Balance Sheet

 This is how the Balance sheet is shown on the Commsec site.

The entire thing comes down to one equation:

Assets = Liabilities + Equity

Think of it like:

🏠 “What the company owns” = “what it owes” + “what belongs to shareholders”

Compare Debt to Equity 

and

Assets to Liabilities

and 

Look at the Cash level

=================================================

How the Balance Sheet is structured (on CommSec)

1. Assets (what the company owns)

These are split into two main types:

🟢 Current assets (short-term)

+ Cash

+ Inventory

+ Receivables (money owed to the company)

👉 These turn into cash within ~12 months

🔵 Non-current assets (long-term)

+ Property, factories

+ Equipment

+ Investments

+ Intangible stuff (brands, goodwill)

👉 These are long-term resources

2. Liabilities (Debt - what the company owes)

These are also split into two types:

🔴 Current liabilities (short-term debts)

Bills

Supplier payments

Short-term loans

👉 Due within 1 year

🟠 Non-current liabilities (long-term debts)

Bank loans

Bonds

Lease obligations

👉 Due over many years

3. Equity (what shareholders “own”)

This is the leftover after debts:

Share capital (money investors put in)

Retained earnings (profits kept in the business)

👉 Basically: company’s net worth

---------------------------------------------------------------

=====================================

🧠 How to actually READ it (this is the key part)

When you look at a balance sheet on CommSec, don’t just read numbers — ask these:

1. Is the company financially safe?

👉 Look at:

       + Cash vs short-term debt

       + “Current assets vs current liabilities”

Rule of thumb:

If current assets > current liabilities → generally safer

This is called the current ratio

2. Is the company heavily in debt?

👉 Compare:

  + Total liabilities vs equity

  + High debt = higher risk

  + Low debt = safer but possibly slower growth

3. What kind of assets does it have?

👉 Important nuance:

   + Cash = strong

   + Inventory = less liquid

   + Intangibles (goodwill) = sometimes questionable

4. Is equity growing over time?

👉 Check:

  + Are retained earnings increasing?

That means:

The company is keeping profits and building value.

-----

📉 Example (super simplified)

Imagine a company on shows:

Assets: $1,000

Liabilities: $600

Equity: $400

That means:

It owns $1,000 worth of stuff

Owes $600

Shareholders “own” $400

=================================================

🧭 How to use this on CommSec (step-by-step)

Next time you open a stock:

1. Go to Financials → Balance Sheet

2. Look at:

    + Current assets vs current liabilities

    + Total debt vs equity

    + Cash level

And ask:

👉 “If things went bad today… is this company financially strong or fragile?”

----------------

ROE, earnings

NST being a gold miner has earnings all over the shop.

It's very difficult to predict earnings over a 5 year period

Future ROE is also hard to predict.

Everything depends on the current gold price.

Commsec Financials Page explanation

This is a description of a typical summary page (from commsec in this example) for 

education purposes only.

You ca apply these concepts to any end of year company summary

Under the  Financials tab, you’re usually seeing:

1. Company historicals

High-level summary (revenue, profit, EPS, etc.)

Earnings, dividends, 

ROE, ROC, gearing, NTA/share

Usually covers 3–10 years

Think: “Is this company growing?”

2. Historical financials

More detailed income statement (profit & loss)

Shows:

Revenue

Expenses

Net profit

👉 This is about performance over time

3. Balance sheet 

+ Snapshot at a single point in time (e.g. June 30)

+ Shows:

What the company owns

What it owes

What’s left for shareholders

👉 This is about financial position / health

4. Performance and Risk

+ Total Shareholder return

+ Risk - Beta, ratios, Debt/Equity

+ Segment Performance

+ Liquidity

Behmor Roaster - general temps etc

Important nuance to note with your Behmor

The Behmor doesn’t directly display true bean temperature—it shows a chamber/wall temp. 

The actual bean temp isn't the sensor reading & the Behmor temps are nothing like what you'd expect from a standard drum roaster.

The Behmor uses an infrared quartz heating element that heats differently to a gas flame, hot plate, electric coil or air-convection. Quartz light provides near instant heat but unlike most heating elements it heats objects not the surrounding air. The infrared rays (similar to the sun) pass through the air and are absorbed by solid objects.

The Behmor roaster safety button requires users to press the START button  (or C button) within a 30-second window when the timer hits 75% completion (e.g., 2:30 remaining on a 10-minute roast), indicated by a flashing display. Failure to do so results in Error 7 (Err7) and an automatic, forced cooling cycle to prevent fire hazards.

🔥 Use Temp B (chamber) as your main reference

Why Temp B is better

+ It measures the air temperature in the roasting chamber

+ That’s closer to what the beans are actually experiencing

+ It responds more smoothly and predictably during the roast.

+ The B probe is attached below the drum chamber.

+ Most Behmor roasting guides and profiles are based on Temp B

🧱 Temp A is focused on measuring the exhaust temperature .

Exhaust temps are generally useful for measuring the momentum and total energy in a roaster, however Temp A doesn't seem to measure anything until latter in the roast cycle..

+ It is useful as a secondary safety indicator (e.g. overheating), but not for tracking roast stages.

+ The “A” temperature reading only becomes active midway through the roast when the fan kicks on. 

🎯 Practical takeaway

Track your roast stages (dry end, browning, first crack) using:

Temp B + time + sensory cues (smell, sound, colour)

Glance at Temp A only to make sure things aren’t running away too hot

🧠 Simple rule of thumb

Temp B = “what’s happening to the beans”

Temp A = “what the machine walls are doing”

🎯 Charging/Preheating

Charge temp

On a Behmor 1600 Plus Coffee Roaster, “charge temp” isn’t as tightly controlled as on a commercial drum roaster—but you can still think in terms of a preheat target (Temp B) before you drop the beans.

🔥 Good starting charge (preheat) temps:

The manual recommends:

 Press any weigh and then Start. Allow the system to run for up to 1:30 minutes. Press OFF,

insert roasting drum, tray and start your roast.

Use Temp B (chamber temp):

I pre heat to 104C-120C (220-250F).

+ Preheat with the chaff collector in (and if possible, the drum too).

+ Load beans quickly

+ Start on P1 or P2 (full or near-full power) in auto mode

    or P5 in manual mode.

Adjust based on goals:

+ Want more acidity / shorter roast → charge closer to 120C

+ Want more control / smoother profile → stay around 100°C

☕ What actually happens on Behmor

When you add beans, temp will drop hard (20–40°C)

Then it climbs back up as the roast progresses

So your “charge temp” is really about:

+ how much momentum you start with

+ how quickly you get through drying

⚠️ Behmor-specific quirks

Preheating too high (>150°C) can:

+ Trigger safety shutdown

+ Increase risk of scorching

As there is no direct bean temp probe → rely on:

+ time to dry end (~4–6 min)

+ time to first crack (~9–12 min)

🧠 Simple rule of thumb

Start around ~120°C Temp B, then adjust based on:

+ How fast you hit dry end

+ How soon first crack arrives

=================================================

🌡️ Dry End Temperature Range

~140°C to 160°C (302°F to 320°F bean temp equivalent)

Many Behmor users track dry end by time + visual cues:

Usually around 4–6 minutes into the roast (depending on batch size and profile)

===============================================

☕ Browning Phase (Maillard Reaction)

🌡️  temp (approx.).. B button

~140-150°C 

👀 What to look for

Beans shift yellow → light brown → cinnamon

Smell turns from hay → bread/toast → caramel

Surface becomes more matte and textured

===============================================

🔊 First Crack

🌡️  temp (approx.)

~141°C on the B probe.

👂 What to listen for

Distinct popping/cracking sounds (like popcorn, but sharper)

Beans visibly expand and shed chaff

Aroma becomes sweet, nutty, more “coffee-like”

==================

Afterburners.

Mid way through the roast there will be a temporary drop in the B temperature.

This is normal. The program is designed to have a fan come on to pull air/ smoke through the afterburners to burn off smoke and other impurities. 

When the afterburners come on, heat will be drawn over the beans and away from the sensor thus the reading on b drops.

===========================

Below are 2 examples of standard medium roast profiles.

They are useful guides as to what sort of temperatures the Behmor will read during a standard roast.

The first is a 200g roast. @ 200g setting.

I press the200g button, then P1 button + "start".

Then press P5  (to enter manual mode)

Note that in manual mode, P5 = 100% power.

(Temp: just using the B button - for chamber temp only)

Note that my max temp for this roast is 160C (The Behmor automatically shuts down at 170C)

so one of my goals is to keep the B temperature below this value.

Charge temp: 120C

Time    Temp B

00.00 : 120C (charge)

00.30 : 120C (press P5)

01.00 : 126C

01.30 : 132C

02.00 : 138C

02.30 : 145C

03.00 : 151C

03.30 : 157C (press P4)

04.00 : 162C (press P3)... I dropped temp to P3 to avoid the shutdown feature

04.30 : 163C

05.00 : 160C (@ 5mins the fan will start & the heat will start to drop, so I'll need to increase the power)

05.30 : 146C (press P5)

06.00 : 142C

06.30 : 146C = Dry End

07.00 : 148C (press P4) ... I'm gradually reducing the temp...you can also open the door to cool the roast

                                           Also use fast drum (this mimics air flow in a drum roaster)

07.30 : 148C (press p3)... I'm stretching out the browning phase by making sure the 

                                          temperatures aren't constantly increasing.

08.00 : 147C

08.30 : 142C (press P4)... increase the temp a bit.. stabilise the temp .. avoid crashes or peaks

09.00 : 141C

09.30 : 141C

10.00 : 141C

10.30 : 141C --- First Crack  

11.00 : 142C (you could press P3 or P2 to lower the temp if desired).

11.30 : 138C 

12.00 : 140C... exothermic reaction !

12.30 : 142C

13.00 : drop

------------------------------------------------------------

This is an example of one of my standard medium roast profiles.

This is a 100g roast. @ 200g setting.

I press the 200g button, then P1 button + "start".

Then press P5  (to enter manual mode)

Note that in manual mode, P5 = 100% power.

(Temp: just using the B button - for chamber temp only)

Note that my max temp for this roast is 160C (The Behmor automatically shuts down at 170C)

so one of my goals is to keep the B temperature below this value.

Another goal is to aim for a 50% drying ratio, 30% browning, 20% develop.

So accurately marking Dry End, FC, etc is impt.

Actual Charge Temp : 92C (B setting)

I preheated the drum & machine to 110C but lost some heat when I opened the door & dropped

the beans into the drum.

Time    Temp B

00.00 : 92C (charge)

00.30 : 93C (press P5)

01.00 : 100C

01.30 : 101C

02.00 : 102C

02.30 : 120C

03.00 : 137C

03.30 : 143C 

04.00 : 150C 

04.30 : 155C

05.00 : 157C  - fan kicked on. The A temp is available now.

05.30 : 162C    I pressed P4 to lower temp. 

06.00 : 158C = Dry End @ 5.40

06.30 : 157C 

07.00 : 156C .. I'm gradually reducing the temp...you can also open the door to cool the roast

                                           Also use fast drum (this mimics air flow in a drum roaster)

07.30 : 155C (I could press p3 but the temp seems pretty stable for now)... 

                      I'm stretching out the browning phase by making sure the temperatures aren't 

                      constantly increasing.

08.00 : 155C

08.30 : 142C (press P4)... increase the temp a bit.. stabilise the temp .. avoid crashes or peaks

09.00 : 144C

09.30 : 147C --- First Crack  ?

10.00 : 150C

10.30 : 152C Drop

If you intend to run the full cooling cycle  press "cool" on 1st crack since the roast will continue to develop while the hot chamber cools.

UNO Synth Pro

 A demo of the UNO Synth Pro.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Music Tech, Synth, Keyboard Repairs (@elk_elektronik)

...

Thanks for holding the meeting last Tuesday Ed.

We met Chris Steller, product specialist with Sound & Music. 

Chris has a wealth of industry experience as a presenter and trainer in hardware and software music technology.

Buchla 156

 The  Buchla 156 is a very early example of a CV processor .... possibly the earliest.

It was developed to enable more flexibility in the 

Buchla 100 system.

Most of the early 100 modules (such as the Buchla 158 VCO) didn't have a any way to attenuate /offset voltages entering their often single CV inputs. 

So the 156 was developed to do this.

In the later 200 series Buchla added CV processors into modules like the 258 VCO. (see pics below)

As Buchla evolved, new CV processor modules were invented such as the 256, 257 & the Verbos 254v but the 156 is the grand daddy of them all.

The module consists of two independent CV processors.... left (A) & right (B).

Left CV processor (A)

The left CV processor has two inputs. They feed into a mixer (bottom knob) .

The centre knob (offset) adds a + voltage

offset to the input (0V-15V range). 

If you are using this in a 200 system the voltages will probably be in the range of 0-10V.

The top knob mixes between the external signals and the internal voltage offset . 

The output is at the top 

Right CV processor (B)

The right processor is similar to the left one except it has one inverting input. 

Buchla 158 & 144 VCOs

 didn't have many CV inputs so the 156 was useful in manipulating CV voltages from keyboards and sequencers before they touched the VCO.

The 258 incorporated CV processing circuits into the module.

other Buchla CV processors:

+ 254v (buchla format)

+ 256 Dual Voltage Adder

+ 257  Control Voltage processor

GS - all about Saturated groups

 La Marzocco didn’t invent the saturated group concept, but they’re the company that perfected it and made it famous.

Early machines (mid-20th century) experimented with group heads mounted very close to or partially integrated with boilers.

This early La Pavoni is connected to the boiler by a pipe.

The boiler temp is very different to the group-head (GH) temp.

It takes skill to pull a good shot.

The goal back then was already clear: reduce temperature loss between boiler and coffee puck. This is the reason the GH is away from the boiler. The design is actually really good as you have in effect two temps at the same time with a single boiler ... A lower GH temp to brew the coffee, and the higher boiler temp

for steaming milk.

 

But these designs were often inconsistent, hard to control & not fully “saturated” in the modern sense.

The concept existed, but wasn’t refined.

In the 1970s, La Marzocco changed the game.

It introduced true saturated group heads (not just attached) but fully integrated.

When paired them with dual boiler systems (brew boiler + steam boiler) they

delivered unprecedented temperature stability

A key milestone was the La Marzocco GS1 (1970):

This was one of the first machines with saturated groups & dual boilers.

It set the blueprint for modern commercial espresso machines.

Today, many high-end machines (Synesso, Slayer, etc.) follow the same principle.

☕ Simple analogy

Others: “What if we attach the group to the boiler?”

La Marzocco: “What if the group is the boiler—and we control it precisely?”

In the early days stability was the goal.

It was important to “Keep temperature constant at all costs”

Now, Stability is assumed and the focus is on control, repeatability & customisation of extraction.

Comparisons to other espresso machines:

Rancilio Silva

The Rancilio Silvia’s boiler is not directly integrated with (or “saturated” into) the group head.

The boiler and group head are separate components.

The Silvia’s boiler is indirectly connected (via plumbing and pump), not structurally or thermally integrated with the group head.

Water is heated in the boiler, then pumped through a pathway to the group head when you brew.

It uses a simple commercial-style group (often called a “ring group”), not an E61 or saturated design.

That’s why Silvia users often deal with temperature surfing—the group head isn’t being actively stabilized by the boiler mass or circulating water.

This is a pic of the boiler from a silvia

E61 group

(thermosiphon group)

Stable once hot, but less precise (a few °C swing possible)

You “tune” temp with flushes rather than exact settings

Heavy brass group stabilises temperature across shots

It's often better than expected once fully warmed though this takes some time.

The separate heavy group uses passive hot water circulation

The big thermal mass keeps it stable once hot.

This method requires cooling flushes to hit correct temp

But once dialled in, it's very repeatable

The E-61 also has natural mechanical pre-infusion 

(gentle ramp-up)

Gaggia Classic

It’s a single-boiler machine with a separate group head

The group is  however bolted to the boiler, though not integrated into it

Water flows from the boiler → through the group → to the puck only during brewing.

Why it’s not “saturated” ??

A saturated group means:

The group head is literally part of the boiler & it’s surrounded by brew water at all times.

Temperature is extremely stable and directly controlled.

The Gaggia Classic is best described as:

A semi-integrated / bolt-on group with some passive heat transfer from the boiler

In practice this makes it more thermally stable than very cheap machines

But nowhere near an E61 thermosiphon system, or a true saturated group

Decent DE1

This is not a big classic boiler/group casting

It instead uses heaters + sensors + software

Thus it achieves saturated-level control without mass.

It has a faster heat-up time & extreme levels of control (pressure, flow, temp curves)

Less “metal mass,” more software-driven saturation

The differences between the Linea Classic, PB, Mini, and Micra

Here’s a clear, side-by-side breakdown of the four Linea models—focusing on what actually matters: workflow, control, size, and use case. 

Note that the Linea family focuses on consistent 9-bar (flat pressure) extraction rather than pressure profiling, but they are not strictly limited in their pressure settings. 

Linea Classic (the original workhorse).

These were used in Starbucks  stores in the US in the 90's

Today a La Marzocco Linea Classic S  will set you back about $15,500.00 · 

+ It's a iconic commercial dual-boiler espresso machine built for reliability and high-volume cafés.

= Type: Commercial (1–4 group)

= Philosophy: Simplicity + durability

= Controls: Mostly manual or basic volumetric

= Why it exists: Bulletproof café machine

👉 Key idea: “Set-and-forget consistency with minimal electronics.”

Dual  horizontal boilers + saturated groups = very stable shots

Designed for high-volume cafés since the 90s

-----------------------------------------------

Linea PB (modernized Classic)

La Marzocco Linea PB Espresso Machine · $27,995.00

Digitally controlled commercial machine with programmable features and modern workflow upgrades.

+ Type: Commercial (successor to Classic)

+ Philosophy: Same machine, but smarter

+ Controls: Digital interface + programming

👉 Key idea: “Classic performance with modern control.”

+ Programmable brew volume, temps, auto backflush

+ Lower profile for better bar workflow

+ Dual  horizontal boilers + saturated groups = very stable shots

+ Optional built-in scales (ABR)

--------------------------------------------------------

Linea Mini (prosumer / home-commercial hybrid)

La Marzocco Linea Mini · $8,999.00 · 

Compact dual-boiler machine bringing commercial-level performance into the home.

+ Type: Home / prosumer

+ Great build quality

+ rotary pump.

+ has a extra solenoid valve so you can get soft saturation at the start and 

   pre-wet your puck.

+ 58 mm portafilter

+ Philosophy: Café performance at home

+ Controls: Simple + app-connected (newer versions)

+ you need the special La Marzocco Acacia scale = brew by weight.

+ 30Kg weight

+ 2.5L boiler

+ 3 L steam boiler

+ you can adjust the pump pressure (from the standard 9 bar) with a screw on the top.

👉 Key idea: “A shrunk-down café machine.”

+ It has the same dual boiler concept as commercial Lineas

   The dual-boiler system (horizontal) is not a traditional heat exchanger.

   To maintain temperature stability for high-volume home espresso there is a small 

   heat exchanger pipe which runs inside the 3-liter steam boiler to preheat 

   the brew water 

   before it enters the dedicated 0.17-liter brew boiler. 

   This ensures instant heat recovery and precise temperature control.

   The PID regulates the heating element in the 170ml (or 175ml depending on version) 

   coffee boiler, ensuring high temperature stability, with the probe

   located near the saturated group head.

   PID Adjustment: On the original Mini, this was adjusted via a wheel; 

   on the new Linea Mini R, it is adjusted via a Wi-Fi-connected app.

+ Can be plumbed but needs a filter. 

+ Doesn’t require plumbing however  (tank-based)

+ Manual paddle for shot control.

+ This machine is built to last (provided you don't use bad water)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Linea Micra (ultra-compact enthusiast machine)

La Marzocco Linea Micra Coffee Machine · $5,999.00 · 

Ultra-compact dual-boiler espresso machine designed for serious home users with limited space.

+ Type: Home (smaller than Mini)

+ vertical boilers

+ 5 min heat up time.

+ rotary pump

+ 58 mm portafilter

+ 19Kg weight

+ 250ml front brew boiler.

+ Philosophy: Accessibility + compactness

+ Controls: App + simplified interface

   Through the app you can change the steam pressure, brew temp.

   The app also allows you to have pre-brew & pre-infusion (if it's plumbed in).

    Pre brew is just wetting the puck (no pressure)

    Pre infusion is only possible when you have line pressure applied to the puck.

+ Pairs with the normal Acaia Scale 

👉 Key idea: “Mini performance, smaller + easier.”

+ Same core performance but smaller footprint

+ App-based control + simplified workflow

+ Slightly less power and capacity than Mini

-------------------------------------------

Feature	Linea Classic S	Linea PB	Linea Mini	Linea Micra
Use case	High-volume café	High-end café	Home / light commercial	Home
Size	Large (multi-group)	Large (multi-group)	Countertop	Small countertop
Plumbing	Yes	Yes	Tank (optional plumb-in)	Tank only
Control style	Manual / basic volumetric	Fully programmable digital	Manual + app	App-focused + simple
Tech level	Low (intentionally)	High	Medium	Medium
Consistency	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Workflow speed	Very high	Very high	Medium	Lower
Steam power	Very strong	Very strong	Strong	Strong
Target user	Baristas / cafés	Advanced cafés	Enthusiasts	Casual enthusiasts

-------------------------------

🧠 The real differences (explained simply)

1. Classic vs PB (café machines)

Classic (on the left):

Mechanical, simple, easy to repair

Fewer things to break

PB:

Same core machine + digital control layer

Better for precision, consistency across staff

👉 Think:

Classic = Toyota Land Cruiser

PB = Land Cruiser with electronics + driver assists

------------------------------------

2. Mini vs Micra (home machines)

Mini:

Closer to café performance

More power, more manual feel

Micra:

Smaller, easier, more “plug-and-play”

Slight trade-off in steam power + workflow

👉 Think:

Mini = enthusiast tool

Micra = premium daily driver

--------------------------------

3. Commercial vs Home (the biggest divide)

This is the most important distinction:

Classic / PB

Built to run all day, nonstop

Multi-group (2–4 group heads)

Require plumbing + high power

Mini / Micra

Built for 1–2 users

Single group

Plug-and-play

👉 They’re not really competitors—they’re different categories.

-------------------------------

🧭 Which one should you care about?

Running a café?

= Go Classic (simplicity) or PB (control)

Serious home barista?

= Go Mini

Want great coffee with less fuss / space?

= Go Micra

---------------

🧾 Bottom line

+ Classic: timeless, rugged, minimal

+ PB: Classic + modern brain

+ Mini: café DNA at home

+ Micra: Mini, but smaller and friendlier