Quality difference between Heidelberg MOV 1984+ and Speedmaster 74

Hi Guys,

I've been wondering lately if there is any significant quality difference between Heidelberg MOV with CPC and alcolor (1984 to 1994) and Speedmaster 74 (1995 model). The huge difference in price between the two got me wondering if there is something I don't know about the quality of the SM

I know that 74 has autoplate, a higher speed of 15,000iph and a fairly larger plate size than the MO.

Please let me know if there is justifiable quality difference between the two.

Thank you for your time.

 

The difference is HUGE and probably too many to mention. As you already mentioned the 15,000 iph, autoplate but also suction belt on feeder, better side guides, better blanket/impression washer, better roller wash sytem, better ink train, motor driven fountain roller, semi auto perfector, larger diameter gripper bars, better gripper configuration, way better thrust/cylinder bearings, delivery gripper bars far more rigid, chain guides have far less segments making for quieter delivery, slow down wheels are belts not rubber bands, control of the sheet in delivery is done by venturi plates, I can go on and on. Really there is no comparison, even the very early SM74 are far better than any MO ever built. There is a reason why its more money, you are getting alot more machine for your money. SM74 is probably the machine I know the best and its a great machine. If there are any drawbacks to the machine I would have to say it has a tendancy to mark a bit, but given the choice between MO and SM74, it a no brainer. If I can think of any other major differences I will post, these are just the things I can think of off the top of my head.

 

It's like going from a VW beetle (it will get you there, reliably) to a Porsche (faster and better).

 

I ran a SM 74 probably about a 95 model and I can tell you its worth the extra cost....I rememeber doing a 600 line screen job for Heidelberg , it was the cover for the magazine they published called "Trends" and it was right around the time they were coming out with the CD and auto-plate etc, its kinda been a long time but I still have a couple of copies of the book. Anyway like Exheidmech said^ its basically the same press as the SM 102 , a couple of minor marking issues but easily resolved. Print great!....

 

I ran one of the last off the assembly line 1994 MOFPH-L machines and while it was a good machine (They finally got the MO right when Heidelberg stopped making it.) there was absolutely no comparison to the SM74 machine which replaced it.