Arbiter With Obsidian Lite Sound

[GregG124]

I've received the pleasure of purchasing my first saber with sound. I went with the Obsidian Lite sound in order to have a more cost efficient saber during the holidays. I ordered an Arbiter with Consular Green and Sunrider's Destiny Flash on Clash and a silver non-illuminated AV switch. Saying that I am impressed would be a huge understatement.

I will begin with the things that I was less impressed by.

-Flash On Clash: I attempted the SRD FoC as I thought it would be more noticeable than it is. When I was using the saber for the first time, I actually thought that the Flash on Clash had never been installed. Taking a closer look, I noticed the subtle change from CG to SRD. Although it is not my preference, I can see why that subtle FoC would work quite well for some people (I think I will go with silver in the future).

-Battery Pack/Soundboard/Speaker: When I removed the pommel to inspect the inner workings of the saber I noted a black piece (which I suspect is the speaker) that I don't know how to get behind in order to access the battery back. If anyone can assist me with accessing the battery pack I would greatly appreciate your help.

Now Moving Into The Aspects That Truly Make an Ultrasaber the Best.

-The Sleek Design of the Hilt: One of my favorite things about the Arbiter was it's simple and almost classic design. My first thought when looking at the hilt was, "Wow! What can I add to make it personal?" The Arbiter's hilt is simple and it allows any saber lover to add personal flair to it.

-The Brightness: I activated the saber in a semi dark room (no lights on, but I had my curtains open which revealed a cloudy and rather grey day). The Consular Green illuminated the room in its entirety (about a 300 square foot room). Even my deep blue walls had a green tint to them.

-The Loudness: The sound was extremely loud and resonant (partially because of the pommel from what I've heard), but not ear piercingly loud. It was a comfortable flow of sound. The motion and clash sounds all sound straight out of a movie. The idle hum remained loud and the saber's sound grew when in motion or when a clash was activated.

-The Weight: The saber is light enough to handle with either one or two hands and also light enough to quickly spin and maneuver with it, while at the same time the saber is heavy enough that (with the proper heavy grade blade) you can put force into your swings in a duel. The saber fits comfortable in my hands (which are rather large) and it feels well balanced.

-THE COST: Including my overnight shipping (which was slightly more that 65 U.S. Dollars) I paid around $320. I bought a working lightsaber that can take many more hits than that of my Hasbro FX. I expected to spend upwards of $500 and was impressed when I saw my checkout price of around $270.


The Verdict: 10/10 -- The saber is everything I hoped it to be, from the customer service to the feel of the saber to the price that I paid. I would've given the saber a 9, but my gripes with the purchase are partially my fault, and just things I don't know how to do yet. So giving my (damn near) perfect saber anything less than a 10 would be unfair. Overall, I am beyond impressed with Ultrasabers and I will gladly and willingly save up money to buy another saber in the future.



If my review has been helpful to you in anyway, light side points are appreciated. Also, if you have any questions regarding the saber, feel free to ask away.

Thanks,
Greg

[James Casey]

-Battery Pack/Soundboard/Speaker: When I removed the pommel to inspect the inner workings of the saber I noted a black piece (which I suspect is the speaker) that I don't know how to get behind in order to access the battery back. If anyone can assist me with accessing the battery pack I would greatly appreciate your help.

A few suggestions:

Remove the pommel and, holding your Arbiter in a reverse grip, thrust the open end 2-3 times sharply downwards. This should encourage the speaker/battery pack to slide out the end of the hilt.
With the pommel off, tap the open end quite hard on something soft but firm - a cushion on the floor, for example.
With the blade out, slide something long and thin like a knitting needle or chopstick down from the emitter end and gently push the battery back out the pommel end.

It's a snug fit and prevents the battery pack rattling around inside the hilt, where it might get damaged, but it can be a bit of a pain getting it out the first few times until you get the hang of it.

Good review, and glad you're enjoying your Arbiter. I do like the look of that hilt, but generally I prefer shorter hilts... Still, one to think about!

[hazard502]

Yes I really enjoyed your review!  The Arbiter is rarely looked at so closely at it's nice to hear your personal take on it.  Well done and an appreciation point awarded

[GregG124]

Yes I really enjoyed your review!  The Arbiter is rarely looked at so closely at it's nice to hear your personal take on it.  Well done and an appreciation point awarded

Thank you! I'm actually trying to figure out some customization on the saber, but I don't know where to start. If you have any suggestions I'd appreciate it.

[dasweallycool]

-Flash On Clash: I attempted the SRD FoC as I thought it would be more noticeable than it is. When I was using the saber for the first time, I actually thought that the Flash on Clash had never been installed. Taking a closer look, I noticed the subtle change from CG to SRD. Although it is not my preference, I can see why that subtle FoC would work quite well for some people (I think I will go with silver in the future).

This is a shame as, FOC on the Obs LITE isn't changeable, but IS one of the many things you can change on the Obs V3/4.. pretty sure you can change how much it flickers..

Great to point this out though! I'm just finalising options and was second thinking about getting FOC.. probs won't now due to cost anyway, but good for others to know this. I'm sure Emory will be happy to take pointers though as tweaking the Obs LITE default options would be good anyway to keep everyone happy, if you pay for FOC it's prob good to be a bit more prominent.

Cool review though!

Adz

[Kouri]

Don't think the FoC issue has to do with the board - simply that a non-contrasting color was selected that's hard to see against the original blade.

Best contrast against a Green blade would be magenta (Violet Amethyst or Bane's Heart), Silver's always a good option, and Red or Amber should also work fine. A little electronics know-how, and the existing saber could be rewired for a more noticeable FoC. I'm guessing an RGGB LED was used, so GG could be wired together for the main blade, RB for magenta FoC.

I was working on a US Blade Color Wheel way back when. I might finish that to help folks select FoC colors. General rule of thumb being to select silver or a color on the opposite side of the wheel.

[Darth Small]

One of the main reasons why I end up spending the extra dollar on emerald is so that I can choose the perfect FOC. I have a green Consular and my favorite choice for FOC is yellow. Truthfully yellow FOC looks great on any color except purple. I prefer the yellow FOC because in the OT there was a yellow flash when sabers would hit. I took a video of my dad having a play duel with my nephew and he was using my graflex with blue blade, yellow FOC and it looked just like it did in the movies. I couldn't suggest yellow FOC enough.

[GregG124]

This is a shame as, FOC on the Obs LITE isn't changeable, but IS one of the many things you can change on the Obs V3/4.. pretty sure you can change how much it flickers..

Great to point this out though! I'm just finalising options and was second thinking about getting FOC.. probs won't now due to cost anyway, but good for others to know this. I'm sure Emory will be happy to take pointers though as tweaking the Obs LITE default options would be good anyway to keep everyone happy, if you pay for FOC it's prob good to be a bit more prominent.

Cool review though!

Adz

Hi Friend,

Now don't get me wrong, I love FoC and it is well worth the money, I simply chose a color that wasn't the best option. If you are getting a saber (as long as it is not silver or orange) I would highly recommend purchasing the silver FoC. It is extremely noticeable and adds great flair to your saber.

-Greg

[dasweallycool]

Thats ok, I think I'm gonna get some Yari pikes in the same order anyway so may need the $35 to go towards them

[RedComet]

Very cool review, I almost opted the Arbiter instead of the more traditional Archon 2.1. Something about the length of the Arbiter reminds me of Kyle Katarn's second lightsaber. NOW THAT would be awesome. Also saw the post about the yellow FoC. I always thought yellow was prominent in the clash effects too. I'll keep this choice in mind when I eventually get a fully loaded saber.