Weilong GTS / Gans Air / Valk 3 (Review & Comparison)

[Smiles]

Thanks @Dash Lambda for your help!

I like the feel of the gans air more and more as I break it in, so I've decided to have it as my main.

 

[jaredye]

Can I ask u which magnet grade did u use on the valk 3? Cause i wanna make one myself.

For Valk 3 I used N35 4mm*2mm. I feel that's perfect strength (at least for me). Placement doesn't matter that much in my opinion. And there is only quite a small region where you can place the magnets so I don't think it's possible to mess it up badly. I guess in general I like the magnets to be placed as further from the center as possible.

For Air, I made 2, one using N42 3mm*1.5mm and one using N35 4mm*2mm. I feel the former is too weak while the latter too strong. Its plastic is a bit thinner than Valk's and this makes a huge difference. If I were to do it again I'll probably get something like N52 3mm*2mm.

 

[jaredye]

Oh my...
Well, there are a few major differences:
-These do not pop. They just don't, you'd have to break the cube for it to come apart like that.
-These do not corner-twist. You can intentionally twist the corner if you force it, but it will never happen normally.
-These can full cut. Where the ZhanChi (and most other earlier speedcubes) have a region between forward and reverse cutting where it sort of locks up, these cubes usually don't (but it does depend on how you set it up). They can still lock up, but not nearly as easily.
-These are all lighter. This is a matter of taste, of course, but they are between ten and twenty grams lighter.
-These are all smaller. This is even more a matter of taste, the smallest is the Valk at 55.5mm.

Since the ZhanChi's generation, most of the changes have just been refinements. Getting a newer cube won't drop your times dramatically, but you'll probably like the feeling more, you'll lock up less, and you won't have to be careful at all about explosions or corner-twisting.

To be fair new cubes still can corner twist and lock up. For some reason my Valk has corner twisted 3 times in about 1500 solves. But my Gans Air and GTS have never twisted (in combined about 20k solves).

And in general I wouldn't set up my cube to cut fully because that would be just too loose. I would set the tension so the cube can barely cut 45 forward or maybe a bit more. Reverse cutting is the main determinant for whether cube will lock up. That's where the newer cubes truly shine compared to the Dayan. I average just below 18s and I doubt if I can get below 20 ao100 with Dayan.

 

[Dash Lambda]

To be fair new cubes still can corner twist and lock up. For some reason my Valk has corner twisted 3 times in about 1500 solves. But my Gans Air and GTS have never twisted (in combined about 20k solves).

And in general I wouldn't set up my cube to cut fully because that would be just too loose. I would set the tension so the cube can barely cut 45 forward or maybe a bit more. Reverse cutting is the main determinant for whether cube will lock up. That's where the newer cubes truly shine compared to the Dayan. I average just below 18s and I doubt if I can get below 20 ao100 with Dayan.

I did say they can still lock up, but for corner twisting... That's weird. I haven't used my Valk 3 very heavily, but it hasn't corner twisted on me. Maybe I just haven't used it enough.
As for the others, my GTS probably has around 1,500-2,000 solves on it and my Air probably has 5,000+ and nether of those have corner twisted.

I just did an average of 12 with both the ZhanChi and the Air:
ZhanChi: 16.50, best 12.18, worst 17.95
Air: 15.73, best 11.72, worst 18.15

I had a lot of 17's with the ZhanChi because of reverse cutting, so yeah, looks like that's a major issue. Still, doesn't make a decisive difference in the overall time, just got a little annoying.

 

[Perfectionist]

Howdy!

Which of these 3 is the quietest, or can be made to be quiet with a little modding? (I especially hate spring creak lol!)

Can they all be opened so cotton/foam can be squeezed inside the pieces?

Does adding magnets increase or decease the noise they make?

Thanks for your advice folks!

 

[Dash Lambda]

Howdy!

Which of these 3 is the quietest, or can be made to be quiet with a little modding? (I especially hate spring creak lol!)

Can they all be opened so cotton/foam can be squeezed inside the pieces?

Does adding magnets increase or decease the noise they make?

Thanks for your advice folks!

All three cubes can be fully dismantled, the easiest being the GTS (the caps are held on with pegs), next being the Air (each piece has a screw), and the hardest being the Valk (unified feet with a split piece structure, people seem to have found it rather fragile).

In terms of noise:
-Valk: By far the loudest. I think it's because of the open cuts on the corner pieces, but it makes a very noticeable and generally irritating sound. I don't think it can be called clacky or clicky, it just sounds like it's moving. As my mother has described it: "It sounds like the plastic is broken in some way even though it's not."
-GTS: This cube makes a more high-pitched clicky noise with a lower pitch clackiness. It's on the loud side of cubes, and I've definitely had people notice it when I use it in public, but it's not that loud.
-Air: This is the only cube I have that I've been able to be effectively silent with. It's one of the quietest cubes on the market, if not the quietest.

As for spring noise, properly lubricating the cubes eliminates it in all three. If you want to be absolutely sure, though, the Air is the only one where spring noise is technically impossible, as the nuts contain the spring and don't rotate on either end. I have encountered a bit of spring noise from the springs compressing, but only for the first few solves after putting new ones in.

 

[Perfectionist]

All three cubes can be fully dismantled, the easiest being the GTS (the caps are held on with pegs), next being the Air (each piece has a screw), and the hardest being the Valk (unified feet with a split piece structure, people seem to have found it rather fragile).

In terms of noise:
-Valk: By far the loudest. I think it's because of the open cuts on the corner pieces, but it makes a very noticeable and generally irritating sound. I don't think it can be called clacky or clicky, it just sounds like it's moving. As my mother has described it: "It sounds like the plastic is broken in some way even though it's not."
-GTS: This cube makes a more high-pitched clicky noise with a lower pitch clackiness. It's on the loud side of cubes, and I've definitely had people notice it when I use it in public, but it's not that loud.
-Air: This is the only cube I have that I've been able to be effectively silent with. It's one of the quietest cubes on the market, if not the quietest.

As for spring noise, properly lubricating the cubes eliminates it in all three. If you want to be absolutely sure, though, the Air is the only one where spring noise is technically impossible, as the nuts contain the spring and don't rotate on either end. I have encountered a bit of spring noise from the springs compressing, but only for the first few solves after putting new ones in.

Awesome reply dude, thanks!

Does the Gans Air get even quieter with foam installed?

Is there a material which is better to use than foam - polystyrene or wool etc?

I take it that the Air Ultimate and Air Magnetic cannot be opened so cannot be filled with anything?

I cannot find anywhere that sells an Air in the Stickerless version - does Gans only make the Stickered variety?

 

[JustAnotherGenericCuber]

Awesome reply dude, thanks!

Does the Gans Air get even quieter with foam installed?

Is there a material which is better to use than foam - polystyrene or wool etc?

I take it that the Air Ultimate and Air Magnetic cannot be opened so cannot be filled with anything?

I cannot find anywhere that sells an Air in the Stickerless version - does Gans only make the Stickered variety?

Yes, gans only makes stickered cubes. If you want the quietest cube ever, get the gans 356s v2, but if you want much better performance that is a little bit louder, get the air.

 

[Dash Lambda]

I take it that the Air Ultimate and Air Magnetic cannot be opened so cannot be filled with anything?

I cannot find anywhere that sells an Air in the Stickerless version - does Gans only make the Stickered variety?

For those I can answer:

-That's correct, the Ultimate versions have the screw wells removed and the caps glued to save on weight. I do wonder, though, why they can't do something like other capped cubes where the pegs hold with friction. I suppose its strength wouldn't be quite to Gans's standards.

-Even if Gans doesn't make 'em, the Cubicle has shown before that they'll just go ahead and take the stickers off anyway: https://thecubicle.us/gans-unstickered-p-7877.html

 

[Perfectionist]

Yes, gans only makes stickered cubes. If you want the quietest cube ever, get the gans 356s v2, but if you want much better performance that is a little bit louder, get the air.

Really - so the older model is quieter than the new Air and U/UM?

Does the 356s V2 have much spring creak? Can the pieces be opened or are they glued?
Is the performance of the V2 only a little worse, or a lot worse than the Air?

Thanks!

 

[Perfectionist]

For those I can answer:

-That's correct, the Ultimate versions have the screw wells removed and the caps glued to save on weight. I do wonder, though, why they can't do something like other capped cubes where the pegs hold with friction. I suppose its strength wouldn't be quite to Gans's standards.

Do you think it would be possible to pry the pieces apart and re-glue them - or would that break the pieces, or just ruin the cube even if they don't break?

Thanks!

 

[Dash Lambda]

Do you think it would be possible to pry the pieces apart and re-glue them - or would that break the pieces, or just ruin the cube even if they don't break?

Thanks!

Actually, to be precise, they aren't 'glued'. Gans says they use a plastic cement, which dissolves and welds the plastic, which is much stronger than a normal adhesive.
That essentially means you'd break the cube.

 

[Perfectionist]

Actually, to be precise, they aren't 'glued'. Gans says they use a plastic cement, which dissolves and welds the plastic, which is much stronger than a normal adhesive.
That essentially means you'd break the cube.

In that case, I'm gonna start bombarding Gan with emails saying they should produce a new cube which has all the pieces pre-filled with foam - they can call it the Air Quiet UM !

 

[JustAnotherGenericCuber]

Really - so the older model is quieter than the new Air and U/UM?

Does the 356s V2 have much spring creak? Can the pieces be opened or are they glued?
Is the performance of the V2 only a little worse, or a lot worse than the Air?

Thanks!

The pieces can be taken apart, they have screws holding them together. When I got my 356s V2, there was some spring noise on two of the sides. I don't have the air to compare it with, but from what I've heard, it is faster, more stable, and lighter (the s v2 flexes A LOT and doesn't easily stay in a cube shape). Overall, I'd say the Air is a better combination of quietness and performance, but if it is too expensive for you, get the 356s V2 lite (what I did).

 

[Nadesh Ragunath]

Valk is good enough for an intermediate or pasive speedcuber but Gans air can become faster if you are active solving the cube ..So it depends on the cuber itself..

 

[UnspeakableRebel]

The MoYu Weilong GTS is the best option of the three for cubers who are relatively cheap, have a turning style that flows smoothly, and like their cubes good out of the box. However, cubers that like experimenting with different lubes and hardware probably won't like the GTS.
The QiYi MoFangGe Valk 3 is the best option for cubers who are open to paying but not too much, have a slow, stable, and rough turning style (like I do), and are fine with breaking in their cubes. Cubers who require magnets in their cube shouldn't get this since the Cubicle Valk M is $49 on thecubicle.us.
The Gans 356 Air is the best option for cubers who want to get the good stuff for more money, hate heavy cubes, and love to customize their cubes since the Gans 356 Air has customizable springs, lubes, and you can magnetize it easily for very little cost. Cubers who don't feel up to the challenge of customizing their cubes shouldn't get this.

Overall, I like the Gans 356 Air because it is light, which I adore, I can DIY magnetize it, I can change the springs to there's no tensioning needed, and it's just really good stuff.

 

[piggo1228]

gan air um is good. stable, fast, adjustablee. if you can get it get it

 

[Sean Fei]

The pieces can be taken apart, they have screws holding them together. When I got my 356s V2, there was some spring noise on two of the sides. I don't have the air to compare it with, but from what I've heard, it is faster, more stable, and lighter (the s v2 flexes A LOT and doesn't easily stay in a cube shape). Overall, I'd say the Air is a better combination of quietness and performance, but if it is too expensive for you, get the 356s V2 lite (what I did).

When I first got mine, it was fast and smooth, but now about half a year later, it is very very very sluggish, despite no lube in it, and also it locks up if you corner cut more than 30 degrees. Idk if the master model did this, but I switched to a Valk for my main.