I too have an EM6910 and I rarely look at the dial, with my best shots coming well past what Sunbeam recommend is their 'sweet spot.' I've been following this 9bar thing and perhaps people are reading too much into the pressure gauge?? Imagine if it wasn't there and you got a rubbish shot, I think you'd still go back to basics in terms of changing grind, dose and (to a lesser degree) tamp. Beans could also play a role. Even if your machine is programmed to produce 9 bar perfectly every time, I think those factors will probably affect the type of coffee you're producing. Taste to me is what is important, not necessarily what the dial is saying!!
