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Author Topic: Is the NEPTUNE the replacement for the beloved original Sonic X Pearl?  (Read 1569 times)

Ric Clint

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This may have been covered... I've been away for close to 2 1/2 years so I'm not up to date...

Is the NEPTUNE the replacement for the beloved original Sonic X Pearl?

Is Roto Grip's intent? How do they compare?

Hank? Roger?


Thanks!




 

agroves

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Re: Is the NEPTUNE the replacement for the beloved original Sonic X Pearl?
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2008, 12:32:38 AM »
Ric, read my topic about the Neptune and what Mark has to say.  My sonic X was drilled pin beyond axis.  My Neptune is drilled 6" pin to pap.  The reactions are completely different, but neither is a true dry lane ball.  More of a med to light condition ball.
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Ric Clint

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Thanks!

And if anybody has thrown them side by side and got a true comparison of which one goes longer, which one has more backend, which one is cleaner through the heads, etc...  then please feel free to comment!

Any other comments are welcome!


Thanks!






TBS1

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My sonic x has more backend
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charlest

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quote:
Thanks!

And if anybody has thrown them side by side and got a true comparison of which one goes longer, which one has more backend, which one is cleaner through the heads, etc...  then please feel free to comment!

Any other comments are welcome!

Thanks!



Ric,

Very few people are likely to throw these back to back, if only because the SOnic-X is, relatively speaking, such an old ball. I hope someone posts it, maybe Lucky Lefty? but not likely.

The Neptune with a high long-ish pin handles dry-ish lanes very well. I've watched Mark Curran a lot with it. But then he's a good bowler, like Scott.
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Ric Clint

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quote:
Well....even though the Sonic X has my old grip specs and doesn't fit quite right anymore (see note 1) I did the side by side comp for a few shots today. This is one of my favorite Rotos so it was fun to do.

The Sonic X is drilled with the pin just above the ring finger and slightly toward the VAL. Neptune is also pin up and just left of the grip line. So call it 4.5 x 5 for the Sonic X and and 5.75 x 5 for the Neptune. Neptune is OOB and Sonic X is semi-shiney for lack of a better description.

Lane surface is Guardian heads and wood backs. Fresh THS with a medium weight Legends conditioner applied with a Phoenix-X pad machine. There were about 12 games on the pair prior to the test shots so there was a touch of carry down but basically a nice house condition.

Result:

Sonic X -- nice lenght and pretty much ignores the midlane. When it sees the spot it is angular off of the friction. Nice controllable reaction but fairly sharp breakpoint. I still remember the first time I threw this ball. It was a 5 gamer at Cloverleaf Bowl in the Bay Area. Lanes were breaking down and I wanted something to go straighter with. I tried the Sonic-X and it went 45 feet and turned left. Not what I expected but a great reaction. The Sonic-X was poured in 2003 and has a lot of games on it. If someone handed me a new copy tomorrow I'd smile and go use it a ton. Sonic-X is still a great ball 5 years after it was released.

Neptune -- even easier lenght down lane, doesn't see the pattern until it comes into the dry. It moves well off friction but with an easier, more arcing motion than the Sonic-X. I'd call it two to three boards weaker overall and smoother backend reaction than the Sonic-X.

So how close are these and is the Neptune a good replacement for Sonic-X? I'd say they are darn close but with distinct motion shapes. The Neptune shows a smoother shape but with a stronger layout and perhaps a surface tweak I expect it would be about even tot he Sonic-X on overall strength but would move less abruptly off the break point.

Hope that was entertaining, I may pull out the Mercury tomorrow and give it a go against the Neptune.

Mark



Thanks Mark for doing this comparison! It was very useful!

Thanks!




Ric Clint

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Sounds good to me, Mark!