Unresponsive vs Responsive Capabilities

Yo-Yo Tricks
1

Hi guys !

I just started yoyo-ing a couple of days ago and I got myself a Fast 201. I’ve searched and done research on the forum, and this is my understanding of the difference between responsive & unresponsive yoyos:

Responsive
-Comes back to your hand with a slight tug of your hand

Unresponsive
-Not for beginners
-Have to do “binding” to get it back to your hand
-Suitable for advanced string tricks

So a couple of questions here:

  1. Are unresponsive yoyos (Such as the Counter Attack) able to do “Looping” tricks ? Or are they strictly for “String” tricks only ? (Vice Versa for responsive yo yos?)

  2. I read on the website that Dark Magic II Yo Yo is a “Top Recommended” yoyo & that you are able to make it “responsive” & “unresponsive” by changing the bearings inside.

Is this very easy to do ? Or does it require some skills to change it (like have to put oil on them every time you change etc).

Thanks in advance

Warmest Regards,
Zeke

2

Unresponsive yoyos are not able to do looping tricks, since they will not return to your hand. They are mainly for string tricks, but can be used for 3a and 5a too. A responsive yoyo can do string tricks, so your fast 201 will be able to handle beginner and intemediate string tricks. But once you start popping the yoyo up off of the strings or learning grinds, you will want an unresponsive yoyo so it won’t come and whack you in the hand. The DM2 does come with two bearings so it can be made unresponsive as well as responsive. This is done by just switching the bearings, no oil needed. Its not very hard.
Hope this helped.

3

Oh. Thanks, that helped me alot =). Is Counter Attack a good unresponsive yo yo when compared to Dark Magic II ? Cause the next Yo Yo I’ll be getting is either one.

1 Like
4

If you are deciding between the DMII or the Counter Attack I am going to recommend the Dark Magic.
IMO it is a better throw capable of longer lasting spin times for learning string tricks.

You may wish to also consider a YYF Protostar or Northstar which are also great yoyos in the price range you are looking at.

Good luck & welcome to the yoyo community!

5

Responsive yoyos can’t do certain tricks like whips, and they snag slot more while doing string tricks. Unresponsive yoyos can’t do looping tricks. I would not recommend the counter attack, but at the exact same price there is a much better choice of the protostar. Would also recommend buying a half spec bearing for responsive play. Changing bearings is easy, simple buy a yoyofactory multi tool. Good luck!

6

Oh ok. I’m wondering of the STAR burst systems: Is this system better in Velocity as compared to the Fast 201?

7

the velocity and fast 201 are very basic beginner yoyos. in my opinion, its not worth the 20$ that is gonna be replaced soon anyways. i would say, get a dark magic 2, or a protostar. those 2 yoyos yes are beginner yoyos, but they will take you a VERY long way into yoyoing and you wont be asking for a new throw in months. you may not think so, but spend the 40$ on the dm2. u wont regret it. on the other hand, you WILL regret buying some cheap yoyo like the velocity or fast 201. btw starburst response sucks. its too grabby for string tricks, and it runs through strings really fast. hope this helped.

8

If you are in that price range I have a Dark Magic Two and my friend has a Northstar. Northstars the best yoyo under 50$ and the best plastic yoyo. However they are unresponsive, but as long as you are ordering from yoyoexpert pick up a bottle of thin and thick lube. Look for tutorials on the forums on how to lube a yoyo. The thick lube will make it responsive, and after you’ve mastered the bind then apply some thin lube, this will counter the thick lube and make it unresponsive. Or you can clean the bearing, that should bring it back to unresponsiveness . If anything needs clarification just PM me.

9

Actually it depends on how responsive the yoyo is. I can do any trick I want on a responsive yoyo, just not a really tug responsive yoyo.

10

To add on, most of the yoyos sold on the market now can easily be made unresponsive or responsive, with some simple modding, so when choosing a yoyo, personally, I do not think you need to really take this into consideration. Instead, I think you might want to consider the specification of the yoyos (like shape, weight, response etc.), and the price. These, in my opinion, is what you should look for when choosing a yoyo.

To answer this, I would like to point out that Velocity currently uses adjustable silicone response. Also, I think no system is really ‘better’ than the other. It depends on what you are looking for. The fully active starbursts in the FAST 201 allow for a durable response system, but it also makes the yoyo very snaggy, which is not that suitable for completely unresponsive play.
The adjustable silicone response in the Velocity is smoother and less snaggy. However, you should bear in mind that it is less durable, and you might have to replace it after a while.

11

good lord. the disinformation… it burns.
this is only true if you haven’t practiced with responsive yo-yo’s. whips were INVENTED on responsive yo-yo’s.

also, you can ‘loop’ with unresponsive yo-yo’s… but only once (out of a bind). :wink:

12

I began throwing with the FAST then got myself a velocity which is an improvement

the FAST is very noisy and eats strings very fast
the velocity currently available in shop is the V3 which doesn’t feature starbursts.

but those two are of the previous generation of beginner yoyos (arguably for the FAST, as they do have a FAST challenge, or so I’ve heard), I’d set my hands on a “One” or a “whip” at this point, both will out perform either a FAST or a velocity

dark magic is an “high end” beginner yoyo if you will, but at this point, and for this kind of money, I’d rather recommend a basic metal such as duncan raptor, YYF dv888, Onedrop cafe racer, C3 di base, only to name a few.

Many people will tell you that you HAVE TO start with responsive yoyos and whatnot, I kinda disagree, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, in the end, once you can play, you can play and it doesn’t make a difference if you spent 2 months grinding on some cheezy budget responsive throw.

nowadays, many people just get started on metal, unresponsive throws and do just fine.

check out this guy at 30", he started on a DV888 with a KK bearing, this is how he plays after only a month and a half. I’m the other guy, started on responsive, I play for a year.

do you really think he would be there by 6 weeks if he started on some cheezy, cheap responsive throw ? took me bout twice the time to get where he’s at.

and he can also perfectly play with flat bearings

if you can play, you can play, it doesn’t matter how you started or what kind of yoyo, bearing or string you’re using.

13

ya ur right starburst on fast 201 ones can wreck string pretty bad. I have one.

14

hadoq:

I find it’s best to not compare yourself with others. Everyone is different. Some people take to this better than others. I’ve seen many of your videos and enjoyed all of them, I don’t think I’d take the time to say anything bad about any of them either.

For me, with no agenda and no schedule, I’m having a tough time with this whole yoyo thing. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s my analytical mind, but it’s not coming natural to me. I have to really work at it. The frustration and work is well offset by the enjoyment I am getting from this as a whole. I’m seeing “little kids” smoking me and blasting through tricks. I have no issue with some 10 year old putting my pathetic 40-year old self to shame on the yoyo. My wife uses that to try to de-motivate me, but it fails because I could care less.

It comes down to the individual. I still feel it’s best to at least start with a responsive yoyo and get through the basic beginner tricks. The reason behind this is to just build familiarity and success and hence confidence. Once you’re ready for intermediate tricks, at that point, anything goes as far as I’m concerned. I recommend learning to bind at this point in time as it will make learning easier. Using a responsive yoyo will ensure better technique. An unresponsive yoyo will let you move forward faster. The way I see it, you can always go back and practice more and if you want, use a responsive yoyo.

So we disagree on how to start off. That’s fine. We’re both entitled to our opinions. It just helps prove there are not absolute rights or wrong and that it comes down to the individuals.

15

You should get a ONE with large bearing. It can be responsive, or unresponsive, and it’s only $10. Also, I went from a yomega raider directly to unresponsive, and it was really easy(for me) to learn to bind.

16

One is a good beginner yoyo. Never tried it myself but it should be good for beginners. In someways it like dm2 becuase it has 2 bearings.

17

You cannot do looping tricks with a unresponsive yoyo. I recommend getting a Dark Magic II because it comes with a responsive bearing, so once you break it down, you can do the beginner tricks with it. Also, it comes with a speed bearing which helps when you’re doing long string tricks. Changing the bearings is usually easy, you just pull it straight out. I hope this helped a whole bunch!

18

I’m gonna put this out there just as the perspective of a guy thats being yoyoing for a little under 2 weeks now. I decided to take the plunge with my first yo and get a Spyy Ronin, not a cheap throw in any sense, and because I bought it from a shop that ive been going to for the last 15 years, the owner threw in a YYF One out of his personal collection. I learned my binds within a few hours and since then my regular throw is my ronin, I pick up my One on occasion but more just as a carry-around yo. So I really dont think it matters what you start with, just as long as your having fun with it. A lot of it is based on play style, i dont like looping so much and I really just stick to string tricks so my ronin is perfect but it all depends on how you want to play I suppose. My One just kinda sits around unless I have friends that wanna learn in which case they learn on that cause at least it comes back until they learn to bind.