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Licensed Products: eFX Collectibles, Master Replicas, Hasbro and more => MR Force FX Reviews => Darth Maul TPM Reviews => Topic started by: PLO KOON on April 11, 2006, 07:28:46 PM

Title: Any room for improvement?
Post by: PLO KOON on April 11, 2006, 07:28:46 PM
The original Anakin ROTS had more plastic parts and MR improved it by making it more solid and more metal. The Mace ROTS was more purple and louder than the original (AOTC) version.

Are there anything that can be improved in this year's Maul FX lightsaber? If not, and the thing is absolutely perfect. Then I just may consider getting myself one right now (the lure of the dark side is very strong!)

The more comments on this the better. I don't mind waiting if there can be improvements in the future.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Darthirishman on April 11, 2006, 07:44:59 PM
the only thing I dont like is the AAA batteries to weak for the saber
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: darthmaddy on April 11, 2006, 08:49:36 PM
The double Maul is a must have.  Dueling with it is awesome, but be prepared to buy a lot of batteries.  I ran mine out in one day, but I had it on constantly, and carried it around all day at work.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: PLO KOON on April 12, 2006, 12:34:26 AM
Yeah. I saw it in the shop and I must say that I am extremely tempted! I held it and it is rather heavy and solid. i dun think the batteries would add much weight to it. I didn't swing it around cause there wasn't any room in the shop.

For those of you having the maul... is there anything you'd wan to improve?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: AAYLA SECURA on April 12, 2006, 01:46:57 AM
Yeah. I saw it in the shop and I must say that I am extremely tempted! I held it and it is rather heavy and solid. i dun think the batteries would add much weight to it. I didn't swing it around cause there wasn't any room in the shop.

For those of you having the maul... is there anything you'd wan to improve?

I'd want them to do away with the dark spot in the center of the blade. I don't understand why it has it when the Vader ESB didn't. The instruction manual Q&A even mentions it and says it's normal and that it doesn't detract from the performance of the blade. I find it a bit annoying, though. Aside from that I don't think there's much else they can do to improve this saber. It's awesome all-around.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 02:09:36 AM
I want different sounds.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: benlurkin on April 12, 2006, 02:45:47 AM
Not to be unpopular, but I rather like the loud deep-pitched sounds.   But I can absolutely see the accuracy/recyling issues.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 03:28:58 AM
What I mean is I would like the real Maul sounds  ;).
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Nhoj-pas Anner on April 12, 2006, 08:28:31 AM
i actually did not like the on/off switch, you have to turn it...so cant have the cool one-handed ignition effect like in the movie. But everything else is awesome!! ;D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Kyp Durron on April 12, 2006, 05:14:13 PM
Yeah. I saw it in the shop and I must say that I am extremely tempted! I held it and it is rather heavy and solid. i dun think the batteries would add much weight to it. I didn't swing it around cause there wasn't any room in the shop.

For those of you having the maul... is there anything you'd wan to improve?

I'd want them to do away with the dark spot in the center of the blade. I don't understand why it has it when the Vader ESB didn't. The instruction manual Q&A even mentions it and says it's normal and that it doesn't detract from the performance of the blade. I find it a bit annoying, though. Aside from that I don't think there's much else they can do to improve this saber. It's awesome all-around.

My Vader ESB has the dark spots on both sides.  :-\
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 05:15:11 PM
i actually did not like the on/off switch, you have to turn it...so cant have the cool one-handed ignition effect like in the movie. But everything else is awesome!! ;D


If you are dueling then it is quite good becuase it means that you can't accidently turn of the saber :).
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: AAYLA SECURA on April 12, 2006, 05:44:36 PM
My Vader ESB has the dark spots on both sides.  :-\

Interesting.  ???

Quote
f you are dueling then it is quite good becuase it means that you can't accidently turn of the saber.

Yeah, I liked the on/off switch myself. Not once has it turned off on me by accident, even with both blades connected. :)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Kyp Durron on April 12, 2006, 06:08:09 PM
Aayla, the darks spots aren't very dark at all, if the blade was brighter, you wouldn't see them at all.

I have seen much worse dark spots on blue blades...the red color helps to hide them.  ;)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Bigdog01 on April 12, 2006, 06:12:24 PM
My maul doesn't have the dark spots.   ;D

At least, I don't think so. Well, I don't remember seeing them, but I didn't really look for them....

oh geesh, now I don't know...

I'm so confused...   ???
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 06:14:15 PM
You will post a review of the maul won't you Ayala?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: AAYLA SECURA on April 12, 2006, 06:19:37 PM
Aayla, the darks spots aren't very dark at all, if the blade was brighter, you wouldn't see them at all.

I have seen much worse dark spots on blue blades...the red color helps to hide them.  ;)

Hmm... they're quite noticeable on mine. Not as much as say my plastic Anakin ROTS, but they're noticeable. My metal Anakin ROTS, however, has dark spots that are very, very faint. Barely noticeable unless you really squint for them.

[quote authoer=Qui-Gon Jinn]My maul doesn't have the dark spots.   Grin

At least, I don't think so. Well, I don't remember seeing them, but I didn't really look for them....

oh geesh, now I don't know...

I'm so confused...
Quote

Hopefully yours doesn't, Qui-Gon. Mine does with brand new Duracell Ultras in each hilt. The instruction manual even mentions them this time around, so I didn't think much of them. In fact, I actually had to return one of my Maul's and exchange it. Not because of dark spots, but because of the sound. It was quite a bit fainter than the other, but I found that it was actually the battery pack. Those little springy things weren't perfectly straight. I tried it in both sabers, and sure enough that is what it was. So I exchanged it for another one and the sounds were a tad better, but not as good as my first Maul. Again, the springs weren't lined up as well once again.  ???

Quote from: ani104
Insert Quote
You will post a review of the maul won't you Ayala?

You betcha! :)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 06:31:07 PM
Can't wait for it  ;D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Knuckle01 on April 12, 2006, 06:39:46 PM
cool i always look foward to your reviews
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: AAYLA SECURA on April 12, 2006, 06:55:29 PM
Well thank you.  :D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Knuckle01 on April 12, 2006, 07:00:43 PM
well your welcome! after all, your review of the anakin ROTS is what sold me for that model to be my 1st saber.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: AAYLA SECURA on April 12, 2006, 07:09:02 PM
Haha, cool. Glad I could help. :) Anytime you want to know something about one of the sabers just give me a shout out. ;)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 08:19:58 PM
Soon Aayla will be advertising for MR :o :D 8)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Bigdog01 on April 12, 2006, 08:26:57 PM
Like we here at FX-Sabers don't do it enough already?!   :P
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 08:30:48 PM
I'm just saying it was kinda' cool how he was sold ny Aayla's review :)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: PLO KOON on April 12, 2006, 08:54:13 PM
Is it true that the blade is redder than the vader ESB? I took a look at the foam inside and it has a slight purple tint to it.

The sounds could be louder I guess and DEFINITELY reusing the vader ESB sounds is a no-no. Darth Maul's saber sounds were very strong and bassy...
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: fallenjedi on April 12, 2006, 10:34:37 PM
the switch and batteries for me , like some of you have said its hard to turn on/off the saber in one hand, i'm using energizer max, needs a little more juice, i think AAA's dont cut it ;D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: LordSlapnutz on April 12, 2006, 11:10:44 PM
Why do they screw the red sabers over with having only one clash sound?  I personally like the multiple sounds they use in the other blades, but want a red one since the Sith rule.  I figured all the new ones would have multiple sounds.  It just doesn't make sense to me that they didn't give Maul's blade more than one...
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: benlurkin on April 12, 2006, 11:14:08 PM
I wasn't sure about the switch until I thought of my Larbel Obi TPM EL with the same knurled switch.  If you look at it funny the saber turns off, even easier than the ROTS Anakin.

As for the batteries, maybe it is time to consider the 9 volt question once again.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 11:37:06 PM
Why 9 volt?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: benlurkin on April 12, 2006, 11:59:09 PM
I'm not really up on my battery dynamics but I've been told that one 9 volt can be comparable to 3 AAs.  Can anyone elaborate on this?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 12, 2006, 11:59:59 PM
Is there any difference in cost?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: jack3auer on April 13, 2006, 02:13:16 AM
Why do they screw the red sabers over with having only one clash sound? I personally like the multiple sounds they use in the other blades, but want a red one since the Sith rule. I figured all the new ones would have multiple sounds. It just doesn't make sense to me that they didn't give Maul's blade more than one...

the reason for this is becuase the maul uses the same sounds as the vader ESB and ANH,  these sabers were recorded from the original movie .  in the movie there is only the one clash sound for vaders saber and thats why there are no other clashes.

i dont see that the sith sabers are "screwed over" by this, its just how it is.

all of us would have prefered the maul to use the actual sounds, but as the vader esb and anh are the only really accurate movie sound sabers, there is not really much to cry about.

Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 13, 2006, 02:21:47 AM
Ya, all the ohters have half 'movie accurate' sounds :)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: PLO KOON on April 13, 2006, 02:46:56 AM
They don't HAVE to be 'movie accurate'. A lightsaber sounds like a lightsaber. MR can always get some random samples from Lucasfilms. I'm sure they have plenty.

Anyway, drastic improvements i.e. not liking the on/off switch, etc. are quite unrealistic and won't happen. How are the sounds? Are they muffled? Maybe MR can make the sounds louder.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: benlurkin on April 13, 2006, 02:50:40 AM
The sounds are very loud, I think the only complaint is the accuracy question.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 13, 2006, 02:55:13 AM
Louder than the Luke ROTJ?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: benlurkin on April 13, 2006, 03:03:29 AM
When the double is together it is understandably really loud!! :D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: LordSlapnutz on April 13, 2006, 04:36:10 AM
Is everyone's Luke ROTJ really loud?  Because of all the ones I've seen on display at stores (i.e. Borders and Sharper Image), the sound on the Luke ROTJ is really horrible and scratchy.  Its very quiet and actually turned me off from buying one, well, that and the plastic look to it, but I guess you can buy something from this site to fix that.  Have I just seen bad display models or what?  I really would like a green lightsaber, but not if it is going to sound like it did in the stores...
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: jack3auer on April 13, 2006, 04:48:09 AM
my luke rotj, is very loud indeed.  on a par with the anakin ROTS.  the ambient noise in the store will lessen the effect

Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Bigdog01 on April 13, 2006, 06:45:39 AM
The Luke ROTJ sabers are very loud. I do know what your talking about though. I have this happen on my own Luke from time to time. All I do is unscrew the endcap, take out the battery and reset everything. This usually is enough to fix the "scratchy" sounds.

Don't be afraid to buy a Luke, they are AWESOME!
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: jack3auer on April 13, 2006, 07:08:32 AM
yeah  quigon is right,

i have had that happen with my luke and anakin,  its quite scary when it happens cause you think for a moment its broke,  then you re-fix it all together and phew, its like new.      "hey i am a poet and i did not realise" sic
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Knuckle01 on April 13, 2006, 08:03:29 AM
hey thats good to know....the reset to fix
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: jack3auer on April 18, 2006, 07:46:25 AM
speaking of this i had a serious worry with my anakin the other day.  i was playing with it and noticed the blade was dimmer than usual so i put in fresh batteries. switched it on ...nothing..zip.  i took the pack out again and reinserted it,   same agian nothing,   put the older batteries in and this time the blade came back on but already ignited with no power up only the idle hum,.  on and off i switched it no better same situation idle hum only.  then only half the blade was lit.    i took the batteries out again and waited a few moments.   put it all back together and now its working fine.  dont know what was going on,  but needless to say i was very worried for a while there.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Nhoj-pas Anner on April 18, 2006, 08:19:16 AM

If you are dueling then it is quite good becuase it means that you can't accidently turn of the saber :).
Quote

ya youre right ani104. i guess i just wanna be cool like darth maul. :-\
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Knuckle01 on April 18, 2006, 08:37:52 AM
and maul is the king of cool.......even though he got cut in half
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Nhoj-pas Anner on April 18, 2006, 10:58:46 AM
thats right brother! ;D ;D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ijbrekke on April 18, 2006, 01:26:39 PM
and maul is the king of cool.......even though he got cut in half

Does that make him half as cool then?  ;D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: ani104 on April 18, 2006, 03:50:13 PM
and maul is the king of cool.......even though he got cut in half

Does that make him half as cool then? ;D

Lol :D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Shadowlynx on May 18, 2006, 09:24:05 PM
I agree the darth maul is pretty darn awesome. I guess I'm not the only one that thinks MR should put in some new sounds from skywalkersounds. I got a double blade and I love it alot, it came with a vertical wall stand so it saves alot of space since my room is so small. I don't like how ever, that I haven't dueled with it but from swinging it around outside it really is that heavy and it's hard to pull off hard core tricks with this saber. I also don't like the AAA's holder. It really makes the blade unbalanced espeically when you take the two sabers apart. In conclusion I love the darth maul double bladed fx I'm proud of it and it belongs with my luxeon collection fx's.   8)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Lord Throughlou on November 04, 2006, 10:12:47 AM
this is another one of them sabers i so desparatly crave lol  ;)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: himurax13 on November 13, 2006, 08:39:05 AM
I definately love this saber the most out of all of the FX's (somehow I ended up with 3 double mauls).  It is very close to the LE in size and looks.  It does have room for a lot of improvement. 

1.  There are too many buttons on the hilt, even the covertech clip is in the way.
2.  It is extremely front heavy in single blade form.
3.  The switch is a bear to turn on and off and should be located lower on the hilt.
4.  Someone should invent a magnetic coupler or a setup that allows one to seperate the sabers easily.
5. It would be nice if the blades were removable, even if it takes a lot of effort for display purposes.
6. I feel that the blades need three inches trimmed off each end to accomodate shorter saber wielders.
7.  Different color blades would be cool as well.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Ketme-Hamje Traya on November 29, 2006, 09:10:16 AM
Its a very solid saber, tough to the nails by design. The blades are a thicker composite polycarbonite to accomidate the wielder droping it (or dueling with it). As for the detachable blades, just go to Ultrasabers.com, they make conversions to stronger and detachable blades. The issue of the length is not an issue for me (i'm 6'4" tall) but the blades could be a tad shorter, Seven foot plus is a bit much. The weight issue to me is not present, the blades feel quite well balanced when separate or together, the balance point is about one inch up the blade with them detached, that is the desired balance point on a real sword/saber/katana. Not meaning to sound offending or disrespectful, but strength training works out very effctively while practicing with lightsabers (of coures I'm also an Artilleryman, so that helps with my muscles).
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Lord Throughlou on December 01, 2006, 03:18:10 AM
im torn between this and the vader because i might not be able to afford the double maul but i might make some sacrifices lol
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Knuckle01 on December 01, 2006, 06:23:36 AM
im torn between this and the vader because i might not be able to afford the double maul but i might make some sacrifices lol

well you cant go wrong with the vader....trust me.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Lord Throughlou on December 01, 2006, 07:37:56 AM
ok im still waiting for my local borders to start displying and selling them again becuase i got my anakin from there last year and i;d rather take it away with my instead of waiting
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Ketme-Hamje Traya on December 02, 2006, 11:59:30 PM
BTW, I was more of less forced into the Dark side. One, because Darth Maul was just so xxx cool. And Two, because the only other choice that they had for a lightsaber at the shop that I wnet to was the Luke ROTJ lightsaber and I was all like "nuh uhh, Green not, I like" and I asked for the Darth Maul. I love it though, and I might drag my brother into atleast the dueling part, once he gets a Obi Wan saber.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: killphil on December 03, 2006, 12:26:14 AM
im torn between this and the vader because i might not be able to afford the double maul but i might make some sacrifices lol

well you cant go wrong with the vader....trust me.

Seconded. The Vader is a top notch saber. I do have a double Maul coming to me in the mail, though, so my opinion might change( I doubt it).
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: levelnext on December 03, 2006, 04:59:03 AM
I definately love this saber the most out of all of the FX's (somehow I ended up with 3 double mauls).  It is very close to the LE in size and looks.  It does have room for a lot of improvement. 

1.  There are too many buttons on the hilt, even the covertech clip is in the way.
2.  It is extremely front heavy in single blade form.
3.  The switch is a bear to turn on and off and should be located lower on the hilt.
4.  Someone should invent a magnetic coupler or a setup that allows one to seperate the sabers easily.
5. It would be nice if the blades were removable, even if it takes a lot of effort for display purposes.
6. I feel that the blades need three inches trimmed off each end to accomodate shorter saber wielders.
7.  Different color blades would be cool as well.

ABOUT: 4.  Someone should invent a magnetic coupler or a setup that allows one to seperate the sabers easily.

Parks sells his "inertia" saber, which uses magnetic couplers to do what you suggest! it seems quite nice. Maybe something like it can be machined to fit the maul saber.

just my 2 cents.

http://www.parksabers.com/inertia.html
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Lord Throughlou on December 03, 2006, 06:02:46 AM
i think borders are only gonna stock the maul obi and vader this year becuase the rest are discontinued lol
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: darthmorbius on March 29, 2007, 10:21:24 AM
I'm not really up on my battery dynamics but I've been told that one 9 volt can be comparable to 3 AAs.  Can anyone elaborate on this?

Sorry to dredge up old threads, but I saw the thing about batteries and voltage.  Your typical LR6 (AA) battery has a standardized voltage of 1.5 volts. 3x1.5=4.5 volts. Half of the stated 9. To get 9volts you have to have 6 AA batteries Like the Luke ESB, Luke ROTJ, Mace Windu etc.

The older LED FX's don't really run on 9 volts, but two 4.5 volts run paralelled.  The 6 AA battery clip is a holdover from the electroluminesent Luke ROTJ, which did require 9 volts to run. MR just didn't want to redesign the battery holder so they paralelled the battery holder into two separate 4.5v circuits. They did this to cut down on cost. They used the same method on the Mace since the AOTC and ROTS are the same saber with different packaging.

If you use  true 9 volt setup on any fx not designed for it, you WILL fry the saber without heavy modification.

Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Ketme-Hamje Traya on April 03, 2007, 08:12:23 PM
I tryed that a long time ago with a cannibalized LED and a 9volt, it worked, then made an amusing ZZZZPISH sound, it made me chuckle. hehehe...oh wait, the moral! right...Never use a 9volt in any lightsaber that does not recommend 9volt batteries for use.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: Lord Clueless on April 10, 2007, 08:18:57 PM
i hope they make some improvement on the maul-im gonna hold off buyin 1 just yet...... ::)
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: QUINLAN VOS on April 10, 2007, 08:21:33 PM
Theres not much they can do.  its actually quite close to the size of the prop used, and they blades have to stay thick due to the wobblyness.  What do you think would be a good mod to the maul?
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: darthmorbius on April 10, 2007, 10:21:31 PM
I think MR should offer removeable blades with luxeons. Perhaps as an Elite FX package....Jus a thought. The could put some of us DIY'ers to work on commission to do so...HINT HINT HINT...;D
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: QUINLAN VOS on April 10, 2007, 10:23:29 PM
I think MR should offer removeable blades with luxeons. Perhaps as an Elite FX package....Jus a thought. The could put some of us DIY'ers to work on commission to do so...HINT HINT HINT...;D

Yes.  A maul Lux would be nice and light.
Title: Re: Any room for improvement?
Post by: darthmorbius on April 10, 2007, 10:37:52 PM
I really don't mind the weight really, just te fact that once you get it spinning really quick, it's harder than a rabid gundark to stop. ;)