OT: Espresso machines

Agree with so many posters on this thread. There’s definitely overlap and no surprise that there’s connections between espresso and audio, especially when we look at the amount of variables (conical vs flat burr, light roast vs dark roast, Hx vs single and dual boiler, milk drinks vs straight espresso, bottomless vs spouted portafilter, various baskets, RDT & WDT, group head design, etc.) at play and approach to pursuing new and different purchases. 

+1 @chenry regarding cost and entry into the home espresso hobby. +1 @asvjerry for the link back to the Critical Listening and Altered States thread - definitely some similarities (ritualistic for myself regarding the process of espresso and enjoyment of end product while listening with a “buzz”).

More serious espresso nerds move on from Baratza due to the loud noise and the plastic gearbox that can fail over time. 
 

Full circle back to audio, I have a Baratza Sette 30 with micro adjustment mod that’s now used exclusively for our Moccamaster. I specifically moved on from the grinder for espresso because of how loud it was, in addition to its high-frequency pitch level - at one point I started wearing ear plugs. Measured the decibal levels this morning: 92dB peaks (87dB to 90dB constant)!

I am a three year owner of a Jura E8 super-automatica machine with the milk frother and cooler.  I am surprised only one other poster mentioned owning a Jura as I expected more comments about that brand from this clientele. My E8 makes wonderful flat whites and espressos (my drinks of choice) and I use good locally roasted beans too. I was not cheap but I don't know how I have survived all these years without it...LOL

My son got me started two years ago. He’s got a fancy Italian machine. He started with Nespresso too, on a trip to Europe.
 

I came home from his place and bought a Mr. Coffee Espresso maker. I now use the original Flair lever press. I added temperature and pressure gauges to the Mr. Coffee machine while modifying the controls so that I can control the temperature and flow separately. The Mr Coffee doesn’t really make espresso very well, it uses only steam pressure. (Kind of a fancy Moka pot.) Hence the Flair. I use the Mr. Coffee to heat the cup and steam the milk. I’ve got a Baratza for pour overs, but went to a manual grinder for espresso. Spent big dollars on a German Kinu, love it. I hated the loud sound the Barstza makes in the morning when others are still sleeping.

My favorite drink is a good latte. I’ve been trying to do a latte art heart for two years now. I’m getting closer to. . ..

I’m ready for an upgrade, but hesitate to pull the trigger. The Mr. Coffee has a 51mm portafilter, like the DeLongi machines. The Breville machines use a 54mm. Part of the Flair’s genius is the tiny 1-5/8” portafilter all of the above are easier to get good coffee out of than the professional 58mm pucks due to their depth offering more control and dwell time. In my opinion.
 

I’m sure you’ll have fun figuring it all out, Mr. Squires.  

Olympia also uses smaller portafilters (49mm for the Cremina and 54mm for the Maximatic). Both are relatively simple and durable machines capable of excellent results. They aren't cheap, but they are all-metal and built to a standard met by few other machines in the market, and they are scaled for convenient domestic use. Used machines hold value well. The Cremina is a lever machine, which provides a simple and quiet operation. The Maximatic is a pump heat-exchanger machine, which heats brew water from the reservoir separate from the steaming boiler water.

...a friend back when Starbucks was growing like the fungus amongst us liked to refer to them as 'shooting galleries', a reference to his growing up in NYC....

It's a good thing ( Thanx, Martha ) that the tariff terror is subsiding somewhat...
I'd find the most remote cave poss if the coffee imports pancaked and put the US in a major withdrawal fit...😏