Well with the help of BrunsNick and my pro shop I put together a nice 4-ball arsenal of the newer stuff. Here's my quick read on them all. For what it's worth, I am a lower speed/revs stroker whose PAP is 4 5/8 over and 1/16 up. Sorry I don't know tilt, revs, or rotation... my driller knows how I throw.
Aura
As I said before, this is not your father's Brunswick ball. I went 50x4x30 and got a ball that gets decent length and hooks hard at the break point, delivering the most continuous ball motion on the back end that I've ever seen from any company. At 2000 abralon, this ball shines on medium to heavy oil.
Versa-Max
I don't know the dual angle as this ball has a standard label drill, which is one of my all time favorites for a benchmark piece. The Versa-Max is every bit as versatile as the name implies, and works well at OOB (500/compound/polish) on anything I ever see. It is a stroker's dream with this layout... made for the down-and-in shot and doubles as a spare ball. I rolled a 299 with this ball right after purchasing it. I am sad to say that it has replaced my beloved Lane #1 Retro Buzzsaw THS as the best ball I've ever owned.
Ringer
As has been said before, the Ringer reminds me of the old Fire Quantum in looks and ball characteristics. I've only tried it at OOB (500/compound/polish) but with this layout the ball rolls earlier than my Versa-Max and Meanstreak and covers as many boards as the Aura. It's a good step down from the latter and shines on medium oil. This ball has the classic Brunswick roll and sends messengers galore. I can tell it will be a favorite.
I don't know the dual angle as Bill Hall laid it out for me using his new Tri-Grip fitting system, which I have to say is the most comfortable fit I've ever tried. Notice how the ring finger looks shorter than my other balls (it's not), the thumb almost looks offset, and the inserts are facing 5 o'clock instead of 6. Strange but very, very comfortable.
Meanstreak
I went 60x4x65 and have it at 1000 abralon polished. This is a great ball for when the lanes are broken down and beat up. It goes longer than any of the others but has a sharper and more angular hook than either the Versa-Max or Ringer. And it's much stronger on the back-end than the Versa. This ball allows me to throw it out a little and get a modest but good entry angle into the pocket. I didn't like it at first but after the addition of the weight hole it became one of my favorites. It is a completely different animal than the Ringer and the two compliment each other well.
If you haven't thrown Brunswick stuff since the good old days, I hope this post sparks some interest. I have a Danger Zone, Gold Rhino Pro, Teal Rhino Pro, and Raven Quantum keeping these balls companies. These are some great pieces and the Aura Paranormal and Meanstreak Brawler sound better, not to mention to the Yeti and Reax!
Happy bowling!
