I have acquired an AP edition Duncan Echo. I have been looking forward to this yoyo since I first saw pics and played Jack’s. This yoyo is the follow up to the Raptor. I have made it known that I love the Raptor. For the Raptor was a love at first throw, and is in my top 5 yoyos. The Echo also has an interesting as well. The Echo has little grooves like the Project, to provide a good grinding surface. The Project is also one of I top 5 yoyos as well. With this in mind I thought it would only be fitting to review this yoyo compared to these two yoyos.
Let me start by setting what I think about the Raptor and Project. I talked about the Raptor already. The Project is one of the smoothest yoyos I have ever used and I believe still the best OD yoyo. The grooves and the soda blast made the Project one of if not the best grinding yoyo next to the SPYY Spyder.
Packaging:
The AP Echo came in a small box with a Duncan sticker of the front. The yoyo was in a plastic with the caps sitting on the outside of the plastic. I’m don’t know what the production Echo will in but this packaging is alright.
First Thoughts:
When I first held the Echo all I could think was, “I can’t believe I got one of these.” Then I notice the grooves. The finish and the grooves made the yoyo very smooth and slick in the hands. The Raptor has the same finish which is a very light bead blast. It is very nice not too aggressive but not so light that it really isn’t there. When you hold the Echo you feel the grooves on the cups that has a very nice rounding out to the rims where there is a very small step to rounded rims similar to the No. 9. The shape feels nice in the hand.
Specs:
Weight 68.0g (without caps; ? with caps)
Width 42mm
Diameter 55.8mm
Stock Response System : Duncan SG Sticker 14.5mm
Bearing Size : Large (Size C)
Response and Bearing:
The Response is Duncan’s new SG Sticker. The Echo will take Flow-able if you want it to. The bearing comes clean and is a large C size bearing. Axle, just like the Raptor, is short.
Play:
Well here is the moment of truth; “how does it play?” I going to brake this down in to three parts; general play, play compared to the Raptor, and play compared to the Project.
On the First throw I notice that this yoyo is smooth like George Clooney on a date. You can feel a soft thump at the end of the sting and then nothing else. On the string the Echo has good stability and can slide up down the string without any snagging or binding. I take that back a little bit. The response does take some braking in, but once you brake it in its great. The Echo is a full-size yoyo. At 68 grams this yoyo does not like moving faster than it wants to go. This yoyo is not slow, but if you try to make it move fast it will not like the string a whole lot. Grinding on this yoyo is great. It take arm grinds like vitamin C. The rounded rims stepping down to the grooves makes it great for finger and palm. The Echo has a interesting thumb grind lip. It is similar to the YYJ lips found on some of the plastic, metal hybrid yoyos. The lip on the Echo I a whole lot easier to get your thumb into it.
The Raptor is one of my favorite throws ever the shape, weight, size just makes it perfect for me. At 66g the Raptor, having a nice size, can move as fast as you want it to go. That ability is something that the Echo does not have. The Echo does far surpass the Raptor in grinding ability. I think if the Echo where 65g and 54mm diameter it would have been the clear winner over the Raptor. That said, the Raptor and Echo draw. DRAW
The Project is one of the best grinder around but lacks in speed on the string. The Echo is much faster than the Project. The Finish on the Echo is actually as good as the Soda Blast on the Project. The Echo does give a more room for the fingers in the grooved area than the Project. In play I would say that the Echo is the better yoyo, but because the Project has a special place in my heart, the Project and Echo draw. Draw
The Echo is a great yoyo. For the $40 price tag it is one of the best steals of the year. I actually payed $60 for my and it was well worth it. This yoyo did not break my top 5, but I is in my top 12. Cheers!