Super Aramith Pro, VS. Super Aramith Pro TV SET

SUPERSTAR

SUPERSTAR

I am Keyser Söze
Silver Member
Ok. I've read all the threads concerning which is the best set of balls.

My question is, does anyone out there know for a fact, if the Aramith Pro TV set, with the spotted cue ball, are BIGGER than the Aramith Pro regular set?


I'm just wondering. Cause i've played with them sporadically at one particular pool hall for the past 2 months with mixed results, and was torturing myself trying to figure out what was different about them. Since i don't typically bust out the scale to weight balls on the spot or a bring a tool to measure them, i've been reduced to guessing. The regular Aramith pros NEVER played like the new tv. set in my opinion.

I just settled on the fact that they FELT bigger and heavier, and that the cue ball seemed ever so slightly heavier than the numbered balls, just by how they react. But that's just me. It feels almost like i'm playing with 3 cushion Billiard balls instead of pool balls. Plus the noise they make...it's a much deeper KLACK that is made than any of the other balls out there. EXCEPT for 3 cushion balls.

So i'm sitting at home, flipping through channels, when i come across the World Pool Championships from Taiwan 2004. They are doing highlights of the tournament, and it happens to be Alex P. vs. F.P.C. and they are of course, using the TV set. It comes down to a pushout to a jump shot, and the commentator stated that it's harder to jump the balls now because they had made them BIGGER.

Now i'm wondering if anyone out there has measured the balls, or even weighed them, or even if this is a known fact by all except me.



SUPERSTAR
 
SUPERSTAR said:
Ok. I've read all the threads concerning which is the best set of balls.

My question is, does anyone out there know for a fact, if the Aramith Pro TV set, with the spotted cue ball, are BIGGER than the Aramith Pro regular set?


I'm just wondering. Cause i've played with them sporadically at one particular pool hall for the past 2 months with mixed results, and was torturing myself trying to figure out what was different about them. Since i don't typically bust out the scale to weight balls on the spot or a bring a tool to measure them, i've been reduced to guessing. The regular Aramith pros NEVER played like the new tv. set in my opinion.

I just settled on the fact that they FELT bigger and heavier, and that the cue ball seemed ever so slightly heavier than the numbered balls, just by how they react. But that's just me. It feels almost like i'm playing with 3 cushion Billiard balls instead of pool balls. Plus the noise they make...it's a much deeper KLACK that is made than any of the other balls out there. EXCEPT for 3 cushion balls.

So i'm sitting at home, flipping through channels, when i come across the World Pool Championships from Taiwan 2004. They are doing highlights of the tournament, and it happens to be Alex P. vs. F.P.C. and they are of course, using the TV set. It comes down to a pushout to a jump shot, and the commentator stated that it's harder to jump the balls now because they had made them BIGGER.

Now i'm wondering if anyone out there has measured the balls, or even weighed them, or even if this is a known fact by all except me.



SUPERSTAR
Click to expand...

was the commentator talking about the t.v. set or pocket billiard balls in general? the only difference i've seen is that the aramiths seem to cut a slight bit more than centennials.........but not enough to make a difference.

thanks

VAP
 
Differences in Aramith cue balls may account for this

The cue ball may well be the cause of the difference you are experiencing. Rembember that you always hit the object balls with the cue ball, so if only the cue ball is different this will make every shot sound and feel different.

The big question is which cue ball does the "regular" non-TV Super Pro set have? I purchased a set a few years ago that had the "Logo" cue ball (With the little red Aramith logo instead of a red circle.) At the time I assumed the "Logo" cue ball was the same as the Aramith Red Circle I had purchased a while before getting the full set. However recently when I put the 2 together I realized they are NOT the same ball with a different plastic insert.

The "Logo" cue ball is, I assume, made of the same type of plastic as the Super Pro object balls. As a result it looses its exterior shine quite easily and after a few hours of play on cloth with a normal level of dirt and gets quite dull looking. In contrast the Red Circle is noticably shinier and polishes up much more easily with a few wipes of a cloth. The surface of the Red Circle looks to me to be more translucent and feels and sounds harder on contact with object balls.

I suspect the Red Circle and the "Pro Cup" spotted ball is made of a harder material, possibly as you suggest from the type of plastic used for Aramith's carom balls. I believe the fact it looks larger to the naked eye is because it's surface is shinier which makes it look slightly bigger. In theory it should also wear down slower.

Try putting the cue ball from your non-TV set next to the one from the TV set to see if this matches or is a different material. Another test would be to use an object ball from each set as the cue ball and see how this feels to you.
 
The commentator said that it would be harder to jump the ball, cause now they make the balls bigger.

I'm not concerned with the balls picking up dirt or throwing. I already know that Aramith balls get dirty relatively quickly, and throw/twist like crazy.
AND, they just SEEM more elastic when compared to their brunswick counterparts.
Almost like they have a superball quality about them and kind of bounce off each other with more energy.

The noise could be attributed to a different thermoresin composition, but it is my experience, that the deeper noises come from heavier balls.

Just wondering about the diameter, and weight.

thanks

SUPERSTAR
 
So far as I know, the only difference is that the TV set has different colors which show up on TV better, and the TV cue ball has measles.

I have the Super Aramith Pro set and just the measles ball.

I compaired the Super Aramith Pro cue ball and measles cue ball by placing one in one hand and the other in the other hand. One side felt heavier. Then I switched them and the same side felt heavier even though the balls were switched. So don't go by what it feels like!

I then weighed both the Super Aramith Pro cue ball and measles cue ball on my accurate scale and *both* were 5.95 oz.

They are also both 2.25 inches measured with accurate calipers.
 
SUPERSTAR said:
The commentator said that it would be harder to jump the ball, cause now they make the balls bigger.
Click to expand...

I'd very much doubt the balls are bigger by any appreciably degree. 2 1/4" is the BCA standard size and that has not changed. The allowable tolerance range is plus or minus .005" which would not make a major differnece to a jump shot.

Is it possible you were mis-understanding the commentary? They may have been using the term "big ball" to refer to the position of the ball blocking the path from the cue ball to the object ball.

The BCA does allow a much larger range of allowable tolerance for ball weight, from 5 1/2 to 6 oz. In terms of jumping a heavier cue ball would make a difference if one cue ball was 5 1/2oz and the other 6oz. However all major tournaments are played with brand new sets of either Super Pros (regular or TV) or Centennials, and even though there are minor variations between the different cue balls in these sets (Red circle, black circle, Aramith logo and Pro Cup) I'd be prepared to bet they are all close to the 6oz weight.
 
SUPERSTAR said:
The commentator said that it would be harder to jump the ball, cause now they make the balls bigger.

I'm not concerned with the balls picking up dirt or throwing. I already know that Aramith balls get dirty relatively quickly, and throw/twist like crazy.
AND, they just SEEM more elastic when compared to their brunswick counterparts.
Almost like they have a superball quality about them and kind of bounce off each other with more energy.

The noise could be attributed to a different thermoresin composition, but it is my experience, that the deeper noises come from heavier balls.

Just wondering about the diameter, and weight.

thanks

SUPERSTAR
Click to expand...

I did not know that Aramith balls got dirtier faster. If this is the case, it explains why we get many more skids at the pool hall than before when we had Centennials. They must be more porous or something. I do know they are larger.
 
ok...going down to rewind the tape i made of it...be back to finnish this post....

...ok, back.

i quote,"and these balls are going to be harder to jump over now. They've increased in size".

Now..it's not just me, there are many people who stop in at this pool hall that have wondered the same thing. It just makes me wonder, cause i have no questions where my cueball goes when i'm playing with Centennials, but with these...sometimes, i end up wondering why it did that.

So i'm thinking...that either the balls HAVE gotten a little bigger, and the old sets were SLIGHTLY smaller maybe, or the owner got some chop job sets that are not up to specks. I have no idea.

SUPERSTAR
 
SUPERSTAR said:
So i'm thinking...that either the balls HAVE gotten a little bigger, and the old sets were SLIGHTLY smaller maybe, or the owner got some chop job sets that are not up to specks. I have no idea.
SUPERSTAR
Click to expand...

Certainly possible the older sets have worn a little smaller, or as you say were cheaper imitation balls not made close to the correct size. It really needs a micrometer and an accurate scale to answer the question better.

However given the balls you see on TV are brand new genuine Aramiths I have no idea why the commentator in a pro match would say the balls were a larger size.
 
pete lafond said:
I did not know that Aramith balls got dirtier faster. If this is the case, it explains why we get many more skids at the pool hall than before when we had Centennials. They must be more porous or something. I do know they are larger.
Click to expand...

I do not have a set of Centennials to compare with, but was quite disappointed with how poorly the Super Pros I have maintain their surface finish in normal use, and how easily they get chipped.

Most people I have spoken too say the Centennials and Super Pros are the mdae from the same material just with a different design around the numbers. (The Centennials are made for Brunswick under license by Saluc who are the parent company of Aramith.)

How do you know they (The Super Pros?) are larger (Than the Centennials?) Have you measured them? If so what were the differences in size and weight?
 
Most TV announcers on billiards dont have a clue what they are yammering on about and know practically nothing about the game. Who was the announcer who said this? That could make a big deal on whether to take it all seriously or not.
 
The super aramith balls are larger than your standard rack of balls. I can't tell you for sure if the TV set is bigger than the regular super aramith. Never had a set of them.

The cue ball that came with my super aramith set has a red triangle on it. The purpose is to distinquish it from the others (although you could probably tell anyway) because it is the same size as the rest of the set. A normal red circle cue ball is smaller than the super aramith balls.

I've gambled often with them and many experienced road players immediately go to the bar and ask for a red circle. When they return to the table, I tell them the red circle is smaller thant the rest of the balls. It's clear to see. Then, they don't know what they want to do. Red circle (smaller) or red triangle (same size but different than red circle).
 
AuntyDan said:
I do not have a set of Centennials to compare with, but was quite disappointed with how poorly the Super Pros I have maintain their surface finish in normal use, and how easily they get chipped.

Most people I have spoken too say the Centennials and Super Pros are the mdae from the same material just with a different design around the numbers. (The Centennials are made for Brunswick under license by Saluc who are the parent company of Aramith.)

How do you know they (The Super Pros?) are larger (Than the Centennials?) Have you measured them? If so what were the differences in size and weight?
Click to expand...

I racked one Centennials in the middle of a Aramith balls. The Centennial just rattled around as if it were smaller. I next placed one of each ball by the rail and did a visual. It is possible that the Centennial was worn as they do wear. I doubt that the effect of wear could be as significant as it appeared.
 
Centennials made by Saluc (Aramith)-2 1/4"+/-.oo5, 1/2 oz. weight tolerance.

Aramith - 2 1/4" except the PLAIN Aramith cueball available 2 1/8", 2 1/4", 2 3/8", +/-.005, 1/2 oz. wt. tolerance (BCA specs).

Vigma ( also makers of most "other" balls) 5 different sizes with 2 1/4" being "standard size", also much tighter tolerance standards than the Belgian made balls (dia. +/- .0004, wt. 1/18 oz. for Vigma).

I prefer the look of the Centennial points myself.

Terry
 
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Can't tell you much about the Centenial ball crap.

But, I just ordered 25 sets of Super Aramith Pro balls and I was told the Super Pros are the exact same everything as the Pro TV balls, except for the color of a few balls and the Overly dotted cue ball on the pro TV set of balls.

Everything, including dimensions and finish, are exactly the same.....

Incedently, anything less than Super Aramith Pros, especially for a Pool Hall, is a watse of time and money. Super Armamith stay cleaner, longer, and wear the felt Considerably slower than any other ball out there..


icon14.gif
 
Jedi V Man said:
Incedently, anything less than Super Aramith Pros, especially for a Pool Hall, is a watse of time and money. Super Armamith stay cleaner, longer, and wear the felt Considerably slower than any other ball out there..
Click to expand...

Now there is a sales pitch.....which means the truth is somewhere in the area.
 
I don't woth for the company.

However, I personally just invested a substantial amount of money into 25 brand new sets of them very same balls to be used in my own establishment.

Trust me, I can afford to buy what ever equipment I "Want" to use in my own place. I chose the Super Aramith Pros for many good reasons. And the 2 most important I explained in my last reply.

I aint sellin anything. Just explaining why "I" choose to use them....

$105.00 per set and I just ordered 25 sets. If there was a better ball out there, even if it was more money, I would have bought them.

But, there aint so I didn't......

:D
 
Ok. Just got back from the pool hall, and was talking to 3 people that go to this other pool hall that has the balls about what they thought.

All of them agree that the balls feel larger/heavier. So...the only explanation i can think of for these particular sets, is that maybe they unknowingly got the slightly larger cue ball. If the balls are in fact the same size as other sets.

So next time i'm there, i'll have to play pool with another pool ball, and see if the cue ball plays different from them.

SUPERSTAR
 
I just sold a set of Super Pro that I owned and bought a TV set. Both ball sets are the same and weigh the same, all 5.9-6.0oz. I did have a first issue Aramith "measle" cue ball that weighed between 5.7-5.8oz. I sold it. I suspect that the first batch were pulled off the market due to quality control but this is a hunch only.

Its the knock-off red circle cue balls that drive me nuts--the ones I've seen are lighter and sometimes smaller.

Martin



SUPERSTAR said:
Ok. I've read all the threads concerning which is the best set of balls.

My question is, does anyone out there know for a fact, if the Aramith Pro TV set, with the spotted cue ball, are BIGGER than the Aramith Pro regular set?


I'm just wondering. Cause i've played with them sporadically at one particular pool hall for the past 2 months with mixed results, and was torturing myself trying to figure out what was different about them. Since i don't typically bust out the scale to weight balls on the spot or a bring a tool to measure them, i've been reduced to guessing. The regular Aramith pros NEVER played like the new tv. set in my opinion.

I just settled on the fact that they FELT bigger and heavier, and that the cue ball seemed ever so slightly heavier than the numbered balls, just by how they react. But that's just me. It feels almost like i'm playing with 3 cushion Billiard balls instead of pool balls. Plus the noise they make...it's a much deeper KLACK that is made than any of the other balls out there. EXCEPT for 3 cushion balls.

So i'm sitting at home, flipping through channels, when i come across the World Pool Championships from Taiwan 2004. They are doing highlights of the tournament, and it happens to be Alex P. vs. F.P.C. and they are of course, using the TV set. It comes down to a pushout to a jump shot, and the commentator stated that it's harder to jump the balls now because they had made them BIGGER.

Now i'm wondering if anyone out there has measured the balls, or even weighed them, or even if this is a known fact by all except me.



SUPERSTAR
Click to expand...
 
If I remember correctly the two guys in the box for that match were Steve Davis and Jim Wych. I have to believe that the comment about the balls being bigger was misunderstood. Steve Davis has a very imaginative manner of speech and I would assume that the comment was meant to say that when the situation in the match is that close, that tense, that it would seem as if the balls had gotten bigger to jump over. In the same way that you hear folks say that if the pockets on the tables on which you play are too large then you just aren't betting high enough.

Saluc has told everyone who has asked that the TV balls are the exact same balls as the Aramith Pro's. Made by the same people on the same manufacturing line. The only difference is the color of the dye in the balls. With the old set the commentators confused the four ball with the eight ball. Now we confuse the four ball with the five ball. I'm not certain what has been gained.

-Jerry
 
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