I have both of them, and the Hell Raiser is a stronger ball overall.  The ulti-max has a stronger reaction on the backend of the lane, and the Hell Raiser will read the mid lane sooner.  Also, the Hell Raiser can handle more volume of oil than the ulti-max.  What kind of reaction are you looking to get out of these balls?

Brandon -
I'm looking for more of a skid/flip (angular) reaction. Something abrupt, rather than a smooth move in the mids.

If you are looking for a skid/snap reaction, then I would recommend the ulti-max (http://www.bowlwithbrunswick.com/videos/csystem-ulti-max) over the Hell Raiser (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzLx5qZUlHs). If you can wait until July 25, the Hell Raiser Terror (http://dv8bowling.com/balls/video/hell-raiser-terror) would be a ball that has a skid/snap reaction as well. I should have mine by the end of the week and can give a review then.

Charlest -
The Hellraiser may be a hybrid solid/pearl, I'm not certain ... the official description is "Class 5 Reactive".
That would explain why it would start up sooner according to Brandon.

Pardon my bluntness but, no, it wouldn't.
What would explain it is the strength of the coverstock. If they were the exact same family of resins, it would explain it, but you can't say that in this case. (We don't know that DV8 uses the same resins or even the same resin supplier than Brunswick does.) All one can see is that with similar core and numbers, the HR handles more oil than the Ulti-Max.

In general, solids are stronger than their equivalent pearl and solid/pearl combos are earlier and stronger than their pearls. BUT there are pearls that are stronger than some solids. So it's the actual strength of the coverstock that makes the difference.

That said, don't be too hasty to dismiss the HR or the HR family. The reaction I've seen so far from people using them tend towards an fairly flippy ball reaction. With the right drilling, and the right delivery/release, Hell Raisers, and Revenges can both handle a good deal of oil and have a pretty strong backend. If you're playing more on medium oil than medium-heavy to heavy oil and want that flippy backend, the Ulti-Max is probably more than sufficient, when drilled correctly and for your release.

Good luck..

Both Brunswick and DV8 use Bayer as the supplier of their covers.  However, both companies use completely different formulations.

Quote from: charlest on July 10, 2012, 09:26:04 AM

Quote from: 1MechEng on July 10, 2012, 08:51:13 AM

Looking for someone who has thrown both the Ulti-Max and the Hellraiser (DV8) and can make an informed comparison between the 2.
Both are high RG balls (2.585 vs. 2.591), with similar amounts of core asymmetry (0.016 vs. 0.017). Both have 500 + 1500 +Ruff Buff finishes on a pearl coverstock.
Can I expect similar performance out of these balls?
Thanks in advance!

As far as I have heard/learned, the Hell Raiser is not a pearl, but a solid/pearl combination.

What does that matter?  Have you thrown both the balls?  NO?  Then why do you insist on posting this minutia that means nothing to what the OP is looking for?  Re can all read BTM for ourselves.

If you have to ask, if you have to butt in, then you have offered nothing except for your name on the list of repliers.

Is knowledge gained only through direct experience, the only worthwhile knowledge? If so, then all the books ever written and the entire internet is a waste of time. Sharing knowledge through communications is a waste also. All schools, all schooling by every one, every where is also a waste. I think you are wrong. You have your 10 seconds of "fame". Exit, stage right.

I appreciate ALL of the feedback to my original post. Thanks to everyone who took the time and effort to help me.
@ Long Gone Daddy - I have interacted with Charlest on this site since I joined in 2005. Yes he was pointing out some subtle nuances and errors in my response. He was in fact correct. I value his opinion and input based on my previous conversations with him on this board. Additionally, as I am an engineer, I do enjoy the minutiae and details of the game. His post had relevance, and was not mean or spiteful.
I think we can all learn from each other. That's the beauty of this board. There's a lot of opinions and knowledge that I was hoping to draw on when I asked the original question about the 2 balls. I feel I have gotten some good answers, and will use them in my final decision when I make my next ball purchase. For the record - I'm not positive on which brand I'm even going to buy yet. I'm also looking at the Storm Thunder series (Crossroad, Victory Road, Fire Road) and the Hammer Epidemic.
I'm going to lock the thread now so that it doesn't devolve into something beyond the original scope of the post.
Thanks again to everyone for their help!
Dan