Son!Q isn't as strong off the spot, but it's earlier, so I found it easier to square up with because it's not as bouncy.  Hyper Cell Fused is really strong on friction, but could create angle issues.  I think the Son!Q would be the better choice for a straighter game, because the Fused could do the hook at 20 feet thing, which forces you inside, and then it's flat 7s or washouts.  Son!Q needs a little room, but it would be a play straight up 7 thing instead of straight up 5 thing.  Tapping into my lefty brain, I would go Son!Q over Fused. 

Jim, you and I both had trouble with the Intense... Have you thrown the HCF yet? Thoughts on it?

Interesting thoughts Jim, thanks for sharing. I'm not sure I have anything in the bag with R2S pearl since I just recently (with my Phaze 2) came back to Storm, but it definitely does seem to have a love/hate relationship with most people, nothing in the middle. Of coursde, there's always the Intense as a reference, but that's no good. Time to cure... Hmmm, maybe not throw it out yet...
I still haven't found an asym layout I like EXCEPT one on a Raptor P7, which I'll start a new thread on and would like your thoughts as well. %^&* asyms and I, maybe I should just stop trying them, but I could use the extra if I could get it right. For this week, I picked up an Idol from Ebay, drilled right where I would have done it, so that's this week's test. Next week... Which one, I don't know... Gamble with R2S pearl or gamble with Asym...

One thing to mention here is the Son!Q doesn't feel like an R2S pearl ball.  It kinda does I suppose, only really with shape though, or maybe the backend transition, but it's the strongest R2S pearl ball I've thrown.

I agree with this. I feel that this ball is far more versatile than the Fused. Definitely better suited for playing straighter angles unless you are really speed dominant, but then you could take it down to a lower grit. I prefer to play straighter, myself, though I'm more in the slightly rev dominant to slightly speed dominant range - depending how I'm trying to play the lane (or what my body decides it wants to do).

I have both. IMO -- the Soniq is a very strong but smooth rolling arching ball. It has allot of back end for me. I have mine pin down. My Fused, pin up, is better suited as my up the boards or down and in ball that more skid snap for me. 

Thanks Metal. Hearing someone use the HCF as a down and in ball is not what I expected, but interesting. I'm betting you have a bit of speed.....

The Marvel Pearl is R2X, not R2S. It shares the same cover with the Optimus Pearl, except the Optimus has a different core.

As a follow up to my complaint about R2S Pearl, I took my Marvel Pearl to the lanes last night and bowled some pot games with it. I resurfaced the ball about 2 weeks ago with my 1500 polish version 15, which is 500 based, little more 1K and 2K and heavier coat of polish.

It worked great, carry was great, buttery smooth motion for 3 games with 8 other palm bowlers. This is the first time I got to experience the buttery smooth motion of the ball, and the first time I've enjoyed using it and won some money with it.

So my complaint about R2S Pearl is now canceled, issue resolved. And theirs no reason for me to avoid the SONIQ, but the Hypercell Fused is living in my head rent free at the moment.

As far as the Hyroad Pearl goes, that's the another issue for me. I need to give it another test run with the new surface. Maybe next Wed night.

Quote from: jkirkerx on April 04, 2018, 03:37:17 PM

Quote from: Luke Rosdahl on April 04, 2018, 08:22:24 AM

One thing to mention here is the Son!Q doesn't feel like an R2S pearl ball.  It kinda does I suppose, only really with shape though, or maybe the backend transition, but it's the strongest R2S pearl ball I've thrown. 

In a walnut shell, guess the cover is too strong for me to use outside, and I don't have the skill set to play inside with them. Then there's the risk vs reward factor. I have new surfaces on my Hyroad Pearl and Marvel Pearl, just need to test them. Those 2 balls were the catalyst for me to start drilling my own gear.