Ares, new MTL RTA designed by Phil Busardo and Dimitirs Agrafiotis

[52anddone]

I don't know why....

but I loved this review with the sound turned down.

A con for popping ??? That was the first time I have watched one of Zophie's reviews, or videos, and it was an OK review, except for the "Popping" thing. Again 5ml's, I thought it was 4ml's. I must have been thinking of something else and got the Ares mixed up, it happens to me sometimes, oh well. Again with the draw not being tight enough ?? (if I didn't get her and Ruby mixed up)

 

[Katdarling]

I think that at least some of your post is "right on" ShaneR. I think some have forgotten how tight a Cigarette Draw is, and I suspicion some don't know how tight it really is as they have never smoked, plus I also suspicion that some think that MTL is anything Not DL draws, Like Tony of "Vaper Trails", I could sense he was having troubles with the Ares as he is a DL vaper 100%, he even said as much, so he was doing a bit of reaching in trying to categorize the draw on the Ares. His review wasn't a bad review at all, he just doesn't know what a proper MTL draw is, that's all. No biggie for me though, as I could tell he was really working at it to try to get it right and not to mislead. But his review didn't really help me much in knowing if the Ares draw is the right draw for me, so I'm not any further ahead after watching him.

I do know that I like the Berserker on the middle hole and the draw that that gives, and that the Siren V1 on half of the smallest hole is passable for me, but not Ideal. So that's where I am now.

Loved your post 5-2. It made me consider a few things.

Welp. All reviewers give their opinion. We, on ECF, are all reviewers as well, sans the camera. That's it on reviewers.

As far as MTL goes, in my least humble opinion, it's whatever hit one was used to when smoking. I'd smoked for many years, and I know preZACTLY how I did that, but others have also smoked for eons, and perhaps not the way I did. Even now, to this day, when I hang with the smokie crowd, I watch. Not every inhale/exhale is duplicative.

I don't believe there is a "proper" MTL draw, other than the one that goes into each respective mouth. Ruby found the draw too loose. Others here have posted "too tight".

My konklusion? One needs to buy and use this tank (no ad from me - I don't have one) to try it out and know if it's right for you. That goes for every single other tank (piece of vape gear) out there. Even my Bestie, with identical gear, and similar tastes and vape style, doesn't always agree on minutia and details.

Mileage? Vary?

reviews (for me) show me the deck, the wick, the size, the battery door, blah blah blah - the factual parts of the EQ. The experience is up to me.

 

[ShaneR42]

Kat pretty well nailed it.

I'll just touch on the MTL thing quickly. As Kat said, there is no right or wrong way to do a MTL. That's why I get supremely annoyed when I'm accused of "doing it wrong" if I find a draw too loose. I think there should be "standards" that everyone can readily relate to in order to judge if a tank is right for them , but there's nothing wrong if a person's use is outside those standards.

I'm just having my first morning coffee, and haven't finished, so I reserve the right to disagree with myself, and this post, at a later time....

 

[Kickingthesticks]

Loved your post 5-2. It made me consider a few things.

Welp. All reviewers give their opinion. We, on ECF, are all reviewers as well, sans the camera. That's it on reviewers.

As far as MTL goes, in my least humble opinion, it's whatever hit one was used to when smoking. I'd smoked for many years, and I know preZACTLY how I did that, but others have also smoked for eons, and perhaps not the way I did. Even now, to this day, when I hang with the smokie crowd, I watch. Not every inhale/exhale is duplicative.

I don't believe there is a "proper" MTL draw, other than the one that goes into each respective mouth. Ruby found the draw too loose. Others here have posted "too tight".

My konklusion? One needs to buy and use this tank (no ad from me - I don't have one) to try it out and know if it's right for you. That goes for every single other tank (piece of vape gear) out there. Even my Bestie, with identical gear, and similar tastes and vape style, doesn't always agree on minutia and details.

Mileage? Vary?

Reviews (for me) show me the deck, the wick, the size, the battery door, blah blah blah - the factual parts of the EQ. The experience is up to me.

Yup after reading this I remember how we used to pack a new box of smokes not everyone would hit it the same. Totally agree

 

[52anddone]

I'm just having my first morning coffee, and haven't finished, so I reserve the right to disagree with myself, and this post, at a later time....

Now that is a good comment Shane, and I should have been using that one myself since like, Forever. Good One !! It fits me to a tee.

 

[52anddone]

Loved your post 5-2. It made me consider a few things.

Welp. All reviewers give their opinion. We, on ECF, are all reviewers as well, sans the camera. That's it on reviewers.

As far as MTL goes, in my least humble opinion, it's whatever hit one was used to when smoking. I'd smoked for many years, and I know preZACTLY how I did that, but others have also smoked for eons, and perhaps not the way I did. Even now, to this day, when I hang with the smokie crowd, I watch. Not every inhale/exhale is duplicative.

I don't believe there is a "proper" MTL draw, other than the one that goes into each respective mouth. Ruby found the draw too loose. Others here have posted "too tight".

My konklusion? One needs to buy and use this tank (no ad from me - I don't have one) to try it out and know if it's right for you. That goes for every single other tank (piece of vape gear) out there. Even my Bestie, with identical gear, and similar tastes and vape style, doesn't always agree on minutia and details.

Mileage? Vary?

Reviews (for me) show me the deck, the wick, the size, the battery door, blah blah blah - the factual parts of the EQ. The experience is up to me.

Well Kat, after reading your post, I went back and re-read mine. I have to agree, it was a Sorry way to try and explain what I was thinking. This is the prime reason I don't do reviews, and won't do reviews. But, I do have opinions, and that's all they are, opinions. I just hope I don't steer someone in the wrong direction, or give bogus info. If I do, please correct me, I can take it, for over 40 years my wife has been doing that to me.

 

[52anddone]

BTW, and correct me if I'm wrong, please. Isn't a Mouth to Lung when one draws in a mouth full of vapor/smoke, pulls their vape/tobacco away from their mouth while closing their lips, then opens their mouth to inhale what is in their mouth into their lungs then exhaling all the contents there in ?? That's what I was getting at by "Proper", or maybe "Classic" (new term here). I just want to know so I can be on the same page as the rest of you, and lessen any confusion coming from my end, that's all.

Maybe it's the words "Proper" and "Classic" that I'm tripping over here.

 

[stols001]

I just kinda call it MTL if it's low wattage and low vapor production, honestly. I know I take different kind of draws on different equipment, and I'm sure I take restricted lung hits here and there... There are certain tanks that do a really good job of "pooling" in your mouth, and from there you can inhale, and others not so much, I'd say. At least for me, that has been my experience. IDK if there is a "classic" MTL draw, but yeah if there is, it means a fairly tight draw, with the e-liquid still in your mouth, prior to inhaling. I'd say of all my tanks right now the Berserker, Kabuki and N2 and Nicolas Vapefly do that best. With the Siren V2, the draw is so smooth, I'm probably inhaling right away (less so after I closed the airflow off some).

But really? I just think wattage, resistance, and amount of vaper makes me a MTL vaper. It's just easier that way.

Anna

 

[VictorC]

BTW, and correct me if I'm wrong, please. Isn't a Mouth to Lung when one draws in a mouth full of vapor/smoke, pulls their vape/tobacco away from their mouth while closing their lips, then opens their mouth to inhale what is in their mouth into their lungs then exhaling all the contents there in ?? That's what I was getting at by "Proper", or maybe "Classic" (new term here). I just want to know so I can be on the same page as the rest of you, and lessen any confusion coming from my end, that's all.

Maybe it's the words "Proper" and "Classic" that I'm tripping over here.

I am not an expert, but that's how I used to smoke (for 35 yrs) cigarettes and now vape. Pipe and cigars were slightly different.

 

[52anddone]

Oh, BTW, there is No "Wrong" answer here about what MTL is to you. I just want to know what ya'll mean when you post that you MTL.

Edit; I plan on Book Marking this in hopes that in the future when someone posts that they MTL and have a question that I can answer, I will remember what you mean by MTL, and my answer back to you will be more pertinent and make more sense to you.

 

[52anddone]

I am not an expert, but that's how I used to smoke (for 35 yrs) cigarettes and now vape. Pipe and cigars were slightly different.

I too smoked pipes, cigars, and cigarettes, but all the same way when I was still using tobacco. That's the only way I knew back when I first started at age 12, and I just carried that style of doing it throughout my years, and thought that everyone did the same (partly because everyone around me that smoked did it the same way as I did, and at age 12 I was copying them).

 

[52anddone]

Thanks Anna, I hadn't even thought of looking at MTL that way. I have led a sheltered life I guess.

Now I'll know better what you mean, and why, when you say that the Ares either is or isn't a good MTL RTA for you. That will give me more meaningful info to go by when you post.

 

[stols001]

I don't have one. I was watching this thread with great interest and decided not to buy one. I have a Berserker (very MTL draw) and a Siren V2 (airier draw) but I run them both below 13 watts and have the airflow set very low....

I'd say if the Ares wasn't having leaking issues, it would probably be fine to me, but it does sound quite a bit like the Siren V2 with differing opinions on flavor and I decided to pass...

Anna

 

[52anddone]

I think I'm with you on that Anna, but, I'm still here, so I'm still kind of undecided, I guess. Whoa, lets not stick our neck out too far 52, people might think I have made my mind up or something. I am more undecided about this Ares than any RTA (correction, any piece of vape gear) I have ever looked at since I have started vaping. I just don't know.

 

[lil_buddy]

I think I'm with you on that Anna, but, I'm still here, so I'm still kind of undecided, I guess. Whoa, lets not stick our neck out too far 52, people might think I have made my mind up or something. I am more undecided about this Ares than any RTA (correction, any piece of vape gear) I have ever looked at since I have started vaping. I just don't know.

I'm super doubtful that shower head thing is going to produce the kind of draw I like - and you like (from what I can tell)

 

[G-Fog]

I have, among a lot of others, the Berserker, Siren 2, Cthulhu Hastur MTL RTA and the Ares, and for me the Ares takes the prize as the best package, closely followed by the Siren 2.
After trying various airflow configurations on each one I have found my perfect draw setting for each, so I am actually quite pleased with all of them, and would not bin a single one. YMMV of course.

MTL to me means drawing the vapor into my mouth then inhaling, just the same way I used to smoke a cigarette.
Maybe at times we try too hard to define things, to the extent that the waters become muddied, so basically I just do what works for me, and try to accept that as with all things, we are all different, and we experience everything differently.
If my way keeps me off the stinkies, and I have enjoyment at the same time, then it is a win for me.
Viva la difference!!

 

[52anddone]

I'll just keep watching the posts for a while longer and see what ensues.

 

[52anddone]

Thanks Fog.

 

[tazzle]

I call what I do mouth to lung, because it's mostly completely opposite of direct to lung ... but it's probably quite different than most people's MtL. I vape mostly between 10-15 watts, 0.7-1.6 ohms, 3mg nic (so, okay, fairly average so far!) Take short pulls, just about 2 seconds. Let the vapor stay in my mouth, inhale just a tiny bit and exhale most of it. I like the draw pretty airy, but only use MtL tanks with small chimneys because they seem to concentrate the flavor better: Kayfun Mini 3s (and now Prime), Ego Ones, Goblin Minis, Doggy Styles, Nautilus Minis.

I didn't get the Berzerker because I have only small mods, and the Ares is also too big for my gear. I'm also not that fond of the raised deck style. I have the Siren v1 and it's pretty nice, but I don't feel very confident when wicking it, so tend to reach for it less often, though I like it well enough. The Kayfuns and Ego Ones are just easy peasy and super reliable, and I use them the most.

So, I'm reading this thread out of curiosity, but don't know if I'll try one unless they decide to launch a nice 22 mm version at some point. (Also I admit that I feel a little estranged from some of their promotion efforts, which seem pretty "boys club" to me, and wasn't very happy with the weird gay jokes and who-has-the-biggest-penis laffs in that one interview. bleh, wth?)

I'm glad that they created this though, even if it's not 100% for me. There are so few MtL options, I'm always pleased when anyone introduces something new, and I'm curious to hear how it's working out for everyone.

 

[sk25411]

After using the Ares for about 2 weeks now, I can throw in my .02c.

I never smoked (well, in college I did but that was a while ago), I was a dipper for 18 years. DTL vaping never appealed to me, and I always liked a tight(er) draw. I used the Nautilus on the 2nd air hole, and the v2 with 2 holes open, because that's what I like, and what reminded ME of MTL.

First, the Ares was super easy to build and wick. Again, I have never rebuilt or wicked anything, and was always too scared to try. I watched Phil's tutorials, and they are literally the reason I bought the Ares. At first, I used too much cotton and choked my coil a bit, but I tinkered, rewicking 2 Ares almost every day to get it right. I even MADE my OWN coils! The included wires, cotton, and build tools, along with the videos allowed me to do this. I even got a pair of ceramic tweezers and made a contact .8 ohm with the included wire, and I love it.

Leaking. My silver one has leaked through the air holes, but I believe that was a result of way too much cotton outside the coils, causing juice to go around the barriers. Less wicking than I though I needed, problem solved for me, no more leaking. Also, a good wipe down of everything (orings, glass, sport where orings sit), ensured a nice, tight fit, with zero leaking.

Draw. For me, its the way I like it with 2 air holes open. Draw, like flavor is subjective. I don't base my draw off of years of smoking, but rather what I remember from it, and I like it. Any tighter (FOR ME), and I don't take hits the way I like them. To each their own.

Flavor. Welcome to flavor town! I diy my juice, and my usual gold ducat tastes amazing (although now I see how it treats coils, its super dark), and ry4d +AP is great too. Also layered some nicotine river Kilanca with mint and koolada (total 4% flavorings in 50/50), and its amazing. I can say it crushed the Nautilus v1, and is better than the Nv2.

Also, the tank looks really nice, and is well put together. Being a beginner, I have only 2 mods (both 22mm). An innokin coolfire pebble and the Zelos mod the N2 came with. The Ares looks pretty great on both of those, although I do not have OCD about the TINY overhang. I was actually anticipating it looking MUCH worse than it does, so I am happy.

I know I have been long winded, and these are impressions from a total beginner that can't compare the Ares to other RTAs. I really don't see myself needing to buy another tank for the forseeable future. Have one Ares for fruits, etc, and one for Tobaccos, seems I am all set for a while.

This trip has made me was to try more coils, wires, wicks, etc etc, and appreciate all the info on this site. Anyway, that's more like my .04c! Thanks!