I got a chance to go out tonight and practice. After a couple games to get loose (torn supraspinatus and deltoid bursitis), I decided to compare the reactions of both these balls, They are drilled alike, with the pins under the ring finger, MB in strong position, and weight holes in the thumb positive quadrant. Both are 15#, although the ending totals and statics might be slightly different. Both are in OOB condition also.
The shot was, well, I'm not really sure. It was a house I don't bowl at often. They usually put out a 37' THS, but I was on the lanes after a league. I am a right handed, medium track tweener. Ball speed is approx. 17 mph.
I first got lined up with the Epic. Stood on 41, lay down point at 32, ball crossed 18 at the arrows, out to around 7-8 board at the breakpoint. The Epic cleared the heads just fine, and had a great midlane read. The ball rolls "heavy". The move was a sharp arc, if there is such a thing. The continuation thru the pindeck is what I noticed most. Once it made the move, it didn't stop. In fact, a stone 9 cost me a meaningless 300. It did not hold well on tugged shots, but it recovered great when sent wide. I threw it well so I was pretty much spot on as far as hitting my mark.
I then got out my 5.0 and played the exact same line for a fair comparison. It was about 2 feet longer than the Epic. The 5.0 makes a much more angular move on the back, with great hit and continuation. However, it was coming in behind the headpin, and thus I left a few weak 10's. It would not come in flush from this angle, but I threw quite a few swishers. To get flush with the 5.0, I moved 5 right with my feet, lay down point 27, and aimed 14 to get it into the dry a bit sooner. It then became a rack-shredder.
Both balls do a good job on carry-down, with the sanded cover of the Epic doing a bit better job of cutting through it. Playing the same line, with the Epic being flush, the 5.0 was light pocket. The hit of the Epic is outstanding, with the 5.0 being great also. Playing inside like that is certainly not my A game, so normally I would have bagged the Epic and used either the 5.0 or original Xception. Both are winners.
Don