I purchased a Dark Magic II a few months ago thanks to all the positive reviews I saw around the Internet. I was hoping to upgrade from my Yomega Maverick and jumpstart my throw collection. Unfortunately, I wasn’t happy with the DM2 from the start (as compared to my Maverick). The plastic felt cheap, the caps were gimmicky, and it spun loudly on the string. I decided to still give it a fair chance, so I put it through the paces for a few weeks. Here I am, well into the future, to confess that the Dark Magic II is not the throw for me, and I need to figure out why.
That’s where you veterans come in.
I can only compare the DM2 to my one other throw — the Maverick. Now, I’m not sure if it’s even fair to compare plastic to metal, but I’ve got nothing else to go on. Besides my superficial issues with construction, the DM2 spins louder than the Maverick and doesn’t feel as heavy at the end of the string. For instance, the Maverick really flies up and onto the string, and the DM2 doesn’t give me the same tactile response… is this what “floaty” means? However, the specs for both are extremely close at only .3g difference in weight.
My questions to you:
Are these just the qualities of a plastic yoyo?
Does that .3g really make all the difference?
Is it perhaps the weight distribution that makes it so different?
I’m putting this out there to hopefully get some feedback to better educate myself about different throws and their qualities. I also want to be really happy with my next purchase (can you blame me?), so if you can think of anything similar to the Maverick (the YYF DV888 maybe? The CLYW Avalache is close as well but out of my price-range right now), I’d be truly grateful.
tl;dr: I love my Yomega Maverick and hate my YYJ Dark Magic II; what makes them so different and what’s a moderately priced throw that I may like?
The difference is in the weight distribution. Many people here will probably tell you that the maverick is junk just because it’s Yomega. But I found it to be a good yoyo within its price range.
It’s ok if you don’t like the DMII. To be honest I find them to be a bit heavy and I think the shape is outdated. Best advice I can give is to just stick to the maverick if you prefer it.
You can find a brand called “magicyoyo” by shopping around online. Very amazing metals at unbelievable prices. Probably the best bang for your buck. And with so many models to choose from I’m sure you’ll find one that suits your preferences.
I started out with a DMII as well, but after trying some more modern throws I realized that I’m not a huge fan of the shape. If you’re looking for a moderately priced metal with a different profile from the DMII, maybe try a Capless?
You may like the yoyofactory dv888. It feels like a maverick, but more solid, higher quality, and smoother. I think you’ll like it, but keep in mind; your preferences differ from other people’s preferences!
Hmm, I see that the maverick is listed on YYE in the 69g range, but think this has to be incorrect. I own one as well, and its lighter than that. Noticeably lighter than an OD 54 with aluminum spikes, and I think that is 64g. I remember seeing it listed other places at about 60g which sounds right to me.
A dark magic cost more due to the fact it made in the USA and it hard to fuse metal and plastic together, but in a world were metal and plastic yoyos sometime one can dominate the other.
For starters, “spinning loudly” is just the bearing. If you want to quiet down the noise your yoyo makes, just add some thin yo-yo lube.
If you wanted a bit of a better throw, you could look at the Yoyofactory Protostar or Shaqlerstar. Those 2 yo-yo’s represent how good a plastic throw can be.
I never really liked my DMII either. Go for a C3 Dibase or spend a few extra dollars for a Capless. Those are great looking and quality yo-yo’s with attitude for a medium price.
I didn’t like the dark magic that much but it’s more modern refined big brother is awesome. I actually traded my Dark Magic II for a YYJ Trigger, the trigger is one of my favorite throws right up there with my H3X Gnarhwal and PHENOMizm. The Dark Magic has a place and is pretty good with a trifecta bearing. Also at this years indy states Ben Conde got one at the YYE booth and was rocking it all day. I will probably get another one when the release an edition I like. It was better than my unresponsive maverick
Hmmm I have to agree with you. A friend of mine bought the DMII and i was not impressed, nor did I like it that well. The avalanche however, is a great choice. I own one myself and I do have many great things to say about it. This is not to say that I am a CLYW nut like some people hhaha they do make good products. On the contrary, you are 100% correct about the price of CLYW to be fairly high. Spending $120-$150 on a yoyo is costly. For this reason I suggest getting a fool’s gold version.
In cause you are unsure what fool’s gold is. When CLYW makes a yoyo that has a bit of vibe, they sell it as a Fool’s gold edition. FOOL’S GOLD IS HALF PRICE OF THE ORIGINAL. so it makes getting an avalanche very affordable. Vibe is when the yoyo vibrates a bit. It does NOT effect the play of the yoyo and is usually caused by the bearing gap to be a bit over sized. But its nothing to worry about.
Another recommendation of mine is the yoyofactory whip. It is an all plastic yoyo but it plays like a solid metal. and its only $10!!!
So in conclusion, my recommendations are a fool’s gold avalanche or a yoyo factory whip.
If you want to stay inexpensive, I also recommend the Trigger for performance, BUUUUUT… you were indicating the noise factor, and the Trigger is by far the loudest yoyo I’ve ever tried.
Which brings me to disagreement with Salty-- it’s not just the bearing. The shape and material of the yoyo determines how much the sound of the bearing gets amplified. Yoyos can be “loud”… like the Trigger!
Magic Yoyo T5 and N9 were great throws that I tried. I hear the n12 is even better, but I haven’t tried one.
I had a Capless and it was GREAT. If you weren’t a fan of the floaty feeling, the Capless will satisfy. It feels like a dense, high-quality piece of metal on the string.
There’s just so many to choose from… impossible to recommend, really. I’m willing to bet that any of the recommended Magic Yoyos will satisfy, as would any other mid-priced metal you could get from here.
It’s probably just the weight distribution. 0.3 grams makes very little difference. There are probably over a hundred yoyos that would fit your preference. As you can see 6 different people gave you 6 different recommendations. The bottom line is just try what you think you would like.
It’s perfectly fine to not like the DM2 very much. It is outdated, being first made in 2008. There are several newer throws to look at.
If you want to go with metal I’d suggest the raptor by duncan, capless or dibase by C3, or maybe the dv888 by YYF. You’ll get a lot of mixed reviews on the dv888 because some people like it and some people don’t, like me.
If you’re going plastic there is the protostar, shaqlestar, trigger, or a classic with an unresponsive bearing.
These are just some throws to get you started, or an alternative to your DM2. And it’s not the yoyo that’s loud, it’s the bearing. Just put a drop of thin lube on the bearing and it’ll be quiet. By the way, the DM2 is a fun yoyo with an older shape, I have 2 of them.
I don’t disagree with much of what you’ve said, but implying that older yoyos are “out-of-date” and don’t perform as well as newer yoyos just isn’t true.
For instance, the YoYoRecreation Sleipnir was designed and used in 2009 to WIN the World YoYo Contest. That yoyo is still hailed as one of the finest pieces of aluminum on a string, so I certainly wouldn’t say that the DMII is at a disadvantage because of it’s being made in 2008.
Personally, I love the Dark Magic II. For you, though, the Protostar, Classic, or even the YoYoJam PHENOMizm (if you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars) would be great options given your noted dislike of the Dark Magic II.
I didn’t mean to say that the DM2 was bad or anything, just meant that it is just different than the newer throws that have been coming out and many would prefer newer shapes and stuffs rather than the classic butterfly shape.
Re: Op I primarily throw a c sized yomega dash with a konkave bearing. I’m sure ill get flak, but I really enjoy it. If your maverick takes c sized bearings a kk is a nice way to go imo, it’s actually a stock option from yomega now. If its C sized maybe try your yyj speed bearing out in the maverick? Also the dash is a little heavier than the maverick, a few other subtle differences. I was on the fence between the two for awhile. I’m sure ill catch flak for the yomega comments, but I enjoy it!
I personally love the dm2. I guess I’m liking simpler shapes, like the dm2 and ministar. I suggest the proto/shaqler stars. If you dislike the “floaty” feel that the dm2 gives, get a Shaqlerstar. It’s heavier than the protostar.
