Multi-brand X MAX STARRY
- Thread starter cobra505
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- review starry xmax xmax starry
stickstones
Vapor concierge
It's black ceramic
It will depend on your pack, but it's more open than most when empty.
cobra505
Defined
I'm liking this unit so far. Actually going to pack it a little tighter. Still a smooth drawer. Excellent replacement for the IQ, that's still on RMA. Thought I throw a shot of the cover apart. I like this gasket setup opposed to the IQ, more sturdy/secure. I use this shit I get from Amazon called Grunge Off, it's great for cleaning rubber type gasket parts, I've never had a problem with it. Think I'll try to order a few screen and another cap just for an extra, happy vaping guys.
So took it to the next step and separated the gasket from the ceramic filter. Put it back together, got to say took some patience to put it back together. But if you lay the whole thing flat and work it with the packer tool they give you all the way around it eventually goes in. Good to know that whole top piece is metal for cleaning.
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PPN
Volute of Vapor
I get both the Focus and the Starry (and I got the Focus Pro also) and they are slightly different imho, the Starry is more "delicate", the Focus is more "brutal".
I like the Starry to sip a bowl while driving or walking in the garden, pretty decent flavor.
I like the Focus for vape-bonging or a joint like experience.
Never use my Focus with pods, they are too much annoying...
Posted my review of the Starry in....the French international section (and in french sure!):
http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/starry-par-x-max.24325/
I will post it translated soon (and updated as well!)
I purchased my Starry from Planetofthevapes for under $100 around April 20th with a 20% off coupon code. I own many dry herb vapes and was impressed with the features prior to buying. At first I wasn't impressed with vapor clouds at the the common temps of 365-380 degrees, although the airflow was quite good meaning little resistance. I decided to crank up the heat to 415-420 and packed it tight with finely ground herb and it produced heavy and intoxicating vapor clouds at a highly efficient level. One stir and re-pack and more good hits ensued. So far, after a couple of weeks I am impressed with the Starry and have put many other vapes to the side. The removable battery is great as I own an Arizer Air and can swap batteries as needed. So far I have had to do no extensive cleaning and the airflow has remained quite free flowing. It feels solid and weighted in the hand and is far from cheap. For the price I would strongly consider the Starry compared to much more expensive portables including the Pax. Great value for around $100, keeping in mind I have used it for about 2 weeks extensively. Peace to all vaporists
PPN
Volute of Vapor
Just noticed that also, a stir could help. And agree this vape need you bump the t° for great clouds.
His_Highness
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Just arrived from Planet of the Vapes.
Already charged up 4 of my better 18650s and once I'm off work........in the immortal words of Don McLean....Starry Starry Night!
Already charged up 4 of my better 18650s and once I'm off work........in the immortal words of Don McLean....Starry Starry Night!
jakeattack77
Active Member
Well how Is it 
MrMonss
Well-Known Member
& How does your ceramic filter looks like ?Well how Is it
His_Highness
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Still testing.....
Here's some initial observations:
- Used my Samsung 25r 18650 instead of the battery that came with it because the 25r is my apples to apples comparison battery and a good working standard. I'm going to test the unit with the battery that came with it in the next series of tests.
- Love the form factor. Other than my MFLB the Starry is now my smallest vape by a tiny margin.
- Draw resistance is good compared to my Solo and about the same as the Focus IMO.
- I did two 10 minute burn-offs at 464F. It reached temp in 30 seconds. During the last minute of each burn-off I did a continuous draw to check for taste, smell and heat issues. Just the usual low level robot fart/brand new electronics and it was gone completely by the second burn-off. Heat wise I had to really work it during that last minute to get the mouthpiece hot. But even then it wasn't hot enough to stop a session. The body of the unit went from warm to hot but not so hot that I was uncomfortable. Keep in mind I'm at the highest temp and trying to stress the shit out of it.
- First session was at 385F - 4 whispy hits but I intentionally started hitting it as soon as it reached temp and I hit each draw hard trying to over-run the oven. I usually wait 30 seconds after reaching temp for a heat soak on a conduction vape like this. Lightly packed...medium grind. When I removed the top I saw that some of the herb was sticking to the filter and filter holes so I applied a mod in the next session.
- Second session at 400F after checking the ABV. I was underwhelmed by the first session so I applied a mod that is standard for me with these kind of vapes....... Inside the filter is a small screen. I removed it and used an extra oven screen to cover the top of the oven and keep the herb from touching the filter. IMO the mod reduced the draw resistance even more and will help keep the filter cleaner. With the mod in place....It reached 400F and I waited 30 seconds before hitting it and 'The clouds rolled in'! I was sharing the session with another person and they loved it....I thought 400F may have been a few degrees too far. We'll see as the testing continues.
- Stopped Testing at this point - battery was at about 33% left. The total test included two ten minute max temp burn-offs, a five minute session at 385F and a five minute session at 400F. 30 minutes total. This first bowl gave up about 12-15 draws.
- Taste was good for a conduction vape with this form factor.
Wasn't thrilled with the filter housing because of how hard it was to get it seated correctly till I found the trick was to just get the edges inserted for all sides just a little and continue to work it in evenly a little at at time - slides right in this way.
I'll be doing a detailed review, including using the wax cartridge over the next week or so. Last night was just the first date and I need to test different grinds, temps, timing, etc. This little vape has serious potential as an out and about vape.
EDIT...My filter housing looks like everyone else's that I've seen here.
Here's some initial observations:
- Used my Samsung 25r 18650 instead of the battery that came with it because the 25r is my apples to apples comparison battery and a good working standard. I'm going to test the unit with the battery that came with it in the next series of tests.
- Love the form factor. Other than my MFLB the Starry is now my smallest vape by a tiny margin.
- Draw resistance is good compared to my Solo and about the same as the Focus IMO.
- I did two 10 minute burn-offs at 464F. It reached temp in 30 seconds. During the last minute of each burn-off I did a continuous draw to check for taste, smell and heat issues. Just the usual low level robot fart/brand new electronics and it was gone completely by the second burn-off. Heat wise I had to really work it during that last minute to get the mouthpiece hot. But even then it wasn't hot enough to stop a session. The body of the unit went from warm to hot but not so hot that I was uncomfortable. Keep in mind I'm at the highest temp and trying to stress the shit out of it.
- First session was at 385F - 4 whispy hits but I intentionally started hitting it as soon as it reached temp and I hit each draw hard trying to over-run the oven. I usually wait 30 seconds after reaching temp for a heat soak on a conduction vape like this. Lightly packed...medium grind. When I removed the top I saw that some of the herb was sticking to the filter and filter holes so I applied a mod in the next session.
- Second session at 400F after checking the ABV. I was underwhelmed by the first session so I applied a mod that is standard for me with these kind of vapes....... Inside the filter is a small screen. I removed it and used an extra oven screen to cover the top of the oven and keep the herb from touching the filter. IMO the mod reduced the draw resistance even more and will help keep the filter cleaner. With the mod in place....It reached 400F and I waited 30 seconds before hitting it and 'The clouds rolled in'! I was sharing the session with another person and they loved it....I thought 400F may have been a few degrees too far. We'll see as the testing continues.
- Stopped Testing at this point - battery was at about 33% left. The total test included two ten minute max temp burn-offs, a five minute session at 385F and a five minute session at 400F. 30 minutes total. This first bowl gave up about 12-15 draws.
- Taste was good for a conduction vape with this form factor.
Wasn't thrilled with the filter housing because of how hard it was to get it seated correctly till I found the trick was to just get the edges inserted for all sides just a little and continue to work it in evenly a little at at time - slides right in this way.
I'll be doing a detailed review, including using the wax cartridge over the next week or so. Last night was just the first date and I need to test different grinds, temps, timing, etc. This little vape has serious potential as an out and about vape.
EDIT...My filter housing looks like everyone else's that I've seen here.
slackwaredragon
SlackmasterD
I've had my XMax Starry for about two weeks now (picked it up on the POTV 4/20 deal) and it's replaced my Pax2 as my daily driver while I'm out and about. This is really what I wanted in the Davinci IQ, smaller ascent oven in a touch form factor. Don't get me wrong, I like my IQ but it feels fragile in comparison, probably because I've already had mine replaced once due to a cracked oven. This tastes way better than the pax2 to me and I love the smaller oven size.
So far I've probably ran a good 30-40 sessions through it and there's a few things I've learned that's pretty much what His_Highness discussed;
So far I've probably ran a good 30-40 sessions through it and there's a few things I've learned that's pretty much what His_Highness discussed;
- Robot fart gone mostly in first burnoff, completely in second.
- I like starting at 350F but you don't get much in the way of clouds until around 390F or so. I thought I'd be more disappointed but the effect is most certainly there. Going to have to try His_Highness' method of sandwiching the bud.
- Multiple sessions at 400F or higher will make the mouthpiece uncomfortably hot, otherwise the whole thing much cooler than say the Pax2 or DaVinci IQ even around the oven. I use a small cut piece of silicone that works well for this.
- Works beautifully with my LG HG2s, I'm usually too baked to count my sessions but if I had to guess I figure around 30-45min run-time with an average of 390F. Battery level seems accurate, I've never used the internal charger so don't know how good that works.
- Loving the mouthpiece design compared to say, the alternate. I feel there's some opportunity for XMax to design a couple of different mouthpieces and possibly a larger cooling unit in the future. Perhaps a WPA that's not a hose with a 14mm connector?
- Overall build quality is really nice for the price you pay. Feels solid and the only rattle is through the buttons. I did notice my oled screen is slightly off (cuts off the first row of pixels to the battery image if looking straight on) but it's a really nit-picky complaint. Not sure how long the battery door will hold but so far it seems to be holding up nice, if not a bit hard to lock in place.
bushmaster
Well-Known Member
I'm happy to see you fellers come aboard with some in-depth reviews on the Starry. I'm pretty new to the weed-vaping scene. I've had an Arizer Air for a few months but its been on the shelf since I bought the Starry on 4/20. I really like the Air but the Starry is so......I dunno...cool. I mean its perfect for my needs. I always vape alone and usually out hiking or during some other outdoor activity. It fits so easy in the shirt pocket and is ideal for "sipping" (as PPN suggested) a couple hits here and there.
That said, there are much more knowledgeable reviewers here than me, so I'll leave that perspective to them. I just want to touch on a couple things: His Highness removed the filter screen in the mouthpiece and placed an oven screen over the oven opening. This occurred to me as well since the mouthpiece screen doesn't really seem to fulfill any purpose. Its the ceramic insert that gets gummed up mainly from pressing on a fully packed oven. I'll be trying this mod.
Secondly, like Slackwaredragon, I'm using the LG HG2 battery. Since installing it, I've only charged it with the Starry internal charger. It does fine--charges the LG to 4.18 and shuts down. My Arizer Air, on the other hand, I always pulled the battery and used an external charger. My thinking, preliminary as it may be, is that the Air battery compartment is a machined threaded tube and its gonna last through a lifetime of screwing and unscrewing. The battery door on the Starry I'm not so sure about. I'm glad I didn't break it the first day when I tried to install the AW buttontop. So my point being that I have to compromise--do I not use the charging system or do I not use the door? For now and perhaps until I get some input from those with more experience, I'll keep charging internally. Hopefully it doesn't put an excessive strain on the electronic innards of the Starry. I hope you fellers keep the info coming, I'm listening.
That said, there are much more knowledgeable reviewers here than me, so I'll leave that perspective to them. I just want to touch on a couple things: His Highness removed the filter screen in the mouthpiece and placed an oven screen over the oven opening. This occurred to me as well since the mouthpiece screen doesn't really seem to fulfill any purpose. Its the ceramic insert that gets gummed up mainly from pressing on a fully packed oven. I'll be trying this mod.
Secondly, like Slackwaredragon, I'm using the LG HG2 battery. Since installing it, I've only charged it with the Starry internal charger. It does fine--charges the LG to 4.18 and shuts down. My Arizer Air, on the other hand, I always pulled the battery and used an external charger. My thinking, preliminary as it may be, is that the Air battery compartment is a machined threaded tube and its gonna last through a lifetime of screwing and unscrewing. The battery door on the Starry I'm not so sure about. I'm glad I didn't break it the first day when I tried to install the AW buttontop. So my point being that I have to compromise--do I not use the charging system or do I not use the door? For now and perhaps until I get some input from those with more experience, I'll keep charging internally. Hopefully it doesn't put an excessive strain on the electronic innards of the Starry. I hope you fellers keep the info coming, I'm listening.
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cobra505
Defined
Just did a full cleaning last night sense i purchased over 2 weeks ago, lot of resin buildup but came right out with a little ISO and elbow grease. Functions like new. Still waiting for my IQ almost 3 weeks now.
Cool little MOD. So your saying if you take this whole unit apart there's another screen inside of this?
Yeah that housing was a pain in the ass. I used the packing tool they supplied. and kind of worked it like you suggested. I think once you do it a few times.
I'm super happy with the battery in this so far. No complaints at all. Although I must say I got the original in it, but I got 4 overkills in it also. I got my 4 Davinci's that I bought also that's I'm using.
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His_Highness
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
@cobra505 - You can make out that little screen in the pic you posted above. I took a bobby pin and fished it out. They even supplied an extra for this screen in the package - it's the smallest oval screen in the pack.
Here's a helpful hint I forgot to add above....I took one of the larger oval replacement screens included in the package and crimped a tiny bit on each side with a needle nose plier just enough so it would sit easily inside the the top of the oven but still provide a tiny bit of resistance. The tiny bit of resistance stops the oven top screen from getting sucked forward on the draw. I may go back and crimp it a bit more to limit the resistance and let it move against the filter. I like the resistance on my other conduction vapes so that there is always a little air space between the top of the oven and the filter/mouthpiece once the screen is in place.....but the oven space in the Starry is more precious so I'm not sure I'll leave the wasted space.
Here's a helpful hint I forgot to add above....I took one of the larger oval replacement screens included in the package and crimped a tiny bit on each side with a needle nose plier just enough so it would sit easily inside the the top of the oven but still provide a tiny bit of resistance. The tiny bit of resistance stops the oven top screen from getting sucked forward on the draw. I may go back and crimp it a bit more to limit the resistance and let it move against the filter. I like the resistance on my other conduction vapes so that there is always a little air space between the top of the oven and the filter/mouthpiece once the screen is in place.....but the oven space in the Starry is more precious so I'm not sure I'll leave the wasted space.
His_Highness
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
@cobra505 - Yep, if you take out the filter housing and turn it over you'll see the little oval screen that is right up against the underside of the filter/bigger picture you posted. I initially thought it wasn't supposed to come out until I realized they supplied a replacement in the package itself.
jakeattack77
Active Member
This is all good to hear, im thinking of going with this as my first vape, im also drawn to the airizer air tho as well, but its getting old to get as a new vape and this has digital control, solo 2 is cool but way too big.
im realllly hoping they come out with an arizer air 2 soon.
Anyways, does anyone know when puffitup will have the starry? i think on reddit he said something like 2 weeks a while back. hoping its soon so i can get it before i go back home from college for the summer.
im realllly hoping they come out with an arizer air 2 soon.
Anyways, does anyone know when puffitup will have the starry? i think on reddit he said something like 2 weeks a while back. hoping its soon so i can get it before i go back home from college for the summer.