Official DJ Dao Pop'n ASC Thread (Now Available!) - Page 35

AzHP · 11-19-2009, 02:43 AM

Posting in an epic thread...I finally, after about 6 or 7 years of wanting one, have finally ordered a Pop'n Music ASC. DJDao has been great so far with responding to my emails promptly answering any and all questions I've had, and I'm confident that if his controller is of similar quality as his customer service, that I'll be more than satisfied. Payment confirmed, now to play the waiting game...

NBCrescendo · 11-24-2009, 09:59 PM

I wanted to start getting into Pop'n Music, so I may buy a DJ Dao ASC. However, am I seeing the shipping price correctly? I don't mind paying $210 for the controller but shipping says it's $183. That's pretty hefty if you ask me.

AzHP · 11-24-2009, 10:07 PM

That's shipping to Argentina. Shipping to USA is $130 or so? It's a pretty hefty controller, and it IS coming from China.

My controller shipped yesterday, btw...on its way from Beijing currently.

NBCrescendo · 11-24-2009, 10:28 PM

Haha, oh thanks. I forgot to switch countries. I did more research however and found that this says it's $100 while the other says it is $114. Which is it?

AzHP · 11-25-2009, 11:14 AM

Ah yes, I paid $324 ($210 + $114) so it would be $114. I have no idea how you found the site that says $110, but it looks like that was his old site that he just happens to have lying around. Since exchange rates have changed significantly since then, the price of shipping went up.

AzHP · 11-29-2009, 05:02 PM

My controller went out last Sunday and EMS Tracking says it hasn't hit SFO yet...starting to get a little bit worried it got lost or something =/

Jebula · 12-14-2009, 12:05 AM

Im sure it's pretty hard to lose a packet of that size..

I've got mine in about two weeks to Finland.

Now I can pass some of the 33, when I only got trought 27 with my minicon. Love my asc!

AzHP · 12-15-2009, 04:30 PM

OK, so I got my DJ Dao, which I have been playing on for a week. It is pretty sweet once the buttons are broken in (but they hurt my hands like nothing else cause of how hard they have to be pressed). I love it.

I also got a desktop arcade controller that I did the quiet mod on. I did this so that I could have one controller with (nearly) arcade perfect buttons, and one controller that I can play at night/when people don't want to hear loud clacky pop'n music (and I didn't want to shell out another $210+shipping for another dao).

Here's my mini-review comparing the two of them:

Build Quality:
Both of them have solid build quality. The DASC isn't as pretty, but it has its own charm. The DASC is massively lighter, which makes it more portable if you're into that. However, the dao is manufactured, the buttons light up and are usb powered (dasc are 9 volt or external powered and cost extra), has pretty stickers and overlays, and is just damn sexy. Pics may come later, but honestly you've all seen pics of both...

Winner: Dj Dao

Buttons:
The DJ Dao buttons were very stiff when they came out of the package, but after playing on them for a week they feel a bit softer. I'm sure after playing on them for a month or two they'll get soft enough to register with a light tap. They have a nice bounce and the sound is not that loud. I've only had complaints once and that was playing late at night on nyoro rock (lots of smashing on multiple buttons). The DASC has very loose buttons that can be depressed with barely a nudge. I'm not sure if this is a result of the switches or the springs. They are also LOUD. I quiet modded the thing after one song (just to test the buttons) and they are now quieter than the dao (almost can't hear it when standing outside my room with the door closed). However, you lose the nice sound feedback of pressing the buttons...as a result my scores suffered slightly.

Winner: Dj Dao

Wiring:
DJ Dao has clean routed cables with quick disconnects, and a pcb specifically manufactured for easy connecting. The DASC is soldered to the guts of a playstation controller. Also, the inside of the DASC has sawdust in it, though that can be air dusted out.

Winner: Dj Dao

Goodies:
The DJ Dao came with some cute cut out stickers and a spare PCB. The DASC came with 4 microswitches. Both seem useful. Wish they both came with both...lol

Winner: Tie

Service:
DJ Dao was very responsive in answering any questions I had and shipped my order within 2 or 3 business days of receiving payment (same day as I paid). Received in 10 days after posting (7 business days).
Steve was moderately responsive in answering my questions, but I felt like I was always taking a back seat in his priorities: he often said that he would get my controller out the next day, but it didn't happen for about two weeks. To be fair, he had to deal with fedex account issues and couldn't schedule my shipment for a few days, so I'll give him a little slack.

Winner:
DJ Dao

Overall:
If you have the money, the DJ Dao is pretty much as close to the definitive arcade experience. It is nowhere near as loud as the DASC, the buttons are springier (though they are both very responsive), it is prettier, better manufactured, and much easier to replace parts if something catastrophic goes wrong such as PCB failure. If an extra $100 would seriously break your bank, there is nothing fatally wrong with a DASC, but I wouldn't have gotten one if I didn't want something I could tinker with and take apart without feeling like I would die if something terrible happened to it. However, be prepared to wait a few weeks for him to ship it out.

Hopefully that wasn't too long. I may cross post this into its own thread depending on what the mods think. Is this a useful post?

zorahk · 12-15-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

The DASC has very loose buttons that can be depressed with barely a nudge. I personally feel this makes it feel cheap

They're actually supposed to be more like this, just FYI.

AzHP · 12-15-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zorahk

They're actually supposed to be more like this, just FYI.

Ah, I see. I've only played at SVGL (and a machine at fanime con) so I don't know what the average machine is supposed to feel like. Will edit.

zorahk · 12-15-2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

I've only played at SVGL

this is one of the worst examples of a machine, simply because they don't repair it ever.

AzHP · 12-15-2009, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zorahk

this is one of the worst examples of a machine, simply because they don't repair it ever.

Which is why I mentioned it by name. And I've only played on it once or twice even though I live 40 minutes away because I'd rather not play than play on it.

zorahk · 12-15-2009, 05:52 PM

It's not terrible, but it's gotten worse over the years as they don't spend money on it.

Actually the worst one I've tried was the one at rohnert park scandia, I just can't play on it at all. The SVGL one is probably passable, just not well maintained.

The difference in the dao and dasc is that the dao uses much harder springs than normal, especially when compared with the stock sanwa springs which are really soft. You should be able to press buttons with your pinky on a sanwa stocked panel.

AzHP · 12-15-2009, 06:21 PM

Do you know offhand where I can get softer springs to put into my dao? Will they get softer with time?

zorahk · 12-15-2009, 06:26 PM

They get softer over time, but not soft enough IMO. Best bet is to buy them direct from sanwa, part no. OBSA-SP, should be able to get them at akihabarashop.jp