler that can be adjusted with simple workshop tools.

[@helipilotwannab]

@@ShadesofCoffee it looks like this, so completely different haha kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXSxY6Gcr8SEh68&ab_channel=iloveslideking so I guess I'm looking for the parts he describes if you can help?

[@helipilotwannab]

@@ShadesofCoffee thanks for the fast reply by the way :)

[@2n1ce]

I just installed the 9bar spring but I keep getting sour shots regardless of how fine the grinds are. Any tips on troubleshooting?

[@Marija154]

Kupio sam sa jednim silikonskim crevom u tanku,da li je to greska proizvodjaca i u cemu je razlika sa jednim i dva silikonska creva

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Gaggia made some machines where the OPV water goes into the drip tray via the solenoid valve vent tube. This is just a stupid design, so I believe they’ve changed it back now so that it correctly vents into the tank again. If the machine is venting OPV pressure into the drip tray it only has one pipe in the tank; if it is correctly venting back to the tank then it has two.

[@mitarnikic43]

Poz , da li ti ie stiglo do Srbije i koliko si cekao dostavu, pozdrav

[@s0ccerFreakTT]

Does this work with the gaggia classic pro 2019?

[@jwcaldw]

That is the model he is demonstrating on.

[@christopherma1718]

Would love an instructional Mr Shade PID, and I would purchase instantly

[@ShadesofCoffee]

My PID manual is 70+ pages of A4 and has loads of images and instructions, and gotchas and diagrams and well - lots of things - and I won't be offering any video on KZbin concerning fitting of a PID.

[@ggmann495]

Great simple mod. Any reports about this hurting the pumps?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

I don’t know of any issues with Gaggia pumps caused by modding the OPV - either with this method or with the adjustable brass OPV that thousands of users have adjusted for probably 20+ years. I have machines with pumps that are 20+ years old and still going strong with a modded OPV. When users don’t observe the pump duty cycle (typically 1min on / 2 min off) then the pumps can burn out - though this only usually happens when people accidentally or otherwise just leave the pump running (WiFi and timer switches don’t help with this - as you can leave the pump on but remove power to the machine, only for the pump to start when the timer turns power back on - causing the machine to pump the tank dry and probably burn the pump out shortly afterwards).

[@hoodwynk1389]

Theoretically, would snipping the spring (one ring at a time) with tools yield the same results?

[@adrianjwright]

Perhaps - though it's a little like taking a grinder to the springs on a car! The top and bottom of a spring are supposed to be flat - perpendicular to the length of the spring. This is quite important to the OPV spring due to the way the valve works. When you cut a spring, you lose the proper end to the spring, which can cause issues. So, yes, if you want to destructively mod your OPV valve then you can cut the spring down and hope that the OPV still seals properly, and hope that you don't cut off too much (as you obviously can't just stick it back on again!).

[@ShadesofCoffee]

The above response is from me, in case you didn't realise - used the wrong account :-)

[@Jaw777]

Does the mod void the warranty of the machine?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Technically, if you changed it then probably - yes; however you can just swap the original spring back in at any time and it would be almost impossible to be able to tell.

[@angrytomasz]

What's the benefit of doing this?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Take a look at the FAQ page on our website where this question is answered in full : www.shadesofcoffee.co.uk/faqs

[@petemaloney9295]

My next purchase

[@LandsoulFFXI]

Hi Mr. Shades, I have the EU version of the Gaggia Classic Pro. The pump and two hoses, do I need the regular spring kit or the plus kit?

[@ShadesofCoffee]

How many pipes do you have hanging into the tank? If you only have one then you need the PLUS kit; but if you already have two then you only need the Standard kit

[@LandsoulFFXI]

shadenville two pipes hang onto the tank.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Ukko Clap so you only need the Standard kit :-)

[@sandyd4271]

very nice! just ordered my kit right now! Is there a way of measuring the pressure? or to install a pressure gauge? 👍🤩

[@ShadesofCoffee]

Sandy D well, if you really want to then you can use a portafilter mounted pressure gauge to check. These measure static pressure which will be 1 bar higher (so the 9 bar spring would read 10bar on a portafilter gauge). You can also fit a brew pressure gauge into the case - but it’s a tricky task cutting the stainless steel.. and you don’t get a second chance to cut the hole in the right place! We’re working a an alternative to cutting holes... but it’s going to be a few months in the making.

[@davidkuklinek8127]

Hello, thank you for the video. My question (as a rather newbie) is what are the exact impacts on the taste/prep process? Generally, why should I want to do this (I only know that the professional machines have 9bar instead of these "nice" marketing 12, 15bar parameters)? Thank you very much.

[@Simon78]

I was hoping to find the same answer!

[@333Watch3r]

Thank you MrShades, i am compiling information before i jump into gaggia classic pro. Is there a way you can guide us on installing a PID kit and maybe sell as a bundle for those of us newbies? I am just getting into the hobby.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

My PID kit comes with a very comprehensive 70+ pages of pictures and instructions - I don't (and won't) be doing any KZbin videos on installing it; but you can get combined shipment on the PID + OPV kits to save money on a bundle, yes.

[@Stevo3032]

Interesting video, is 15bar too high?

[@toniculjak]

It is not! but there is a hype on the net , missunderstanding....that 9 bars are the golden holy gral for pulling espresso shots. ...it reminds me of a lamb jumping ftom a cliff and all the others are doing the same. Fact is that the pump is pulling approx. 15 bars and all the pipes and valves and at least the medium coffee with tamping will reduce this pressure to

[@ShadesofCoffee]

An odd reply above.... the PUMP is circa 15bar, and then in older Classics an adjustable OPV would reduce this down to around 12bar. The current Gaggia Classic Pro / Classic 2019 also has an OPV that is fixed at around 12 bar. With the older Classics the pressure could be adjusted down to 10bar static (circa 9 bar dynamic); and my OPV spring mod kit for the Classic Pro / Classic 2019 does the same for newer Classics that have the fixed OPV on top of the pump. If you DON'T modify a Classic in some way, then it WILL pump water into your coffee puck at circa 12 bar max (obviously if you dont have a proper dose/grind and water just flows straight through it, then pressure won't build this high - but your coffee will taste awful anyway!). So - yes - 15 bar is too high, but even the standard Classics won't hit the coffee with 15 bar - it'll be around 12 bar usually... which is still too high. 9 bar is considered "industry standard" though I, and many others today, prefer something lower - which is why my kit includes both 6.5bar and 5bar springs. I pull most of my espresso at 6.5bar.

[@toniculjak]

@@ShadesofCoffee odd reply?!...you are altering something that is not ment to be altered, at least in this version of Gaggia classic. Someone purposely changed the OPV, so you shouldn t change this by modding the spring!!...this is important to know, and like i said...you can believe what ever you want , but Gaggia Classic - Users should be aware of this hype od 9 bar....Luca Bezzera also mentioned this 9 bar madness...check the internet and the facts. I can only present my experience to new users, i have 2 classic model , one with spring valve and 15 bars , and another classic with OPV, solenoid and PID ....and after lots od "modding" i changed the pressure to 10 bars where i have personally the best shots. The new Classic in not ment to be "modded" in any way!

[@ShadesofCoffee]

@@toniculjak "You shouldn't mod this spring".... again, an odd thing to say. You have, yourself, said that you "changed the pressure to 10bars where I personally the best shots" (I think I know what you mean) - and that's exactly the point. You are probably measuring your 10bars with a portafilter mounted pressure gauge, so your 10bar is ACTUALLY a 9 bar dynamic pressure - so you're saying yourself that the best shots come from 9 bar extractions. The Classic Pro / Classic 2019 (this new one) is factory set to 12 bar (I know, I've measured it) - and Gaggia do this for a good reason (it's not so that you can produce the best espresso from nicely ground and prepared coffee!). The 12 bar OPV needs reducing to circa 9 bar (10 bar static) or even lower if you wish - and that's only really achievable by either fitting an additional OPV (like the original Classics), cutting the factory spring down, or fitting a replacement spring. The new Classic, much the same as any new car, is not "meant" to be modded in any way as far as the manufacturer is concerned - but if you want it to produce better espresso, then you have to mod it.

[@ShadesofCoffee]

You might also want to read this thread: coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machines/711022 - Where it states that newer Bezzera machines have the OPV set to 9 bar now rather than the erroneous 11.... and they released a kit to "correct" the previous 11bar to 9... by changing the spring by the look of it. Now, there's a shocker - someone (Bezzera) "modding a spring".