DaYan GuHong review

[koreancuber]

REVISED after many months of use.

First of all, I'd like to say that Cameron tensioned (only changed it a bit) and built the cube.
Second, I would like to remind you that my main speedcube was the Haiyan memory, and therefore, I will be comparing them two.
Thirdly, I will not rate a category a 10/10 because a cube can't be ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
Finally, this cube is overall pretty loose, and tightening it will effect the review.

First Impressions

Out of the bag (Cameron sold me an assembled one), it was good. The corner cutting was definitely over 42 degrees, and the backward corner cutting cut around 10~15 degrees. It was smooth, even without lube, and the stickers were Cubesmith quality.

Rating

Smoothness : 9.9/10
Speed : 8.4/10
Corner cutting : 9.4/10
Stability (popping frequency) : 8.8/10
Reliability (how crazy you can turn without lock-up or pops) : 8.4/10
Lockup resistance : 9.1/10
Quality : 9.8/10
Quietness : 9.7/10
Feel : smooth, creamy
Overall : Lubing the cube with Lubix has reduced the speed of the cube quite a bit, and has made it quite controllable.

Pictures

DaYan GuHong compared with the Haiyan Memory

THE Review

Smoothness (9.9/10) : The GuHong cube is THE smoothest 3x3 I have cubed with. It has a slight click to it, but other than that, it beats the Haiyan memory (8.5/10).

Speed (8.4/10) : This cube is quite controllable. When lubed with lubix, the speed is drastically reduced, making the cube easy to turn and reduce popping 8.4/10. The Haiyan Memory beats this cube (9.6/10) for speed because it stops where you want it to stop. (in other words, it doesn't overshoot to much)

Corner cutting (9.4/10) : Because of the backward corner cutting, the cube scores a 9.4/10 . It can cut approx. 45 degrees (forward), but I really don't need that much. The backward corner cutting is a very big improvement compared to the Haiyan Memory (which got a 9.2/10 for the corner cutting).

Stability (popping frequency) (8.8/10) : Because of it doesn't have the hooks as the other Dayan models do, it is vulnerable to pop. I'd say this cube will pop around once every 40 solves. If this cube pops, it'll be pretty big, because it won't pop from a forced corner cut. (Haiyan memory - 9.4/10)

Reliability (how crazy you can turn without lock-up or pops) (8.4/10) : I'm sure this will improve to a higher score if I tighten it more. The lock-ups are freqent on this cube, and it can pop (on a slightly loose tension). The memory is also very similar with this cube on reliability (9.4/10)

Lockup resistance (9.1/10) : Although it has rounded cubies (can be noticed by the holes on the cube), because of the overshooting/speed, it will lock-up a bit on a slightly loose tension. The Haiyan memory locks up just a bit less than this cube (9.4/10)

Quality (9.8/10) : GREAT plastic quality (like the Haiyan memory (9.9/10), although it might have some leftover plastic from the mold.

Quietness (9.7/10) : The GuHong is a very, very quiet cube after broken in. The Memory is much louder than this cube (8.3/10) because of the loud clicky sound.

Feel (smooth, creamy) : compared with the Haiyan Memory, this cube is much smoother, quiet and creamy (the haiyan memory is crispy)

Overall

Pros : Fast, smooth, can corners cut over 42 degrees, can corners cut backwards (10~15 degrees), not many pops and can possibly be the first cube that do not need tiles/stickers (plastic coloring).

Cons : FAR Too fast, the edges (not pieces) of the cube are sharp (you'll know what I'm talking about if you have the cube) because the pieces are joined there (VERY confusing, but you'll get it one day). because of it's speed, lockups are pretty frequent, although they aren't very big ones.

Compared to the Haiyan Memory

This cube is really close to becoming my main speedcube (after I adjust the tension a bit). For those who like smooth, creamy, fast cubes, I recommend this cube. For those who like crispy, fast and clicky cubes, I recommend the Haiyan Memory.

I will purposely not calculate the average of the ratings.

 

[Shortey]

What a nice review. ^^

 

[xbrandationx]

I must have a retarded GuHong, because mine isnt good at all

 

[Whyusosrs?]

So if you tightened it, would it have scored higher in all areas except plastic quality?

Good review. I'm loving this cube more and more.

 

[incessantcheese]

one thing that i was always confused about in these reviews was the difference between corner cutting and lock-ups. when are these two things not related (and therefore the same score)? i always thought the more a cube could corner cut, the less it'll lock up. if a cube can cut any corner, it'll never lock up?

 

[koreancuber]

@Whyusosrs: actually, no. IF I tigtened it more, some categories might even decrease depending on the cube.

@incessantcheese: It's how reliable the cube can be, and therefore it must include lockups and pops.

 

[incessantcheese]

no, i mean... what's the difference between lockup resistance and corner cutting (other than that they are opposites). how reliable a cube is seems to be... reliability >_>

 

[Chapuunka]

Locking up is more about pieces catching on each other, although it can come when you reach a position it can't cut. What I don't understand is why a lot of people group smoothness and speed together. Look at the Ghost Hand: silky smooth, but also really slow.

Really nice review, thanks. I want to buy this cube more and more.

 

[incessantcheese]

so like... somehow turning R2 over and over and having it catch...? does that actually happen? lol.

anyway, i did just buy an f-ii and one of these, waiting for it to get here. i've been cubing with an a-v for a while, and without me noticing it, it's actually gradually gotten quite slow. i switched over to an unknown cube i bought in china (with paint instead of stickers?) that moved ridiculously, uncontrollably fast -- and immediately shaved 1-2s off my time. i've now decided to just get the most ridiculously fast and uncontrollable cube i can, and both f-ii and the guhong sound like they fit that description.

 

[Samania]

Smooth and creamy.. Like Icecream ^^

Nice review, is this cube going to be your main speed cube?

 

[Chapuunka]

so like... somehow turning R2 over and over and having it catch...? does that actually happen? lol.

Well it happens more during transitions between layers. For example, the Haiyan Memory mod: the AV caught a lot on the corners, so Haiyan sanded it down, and now it locks up much less.

 

[amostay2004]

About the sharp edges part, yea when you cube with it for a whole day your thumb can hurt =/

Nice review, I agree with everything you said except for the vulnerability to pop (still don't get why people could pop with it )

 

[Chapuunka]

If the sharp edges problem is what I think it is, why don't you just sand it a little? It wouldn't change the cube's performance (except making it a tiny bit lighter, I guess), although I like that block look it has to it.

 

[Lorenzo]

I must have a retarded GuHong, because mine isnt good at all

did you put the corners together correctly?

 

[amostay2004]

If the sharp edges problem is what I think it is, why don't you just sand it a little? It wouldn't change the cube's performance (except making it a tiny bit lighter, I guess), although I like that block look it has to it.

lol it's not a big deal, I'd save the trouble :rolleyes:

 

[koreancuber]

For OH, I don't recommend it. The cube is a bit big (compared with the Haiyan memory), so if you have small hands, just use the haiyan memory. other than that, it's a great OH cube

 

[incessantcheese]

how is the weight of the pieces compared to the memory

 

[koreancuber]

lighter by a bit

 

[Feryll]

About the sharp edges part, yea when you cube with it for a whole day your thumb can hurt =/

Nice review, I agree with everything you said except for the vulnerability to pop (still don't get why people could pop with it )

Want me to make a video of it? It seems people either have an excellent or horrid resistance to pops.

Also, the white one I got from Cameron was a white one, and it wasn't assembled. Why was your's assembled, Koreancuber? It also said "comes as a DIY kit" on the site.
But after assembling the corners with the tiny ninja-star things, and snapping the edge pieces together, I started with my least favorite part: the tensioning. I got through making all of the screw/washer/spring things when I got to the last screw - there were only 5 washers to come with. So I had to rip apart my original DaYan cube, and de-rust the washer. Then I put the screws together.

Then I started putting the screws in the core. I got them all 5 of them in when I came to the last screw. The issue with putting it in was, that the hole for the screw was way too small. I tried just pushing the screw in, but stopped after I severely bent my fingernail and realized I'd need to get the razor to scrape the plastic off of the hole's opening. After about an hour of screwing around with the screw, I got it in.

Then I assembled the pieces. My first impression was that it was extremely vulnerable to pops. So I tightened all of the screws. After that, I noticed the speed was totally crap, so I lubed it and loosened it. After a bit of fine-tuning it, I got it to the point of good-decent speed, and bad tendency of pops. It happens every 5-6 solves =/ I'm going to try my luck at tightening it again, but I feel any tighter and the cube will be way too slow.

 

[daniel0731ex]

Nice review!! And I'm happy that somebody finally took my rating system into account



And there's something that is not right:

The backward corner cutting (which was first introduced by the Haiyan memory)

not really first introduced by it. you mean enhanced? But that's not the case either, as the A2 is probably the first that is designed to do reverse corner-cutting.