The Ultimate Cue Ball Comparison

Have you ever taken 7 different cue balls and played them all at the same time to compare how they differ in play? How about measuring their weight and size to see how they match up? No? Well, we did. Join us as we get to the bottom of what makes all of these mysterious white orbs different, and our personal take on the subject.

[@POK2008]

Personally, I prefer to play with the measle balls over any other cue ball. I just like the instant feedback you are given when applying spin.

[@davidcorelli556]

I get that but it's hard to play with something named after a disease.

[@1234daddykane]

It's harder to draw but follows GREAT

[@RuFi0000000]

@@1234daddykane Yeah I use it as my draw trainer. I would be able to get a huge draw on it after some hours practicing. Then I would switch to the magnetic cueball and I'd be able to absolutely pull that thing table lengths.

[@billpii6314]

It's all in your head, You get "instant" feedback when you hit ANY cue ball, how could it be anything other than "instant" as that is the only time you will ever feel anything is when you make contact. Or do you think you can get a "delayed" feel ?

[@RuFi0000000]

@@billpii6314 Feedback doesn't mean feeling. He's talking about the ability to see the effects of the spin immediately due to the measles.

[@danny_5283]

It would have been nice to include the Aramith magnetic cue ball in the comparison. Many many players use that one. Very informative. Thanks!

[@johnw4227]

thanks for this video, it perfectly answers the questions that i've had since taking up the game again recently. well done.

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch, John. Glad you found it helpful, that's exactly why we made it! There will be plenty more content just like this as we continue to spin up production - answer real questions with real testing (rather than guessing or opinion-based "info").

[@zanethind]

Honestly what makes a great cue ball is the materials they use. And Aramith has been improving on this for years now. Like the first Armaith cueballs with the single dot/symbol is slower than the newer ones with multiple dots on them and the blacc version I find is faster than the multiple red dotted one. Now cyclops and the predator arcos ones roll well too. I also love the diamond branded blue dotted cueballs. Probably the best rolling ones ever honestly

[@ThatGuyTy1221]

Great video guys. Very educational!

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for watching! Lots of great stuff coming, stay tuned.

[@sdickinson5234]

The Aramith measle ball is the best but there are a lot of fakes around that don't play the same. The fakes seem to be pure white and not translucent while the real ones are off-white and translucent and turn yellow over time.

[@McCullochMac6]

Great work.... I have a few of those, yes it is important to practice with what is supplied at tournament, or league play.

[@seekinggravity]

Right on, thanks for watching!

[@RayEvangelista70]

Great video! Do you think you can do one for billiard balls, break cues, and jump cues?

[@OscarGonzalez-vg3cp]

Thanks for the education. The video was great information.

[@seekinggravity]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tomburns890]

Good video and interestingly I have the Aramith pro and Aramith red measles and have played with the measles for a while now and just pulled out the Aramith Pro and noticed a slight difference and as your shaft shows the weight is slightly more on the measles which was reflected in the feel I had. I also noticed what you proved is that the Aramith pro gets & keeps more chalk marks & stains than the Aramith measels. And yes one should play what they are going to be playing in a tournament or at their local pool room. Interesting

[@arc-sd8sk]

really cool video full of info I was always interested in knowing, but too lazy to measure myself lol thank you

[@seekinggravity]

Glad it was helpful! Stay tuned for more.

[@RichardsWorld]

@0:46 it only took me a second to recognize his awkward grip.

[@seekinggravity]

Good spot. And a good time to acknowledge our brave players getting in front of the camera while seeking improvement in their games. Our cast was intentionally assembled with players of all skill levels, so there is a player any level of viewer can relate to. DJ, the guy you mentioned has been able to modify his grip to a more reliable one and his game has improved as a result.

[@donh1537]

One note on red circle. "It is the easiest to move around". This is true except for force follow shots. Force follow shots require more force to achieve with the lighter cue ball. (Bonus...Red circle cue balls are easier to junp with than measle cue balls)

[@JayWhitecotton-vx6mx]

Thanks for the video. What is the fargo/speed of the players you used to complete this test?

[@mathbum33]

The factor unmentioned when seeing the disparity between these balls is the amount each ball was used, which is the only explanation for the variances in sizes. Some of that finish, and therefor weight has worn off

[@seekinggravity]

That would be the safe assumption, however, aside from two balls (the standard and oversized), the rest of the lineup are personally owned and at most had 100-200 hours of play. It is true, that over an intense amount of play (we’re talking thousands of hours and/or an overly excessive owner who polishes the balls after every use), they will eventually start to wear. The prime location for seeing this occur is a pool hall, where balls are getting 10+ hours of play every day. It’s something we are looking into.

[@rolltideroll8250]

I was hoping you would explain how to make up for the differences with stroke and or top placement.

[@nickscott9067]

Good explanation Thanks

[@seekinggravity]

Glad it was helpful!

[@diegosaly]

You guys should have also included the Brunswick centennial blue dot

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch. We ran this test with the cue balls that we all have seen regularly when out in the wild playing. Though we have heard that this series of balls may change a bit by region, these are believed to be the overwhelming standard, especially from the view point of aftermarket cue balls (barring the rainbow of various coin-op/magnetic types). The centennials are a great set, we don’t think anyone would argue that! :)

[@ericpetersen8155]

They are blue circle. They play like a regular measles ball. Red circle are garbage

[@jamiemckeon1432]

Would be cool to see some feedback on the aramith arcos II by predator

[@0351marinemike]

I like the cyclops and measle balls... and I own a set of Aramith Super Pro balls. I find the Cyclops and Measle balls play pretty consistently, but I also find the Cyclops cue ball is slightly easier to jump with. Curious what your evaluation panel had said if they'd tried using a jump cue with each of the balls.

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch, and interesting take on the jump reaction. Never occurred to us! I think in general, the Cyclop is overall a very reactive ball - ex. It is very easy to overdraw position, so it wouldn’t surprise us if it lends these qualities to taking flight easier than others.

[@GuilhermeVLima]

I own a set of Aramith Tournament and one set of Cyclop Zeus and I TOTALLY agree with you! The Cyclops jumps easier, and I wouldn't say it's a small difference for me. Also, the brightness and cleanesess of Cyclop is top notch. After cleaning and polishing my set of Aramith, after one or two 8 balls racks they appear with a lot of chalk marks and "blurred" dots. Cyclop's cleanesses last much longer in my opinion. I've been using them for around 3 years, and I'm constantly switching them (for cleaning)

[@andyharris3376]

It would be nice to see the consistency of the pool balls if you took 10 of the same Measured and weighed them

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the suggestion, Andy. The only realistic way of doing this would be to get onsite at a billiard supplier. We'll put it on the list of stuff to get around to.

[@fixitrod4969]

You can polish a ball to completely change its characteristics. Mark wilson has an Arimeth ball that was in a pool hall for 4 years. 1 full oz less. It was smaller from use. Pretty crazy.

[@seekinggravity]

Yeah, though the 4 years of pool hall play didn't help, constantly polishing the balls will kill it a lot faster. Probably depends on how aggressive the polish agent is as well. Thanks for the info!

[@rolltideroll8250]

There is one other type of cue ball on the bar table, called a mud ball. It be recognize by the metal flakes distributed throughout the ball. Next to impossible to draw a shot or determine placement.

[@pauljknight75]

Here in Finland, everyone uses Aramith (don't know about balls for bar tables though). Never used Cyclop pool balls. It would be interesting to play with them one day. Question regarding chalk used in the experiments: did everyone use their own favourite chalk or where they all provided with the same chalk and if the same, which chalk?

[@seekinggravity]

All players used their own chalk that they are accustomed with, ensuring that the one, true variable they need to account for was the cue balls swaps. Great question!

[@james3339]

There local leagues play on bar boxes. Hopefully you’ll do a magnetic cue ball comparison sometime I would love to play with one of the ones shown, but I’d have to pay for every scratch😉

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch, James. I don’t foresee us doing a magnetic ball comparison. The pool industry is thankfully evolving towards new and better tech. For example, diamond tables use an optical system to recognize the cue, which allows for using a “real” cue ball. Hopefully your local haunts will start to invest in quality equipment that allow a higher standard of play (and player) to get the max experience possible. Our leagues up here in WA open the tables up, no matter what kind of table, so you’re free to use whatever you want. May be time to move?! ;)

[@RuFi0000000]

@@seekinggravity The pool industry may be evolving towards better tech, but most casual venues aren't adopting it. The vast majority of casual players play on bar boxes with magnetic balls. Most bar owners won't justify the expense of getting all new tables, cloth, and equipment for a group of people who only show up to play once a week. Those magnetic tables have been there for a long, long time, and will continue to be there long after, and so will those casual players.

[@MJH211]

great video

[@seekinggravity]

Glad you enjoyed it, lots more coming.

[@zanethind]

Next you should review ball sets too unless you guys already did that

[@fwelton]

I don't really see a difference between the various cue balls, except the coin-op ball. They just seem to be off and inconsistent.

[@billardpourdebutant]

Hello, Sorry but I didn't understand why the last cue ball is oversized ? is it bigger than the other balls ?

[@seekinggravity]

Yes, hence the name “oversized.” :) you’ll see that during the part of the video which goes over the measurements we collected. As the overall standard of equipment has generally improved, you’ll see less and less of the big guy. A lot of the much older coin-op tables had less sophisticated methods of detecting the cue ball so that it would spit back out and not get trapped in the ball collection tray. These less preferred methods are size, weight, and/or magnetism. Industry leading tables have an optical sensor which reads the cue ball passing through, thus allowing you to play with a cue ball that is exactly like the object balls, therefore getting a “proper” collision reaction while playing.

[@heliospuppy257]

My Brunswick Centennial billiard balls are 168 grams each on my scale. The cue ball cracked after hitting concrete, and the only replacement I found with equal mass (aside from another Brunswick Centennial) is the Super Aramith Pro (168 grams)! The Aramith Red Circle ( which I initially bought as a replacement) is only 164 grams!

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for watching and sharing! :)

[@stevemerritt2721]

i would like to see some pro players involved in this test, test performed on different brands of cloth, and yes the cue ball should be cleaned if chalk is observed

[@seekinggravity]

We have intentionally built a cast of players that range the spectrum of experience in which you are most likely to encounter at your local pool hall. This provides relatable information and feedback from players that all of viewers can follow along with. It’s a mixed feeling about “pro” reviews, as they are simply in a different world. it’s always an immediate desire to want their thoughts on a subject, but is that relatable? And you’ll always have to wonder about bias towards brands and sponsorships. Once it’s a livelihood and money is involved… things change. :) Thanks for the watch, plenty of experiments to come, so stay tuned!

[@HillbillyIslandLife]

Why does the one dude grip the cue with his thumb on the outside of the cue (same side as index finger)

[@seekinggravity]

Good catch! DJ is the player you're referring to, which he has since changed (back to the standard way with thumb wrapped around the natural way). Our cast of players has intentionally been built with all levels of players so that there is a player that all viewers can relate with. Just like our viewers, our players will grow alongside them and improve their games. So, you'll see many things from players, especially the less accomplished, who are working through the fundamentals of the game. Thanks for the watch!

[@Volvoman90]

You should try playing on a British pub table. 2" object balls, 1 7/8" cue ball.

[@seekinggravity]

Yeah, a couple people have referenced this game format intentionally has this disparity between CB and OB’s, which sounds like the game has been built with the idea of making it easier to move the white around the table. As long as the standard is retained that’s great! Our experiment was to show how the “standard” of pool is really isn’t standard. Of all the equipment required to play the game, the balls should be the easiest thing to make consistent and reliable. After all, cloth, cushion, and even humidity will vary between tables (and even different days). So when there is a large disparity between CB and OB (when the expectation is they are equal) is an issue. Thanks for watching and your comment! See ya on the next video.

[@TheDegenVagabond]

I knew the red circle was lighter and smaller!

[@bassinbilliards6279]

I already knew as a player the red circle aramith was lighter and played spin too easily compared to a TV aramith ball.

[@OrrosGG]

As a man of details, I clearly noticed not only the aesthetical differences but also the feel, I can easily jump on those Aramith with many dots which I see only on Pool Halls of a certain level, while on Mall pool halls where you shouldn’t expect anything special, they had cueballs with no markings, basically cheapos and I couldn’t jumpshot that easily. Also spin was also bad in the cheap cueballs, while on tournament grade CBs it felt divine. 🎱

[@seekinggravity]

Great observations to share! Yes, the more premium balls will be harder, allowing much greater transfer of energy (resulting in the better jumping action you mention). There are most likely some other factors involved here too - the table. The condition of the slate and cloth will also factor into this, especially with spin reaction. Happy shooting!

[@richardjasmer7769]

Wow, almost every cue ball except the one used for the VNEA in las vegas. Also you should weigh the other balls in the set's to see how well they match up with the different cue balls.

[@seekinggravity]

Yeah... we went with most popular cue balls people actually WANT to play with. ;) All of the object balls were weighted - all measuring between 5.93 - 6oz.

[@richardjasmer7769]

@@seekinggravity i didn't realize that so many people wanted to play with the oversized cue ball

[@seekinggravity]

They don't. That was the one we put in the lineup to illustrate the obvious negative effects of a cue ball which plays terrible due to size and/or weight.

[@Graderbrad]

Interesting

[@rauldavila8632]

I have a red and black measle ball. The red dot is white and black dot is more yellow looking. More like the centennial set I have. Whats different?

[@seekinggravity]

There are a lot of factors to consider with identifying a cue ball and differences - mainly if it was from a trusted source. There are a lot of counterfeit balls on the market. For example, if you ever bought an aftermarket Aramith Measles ball and the blister pack it arrives in is broken open, there is a high chance it was swapped out for a fake ball at some point in the handling process. I’ve ordered two measles at one time, with one arriving with packing intact and one where the blister pack had clearly been opened. The balls did look a little different in color when side by side. The coloration differences could also simply be that the balls were made with a slightly different resin recipe - like you describe the centennial set having a more yellow (rather than white) coloring. And the other obvious reason for coloration differences between two balls is a different manufacturer.

[@rauldavila8632]

@@seekinggravity I think it's really. It's right on with.001 of an inch. I will ask some old school players at the pool ha6. Much appreciated 👍

[@drcho21121]

What about the blue dot that comes with Centennials?

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch and comment. We went with the cue balls and after market cue balls that we most likely encounter while out in the wild playing. Though the centennial is a great set, none of us have ever encountered it while out in leagues and pool halls. We know (and have been reminded a number of times) of many other cue balls which could have theoretically made the list, but were not included. In the end, the takeaway should be a mental exercise in knowing that there are both small and large differences between cue balls, and something all players practice and adjust for with the varying conditions. :)

[@toziassmitt]

I wonder your opinion on English pool, where, even at tournament level, the object balls are 2 inches and the cue ball is 1 and 7/8 inches diameter

[@seekinggravity]

It’s hard to have an opinion on a game and equipment none of our cast play, and for that reason will defer that opinion to the players in that world. :) This topic really was to analyze equipment that is all quoted to be “regulation,” but as you can see from our findings that “regulation” is a very loose term, and the variances we found can greatly influence expected collision results. Our hope is that in English pool that their equipment does meet the quoted specs and plays as expected.

[@rudeq86]

do you have feedback on the aramith jim rempe training ball?

[@seekinggravity]

We have nothing formal put together on these kinds of training aids yet. We highly recommend any kind of focused training that provides purpose to your practice sessions (rather than just aimlessly banging balls around the table and not learning or growing skill sets). The cue ball trainers are a fantastic way to really learn and dial in your tip impact points - and truly figuring out if you are really striking where you think you are, as with low-mid level players this is often not the case!

[@dougoverhoff7568]

Nice comparison, and definitely needed. The standardization of the equipment is something the billiard industry has been working to achieve for decades, and necessarily so, since it makes for a more refined, professional game, and a more equitable arena for competition.

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch and feedback, Doug. Hopefully as the sport grows, the venues (beyond the pool halls) that host leagues and tournaments will invest in quality equipment (and properly maintain it). There are some of our cast of players who will refuse to play many venues (or even certain local leagues) simply due to the known poor standard of equipment that is provided. Fingers crossed the trend we are seeing towards solid tables like Diamonds infiltrating your basic bars continues!

[@dougoverhoff7568]

@@seekinggravity We're getting there, if ever so slowly. The players of today can afford to be more discerning on which venues in which they choose to play. Back in the day, we were lucky to find any venues that put up added money. So, things are getting better.......FINALLY!

[@Rickbearcat]

As long as everyone is playing with the same equipment on the same day, standardization does not matter. What matters is adaptability to the equipment provided, so long as it remains the same for everyone.

[@Krushard]

Remember guys, whatever story you tell yourself - this is not the reason you lost.

[@seekinggravity]

Knowledge is power, not an excuse. It would seem that the lack of knowledge is most likely to manifest “story,” no matter what variable is in reference (and a large reason we made this video). This is our motivator with our show, and hope you join us as we continue experimenting with all things pool.

[@Krushard]

@@seekinggravity It was merely a lame joke from my side but I appreciate the depth of your answer and salute your attitude! Thank you.

[@madaboutsnooker147]

shouldve tested the old brunswick cueball to see the players go mad, as they were different size. Once had to use a set of mixed aramith and brunswick, and cost me a 4-0, instead being a 4-1 win, and lost out in qualifiers on literal bullcrap :D

[@blackswan1372]

What happened to the red dots and blue dots. They are a lot more common than the balls in this study. Different cue balls do not weigh the same as the rest of the balls in the set. This causes very different feel and performance.

[@seekinggravity]

We’ve pinged all of our players here from the Seattle area and only one player can recall seeing either one of those cues, and it was a number of years ago. It might be a regional thing? Where are you from, what do you play, and what kind of table equipment? We are fortunate in this area in that all of our leagues open up the tables for us (foregoing the pay-per-rack setup and using the house cue ball), allowing us to choose to play with a more premium cue ball. Most, if not all, teams around here arrive to league with a personal cue ball, avoiding having to play with a weighted or trashed cue ball. Around here, the two most preferred are the red circle and measles.

[@MikeyD22]

Thanks a lot for sharing this video. Please reply back with your ratings from worst to best based on the testing. Thanks!

[@seekinggravity]

As you can see from the video, this wasn’t a ranking 1-7 test, and not the goal. The test identified the qualities of each and how we felt they sorted inside of those qualities. But all of the players did identify their fav. So, there is no “better” ball, but each player can use this video to help with a foundational understanding of what to expect. Most importantly, playing knowledge with all the cue balls will make you are more adaptable player. Hope it helped!

[@MikeyD22]

@seekinggravity I understand what you're saying and what the video conveyed. Just wondering what your opinion was in regards to which ball you personally feel is best and why.

[@seekinggravity]

@@MikeyD22 That is actually stated in the video. 4 selected the Aramith Measles and one selected the Aramith Red Circle. This is Matt speaking, and I personally prefer the Aramith Measles due to it feeling the most precise, consistent and predicable reaction. The added feedback about spin applied is a super big bonus. Some are very outspoken about how the dots provide better visual aiming/alignment as well, and I can get onboard with that statement as well.

[@MikeyD22]

@@seekinggravity Awesome, thanks for your reply.

[@jody.lumbantoruan]

you should put the commentary/reaction of the player in the video, in may makes the video longer but that's study test subject for you. overall very nice video.

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch. We do interview all players after each experiment to get their take. Sometime we integrate them into the videos, and sometimes the footage is used to better structure the dialogue that drives the episode - it just depends on the subject matter, the kind/variety of reactions we get, and if the interviews are interesting enough or add real value to the piece. You should definitely checkout the Alcohol episode, and at the end you’ll see the cast sharing thoughts. Same with the sharking episode.

[@FloridaRaider]

Interesting. Thanks . How about a comparison video of Predator and Brunswick tables? Personally, I enjoy Brunswick. more...the ball doesn't bank short because the rail isn't above the equator as it is on a Predator..and easier to draw or float the cue ball. etc

[@seekinggravity]

It’s an interesting topic that we will be happy to pursuit when we have access to predator tables. Currently we can access Diamonds, GC’s, and the ever-so-popular Valley (blah).

[@FloridaRaider]

@@seekinggravity I'm sorry..I must have brain fog. I meant diamond tables. Thanks for the reply

[@seekinggravity]

We’ll add it to the list!

[@Soul_Freezer]

Can you even still purchase Cyclop pool balls anymore?

[@seekinggravity]

Info is lacking, but from our limited digging, they have shutdown the Cyclop ball line. From discussions found, it’s believed that Dynaspheres are their successor/replacement.

[@Therealimagination27]

Are all of the balls in the video made with phenolic resin? Balls made of cheaper polyester resin act and behave slightly differently from phenolic resin. Phenolic resin tends to rebound more while polyester balls tend to absorb more impact. Having cleaner balls also make a slight difference. There's also many different types of oversized cue balls around the 6 ounce range or the 7 ounce range like the one you showcased. Other than this, good video!

[@seekinggravity]

For sure all balls were phenolic (aside from coin-op, which we did not know its history so not sure on it). There are an endless line of cue balls that could be tested - we went with a group that we find most commonly out in the wild (and most likely to play).

[@Therealimagination27]

@@seekinggravityA few old coin op oversized balls are made with polyester, and some of them are significantly heavier. Aramith makes phenolic ones, so those could've probably been better options. Also, as mentioned, it's dirtiness also affects it's performance. Also if you redid this test, a mudball would also be a nice ball to test out

[@coreyquante2616]

Now add that red circle to a table w anything other then simonis or andy cloth and its a fkn nightmare.

[@seekinggravity]

If you're not playing a worsted cloth in today's game, you aren't playing pool! 2005, the year I last came across a traditional felted table. If that's what you're playing, does it matter what cue ball you're using?! ;)

[@Wreckz_Tea]

I wonder if they all looked identical what the results would be. Because I promise the results would be different

[@seekinggravity]

If they "looked" identical, meaning to the naked eye? The human eye can probably pickup on maybe a 16th-32nd of an inch. Beyond that, confidence can be acquired by measuring tools, which we did. The measurements speak for themselves that are quoted in the video.

[@Wreckz_Tea]

@@seekinggravity I mean the markings and color obviously

[@HoosierRooster]

I have never liked the red circle i does come off at different angles & when using inside English does not carry it to the rail well, & if using a cue that has a fair degree of deflection it aggravates the affect. If you are playing with the older Brunswick Centennial balls you should be using the blue circle cue ball.There are also bar table cue balls that have a metal cage inside that are the same size as the balls & are better to play with because the "big cue ball actually changes the physics, contact point required to make cut shots & draw .IMHO after playing for nearly 60 years on all table sizes the blue circle & measles play the best, but if you have to play with a magnetic ball then you need the regular size ball with the cage inside.

[@coreyquante2616]

100% agree w you! They come out w all these LD shafts. Then they want to play w a high deflection CB! LOL makes zero sense to me! CBs need to be as close to object ball weight as possible for most accurate predictions.

[@seekinggravity]

Be sure you take the time to weigh a red circle. From what we have learned, there are a couple generations of the red circle. It seems that the older gen is the lighter variant, while the newer ones have been in-line with object ball weights.

[@bob733333]

What about the oversized measles ball? It plays very different.

[@seekinggravity]

Granted it was a quick search, but nothing came up when looking for “oversized measles cue ball.” So if there is one, we couldn’t find it. It is interesting that you mention this, because a large motivator for us to make this video was simply due to all of the misinformation floating around about the various cue balls. One cast member shared that while playing with the measles ball, his opponent got upset with the fact that they were using it (rather than the beat up house cue ball), and swore that the measles ball is much larger. This is obviously blatantly false, and silly to think we have players running around filling other players head with bad info. So, we are curious if this is the case with you? Do you know the ball you are referring to is “oversized” or have been told it is? Thanks for bringing this topic up!

[@bob733333]

@@seekinggravity The pool room I play at has one behind the counter. I tried using it and it plays totally different. I eyeballed it and it is bigger and it feels heavier. It bounces off cushions differently.

[@seekinggravity]

Sounds more like a novelty ball, if it is indeed very obviously bigger. The point of our study was to measure all of the most popular cue balls that are all assumed “regulation” size and weight, and to seek the real information. As you can see, regulation can be a very loose meaning. The oversized ball we threw in our lineup was the obvious duck, which we knew would behave obnoxiously bad, and used this to help illustrate the point of poor performance if a cue ball isn’t up to snuff.

[@bob733333]

@@seekinggravity It's not a novelty ball.

[@bob733333]

@@seekinggravity It is slightly larger and heavier. I guess to make it easier moving the cue ball around a big slow table.

[@wesleysnipes1873]

The weights are very likely inaccurate if you weighed them with the scale on the table. The scale should be on a solid surface rather than the cloth for the most accurate measurement.

[@ryanwordonethird]

The measle ball is by far the best cue ball on the market. However, in terms of ball sets I still feel that Brunswick centennials have the more accurate hit etc… Before anyone says anything I will say this, yes I know aramith makes them haha

[@seekinggravity]

Most would agree with you on the measles ball, and others would argue that it’s oversized, heavy, and/or “not what I’m used to,” and the very reason we made this video. We’ve been in match play and opponents angrily say, ”why are we using this ball, it’s clearly larger than the other balls, just look at it!” Most comparison ball videos simply talk about cue balls, and give opinion. Our mission was to not give opinion and provide hard facts. Hope it helps!

[@tombecker2055]

It would have been nice to know the size and weight of the object balls too.

[@seekinggravity]

Hey Tom, the Aramith Black set were used for this comparison - all weighing in at 5.93oz with a .05 variance amongst the 15 balls.

[@whitelfner4582]

Interesting study! You might pool rooms turn over a lot these days, you might hunt around for older rooms that have used the same balls all the time. I played in an old room in Carrboro, NC and the balls were red circle, but I'm sure they had been around for a decade or more! There was no 'gamble' in the room so my buddy and I hung out a bit and played, the cue balls I'm sure were a lot smaller diameter and correspondently lighter than the object balls. Makes sense because they are in play every shot. I set my cue on top of 2 object balls and the cue rolled under the cue without touching easily. I don't drink normally but had a driver, and a couple of Private Stocks in I was really have fun doing 5-6 cushion rail draws. You couldn't force follow at all unless you did a bump and run (Hitting a slight jump shot into the object to hit at or above center.)

[@ivanlee5494]

Were all of the cue balls new? The weight and diameter can change with wear and how they are polished.

[@seekinggravity]

Hey Ivan, I can tell you that all have less than a year of play, aside from the red circle and coin-op (and both provided to us for testing and don't know their complete history). Though a valid point, it's a safe assumption to consider this would take years and years, and years. I'd like to say we can put that to the test for an episode, but I don't have a decade to kill! ;)

[@ivanlee5494]

@@seekinggravity You would be shocked now quickly the weight and dimensions can change with improper handling. I had a customer complain that "the numbers were popping out" on his Tournament sets, so I had him send them in. In a year's play they were ground down from 8 to 15 thousandths of an inch on all of the balls. By the way, for measuring the diameters of the balls, you should pick up a digital micrometer which is far more accurate than a digital caliper and your numbers are more repeatable.

[@seekinggravity]

@@ivanlee5494 Interesting! Thanks for that insight. We might just hop down to our local pool hall to do some measuring to see how those balls measure up, since they get much more use than anything on our personal tables. Sounds like you are a supplier? Would you be able to provide numbers for a new set of Cyclops (skittles colors set), and I can compare that to a group at the pool hall?

[@ivanlee5494]

@@seekinggravity I run Iwan Simonis, Inc in Libertyville, IL. Simonis bought Aramith in 2012, so I am a North American Distributor for Aramith balls. I don't think the Cyclops balls are made anymore, and I don't have access to them anyway.

[@tastycorpse666]

Hard to call it the ultimate when you didn't include the Predator Arcos 2 cue ball,

[@ivanmcpcpherson2407]

Why use a rouge cue ball that was not made to the same specs as the full set? They are not even consistent with the original set. I tested ball roundness on a digital caliper. The cheaper sets varied wildly as the roundness was all over the place. I tested multiple sets and when I put cenntennials in the device they all did not vary at all. I zeroed out the digital readout and when I revolved all the centennials in all directions the readout remained at zero. Not the same with all the other sets. Also the centenials were all the same size and weight. Just sayin....

[@seekinggravity]

Because…. Wait for it… bar rooms, bar tables and bar equipment. Of course, in an ideal world you are playing a respected, well-performing matching set (meaning the cue ball as well), but good luck finding that in the vast majority of bar tables. Coin-op table cue balls are absolute trash (on a good day), and that’s if it not chipped and beaten up. When playing leagues that use coin-operated cue balls, it’s swapped out almost every time (teams bring cue balls anticipating coin-ops and swap immediately), because there is nothing worse than bad equipment. And because cue balls are by far the most used ball, they wear a lot faster than the object balls, they will be out of spec faster than you realize when used in a busy pool hall. Your question is great, in an ideal world, but not the one we are living in. Happy shooting!

[@bledzone231]

I like to play pool with 6 red dots..

[@Seri-Katil]

My red dot and Aramith tv pro series balls all weigh exactly 5.6 oz. However, I honestly prefer the Aramith Black with the black measle.

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the watch, Seri! Most of our cast agree with you on the preference. Consistency is key!

[@supersam1914]

No blue circle 💔

[@seekinggravity]

Yeah, we went with the cue balls you are most likely to encounter out in the wild, not necessarily our favs. The centennial cue ball is a great one. Thanks for the watch and comment. See ya on the next video!

[@budd1814]

I have a red circle and red dot. I believe the measle ball is for training. Sort of distracting ,, if you don't mind chalk dots:)

[@seekinggravity]

The Aramith Measles ball is the standard on the pro circuit (at least from our observations the last couple years), not a training ball.

[@DeeMoback]

I am 70.... the balls in general DO NOT "CLICK" like they used to years ago..... balls now play like they are dirty.....my contention is that ALL THE BALLS are softer....with that being said I think measle ball is best and the old red triangle is 2nd

[@seekinggravity]

Matt here. When I purchased my diamond table a couple years back, it came with a set of cyclops. It noticed right away, in a quiet room, that they sounded much different than all of the aramith sets I own. They sounded MUCH more “clicky”. They also stay much cleaner than aramith balls, and the cue ball does great and not holding onto chalk! After striking the cyclops, other sets felt much more like a “thud.”

[@DeeMoback]

@@seekinggravity yes, thud....correct ....the old centennial was my preference way back....I quit plsying in 1995

[@rhett462]

Travesty that this channel is sitting at just over 100 subs….

[@seekinggravity]

We are more focused on quality content, not worried about subs. But, we are just getting started, and as we make more, quality content, the viewership should follow suit! Thanks for joining the ride. :)

[@Danks-vz5xz]

From the footage, it looks like you should've used players that have a more consistent stroke. Low level amateurs can not give a true measure of what you are trying to compare. Their stroke is far too inconsistent to get anything aubstantive.

[@seekinggravity]

Seems that you don't really understand the foundation on what our show is built upon. It's not about perfect strokes, 800 Fargo levels, and looking as good as possible. Our cast was purpose built to have a full range of player skills (currently 300-600 fargo). This allows the vast majority of viewers to better follow along with the content and learn alongside us. So, you get exactly that, the impressions of all levels of players. This creates an interesting narrative that is dynamic and surprising, and definitely a shift from the usual pro's preaching on their youtube channels. Now, you still get the hard numbers/measurements of all the cue balls at the end of the video, which we know were the biggest takeaway for the majority of viewers.

[@mikeg867]

It is Cyclop, not Cyclops.

[@seekinggravity]

Thanks for the note, Mike.

[@daffydlwellen1270]

Cyclops are CRAP and the customer service from Diamond was an embarrassment. I bought a set just for One Pocket and they still got chipped and scuffed within a month. Diamond told me to pound sand when I asked for a replacement 4 Ball.

[@seekinggravity]

When Cyclop balls first came out, there were known QC issues, but heard those were ironed out. Because Diamond had a partnership with Cyclop, most of the Diamond tables we encounter still have them. In our experience, the Cyclops actually stay cleaner much longer than competitor brands, and have not seen the chipping you’re referring to - even on sets that are used and abused at the pool hall. But all of this kinda moot, because Cyclop has been discontinued, with Dynaspheres being their successor/replacement (at least from what we could dig up online).

[@daffydlwellen1270]

@@seekinggravity Yup, crap product failed and based on the response I got from Diamond, I'll NEVER consider one of their tables as a purchase.

[@richbrant8534]

The awful Red Dot cueball wasn't in the mix

[@seekinggravity]

Hey Rich, thanks for watching. We did our best to test the cue balls that players are most likely to encounter on the table (especially in serious match play), and thus be the most valid from our experience. These were the ones we were able to get our hands on amongst all of the SG players. I cannot recall a time in the last 10 years where I encountered a the "red dot" that you are specially referring to, nor did any of the other SG players have one avail to use. Not to say these are not out in the wild, at least here in our area we never see them. I'm sure if we scoured the earth, we could find 50+ different cue balls! We encourage you to take the time and contrast the red dot to one of the balls we tested, so you can learn how it places in the order. Hopefully you found the video entertaining and informational. :)

[@dougoverhoff7568]

@@seekinggravity The red dot cue ball that's being referred to, I believe, is the Dynamo ball, used almost exclusively in older Dynamo coin operated tables. That's because it would trigger the return mechanism in either Dynamo tables, and in the Valleys, too. The valley used a magnetic system, so the red dot had a metal slug inside. And the Dynamo used a weight sensitivity mech, so It had to be very heavy, around 7 Ozs, as I recall. The other cue ball that was in popular use was the one called the 'domestic' ball, because it was mfg in the US,(Texas I think), and it was not a quality phenolic ball, but it would function in most all coin tables. It was inexpensive, so the vendors liked them, since cue balls often got stolen and had to be replaced. But, they were horrible to play with, because, besides being heavy, they would get beaten out of round after extended use. My local bar still uses one of these cheap cue balls on their table. It's an abomination! . Conversely, the blue dot cue ball, the one included in the older Brunswick Centennial set, was a lighter ball, and so it was often preferred by many players, probably because it was easy to draw, due to its lighter weight, around 5.4 Ozs, I believe. Today's equipment is superior to anything we had in the old days; especially with regards to the balls, the cues, the cloth, even the lighting, and, of course, the tables themselves. Technology has sure had an impact on the game, and it's definitely for the better. Hey, just for fun, try using a golf ball for the cue ball, just to see how it reacts. Crazy!

[@seekinggravity]

@@dougoverhoff7568 Thanks for the added info!

[@PostUp_Time]

*ALL YOU ARE REALLY COMPARING IS SIZE AND WEIGHT. PROFESSIONAL POOL PLAYERS LIKE BUDDY HALL HAVE DENOUNCED THE MEASLE BALLS WHEN THEY CAM OUT. SAYING THE ARAMITH SUPER PRO WITH RED TRIANGLE WAS BEST. YOU DONT EVEN HAVE THIS CUE FOR COMPARISON. YOU SHOULD HAVE DROPPED THE BALLS AND SEE HOW EACH BALL BOUNCES AT A DIFFERENT HEIGHT AND HOW EACH BALL BOUNCES OFF OBJECT BALLS OR ON JUMP SHOTS. MEASURING DOES NOT IDENTIFY ANYTHING FOR PLAYABILITY*

[@bledzone231]

I like to play pool with 6 red dots..