40 bucks for an atty is enough for me.
I just heard back from them. They said "The AVA-SR atomizers are about 2.9 ohms, and the AVA-HR's are about 3.9 ohms. The AVA atomizers are built to last, there are a few around the shop that have been getting daily use for upwards of 6 months without any degradation. We are currently only going to focus on the 510 atomizers." Tell me how it is treating you and if it is worth it. If they really last 6 months and have crazy flavor and vaper they might be worth it.
Do you use a ultrasonic to clean it? or is that bad for ceramic atties?
I doubt it's possible to get better flavor out of a conventional atomizer. It's crisp, clean, and you only taste what's in the juice. That being said, I vape unflavored almost exclusively and while I can tell the difference from a Cisco spec atomizer your mileage may vary. I haven't got an HH.357 but I'm sure they provide exceptionally high performance. The AVA is a different beast that excels by being different than a conventional atomizer.
Vapor production was a bit low when I first got it. I think most of that is due to break-in but I was finishing off a PG heavy bottle and I'm using a heavy VG mix now. VG is recommended for AVAs. Currently I'm getting lots of thick vapor until the atomizer starts getting dry. When flooded vapor production drops like normal. It's not as quick to produce vapor as my Ciscos at the same wattage but I have been able to get a few fast & short draws with great vapor so that may be a technique issue.
The draw is on the stiff side but I wouldn't call it heavy. I am using it behind an empire drip shield which adds a little drag.
I have an ultrasonic cleaner that I got early in my vaping career but personally I found it didn't do any better than an alcohol soak/flush and it annoyed my dogs so I don't use it anymore. The recommended cleaning method is to boil for 10 minutes, flush with warm/hot water, and boil again.
My AVA SR meters to 3.3 ohms on my ProVari which is quite a bit more than 2.9. I'm under the impression that they test the coils under specific conditions to a certain current draw and don't test resistance directly.
I'd started using 901s before I got the AVA and was having problems with dry hits. Even though I could hear juice in the atomizer I'd end up getting a couple surprises a day. Dry hits on the AVA usually just means weak vapor and the worst case is about as bad as the best case of a dry hit on a Cisco 901. I don't remember having as many problems with 510/306s and the HH.357 probably isn't bad in this respect but it's something to consider.
All in all, the AVA is different from any other atomizer. Because of this it has some strengths that will be hard to match with a more conventional design. It's not a magical panacea and you may find you prefer something different. There's a lot of promise to the design and I think it'll stick around. Is it worth the price? So far I believe so. If it lasts six months or more it's a no-brainer and that sounds like a realistic outcome.
