Showerhead vs Honeycomb vs Matrix

[Oscar_Milde]

Howzit,
Open question to all diffuser aficionados, which provides better filtration/bubble-stacking in your various opinions?
Am looking into some proper glass to match vaporizers and trying to make an informed decision!
Thanks

 

[JoeKickass]

Honeycomb is fun because you can fill it just barely covering the honeycomb and it will have zero drag and great flavor (good for vapes). Or you can add more for ridiculous bubble stacking and more filtration (for smokers or harsh vapes):

Showerhead with only a few slits will chug; with many slits they can be smooth, but still won't stack like a honeycomb (but less filtration = more flavor when vaping):

 

[Oscar_Milde]

Ja I have been watching copious youtube videos of both, but struggled to find a thread with easy to access opinions on this topic
Matrix percs also seem intriguing..
Visually, I like what the honeycomb perc does in terms of filtration, and that's what I'm tending towards purchasing, but would like to hear what folks who have lots of experience with both have to say on the matter.

 

[mrboote]

I think the reason you aren't finding much in the way of opinion on this matter is because it is really hard to give meaningful answers to questions like these. It's such a personal preference thing. The style of the piece, what you plan on using to drive it, the size of the can, plus a thousand other variables come into play.

 

[Oscar_Milde]

I fully understand that, but I'm not asking for a definitive scientific answer or opinion, I want to hear what people prefer and why! I mean, one could apply the whole "hard to find meaningful answers due to personal preference" to pretty much any discussion on these boards hehehehe

 

[kingtut106]

You can't go wrong with any high quality glass such as mobius, david goldstein, toro, or sov

Also are you using this just for herbs or for dabs because that should impact your decision. I know you said you want to pair this with a vaporizer so take into account that some vapes work better with less drag and also wont be able to milk a big volume of glass.

IMO I love my matrix perc, but honeycombs are pretty sweet. Honestly you cant have a bad decision as long as it is good glass, but I would try out a friends before hand if you could.

 

[Oscar_Milde]

Let me explain my situation a little further: I live in a third world country, surrounded by people who smoke using the most archaic equipment. I know very few other people who use glass, let alone any form of semi-modern percolation (only tree and dome percs available locally), so trying before I buy is not an option.
I'm not looking to spend hundreds of dollars (because the exchange rate is not kind at the moment), but would like to move away from the basic generic glass that suited my smoking style in the past.
I am now exclusively vaping, so would be used accordingly.
Am tending towards honeycomb after a lot more reading and watching, I really like the way they work.
Sprinklers also look dope!

 

[Tweak]

I fell in love with the David Goldstein fritted disc video, was my first glass moment.

Then I found the Matrix perc. And was awed again.

IMO, both percs can be done right and wrong. And both work awesome for stacking bubbles, if that's what you are after.

With the showerhead/Matrix/circ perc, there is a chance of some slits not firing because they are higher/lower or thicker/thinner. This can cause less filtration when your hitting with resistance, a full load of material.

With a honeycomb, the nature of the perc lends the piece to be stemless. I've never used a stemless perc but from the videos I've watched the spacing and curve of the joint in relation to the honeycomb can affect the performance.

These differences are what the difference in cheap glass vs $$$ glass will get you, the attention to detail. Well, most of the times anyway, hah.

 

[kingtut106]

What kind of vape do you plan to use with this glass

 

[Oscar_Milde]

Will be using my SSV, LSV and Vapman.

Thanks tweak, I'm narrowing it down, had actually decided last night it was between a honeycomb and fritted disk that I posted in the cheap bubbler thread! I'm not willing to spend more than $150, as I've bought 3 vaporizers in the last 2 months hahahah

 

[Hexi]

Great thread, although maybe we should somehow combine this with one of the other potential 'stickied' threads on glass for vapes.

The f_bomb bubbler is not showerhead or honeycomb ... 'downstem jet-diffused' they call it... a "new era" but is downstem jet really 'new'? It certainly works, the glass is indeed thick and there is no drag.

I have some plans for this in a combo-like set up, still obtaining all the joints and pieces I need first..

 

[Criard]

My buddy has a fritted Goldstein and while it was a fun novelty at first, neither of us care for it that much anymore. Granted his is a fairly large Goldstein (probably 1.5 feet tall and 2inch tube diameter), but the way the bubbles stack seems to trap the smoke in the piece. Occasionally when you go to clear it you have to stop hitting it for a second while the bubbles drop and release the smoke. Not fun for flowers or oil.

For oil, I have a small Stone piece with a 3-hole inline perc which I love. Excellent taste, nice and smooth. My buddy has a similarly sized Silica piece with a showerhead perc which also works very nicely. I think we both agree though that my Stone gets a better flavor out of the wax/oil.

For flowers, the waffle/honeycomb perc is great imo. My buddy has an M&M Tech tube with one and we both love it. This piece fully delivers the flavor of the herb you're burning, and it does a pretty decent job with oil too.

There is another kind of "super scientific" perc that I have seen on a few new pieces the local head shop got in. It basically looks like a solid frosted piece of glass, but is actually covered in teeny tiny holes that you can't even see with your naked eye. I got to try a water hit out of it and did not like it at all. I imagine it might filter the smoke really well and make it smooth, but there was a TON of drag on the piece.

 

[Oscar_Milde]

There is another kind of "super scientific" perc that I have seen on a few new pieces the local head shop got in. It basically looks like a solid frosted piece of glass, but is actually covered in teeny tiny holes that you can't even see with your naked eye. I got to try a water hit out of it and did not like it at all. I imagine it might filter the smoke really well and make it smooth, but there was a TON of drag on the piece.

Pic, or more explanation please? Sounds like your describing a fritted disc?

 

[Criard]

Pic, or more explanation please? Sounds like your describing a fritted disc?

It's kind of similar, but not quite a DG fritted disc. Where the DG piece is basically a natural stemless, with the perc disc partway up the main tube; these pieces are almost designed like they have an inline perc but instead of the inline perc going all the way through the bottom, this little ball/nub sticks out from the stem only maybe an inch into the main tube. It looks like a solid piece of frosted glass (whereas DG fritted you can see the individual glass pieces in a matrix) that explodes into a flurry of bubbles when you hit it.

Sorry to be so vague. I was flipping through aqualabs all last night trying to find an example. I'll have to ask my buddy to find out who makes them.

 

[xer0]

Great thread, although maybe we should somehow combine this with one of the other potential 'stickied' threads on glass for vapes.

The f_bomb bubbler is not showerhead or honeycomb ... 'downstem jet-diffused' they call it... a "new era" but is downstem jet really 'new'? It certainly works, the glass is indeed thick and there is no drag.

I have some plans for this in a combo-like set up, still obtaining all the joints and pieces I need first..

"Downstem jet-diffused" is just PV's marketing hype. That's a dome perc...definitely NOT "new era" by any means as that type of perc has been a staple in cheap bongs for years now. I have a small pipe with one in it, works well enough but there is more drag with it than any of my other pieces.

 

[Hexi]

I would imagine if the f-bomb were much larger and had the same design, it could be real draggy. Given how small it is, the drag is not-noticeable at all. Honks far easier with a PVHEGONG than just to stock stem. I'm going to try it in a combo at some point and see if that drag becomes an issue.

 

[Criard]

Pic, or more explanation please? Sounds like your describing a fritted disc?

Ok found it. Made by Perk Tech. It's a fritted barrel apparently. It's just that it's a fine frit that gave it the "solid frosted glass" look I was talking about, whereas the DG pieces are about as coarse of a frit filter as you can get (probably to minimize drag).

Do NOT be fooled into saving up for one of these. I have water hit them in the store, and they drag like the devil's dick. I mean you really gotta pull hard to get it to flow. I wouldn't be surprised if that fine of a filter scrubbed out some of the flavor/terpenes too.

 

[Oscar_Milde]

Ahhh, I see, that's weird. I don't like it.

 

[deadheadbill]

In one word. Honeycomb.

 

[SD_haze]

"Downstem jet-diffused" is just PV's marketing hype. That's a dome perc...definitely NOT "new era" by any means as that type of perc has been a staple in cheap bongs for years now. I have a small pipe with one in it, works well enough but there is more drag with it than any of my other pieces.

I almost posted something similar.

I fully agree with you that their fancy perc name is essentially a dome.
I also agree with you that a lot of cheap domes add a lot of restriction. Lame!

Having said that, if you get all the dimensions right on a dome perc then they can function very well. A slight bit chuggier than a great showerhead perc, but that's not always a bad thing.