Which works better when connected to the A1: AMS or AMS Lite?

Bambu Lab AMS General discussions
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Either one can be connected to the A1, so I’m just wondering: which one works “better” when connected to the A1? Or is it about the same?

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They both have advantages and disadvantages.

  • AMS Lite

    • Can take cardboard spools far easier
    • Can take smaller spools (width and circumference)
    • Is a little faster to print some models that contain significant colour swaps (due to the short distance travelled between filament swaps that stay around an inch over the print head)
    • Slightly cheaper
    • Easier to mount above or behind (flush to wall) an A series printer
    • Can only use one, limits colours to 4
    • Slightly easier to continue using the external spool inlet
    • Doesn’t require another buffer to function
    • Open to the environment, any moisture in the air is free to access the filaments

  • AMS

    • Can keep spools drier for longer (due to mostly sealed box)
    • Can connect up to 4 in series providing 16 colours total in 4 spool intervals
    • Can nick one of any other Bambu Lab printer
    • Slightly slower to print very complex, colour swapping spool models (due the extra path travelled to the print head than the lite)
    • The new buffer slightly blocks the external spool access, not a big thing, and still possible, but worth noting
    • Requires another buffer as the one on the head cannot be used alone
    • Can house silicate in multiple locations within the AMS housing to further aid any moisture issues

  • AMS 2 Pro

    • Adds the option to use the AMS to actively dry any filaments

It really comes down to personal preference as each good can be outweighed by its bad and the reverse for the other.

If there were two main benefits of the AMS (not lite), as follows:

  • Can chain up to 4 units for up to 16 spools
  • Can keep the environmental moisture out of the filaments for longer.

I donated my A1 mini AMS lite away a while ago, I have a couple of spare AMS units, the new buffer gave me the option to use them with my A1 mini, which I did.

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I’m glad you pointed out it handles cardboard spools better. That’s big. It pretty much decides it for me.

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I use both. it isn’t seamless by any means as I have to swap tubes and cables, but it “sort of” allows me access to 8 spools, 4 at a time. I have PLA, cheap black and white (those 2 on cardboard spools) and 2 Bambu gray that I use for functional stuff and prototyping in the Lite, and 4 PET-G in the AMS2-Pro.I just re-configure for what I wan to print. Another AMS2-Pro wold make it seamless, but I already have the Lite and borrowed the Pro from the X1C, so all it cost me was buying the A1 filament buffer. If I’d used the spare X1C buffer I have in a drawer somewhere it wouldn’t have cost anything.