RDA Thoughts on the Freakshow?

[Mrez]

I got mine a few days ago and I'm currently on my second build and second flavor. My original build was a dual parallel coil with 26 gauge running at .35 ohm . I was not overly impressed with the flavor but the clouds were good and the draw was loose without being overly airy like the mutation X v2. Thinking that it might be the juice I was using ( black magic by ITC vapes...seems mild after a weekand a half steep) I put a 5 wrap 24 gauge dual coil on it which came out to .25 ohms, then put some midnight from ITC in the coils. The results are much more impressive both in flavor and clouds. I think my mistake us using flavors that are new to me instead of flavors I was previously familiar with. The only negative thing is the juice well is tight, more so once you get your wicks in. I wick with rayon and after maybe three good pulls its time to redrip. I think with this Atty you need the lower subohms to really get it to shine unless you prefer a cooler cape. I'll provably throw some dual twisted 28 gauge coils next with a target of .25 ohms. That should pop the flavor a bit more.

 

[twgbonehead]

Still waiting for mine (on the slowboat, apparently). Would love to hear your progress!

 

[puffon]

I get better flavor running it single coil.
The carbon fiber V2 has a single coil, air hole option.

 

[Mrez]

I get better flavor running it single coil.
The carbon fiber V2 has a single coil, air hole option.

This is one of those things I never understood correctly. In my mind, you have twice the coil surface with a dual coil, so why are single coils the way to go for flavor? For example, I have a single coil on my veritas which i enjoy for around the house vaping (where my wife dislikes cloud blowing) and I get a nice warm flavorful vape from it. I took the same juice and put it in a quad coil set up with open to slightly restricted air flow and was just floored by the intensity of the flavor and the clouds. Obviously, taste, draw etc are subjective,but I never was able to key into a good single coil build.

 

[Pensilac]

I got mine a few days ago and I'm currently on my second build and second flavor. My original build was a dual parallel coil with 26 gauge running at .35 ohm . I was not overly impressed with the flavor but the clouds were good and the draw was loose without being overly airy like the mutation X v2. Thinking that it might be the juice I was using ( black magic by ITC vapes...seems mild after a weekand a half steep) I put a 5 wrap 24 gauge dual coil on it which came out to .25 ohms, then put some midnight from ITC in the coils. The results are much more impressive both in flavor and clouds. I think my mistake us using flavors that are new to me instead of flavors I was previously familiar with. The only negative thing is the juice well is tight, more so once you get your wicks in. I wick with rayon and after maybe three good pulls its time to redrip. I think with this Atty you need the lower subohms to really get it to shine unless you prefer a cooler cape. I'll provably throw some dual twisted 28 gauge coils next with a target of .25 ohms. That should pop the flavor a bit more.

I have about the same build in mine currently and the flavor and vapor production is very good in my opinion. It's built very well for how cheap it is, the o rings on mine are the perfect size to where it's not too tight but not loose either. Mine is one of the newer SS ones that come in the little tin and has the option for single air flow.

One thing I don't like about the Freakshow though is that I can't get much juice in it at all before it starts to leak, I get more capacity out of even a Plume Veil or Quasar before I have to worry about leaking. I find I have to drip much more frequently with this than any other dripper I've tried so far.

 

[Mrez]

Similar to my experience. Though I do find my plume clone to be a little more leaky around the edges.

 

[doubleint]

This is one of those things I never understood correctly. In my mind, you have twice the coil surface with a dual coil, so why are single coils the way to go for flavor? For example, I have a single coil on my veritas which i enjoy for around the house vaping (where my wife dislikes cloud blowing) and I get a nice warm flavorful vape from it. I took the same juice and put it in a quad coil set up with open to slightly restricted air flow and was just floored by the intensity of the flavor and the clouds. Obviously, taste, draw etc are subjective,but I never was able to key into a good single coil build.

Usually, but not always, more airflow reduces flavor. Every RDA is different however. I've made single coils that taste just as good if not better than dual coils and since dual coils use more juice, I don't see a reason for it other than to blow huge clouds. Parallels are a whole different beast though and is what I build regularly.

 

[Stringplucker]

I bought my Freakshow with the Apollo in mind...and was not pleased with what happened. It seems that condensation leaks down the sides into the airflow slots and down onto the hybrid cap and into the battery tube. I bought it to complete the all white look I was going after...I even bought a white and gold Dynasty drip tip.

In the end, I pulled it off and put it on the Manhattan and have been much happier with it there. I'm running at 0.22 ohm and the clour and flavor is good...not as good as my Tobh or Tugboat, but better than some of the other RDAs I own.

If you get one, don't use it with a hybrid cap mod...you'll be wiping batteries down and cleaning tubes out.

 

[Mrez]

I bought my Freakshow with the Apollo in mind...and was not pleased with what happened. It seems that condensation leaks down the sides into the airflow slots and down onto the hybrid cap and into the battery tube. I bought it to complete the all white look I was going after...I even bought a white and gold Dynasty drip tip.

In the end, I pulled it off and put it on the Manhattan and have been much happier with it there. I'm running at 0.22 ohm and the clour and flavor is good...not as good as my Tobh or Tugboat, but better than some of the other RDAs I own.

If you get one, don't use it with a hybrid cap mod...you'll be wiping batteries down and cleaning tubes out.

Yeah, I was warned about that before I ordered it. I'm just very careful when I put juice in it when I use it on my Stingray with hybrid disk.

 

[VIadTheInhaler]

I have about the same build in mine currently and the flavor and vapor production is very good in my opinion. It's built very well for how cheap it is, the o rings on mine are the perfect size to where it's not too tight but not loose either. Mine is one of the newer SS ones that come in the little tin and has the option for single air flow.

One thing I don't like about the Freakshow though is that I can't get much juice in it at all before it starts to leak, I get more capacity out of even a Plume Veil or Quasar before I have to worry about leaking. I find I have to drip much more frequently with this than any other dripper I've tried so far.

This saved me from typing it all out lol. Pretty much my thoughts, except I can't speak for the quasar as I don't have one.

 

[Mrez]

This saved me from typing it all out lol. Pretty much my thoughts, except I can't speak for the quasar as I don't have one.

I think next time I sit down and build mine up, I'm going to use a smaller diameter drill bit. I used a 2.7 mm bit and that didnt leave a whole ton of space in the juice wells for the the wick. Perhaps using something along the lines of 2mm raised up with less wicking might be a decent way to go to get more juice in the wells.

 

[VIadTheInhaler]

I think next time I sit down and build mine up, I'm going to use a smaller diameter drill bit. I used a 2.7 mm bit and that didnt leave a whole ton of space in the juice wells for the the wick. Perhaps using something along the lines of 2mm raised up with less wicking might be a decent way to go to get more juice in the wells.

Let me know if that works out. Sounds like a good idea. Other than the leaking/frequent dripping I am really liking the freakshow. Flavor and vapor production are both where I like them.

 

[Mrez]

Well, as of now I have to retract my favorable impressions of the Freakshow. I went to put in a new build, a twisted 28 dual coil, and as I was clamping down the negative post, it started spinning on me and then popped out. Looks like a press fit or glue in, not sure which. Bit disappointed. I reached out to the vendor to let them know so we'll see what happens. Just annoyed cause that was the last of my twisted kanthal in that gauge.

 

[cjpeltz]

Mrez - what popped out? The whole negative post?? Mine is coming in a few days...i really hope it doesnt have quality issues like this.

 

[Mrez]

Mrez - what popped out? The whole negative post?? Mine is coming in a few days...i really hope it doesnt have quality issues like this.

Yes, the whole negative post pretty much just came right out. The other one still seems secure but it was a bit disappointing. I'm in the process of looking for another under coil dripper for flavor. N22 clone is my most likely choice.

 

[cjpeltz]

Where did you buy yours and will the vendor take it back?

 

[Mrez]

Not sure how legit it is for me to post on a public forum, so mods pull if necessary, but I got it from vapordna. I let them know via one of thier customer review emails last night so I'm still waiting for a response. Could have been a fluke with the post so im certainly willing to give it another shot.

 

[Mrez]

Update, the vendor is sending me a replacement, so hopefully the new one will not have the same issue.

 

[EJAB]

Update, the vendor is sending me a replacement, so hopefully the new one will not have the same issue.

I just ordered mine. Fingers crossed....

 

[DaveSignal]

I might be late to this discussion, but I thought I would point out that it is probably your build and wicking that is causing the problems with the freakshow. I take repeated hits with it without having to re-drip. I don't have a leaking issue dripping through the top cap. And I get massive vapor and flavor.
This is what the build looks like. 24g nichrome at .21 ohm. If I was going to do it with Kanthal, it would be the same, except with 6-wraps per coil.