Star, be nice... Whiz, I know what you mean. I'm fighting the same issue right now with a Revolt Havoc compared to an Optimus Solid. In the mind, stronger ball should hook more. In fact, you'll find LOTS of people who complain that the stronger ball hooks out of the house when there's not enough oil, right? So, when it hooks less, it doesn't make sense. Now, as mentioned above, the balls are different, so same layout does not = same comparison, but it's also true that, for you and I and others, strong ball on too little oil doesn't hook more, it burns up and looks weak.
IN GENERAL, EC is stronger and has more potential to hook on heavier volume than Phaze, which is definitely weaker. But on the right shot, it retains energy when the EC burns it up too soon. That's the tough part, what to buy for the condition you'll predominantly run into.
That's where surface changes can come in... I've never really been as successful with surface changes as I would have hoped....