Smoktech ZMax Owners - Pics., Tips, Tricks and Quirks

[martinc]

Nah,a simple 100 MOQ gets them for about $70

That inflated price is the way smok takes care of his vendors (or tries too).

You all know that they wont sell it at that price,but if they keep it there,they will offer free batts,chargers and whatnots along with it.

And some will defy smok and offer it for maybe $90-110 (just like the Vs were tagged at $129 but were selling for $90-100 with batts and what else.

smok as a hard policy with vendors regarding this but will blindly sell hundreds of the product to private co-op makers to be handed at $60-70.

Dumb.

Just be patient,check your options,dont be impulsive.

 

[AnsonJames]

Aren't Smoktech are the ones that are trying to set their retail prices in stone?

*edit* posted before I read martinc's post!

 

[mwa102464]

It would seem to me that Smok is doing what's called here in the USA as price fixing, which is against the law, and if Car dealers or any kind of dealers in the USA got caught doing this it would be a serious offence. Your allowed to set a suggested retail price, but you cant force everyone to sell your product at xxx or else, and what usually ends up happening is as soon as the first dealer drops his pants a buck or two then everyone else follows, and it's what's going to happen with this unit and every other one that comes out because every vendor will want to get the business, it's called competition in the real business world. Especially when another VV/VW hits the market for even less, and creates more competition which is already in the makings.

I really dont understand why they're doing this anyways, who cares, as long as they sell them at there wholesale price to a vendor then said vendor should sell them at what the market bears, and once competition starts price's will come down. I hope 4-5 more manufacturers get into the game on a similar model that would really heat things up and Smok would change there policey pretty quickly, which is also happening I'm going to purposely wait till Rev2 if I do by one of these and not jump on the first one just in case there are some kinks in the mod, which wouldn't surprise me at all if there where some kinks in the ZMax , it should be fun to watch all the ones who buy and say this is the best mod since sliced bread, meanwhile I'm going to keep vaping away on my Darwin and Provari and a few other mods I have and sit back and watch this game play out, then maybe jump in later on once the playoffs begin ,,, I think it's also hilarious what Smok did on FB with the CoOp's on this Mod too by stopping the CoOp's, one of the vendors must have seen it and cried there eyeballs off to Smok,,,Prices where quoted at $77ea I believe, makes me want to wait even a bit more before buying this ZMax Sorry but it's how I feel after watching all of this happen and it take till Rev 4 on the VMax till it was right and nice.

 

[martinc]

"Smoktech assured me that the electronics design and execution of deals with a different company than the one that did the electronics for Vmax (subcontractor)."

If that means accurate electronics,most if not ALL VV devices manufs/moders/etc will s**t their pants instantly.

 

[VAPNJ350]

Im not sure if anyone's called it the best thing since sliced bread but I kinda "feel" like it's 3 mods in 1. Most vendors have to triple their investment to show profit after the outrageous shipping costs from China, shipping costs out to customers, stocking/inventory time, data logging, etc..... If their getting them at $70-$77 and selling them for $140-$150 aren't they kinda losing. I know of a few vendors who have 200-700 VMAX's still in stock because they had to buy so many to get them at a lower price so they could show any kind of profit on it. They may never sell all those units now that the ZMAX is here. Or put them in clearance and not even break even on the deal, ofcourse this is hypothetical but just a big picture kinda insight I guess. Do I agree with Smoktech in all this... no more than I agree with people who put a Zen or a Orion or even a Darwin in their for more than a car payment and in some cases a freakin' mortgage payment just because they can and because they know some dummy will actually pay it. No offense intended if you were that dummy.lol. I personally think those people should be.....actually I'll keep that to myself...but I'm sure a few of you could finish it for me as you've felt or thought the same. All in all were just as guilty of gauging the crap out of our fellow american's and our fellow vapers which IMO is much worse.

I do have a "NIVEL" chip in route to me now from SVoe Mesto. This is the chip that started the whole VV/VW 1st. Much like the DNA also,or so I understand and read, the "Z" chip is based off this same concept and design...give or take a few functions. Like Martin, I'm very curious how the "Z" stacks up to the "NIVEL". And will, very soon.

 

[Dusty_D]

VAPNJ350, Martin's not a dummy, and the Svoemesto was made in Russia so it's worth a car payment.

Sorry, Canadian insider joke.

 

[Kcfromva]

It would seem to me that Smok is doing what's called here in the USA as price fixing, which is against the law, and if Car dealers or any kind of dealers in the USA got caught doing this it would be a serious offence. Your allowed to set a suggested retail price, but you cant force everyone to sell your product at xxx or else, and what usually ends up happening is as soon as the first dealer drops his pants a buck or two then everyone else follows, and it's what's going to happen with this unit and every other one that comes out because every vendor will want to get the business, it's called competition in the real business world. Especially when another VV/VW hits the market for even less, and creates more competition which is already in the makings.

Actually price fixing happens all the time and is not against the law. It happens with golf equipment alot. Ping golf will set a price and if they catch you selling it cheaper within a year of coming out it will suspend your account for awhile. Happens all the time in other things also. I see this as no different. The price will come down soon enough but thats when v2,3,4 hits the shelf.

 

[VAPNJ350]

Maybe to some it is.... but to a Electrical Engineer who knows just how simple these high tech flashlights are to make and is in the process of machining a mod and building his own chipset for super cheap, sorry but no mod out there is worth a car payment and especially not a mortgage. BUT!!....That's my opinion, nothing more.

 

[Caveman Mike]

I think what really needs to be pointed out here is if you want want the ZMAX offers then heres what your looking to pay ......

Variable Voltage/Provari - $159+
Variable Wattage/ Darwin - $320 - $500 ...yes I've seen greedy, self-enduldged, scalping vapers actually charge a fellow vaper $500 bucks. I sold mine a week after I got it for $200. Shame on vapers who use these type of tactics, I don't care how exclusive the device is !!!!

Anyway, back to the point. $145-%150 for a device that does both AND single or stacked configuration. I think that's a whole lot better that $159+$320=$479...possibly up to $659.

I'd say that's a pretty good steal and a rock solid price. And being I've had this device for about a week now I can honestly say ""IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY AND THEN SOME" I will be buying another !!!

On a lighter note......JUST GOT MY PENELOPE............ ' AWESOME !!!! LOVE IT

The zmax and the Penelope is the setup that I'm shooting for. How is the draw on the Penelope?

 

[AnsonJames]

"Smoktech assured me that the electronics design and execution of deals with a different company than the one that did the electronics for Vmax (subcontractor)."

If that means accurate electronics,most if not ALL VV devices manufs/moders/etc will s**t their pants instantly.

From what I can gather from the Polish translation, the Zmax still burns hot i.e 3 volts = 3.7 volts.
I would say they're going with a new subcontractor for the electronics because of the failure rates of the Vmax.

 

[jackbox]

From what I can gather from the Polish translation, the Zmax still burns hot i.e 3 volts = 3.7 volts.
I would say they're going with a new subcontractor for the electronics because of the failure rates of the Vmax.

It is hotter because it is a pulse width modulation device like the VMax. Because the peaks are much higher than the set voltage, they burn hotter at a lower voltage settings. The voltage setting is the average voltage and doesn't reflect what happens at peak voltage output which could be as high as 6 to 8 volts. Some people like pulse width modulation devices because they hit much harder and hotter than a standard device like a Provari.

 

[AnsonJames]

The American mod has PWM also.
PWM can regulate at a constant voltage too.

 

[Optimo]

With the cost of Chinese labor and materials, I don't think it's a "steal" .

The American device gets slated because of it's cost - why is this different?
Because it does wattage?

There's definitely some scalping going on here - and Smoktech are the ones doing it.

It's just a intro price...it won't stick for long. We'll be able to get them for about 80 bucks in the months to come. I do agree though it's a little high which is why I'll be waiting or getting in a co-op to get one.

 

[Caveman Mike]

They r trying to get a co-op for the zmax right now. The price is $76 total

 

[BlueSnake]

The American mod has PWM also.
PWM can regulate at a constant voltage too.

American mod? If you mean the Provari, it does not have PWM.

 

[hubblecraft83]

American mod? If you mean the Provari, it does not have PWM.

It sure does. it's right on their site.

"Does the ProVari use PWM? (pulse-width modulation)

Yes, the ProVari is using PWM technology"

I don't know why people think the Provari is some magical device. It uses a Chinese board inside american machined metal.

 

[hubblecraft83]

I meant it probably uses a Chinese board.

 

[BlueSnake]

It sure does. it's right on their site.

"Does the ProVari use PWM? (pulse-width modulation)

Yes, the ProVari is using PWM technology"

I don't know why people think the Provari is some magical device. It uses a Chinese board inside american machined metal.

Sorry, my bad.

 

[Optimo]

It sure does. it's right on their site.

"Does the ProVari use PWM? (pulse-width modulation)

Yes, the ProVari is using PWM technology"

I don't know why people think the Provari is some magical device. It uses a Chinese board inside american machined metal.

It's magical because it was the first VV device ever made of it's kind in the US and people spent alot of money on them now people see a Chinese device that looks kinda like it and go into a rage even though the Provari is nothing like the VMax and the VMax is nothing like the Provari. It's comparing apples to oranges and I'm sorry I ever compared the two myself....guess I just jumped in with the bandwagon.

 

[hubblecraft83]

You're good And this is how we learn lol