irradiated
Member For 4 Years
Hey guys! Dakota back with another review of gear from my personal collection. This time we’re going to take a look at something from the lower end of the spectrum: the Noisy Cricket II by Wismec & JayBo.
About me:
I’m a hobbyist who quit cigarettes and started vaping around 3 years ago. These days, I’m into single battery, series, and parallel mech mods mainly. My absolute favourite way to vape is series at 8.4v, or good old fashioned tube mods. I prefer high wattage direct-to-lung vaping, but I also like a good low power mouth-to-lung setup.
Introduction:
This one released awhile ago, but I haven’t seen much else that claims to be a jack-of-all trades mod like the Cricket II does. This thing can do variable voltage series (2v - 6v), unregulated series (8.4v), and dual (or single) battery parallel (4.2v). Combined with the low price, I think it’s still a pretty relevant mod. Now, mine is UGLY so you’re going to have to forgive me, but it’s something we’ll talk about later on. Is this mod worth your hard earned money? Let’s find out!
Overview:
This is the silver brushed finish version of the Cricket II-25. There is also a black version (sold out everywhere I looked), as well as the Cricket II-22. What’s the difference between the II-25 and the II-22 you might ask? The II-25 fits a 25mm atty with no overhang, while the II-22 is a slimmer version that fits a 22mm diameter atty. As far as I am aware, the rest of the features are identical. When I purchased this mod, I received a decent looking clear plastic box, which contained a small battery warning card, a simple manual, and the mod itself.
And here are some specs for this device:
* Three different operating modes (variable voltage, series, parallel)
* Electronic protection circuitry (According to Wismec: atomizer protection, short circuit protection, and low voltage protection.)
* Dimensions are: 87mm tall, 48mm wide, 25mm deep
* Takes two 18650 batteries, always orientated positive side first for both batteries.
I don’t really have any complaints with what’s included. It’s really nice to see a somewhat detailed operating manual and a warning about battery safety in there! Good work on that part, Wismec.
Design, build quality, and appearance:
The shape of this mod is quite nice. The rounded edges and the way one side is a bit thicker than the other really fit into my hand nicely. There is no screen on this mod, so you’re on your own for checking resistance and stuff, and no temp control to be found here. The fire button is small, but in the right spot to be fired with your index finger. Thumb firing is a no-go for me, it’s too awkward. It’s nice and clicky, but it’s extremely sensitive. Always lock this mod (click the fire button 5 times) before you put it in your pocket or whatever, or it’s going to burn out coils while it fires in your pocket - which is also a little scary when it’s in series mode, because then it’s REALLY firing. It does, however have around a 10 second cutoff, so no real worries about it autofiring forever. I’ve had to rewick more than once because of the sensitive button, including a time it burnt my coil while it was sitting in the cupholder of my car. It does have a few functions depending on how you press the button:
* Press quickly five times to turn the mod on and off
* After you’ve shut the mod off, hold the fire button until the light behind the button flashes to change modes
* Red light means variable voltage mode, and white light means unregulated series
* White light also means unregulated parallel, but you also need to flip the board at the bottom of the mod to put it into parallel. Variable voltage is unavailable in parallel.
*If you have a short or something like that, it’ll just flash at you really fast and refuse to fire.
This is an image from Wismec on how to approximate how much charge is left in your batteries:
On the side of the mod is a little black dial for adjusting the voltage from 2v - 6v when you are in the VV mode (red light), and it’s labelled 0 - 100, 0 being 2v and 100 being 6v. This thing is really hard to turn, it’s hard to get a grip on it with your fingernails and it’s a bit tight. Mine loosened up on me over time, but it’s still a bit tight as I almost never use the variable voltage mode. Some of the early runs had reversed potentiometers, where 100 was 2v and 0 was 6v, but they seem to fixed that issue.
When you’re using either the series or parallel modes, it gives you the straight voltage that’s left in your batteries like a standard unregulated or mechanical mod. You’ll have to build your coils to fit the wattage you’d like to get, and the voltage will drop over time. Actually vaping it, it’s pretty solid. There’s some voltage drop/inefficiency here, unregulated series is not quite as hard hitting as some of my series mech boxes, but it’s still an impressive amount of power in a tiny and fairly safe format.
The 510 pin at the top is spring loaded and looks like brass, I haven’t had any issues with it. Atties have been sitting straight and flush, and it’ll take up to a 25mm atty like a champ. Again, I have heard of some early runs having slightly crooked 510s, but they seem to have fixed that. No issues with the 510 popping out like the Predator.
Now, probably the biggest and (eventually) most obvious con with this device: the finish. When I received the mod, it looked nice and pretty, and within a few days it was rubbing off in tiny spots. By the time two months had passed, it looked pretty much as you see it now - ugly. I’m extremely gentle with my mods, I’ve never dropped this or tied it to the back of my car and dragged it down the street (kinda looks like it though). All of the damage to the finish is simply from touching my hand, there’s even a spot that lines up with where my thumb rests. So, it looks great when you first get it, however, don’t expect it to stay that way. For the price, I’m willing to overlook this con, because at its core, I think this is a true workhorse beater mod, so the finish isn’t too important anyway.
The battery bays are accessed by pushing down and sliding the cover off of the bottom of the mod (EXTREMELY tight when you get it, but loosens up over time to become just right), which reveals a tiny PCB. One side is labelled S for series, and the other is labelled P for parallel. It must have the S side facing upwards to run it in VV or ‘unregulated’ series mode, and the P side facing up for the ‘unregulated’ parallel mode. Additionally, since parallel mode is parallel, this mod can be run on one single 18650 if you need it to- but only in parallel mode. It’s quite an ingenious and convenient design on the bottom plate, I quite like it. A lot of other mods that can swap between parallel and series modes are often much more complicated to switch. No matter which configuration you have the PCB set to, batteries always go in positive first, with the negative visible at the bottom of the mod. Looking at the bottom of the mod, you can see a few springy contact pins. A really nice touch are the plastic liners inside of the battery bays, an excellent feature to help protect against short circuits from torn wraps. Well done there, Wismec!
Final Thoughts:
Pros:
* Affordable ($30-40usd)
* Rugged (over a year of use with no issues except the finish)
* Versatile (variable voltage, unreg. series, unreg, parallel)
* Unregulated modes with the safety features of a regulated mod
* Switching between modes is extremely convenient
* 25mm atties fit nicely
* Comfortable in the hand
Cons:
* The finish is pretty garbage, rubs off in your hand and pocket easily, even if the mod is babied
* Tight potentiometer and battery door, but they loosen up over time.
* Could potentially have a slightly crooked 510 and a reversed voltage pot., but it seems to be fixed now.
* You’ll need a separate device for checking atomizer resistance
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this mod. This is the series mod I take with me to a rough day of work, because I’m not worried about scuffing or damaging it. It’s a mod that I can put any build on, whether I’m running something for series, parallel, or somewhere in between. Not very many mods can boast about the versatility that this one has. It’s also an excellent mod for someone who wants to learn the ropes of building and using a mechanical mod, while still retaining the safety net of a regulated mod. The price is great too!
Is the Cricket II worth your money? Yes, I’ve gotten more than I expected out of the $30 I spent on it, and if mine got busted, I’d pick up another one.
Cricket II product page: http://www.wismec.com/product/noisy-cricket-ii-25/
FastTech page: https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10019842/5508800-authentic-wismec-noisy-cricket-ii-25-vv-box-mod
PHEW, I had a lot more to say about that mod than I thought I did.. If you made it this far, thanks a lot for checking this out! I have no idea what I'm going to review next, but stay tuned! Any and all feedback on my reviews is appreciated.
Vape safe, and keep off those cigs!
- Dakota/irradiated/winter_azure
About me:
I’m a hobbyist who quit cigarettes and started vaping around 3 years ago. These days, I’m into single battery, series, and parallel mech mods mainly. My absolute favourite way to vape is series at 8.4v, or good old fashioned tube mods. I prefer high wattage direct-to-lung vaping, but I also like a good low power mouth-to-lung setup.
Introduction:
This one released awhile ago, but I haven’t seen much else that claims to be a jack-of-all trades mod like the Cricket II does. This thing can do variable voltage series (2v - 6v), unregulated series (8.4v), and dual (or single) battery parallel (4.2v). Combined with the low price, I think it’s still a pretty relevant mod. Now, mine is UGLY so you’re going to have to forgive me, but it’s something we’ll talk about later on. Is this mod worth your hard earned money? Let’s find out!
Overview:
This is the silver brushed finish version of the Cricket II-25. There is also a black version (sold out everywhere I looked), as well as the Cricket II-22. What’s the difference between the II-25 and the II-22 you might ask? The II-25 fits a 25mm atty with no overhang, while the II-22 is a slimmer version that fits a 22mm diameter atty. As far as I am aware, the rest of the features are identical. When I purchased this mod, I received a decent looking clear plastic box, which contained a small battery warning card, a simple manual, and the mod itself.
And here are some specs for this device:
* Three different operating modes (variable voltage, series, parallel)
* Electronic protection circuitry (According to Wismec: atomizer protection, short circuit protection, and low voltage protection.)
* Dimensions are: 87mm tall, 48mm wide, 25mm deep
* Takes two 18650 batteries, always orientated positive side first for both batteries.
I don’t really have any complaints with what’s included. It’s really nice to see a somewhat detailed operating manual and a warning about battery safety in there! Good work on that part, Wismec.
Design, build quality, and appearance:
The shape of this mod is quite nice. The rounded edges and the way one side is a bit thicker than the other really fit into my hand nicely. There is no screen on this mod, so you’re on your own for checking resistance and stuff, and no temp control to be found here. The fire button is small, but in the right spot to be fired with your index finger. Thumb firing is a no-go for me, it’s too awkward. It’s nice and clicky, but it’s extremely sensitive. Always lock this mod (click the fire button 5 times) before you put it in your pocket or whatever, or it’s going to burn out coils while it fires in your pocket - which is also a little scary when it’s in series mode, because then it’s REALLY firing. It does, however have around a 10 second cutoff, so no real worries about it autofiring forever. I’ve had to rewick more than once because of the sensitive button, including a time it burnt my coil while it was sitting in the cupholder of my car. It does have a few functions depending on how you press the button:
* Press quickly five times to turn the mod on and off
* After you’ve shut the mod off, hold the fire button until the light behind the button flashes to change modes
* Red light means variable voltage mode, and white light means unregulated series
* White light also means unregulated parallel, but you also need to flip the board at the bottom of the mod to put it into parallel. Variable voltage is unavailable in parallel.
*If you have a short or something like that, it’ll just flash at you really fast and refuse to fire.
This is an image from Wismec on how to approximate how much charge is left in your batteries:
On the side of the mod is a little black dial for adjusting the voltage from 2v - 6v when you are in the VV mode (red light), and it’s labelled 0 - 100, 0 being 2v and 100 being 6v. This thing is really hard to turn, it’s hard to get a grip on it with your fingernails and it’s a bit tight. Mine loosened up on me over time, but it’s still a bit tight as I almost never use the variable voltage mode. Some of the early runs had reversed potentiometers, where 100 was 2v and 0 was 6v, but they seem to fixed that issue.
When you’re using either the series or parallel modes, it gives you the straight voltage that’s left in your batteries like a standard unregulated or mechanical mod. You’ll have to build your coils to fit the wattage you’d like to get, and the voltage will drop over time. Actually vaping it, it’s pretty solid. There’s some voltage drop/inefficiency here, unregulated series is not quite as hard hitting as some of my series mech boxes, but it’s still an impressive amount of power in a tiny and fairly safe format.
The 510 pin at the top is spring loaded and looks like brass, I haven’t had any issues with it. Atties have been sitting straight and flush, and it’ll take up to a 25mm atty like a champ. Again, I have heard of some early runs having slightly crooked 510s, but they seem to have fixed that. No issues with the 510 popping out like the Predator.
Now, probably the biggest and (eventually) most obvious con with this device: the finish. When I received the mod, it looked nice and pretty, and within a few days it was rubbing off in tiny spots. By the time two months had passed, it looked pretty much as you see it now - ugly. I’m extremely gentle with my mods, I’ve never dropped this or tied it to the back of my car and dragged it down the street (kinda looks like it though). All of the damage to the finish is simply from touching my hand, there’s even a spot that lines up with where my thumb rests. So, it looks great when you first get it, however, don’t expect it to stay that way. For the price, I’m willing to overlook this con, because at its core, I think this is a true workhorse beater mod, so the finish isn’t too important anyway.
The battery bays are accessed by pushing down and sliding the cover off of the bottom of the mod (EXTREMELY tight when you get it, but loosens up over time to become just right), which reveals a tiny PCB. One side is labelled S for series, and the other is labelled P for parallel. It must have the S side facing upwards to run it in VV or ‘unregulated’ series mode, and the P side facing up for the ‘unregulated’ parallel mode. Additionally, since parallel mode is parallel, this mod can be run on one single 18650 if you need it to- but only in parallel mode. It’s quite an ingenious and convenient design on the bottom plate, I quite like it. A lot of other mods that can swap between parallel and series modes are often much more complicated to switch. No matter which configuration you have the PCB set to, batteries always go in positive first, with the negative visible at the bottom of the mod. Looking at the bottom of the mod, you can see a few springy contact pins. A really nice touch are the plastic liners inside of the battery bays, an excellent feature to help protect against short circuits from torn wraps. Well done there, Wismec!
Final Thoughts:
Pros:
* Affordable ($30-40usd)
* Rugged (over a year of use with no issues except the finish)
* Versatile (variable voltage, unreg. series, unreg, parallel)
* Unregulated modes with the safety features of a regulated mod
* Switching between modes is extremely convenient
* 25mm atties fit nicely
* Comfortable in the hand
Cons:
* The finish is pretty garbage, rubs off in your hand and pocket easily, even if the mod is babied
* Tight potentiometer and battery door, but they loosen up over time.
* Could potentially have a slightly crooked 510 and a reversed voltage pot., but it seems to be fixed now.
* You’ll need a separate device for checking atomizer resistance
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this mod. This is the series mod I take with me to a rough day of work, because I’m not worried about scuffing or damaging it. It’s a mod that I can put any build on, whether I’m running something for series, parallel, or somewhere in between. Not very many mods can boast about the versatility that this one has. It’s also an excellent mod for someone who wants to learn the ropes of building and using a mechanical mod, while still retaining the safety net of a regulated mod. The price is great too!
Is the Cricket II worth your money? Yes, I’ve gotten more than I expected out of the $30 I spent on it, and if mine got busted, I’d pick up another one.
Cricket II product page: http://www.wismec.com/product/noisy-cricket-ii-25/
FastTech page: https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10019842/5508800-authentic-wismec-noisy-cricket-ii-25-vv-box-mod
PHEW, I had a lot more to say about that mod than I thought I did.. If you made it this far, thanks a lot for checking this out! I have no idea what I'm going to review next, but stay tuned! Any and all feedback on my reviews is appreciated.
Vape safe, and keep off those cigs!
- Dakota/irradiated/winter_azure