I have not played with the newer balls....could you explain "the technology behind them"?
I found this on-line. These are not my findings. It is a comparison of Cyclop Pool Balls vs Aramith Pool Balls by Madeeha Shahbaz on April 3, 2019.
Aramith pool balls are made by Saluc in Belgium and has enjoyed international attention and acclaim over the years. It has been the desired brand of renowned players. The reason for this legendary reputation has been majorly due to its exceptional durability and uncompromising quality offering the players the pleasure of razor-sharp precision. It compromises a high-tech process that combines the unmatched characteristics of phenolic resin with fine Belgian craftsmanship. Aramith prove to be a good investment for the players as they last for a long time saving the wear and tear cost of the table cloth and also the replacement of the kit.
Aramith Pool Balls have a heavy duty design where the numbers precision engraved in a hard core that runs all the way through the ball. However, in some cases, it is evident that number cores wear out over the passage of time but with Aramith, it is almost impossible for number cores to fall out over time. Aramith is made of Phenolic resin which assures homogeneous characteristics in each ball part which makes the balls having uniform weight and hardness.
Aramith Pool Balls are burn spot resistant. Hitting a cue ball actually accelerates it from 0 to over 30 km/h (20 MPH) in just a fraction of a second. The resulting friction temperature between ball and cloth can easily reach 250°c (482°F). Aramith’s molecular structure is designed to be wear and tear resistant at high temperatures, making Aramith far less exposed to rough burn-spots. This is the reason the quality stays firm over the passage of time resulting is less wear and tear of the balls and table cloth.
Aramith Pool Balls are high impact resistant. The notion of the billiard game is to hit the ball and follow the arrangements of the balls. Therefore, impact resistance is a critical factor. Aramith’s phenolic heat-curing process fully steadies material tensions. It produces a vitrified high-density surface that offers supreme impact resistance. Results show Aramith to survive to over 50 times more impacts than other polymer or polyester balls. They are also twice more likely to resist scratches. Subsequently, Aramith prove to be more durable even on less maintained tables and last longer than other balls guaranteeing the high resistance.
The second part of the Cyclop Pool Balls vs Aramith Pool Balls post.
Cyclop Pool Balls are made by a Taiwanese company. It is another high grade phonelic resin ball set – Cyclop. It is designed in house with the manufacturing material imported from Germany and Japan.
Cyclop Pool Balls have high elasticity and reaction. The balls have an instant reaction to the pool stick which is due to the flexible elasticity. The balls also have high sensitivity as they are sensitive to react on the strikes. This is also the reason that the tail speed of the ball after hitting is high.
Cyclop Pool Balls have a high internal molecular density which improves the quality of the ball enabling it to react accurately to the strikes and making the game interesting and enjoyable for the players.
Players Input: Cyclop Pool Balls vs Aramith Pool Balls
Both sets of pool balls are made from phonelic resin which is a super hard material that is widely acknowledged as the optimum material for making pool balls. Aramith and Cyclop are the only manufacturers to date which have been able to produce balls using phonelic resin.
Over the years, both Aramith and Cyclop have been considered to have superior quality in the industry. However, there are few observations made by the players regarding the similarities and differences among the both. Let’s address them as below.
#1.
Resistance to dirt: Cyclop Pool Balls are witnessed as more resistant to dirt. Whereas Aramith Pool Balls require frequent cleaning and removing of the dirt to preserve the desired quality of the performance. The Cyclop has been engineered to resist dirt and chalk clinging to the ball surface and are more convenient to clean when required. Therefore, the table owners who are relentless to clean would prefer Cyclop over Aramith.
#2.
Price: Cyclop Pool Balls are cheaper than Aramith Pool Balls. Cyclop are made with American technology (they were developed in part alongside Diamond pool tables in America), Taiwanese management and Chinese labor. This brings their price point down well below the Aramith made in Belgium.
#3.
Cosmetic design: Cyclop Pool Balls are brighter than Aramith Pool Balls. New colors are featured in Cyclop breaking the monotony of playing with the same colors for the enthusiasts. New colors, however, are getting mixed responses by the players. Some of the players consider them good as they are better matched to blue cloth and easier on the eye. Nonetheless, some of the players are resistant to change and are also of the view that new colors are adding confusion in their game and they would prefer to play with the old colors. Mixed responses are also observed regarding the cue ball. Therefore, the players who want to try a new experience would prefer Cyclop over Aramith and vice versa.
#4.
Ball skidding: Cyclop Pool Balls are observed to skid less than Aramith Pool Balls which makes the playing experience more enjoyable for the player. This can also be attributed to its resistant to dirt characteristic.
#5.
Weight: Cyclop Pool Balls are slightly heavier than Aramith Pool Balls. The difference is very minor though can only be stated as 1% heavier than Aramith. Draw can be noticed to come up short or follow run a little long with Cyclop in comparison to Aramith.
#6.
Cue ball: Cyclop cue balls have a faintly semi-transparent layer around the cue ball and this can freak people out a little, visually. It looks like the red mark / logo is somehow floating on the surface or slightly underneath the surface. However, if the standard measles cue ball is preferred then Aramith should be opted for.
Conclusion: Cyclop Pool Balls vs Aramith Pool Balls
Cyclop Pool Balls and Aramith Pool Balls both have superior quality. To pick one among the two entirely depends on personal preferences; players who are willing to pay a higher price would opt for Aramith. However, those who want to play with brighter colors would prefer Cyclop over Aramith. Also apparently, players who are resistant to clean the balls on a regular basis would prefer Cyclop which are resistant to dirt and skid more. However, if you choose to play at home Aramith being the industry leader are pretty common and would be found in almost every pool room you go to play. Whereas, Cyclop are not that common and you would require a bit adjustment when switching from home to the local pool room. Nevertheless, Cyclop or Aramith, whichever you opt for, it will not result in any disappointment as both have superior quality and will give you a pleasurable experience of the game.