Wondering if you can dwell on the roof mod, ramp airball fix and left ramp ball lock alignment fix? Got a few of those mods myself ready to go but hadn't heard of these things before so want to be prepared. Cheers!

Exciting times! I'm starting to order my extras for it, any suggestions to include? I have the Medisinyl set and a sheet of PDI, mirror blades and shaker going in, and was going to add the shooter lane protector, ninja balls, replace rubbers, and maybe add a trough light. Anything else I should sus out? I'll probably switch to some 5.25" drivers as well.

Well the ETA to Australia is late April after weeks on the water so the rest of y'all think yourselves lucky

Just get the acrylic washers - you won't see them at all and they're far far cheaper than a plastics protector set. I've never broken a plastic.

The Kenwoods are not very good - if you're swapping speakers out then a little more gets you the amazing Kicker CS5 speakers. They're way better (I've tried a multitude of brands). For the cabinet woofer, the limiting factor is the lack of power (is it 16w coming from the onboard amp?) rather than the driver. I've tried a few different options and all have disappointed until I've run an external sub amp. If you're really keen on doing it, you'll want to go for a driver with the highest sensitivity you can find (meaning it requires less power to achieve the same volume level as a less efficient one), and as high a QTS figure as possible (the compliance rating of its suspension, as being inside a pinball cabinet is effectively like running a free-air baffle, which most subwoofers do not like and will bottom out far too easily).

The first one there is the CS version, that's the one. Yes the tweeter is far more transparent than the one in the Kenwood, they have a higher sensitivity meaning they'll play louder at the same volume setting, and their continuous power rating is more than double that of the Kenwood's. So unless you're on a strict budget or for some reason want to emulate the LE speakers, the Kickers are the go imo.

No, you can run the CS4 in the stock speaker plate, or the CS5 in either an LE/5" speaker plate or with the 3D printed adaptor rings (downloadable file on Thingaverse).

MBW - I run an external amp but to an 8" aftermarket driver in the cabinet. I love the setup, you can feel as well as hear the improved bass performance, albeit with something needed to tighten up the glass channels!

Actually many parts such as the coil stops and balls are horrid from Stern and stellar from PBL etc. Don't fall for the "has to be factory parts" thing with pinball.

I don't think it's any worse than any other game. If you're concerned, maybe you can ask your retailer to unbox and test play it before despatch/collection. That's what they do in Australia for peace of mind and it's great.

You would think you should, but for me I think they do something other than impedance matching with this setting. Try it. I find the 4ohm setting makes the soundstage ridiculously compressed, and in 8ohm it opens right up.

By doing this it's possibly giving the drivers less current than they should have; the worst that might happen is you'll fry a driver if you have it so loud that it's distorting/clipping. At normal volumes I don't think there is any risk.

Re the shooter lane issues, I'm yet to receive my machine but from seeing recent pics, it appears the metal cut is similar to my old Munsters. That used to balls up the launch badly and I noticed the ball was getting air when it hit the v-channel section. The sharpness/thickness of that bit would also be scratching balls to sh!t as well I'm sure. So I dremelled the leading edge for it and problem solved. Definitely worth a try, even if it just prolongs your ball life. Scratched up balls will scratch up your clear more.

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If you're not planning to run custom code, then just go to the latest code. It will work with non-IC ones as well. But my understanding is that maybe one version back from the current one was the IC update which also had a node board update. So if there's a custom code that you want to run, they may not have updated it to be compatible with the new node firmware. And you can't roll back the node updates once done (again from what I have heard, not tried it).

Having said that, I don't think you're missing out on any gameplay features by sticking with 1.01 (?)

Just received my new machine today. Luckily only two minor issues; the shooter lane most are talking about and the turret doesn't stop square. Luckily they're minor and easily addressed, just thought I'd verify that you needn't stress about the new machines if you're sitting on one just in case (as I've seen a few comments).

This thread has been a massive help as well so thanks EHOH community! I was prepared for any of the issues, which still may present themselves as the game settles in.

It's certainly playing faster and more brutal than the ones I've played - not a bad thing, but I'm temped to close down the outlanes lol. Nah will probably leave them in the middle.

I can't seem to find the post with instructions on how to rectify the turret alignment by shaving part of the alignment tab/post. Any help would be appreciated, I recall it was a quick/simple fix. Cheers.

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That's the one - many thanks!

I use the plastic one from Mezel as it extends to the fork, smoothing the transition. I took trough eject power down from 255 to 150. Flippers down to 222 and slings 23.

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Go to adjustments and then the "game" section. They're like 10 from the end so hit the minus button and they're easier to locate.

Shooter lane question - the auto launch is perfect on mine. Smooth and makes it around to the left orbit side. If I manually plunge I get the rattles once it hits the playfield and often doesn't make it to the pops. The shooter tip looks perfectly positioned in the centre of the ball though which is weird. Any thoughts?

So this is interesting. My ball is launched straight and centred in the shooter lane. The end of the metal ramp is above the orbit guide rail, so it's not getting caught there at the last moment. Yet when it hits the playfield it just bangs straight into the left orbit guide and ricochets over to the other side. Not sure what I can do here - game is levelled.

Shooter lane view:

Played view:

Ok sorry for all the vids, I think it's the end of the ramp that tilts to the left, hence the ball suddenly firing toward the left orbit guide. It sticks up at the right, but if you push that down then the orbit's right rail will protrude, so I guess I'll have to try raising the left side a little to compensate. It's slight, but I reckon this is the issue hey.

I just put some foam under the short side (left side) of the ramp and it sits higher now. It’s almost worse now lol. Hmmmmm.

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Think I’ve cured my shooter lane issue. It seemed to be curving left at the last minute so I put some acrylic I had from another mod onto the left side of the shooter lane toward the end. Just blu-tac for testing but it’s launching without rattling in the orbit now. I’ll probably print something a little less crude but this is working a treat now.

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Trough light and two spotlights added. Would be great to get the middle of the playfield a bit more lit but don’t think I’m up for pinstadiums…

I wish Stern would tie the insider connect light to the GI. When every light is off, it’s still blinding me (I usually play at night in the dark). Think I’ll move it to the door.

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Mine was always good with the auto plunge but terrible manually. Well when I say terrible, if I manually plunged at full strength it was fine, and if I did a super soft plunge it was fine, but a medium plunge to hit the back door would never make it and just rattle then dribble down the right orbit.

My two changes were that plastic channel I put on the left of it toward the end, and the gate reverse. It's now good 95% of the time.

Mine got stuck a few times. I just have to ensure when I put the lockbar back on, I put it down on the left side first and keep an eye on the button making contact with the switch. Then let the right side go on. If I do it that way it's fine, if I place it down evenly, one press and it jams.

Got both games, both different enough to enjoy having either (or both)! STh has some more difficult shots, so I find it more difficult to progress (not in a bad way). Sometimes I'll play mode progress, other times demogorgan progress, with Elvira you might go crypt focus, house mode focus, trunk etc.

The tiniest tiniest change can make such a big difference. I remember with another machine, I was hating mine. Then I played the same one at a mate's place and I was hitting everything. I can only attribute it to pitch and levelling, as well as flipper position. Often the little tweaks like the right orbit on Elvira where some machines spit the ball to the sling (dangerous) and a tiny piece of mylar sends it to the flipper instead (safe). Those cheap and easy tweaks can be all the difference.

I consider myself below average, and can have a decent game time on Elvira. A lot longer than JP that's for sure.

This new edition is breath-taking. Finally Stern have realised that less is more sometimes when it comes to colour! I wish they'd offer this as a playfield only option. I'd swap mine out in a flash, but not willing to pump in the thousands more to flip my Premium for this version.

This yellow warning sticker has to go!

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Am I the only one who doesn't care about "achievements"? I know if I played the mode or not

Photos do do that justice. That's just the most brilliant looking pinball machine I've ever seen. So wish I was in a position to add one!

You should have left it on - it adds value when reselling

They're noxiously powerful/dangerous, so you may want to change it or leave it for the challenge! If you turn them down, try going down 10 at a time so you'll feel the difference immediately. Then dial in from there. I leave them stock, and have the flippers and vuk down about 20 each.

I would not update tbh. See how the next one goes.

I found sometimes the Cliffy for the shooter lane can dig into the clear coat. I use the plastic ones from Mezel (but love Cliffy elsewhere on a lot of games).

Hahaaaa anything's possible!! But I've only got the povo Premium edition of Elvira on hand

1.08 loaded, is anyone else getting the same issue I just had? Gappa Angry was lit when House Party lit, but I wasn't max'd out on the Freak Fryer. Then when I activated House Party, the intro vid was silent. Still buggy?

Ah interesting, I did the same thing. Was just going to be a quick game but had a cracker Ball 2, so logged in when Ball 3 was in the shooter lane. I wonder if that's related to the issues.

Once you install an update that has a node board firmware update, you can't roll back to previous code versions.

In an LE they would, in a Premium you'd need an adaptor. They can be 3D-printed if you have access to one, or you can purchase an adaptor ring or speaker plate to accommodate. Alternatively most speakers available in 5.25" also come in 4" if you want a drop-in replacement for the Premium.

These speakers would be a perfect replacement for Labyrinth, the exclamation being very similar to the Barrels of Fun logo!

There shouldn't be any light bleed. Your entire turret appears to be offset. The roof overhang should be even on both sides.

I keep trying to hammer this point home to people - there are other issues in the settings Stern have chosen with this impedance selection which is playing games. 4ohm speakers sound far better on the 8ohm setting (and they shouldn't). It's almost like it changes polarity of one speaker, or applies some other filter that veils the sound and reduces soundstage width. Always leave on the 8ohm setting.

It's the addition of a tweeter in the Kenwoods that make it sound better, not the change in cone material. I do wish they spent the extra few dollars in wholesale cost to fit coaxial speakers in all their machines...

What's the deal with the pew pew mode and points? Sometimes when the mode is active, I get points every 'pew'. Other times I only get the pew sound, but no points (ie pointless to repeatedly hit).

I want what you're smoking

PS the pinballs are not anal beads FYI

If you play in the dark with just this machine on, there's times when the entire playfield goes dark but stupidly, they don't dim the light on the QR reader so you're blinded by it.

This looks great. There's enough going on, doesn't need the red to draw attention to it. I prefer backbox trim to match the side rails in any case so you've nailed it.

There's no list. Things like sling power are subjective; there's no right or wrong answer. Things like VUK may be fine from the factory, or may require adjustment. You just need to take each aspect on its own accord...