Evic supreme

Firecrow;13247521 said:
I have an eVic Classic, e-Vic Supreme and a ZNA. I think a quick review of all three devices is worth it. While its about the +15W device category, I include the classic as it is the legacy of the Supreme and the differences are worth noting, and I own all three devices. These are also DC-DC devices. I am not a fan of PWM power control - I actually think I can feel and taste the difference.


Note: For fair comparison in this shot, my ZNA is using the gold 18650 tube. With the 18490 tube, its even shorter, blowing the e-Vic Classic out of the water. Important for stealth vaping and portability.

e-Vic:

The e-Vic line is the most gadgety of the China APVs. Lots of displays and fine control over the vaping experience with micro-USB and software to collect data and configure the device. Brilliant design if you're into that, but can also be a barrier to those who are not gadget freaks. My experience is both, sometimes I just want the device to "get out of my way" and let me vape - the software firing delay is my biggest annoyance. When I want to vape, I WANT TO VAPE, not think about it and vape. This is an addiction and there is no time for delay (grin). Both devices have screen brightness issues. I prefer the e-Vic classic brightness to the Supreme, but both are poorly lit.

You can't beat the price on the e-Vic line for features packed into it.

e-Vic Classic

Pros:
Reasonable size tubular APV
Accurate
East to maintain
Good battery management
Fits in a coat pocket easily
Micro-USB Charging

Cons:
Lightweight build quality (cheap)
Not very rugged
Screen is not bright enough in sunlight
Control ring is awkward to use one handed
Beauty ring is slightly too high and not adjustable, some tanks don't fit or make contact with the 510 connection. Take beauty ring off to fix, but looks horrible
10W or below - even 15W would have made this device better as I vape between 7W and 13W.
Black tube is an upgrade


e-Vic Supreme

Pros:
More rugged than the e-Vic Classic
Available in black or stainless out of the box
Improved 360 travel control ring (better than e-Vic Classic)
Replaceable 510 connection
Overall more stylish than the e-Vic Classic
30W with good battery management
Micro-USB Charging

Cons:
Very tall (my youngest asked mum why daddy was smoking a lightsaber)
Brightness of screen is WORSE than the e-Vic Classic, impossible to read in sunlight
Sharp metal finishes makes it uncomfortable sometimes
USB cover gets lost easily (lost mine the first day)
Loading your own vanity picture strikes me as totally ghey. YMMV. Should have spent that design time fixing the screen brightness.
Not easily transported in a pocket


House of Hybrids ZNA

Pros:
Shortest tube 30W APV
Built like a tank out of billet stainless steel
Tube options galore
North American made (support our industries!)
Unique and stylish design unlike no other
Firing button is easy to find and a pleasure to use
Feels good in the hand/insanely ergonomic for a tube APV
Physically bombproof - I've dropped this onto concrete multiple times with no damage (not recommended as a testing regime)
Simple/stupid 3 button device that I don't need a computer science degree to operate
Smash full on power the moment you hit the fire button (take that e-Vic!) I WANT MY VAPE AND I WANT IT NOW. Thanks Zen.

Cons:
Buggy DNA-30 boards (battery life indicator problems, disappearing ohm symbol, locking/unlocking sometimes hard to do)
Expensive
Poor battery management (DNA-30) compared to e-Vic
Classic 510 connection is poorly designed and you have to spend $40 to get it right if you bought early on. More on this...
Upgrade tube fitment has been an issue for me
Inconsistent advice on battery (nipple vs flat) - both work for me, others flat tops don't so inconsistent design/assembly or advice
Lottery style availability from his online sales channel
No Micro-USB Charging


More on my HOH/ZNA Gripes

My biggest pet-peeve is when I watch Zen on YouTube go on about quality and service and then to have to pay for an upgraded 510 connection in order to get proper fitment in a device of this cost. This is completely contradictory to his made in North America, customer number 1 message. $40 is a money grab and makes me sad. My device is even serialized. For a $300 device, I should be able to register it on his website and have a free fix sent to me without me even asking. If this was a $100 device I would not complain. It impacts my desire to buy his next upcoming device.

As everyone knows getting this device is like playing the lottery - there should be a queue to service sales so people have a predictable opportunity to acquire this device. This is poor customer service in another form - like IKEA in the sense that they are marketing an inconvenience as a virtue. This is NOT a mass market device, it is largely a handmade (even with CNC machining) boutique device that only HOH fans or APV collectors will desire and will seek out. Given the production constraints this keeps the price high by restricting availability. I'm fine with this if they're upfront about that but they are not. And like I said, I only complain because the cost of the device warrants better customer service. Outside of that, stellar device.

I am planning to document my 510 connect and DNA30 issues in more detail and hopefully I can ship back the device to ZEN and HOH and get a properly working one. But its my go-to APV and to be without it would suck, so I just live with it for now.

Comments

Hi Firecrow,

I can't speak to the eVic Supreme (but I have been considering buying one to see how I like it), but I can speak to the Zen ZNA. I have one, and it has had to be sent in for repairs twice. The first time was for a button problem, that kept it shooting up to 30 watts and made it all but unusable. The second time was because it shorted itself out against the case, and got so hot it blistered my thumb while I was trying to get the battery out.

On both occasions, House of Hybrids took care of me very well. Both times it was sent in, they upgraded my device with all the available fixes at no charge, and really made me feel like a valued customer. The also sent me a box of goodies when I told them my vape bag was stolen, nothing big, just fun stuff to cheer me up. Mike (or Zen), Dan, and Dustin are the folks I have personally spoken to on the phone several times, and I can honestly say that they will do everything possible for their customers.

As for the upgrade it for the 510 connector. The kit itself is only $15, the full 510 connector replacement is $40, but is not needed if you already have one, just get the kit. I understand the need for HoH to charge for it, it was not a "fix" per se, the original 510 connector works fine, even if it leaves a gap that can't be completely adjusted out. HoH has to cover the costs of R&D for the upgrade kit, as well as materials and construction. If there were an actual defect in the 510 connector, I have no doubt that the "fix" would be completely free.

Just my $0.02 on the topic, YMMV!
 
Could you help me understand what this means - "These are also DC-DC devices. I am not a fan of PWM power control - I actually think I can feel and taste the difference." Does that mean you can feel and taste the difference between mech mods / vv and all vw devices? Is the tallest one the supreme? It's huge. Does the buggy dna30 boards apply to all dna 30 devices?
 

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