YYJ Dark Magic 2 Review and SPECS

Yo-Yo Reviews
1

Manufacturer: YoYoJam

Diameter:56.13 mm / 2.21 inches

Width: 41.4 mm / 1.63 inches

Gap Width (mm/in) : Narrow Bearing: 3.00 mm / .12 inches

Speed Bearing: 4.95 mm / .19 inches

Response System: Silicone O-Ring
Compatible with Slim Pad CBC/K-Pad Response

Weight: 69 grams

Bearing Size: Size C (.250 x .500 x .187)

YYJ Speed Bearing

Price: Anywhere from $40-$60 dependent on where the Yo-Yo was bought.+ shipping
Response: Obviously made for un-responsive play, but comes with a responsive and an un-responsive bearing.

History

This is a sequel to the Dark Magic, a Yo-Yo made by Andre Boulay***. It has been used to win a handful of contests. The Dm and Dm2 are both some of the more popular, affordable, high quality, unresponsive Yo-Yos on the market today.

First Glance

On first glance of the YYJ Dark Magic 2[I will call it the DM2,] I found it was an ingeniously designed hybrid material butterfly shaped Yo-Yo. The DM2 has metal rims on the outside and the body of the DM2 is a hard plastic. The hubcaps have beautifully designed artwork, but being that it IS an Andre Boulay signature Yo-Yo, you will probably take them off for inner ring thumb grinds. The gap size is actually quite large when put in context of the diameter.
[Side note: The DM2 was my first unresponsive Yo-Yo]
First Throw

Part 1, responsive bearing in: A very clean throw, the Dm2 smoothly slides down the string, but doesn’t fly down. No wobble, hubcaps look cool while spinning. Completely silent. As I tug, the Dm2 wisps up the string, and I make a smooth catch.

Part 2, unresponsive bearing in: A clean throw, Very smooth and no wobble. Plastic whips are possible along with hooks and/or any other unresponsive specific trick. Thumb grinds are smooth if done correctly[remember to hook thumb.] . Binds cleanly, doesn’t snag. Noisier than when the responsive bearing is in, loud enough to bother someone in the same room. With a good throw, you can get a 3 minute sleep.

Other uses besides 1A

The Dm2 is obviously made for 1A, but it is also good for 3A, 4A*, 5A. Even flying eel is possible!

How this compares to other Yo-Yo’s (Performance Wise)

Other Yo-Yos at this price range become wobbly and unstable after the spin dies down, the Dm2 however, doesn’t.

Lastly, the DM2 does and doesn’t tilt. It’s hard for me to judge this mainly because the faster I play the more it tilts. I mainly am caused to believe this because I just play better “Jon Rob” style.

The main cons
Grinds that require the use of the middle, an example of which being a finger grind, aren’t as good as those which use the metal rings on the outside, like an arm grind.

It may just be how my throw tilts slightly, but one silicone pad always breaks exactly three weeks after I put in new flow-able silicone.

Go here for pictures: http://shop.yoyoexpert.com/product/4/YYJ-Dark-Magic

Mods

I see no reason to mod, the DM2 works perfectly fine stock. A konkave bearing replacement works, there is no wobble.

The final verdict

[Ranked from 1-10, 10 being BEAST, 1 being EPIC FAIL N/a being not able to judge]

Looks: 9
Throw: 10
Ability to do Grinds: 8
Ability to do complicated tricks: 10
Silence: 10 with responsive bearing, 7 with unresponsive bearing

OVERALL:9

*: For certain styles of 4A

***:Boulay is famous for popularizing the inner ring thumb grind.

SPECS gotten from: yoyoexpert store

1 Like
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All I ever hear are really good things about this yoyo. But I really hate mine. I don’t know why. I put the wide bearing in it and it still snags on me; ie, When I try and throw a gt suicide it snags and slams back at me. Mine is really loud (which is ok. Just makes it sound cheap). Spin times seem pretty short. I just added red shims to it and the bunching seems slightly decreased but it’s louder with shorter spins now. Out of my collection this is the only one that out of the box has just not worked as claimed.

Anybody have similar experience or dislikes to this yoyo?

Anybody have any ideas of correcting my yoyo?

Thanks

3

Just to make sure, did you try widening the gap? If you have, then I don’t know.

4

What you want to do is what I call, “The yo-yo fix up project.” First take out the shims. Second use flow-able silicon and repair your response. Get a new string. Lube the yoyo with thin lube. Clean out the bearing track, if needed replace the bearing. Wait around a day. And your yoyo should be fine. C

I know this works because I had the same problems you did.

5

It’s getting better with one thick shim added. But still snags the gt suicide. I’m trying to wait it out in case it’s just a break in issue. But I’m not having these problems with my sfx so I’ll try some of these tips.

Thanks

6

I am running mine with a konkave bearing with grey shims. super unresponsive. It was also my first unresponsive throw as well.

For a time, I also had a ceramic kk bearing in there before I moved it to my dv888 and now my supernova.

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REAL SPECS!

Diameter: 56.13 mm / 2.21 inches
Width: 41.4 mm / 1.63 inches
Gap Width (mm/in) : Narrow Bearing: 3.00 mm / .12 inches
Speed Bearing: 4.95 mm / .19 inches
Response System: Silicone O-Ring
Compatible with Slim Pad CBC/K-Pad Response
Weight: 69 grams
Bearing Size: Size C (.250 x .500 x .187)
YYJ Speed Bearing

1 Like
8

The changes have been made.

9

Yeah, just look at the specs on the shop page next time. It is best to give an accurate review

10

BUMP!

11

this seems like a grea yoyo, and i think I might get one.

is the “dark magic II” better or worse then the “dv888”?

thanks for the review.

12

It is all preference. dont I say this often?

1 Like
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As 1slave25 said, it is all preference. But, if you want to know the truth, let me tell you.

They are both the same in my opinion. They move at oddly the same speed, they whip and slack with the same rhythm, they make the same noise, AND they are the same price. (Approx.)

What is weird is even though the DM2 is a bi-metal, and the DV888 is a all metal, the DM2 is heavier, and has a slightly larger gap than the DV888, even though this is incredibly un-noticeable. The DV888 in general is a slightly smaller yoyo than the Dv888.

You need to ask yourself these questions:

  1. Is this your first unresponsive Yo-Yo?

If you said “yes”, it is best to go with the DM2 because it doesn’t look as bad if you have “dings” on it.
However, if you said “no”, you should probably get this Yo-Yo. (Although, if you are at a late intermediate- early advanced stage, I recomend you get the Yukkusta because I feel the Dv888 is made for an intermediate player.

However, if you are short on cash and want a 888, the Dv888 IS THE WAY TO GO. It feels exactly the same, minus the hub stacks.

HTH (Hope That Helps)

The team of person(s) who Pwn, a.k.a TEAmPownage (what can I say, I like tea.)

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if i was goin 2 get a dark magic 2 or a dv888 which 1 should i get???

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UUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!

I just posted the answer above!

But if you truly want to know, here’s what you do:

Get a quarter and set tails as Dv888 and heads as DM2.

Flip the coin.

Buy what ever yoyo the coin lands as.

HTHBIP (Hope That Helps Because I’m pissed)

TEAmPownage

16

thanks for the help

p.s. frustrated doesn’t start with a p (as your achronym shows that it does).

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EDIT: 5/1/11: Minor grammatic and syntactical changes. In addition : GRINDS!

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The forum engine blocks the “p” word.

To hint this word, it is another way to say “I’m gonna go pee.”

19

Accidental thank you. :-[