Speed Review

The Angel speed Review

The Angel Speed is a refreshing contrast to the luxurious, gadget and featured filled Angel IR3. What the Speed lacks in gee-whiz gadgets, it more than makes up for with pure shooting performance.

If you were to glance at a Speed quickly, it doesn't look very different from an Angel IR3 Fly, except that it has a matte finish and conservative milling. The reality is, while the Speed might look like another IR3 with slightly different cosmetics, it's a significantly re-designed machine on the inside, with some true performance advantages that are worth having. Despite the similar body shape that the IR3 and Speed share, there's a greater difference from the IR3 to the Speed than there was from the LCD to the IR3. Some players felt that the IR3 didn't offer that much over the LCD, other than a COPS system (anti-chop) and a 90-degree grip frame.

The Speed's improvements, on the other hand, are internal and substantial. Except for the bolt, there's not much else that's interchangeable between the IR3 and the Speed. Gas flow has been increased significantly; the battery is now a 4.8-volt instead of 6 (saving weight), with the internal Low Pressure Regulator moved to the battery (left) side. This frees up the exhaust valve on right side to extend all the way to the front-end cap. Installing a volumizer makes a huge difference in operational pressure on the Speed.

WDP claims that the new ram is 50 percent more efficient; that dwell times are down by 60 percent, bumping up the potential maximum ROF up to 30bps; the internal, Low Pressure Regulator (LPR) uses one third less pressure for operation; and finally, the new bolt is 20 percent more efficient, another reason for the drop in operational pressure.

The Sensi paintball detect system is an improvement of the COPS sensor from the IR3. The software is much improved and more predictive. Most of these internal improvements, both to the pneumatics and the Sensi system, will be carried over in one form or another to WDP's upcoming IR3 replacement, the Angel 4. This shows WDP's confidence in the upgrades that have happened in the Speed model.

Many of the frills that the IR3 has, have been removed, with the fancy LCD display replaced with a low-tech LED panel. No more vibrating timer, no more infrared signaling, text messaging, max bps, etc.

Angels are complex machines, so I would highly recommend that you purchase your Speed from a retailer (whether it's a local store or on-line) that can also provide qualified service.

When you get a Speed, besides the marker you also get a 14" Infinity barrel anodized to match (bore diameter is 0.689), a Minireg inline regulator optimized for 350psi or lower output, a macro line with fittings to connect your Minireg to your air system, a battery charger (has to be plugged into your car's cigarette lighter), WDP approved Love Juice marker oil, a barrel condom, a small bag of o-rings and various sundry small items, and what has to be the finest looking manual produced to date for a paintball product.

Don't forget that except for the dual threads under the grip to connect your air system and the threads for the in-line regulator, ALL threads are METRIC on Angels. While WDP is kind enough to provide the essential Allen keys, it would be wise to invest in a good quality, metric Allen key set.

A big plus for the Speed is its impressive manual. Heavy gloss cover, with coated paper inside, this is the best-looking paintball manual ever made. Its main sections include operating instructions, covering the external and internal LED menus and an extensive maintenance guide. The diagrams are in full color and are easy to see, three quarter exploded views. The only odd omissions is where exactly you should be lubricating the Speed every 8000 rounds, shooting calibration shots for the Sensi modes, and the installation of the optional volumizer.

Regardless it's a fantastic manual. Read it cover to cover before attempting to use your Speed for the first time.

I'll go into detail later on in this article, but if you want to quickly set up your Speed, these may be some of the common problems you might experience. There is nothing wrong with the marker; it's simply a matter of knowing what to do before your first time playing with it. Here are some common problems that you may or may not encounter.

" First Shot Drop Off or FSDO (the first shot after a short or long wait of not firing is well below the fps you set the Speed at)
" Inconsistent velocities
" Ball breakage even in Sensi mode

" Charge the Speed at least TWICE - this should solve FSDO I charged mine 4 times before using in the field.
" Some users have complained that there is a lot of grease in the internals. Taking the Speed apart, cleaning the LPR, exhaust valve and ram, and then greasing it with Love Juice grease seems to solve inconsistent velocities but i found mine ok from the start. Also to help with consistency, ensure that the LPR is operating at around 75 to 82psi. Set your dwell time to at least 12 milliseconds, no shorter, for at least the first few cases of paint.

" To avoid ball breakage, make sure you take 10 calibration shots if you're using any of the Sensi modes. Calibration shots consist of taking 10 slow shots, one after another, when you first turn the Speed on, which will allow the Sensi program to work properly. Another factor in ball breakage may be your loader. The Revolution and Ricochet are too slow for sustained fire. The Halo B's force-feed system may be pushing down on the paintballs too much. Try using an Evlution II and setting maximum ROF on the Speed to match the Evlution's max as well (16 to 17bps).

Of all the initial problems, the only one I experienced was minor ball breakage (minor being 2 balls out of 6000 rounds) on my Speed. The last case I've used has been perfect, since I started doing calibration shots.

Here are the various pressure ranges you should be looking for with a stock (that is, non-volumized) Speed. The Minireg figure for a Speed with a volumizer will be lower.

" Your air system's (tank) output pressure going into the Speed's Minireg should be between 400 to 500psi.
" Your Minireg's pressure, going into the Speed - around 250psi to 350psi, depending upon the fps you want to achieve.

" The Speed's internal Low Pressure Regulator (which controls the cycling of the ram) should be in the high 70's to low 80's psi. You can take a reading of your LPR with a gauge from WDP.

Besides reading the manual, the other thing you absolutely must do before you play with the Speed for the first time is to charge it for a full four hours more if possible. Use only the Speed's charger that comes with the marker.

Expanding upon the manual, I would suggest that you do TWO full charges of four hours before your first play, as I mentioned earlier. In between the two charges, you may want to fire the marker without paint. By making sure the Speed is fully charged before your first day of play, you'll be able to avoid most First Shot Drop Off (FSDO) problems. The solenoid has some resistance that has to be overcome, and only a properly recharged battery will have enough juice to do this. If it doesn't, then FSDO may be a symptom of that problem.

Despite all the high tech hoopla that new Angels always seem to generate, the basic design is well over six years old now and until the Speed was released, Angels have always been mid- to high-pressure paint markers.

Low-pressure markers can be gentler on paint, leading to less breakage in the breech. The softer cycling can sometimes be easier to on the marker's parts, leading to less wear and tear on the marker. And low pressure sometimes helps with accuracy.

The Speed is the first Angel that operates at 350psi or less input pressure from its Minireg, out of the box. This was achieved through a new, two-piece bolt, opening up the air passages from the valve to the breech and the exhaust valve chamber extends all the way to the front of the marker.

WDP recommends feeding the Minireg (the Speed's in-line regulator, which also acts as a very ergonomic foregrip) 400psi, which the Minireg then chops down to the above-mentioned operating pressure.

According to the manual, the Minireg needs around 400psi feed to function properly. I've found good results with a range of 400psi to 500psi . Nominally, that means you can't use a preset or non-adjustable air system as most of them have a fixed output of around 750 to 850psi (some air systems manufacturers have preset systems that give a low pressure output of 500psi or less, which would be acceptable to use on a Speed). WDP says a fixed, high-pressure system might work as long as the output doesn't exceed 900psi. High velocity may be a problem, and shortening the dwell time may be the only way to compensate for this. Some Speed users who've attempted to use non-adjustable, high-pressure air systems have found they couldn't get the velocity low enough. Others have been OK.

Another problem with fixed systems is WDP says you mustn't feed the marker pressure in excess of 850-900psi. Some non-adjustable systems may be in need of maintenance and are really feeding pressures much higher than that. While the Minireg will cut down the pressure of a fixed output system, there's always a chance it could fail and allow the full output pressure of a fixed system into a Speed, leading to serious damage to its solenoid.

My recommendation is to follow WDP's advice, and get a system which can feed 500psi or less. Whether this is an expensive adjustable nitro system, or a less expensive low pressure fixed system is up to you and your budget, but it would be wiser to do this than to risk using a high pressure, fixed system directly into the Minireg.

The Minireg increases input pressure when you adjust its screw COUNTER-clockwise, and decreases input pressure when adjusted clockwise. This is the reverse of most in-line regs. A really nice aspect of the Minireg is its very ergonomic external housing and the fact that the input is feed from the bottom. This makes it easy to use the Minireg as a foregrip and stabilize the marker.

While the Minireg may not be as technologically advanced or as well designed for high volume/low pressure as the above mentioned regs, the Minireg's excellent ergonomics helps with accuracy in the sense that you can support the Speed very easily with the front hand, taking weight off the trigger hand and its fingers. See the accompanying photos on one good method of holding and supporting the Angel.

WDP claims that the Speed can be operated to as low as 180psi final input with the addition of the largest of their Speed-specific volumizers (it's sold as a set of three different sizes).

The breech is very easy to open, as on previous Angels. The exhaust area has a simpler, molded seal, replacing the o-ring used on previous models. Lubing the steel (instead of brass) hammer every 8000 rounds (every four cases) with Love Juice is done in the breech.

The bolt is very efficient, contributing to part of the reason why the Speed operates at a significantly lower psi than previous Angels. It is made of low maintenance Delrin. Do NOT oil the bolt - Delrin is self-lubricating.

One thing to remember is that Delrin is a relatively soft material. The breech is NOT sealed from the elements. After only one day of play at my favorite outdoor field, Wasaga Beach, I managed to get sand into the breech. The grains got caught between the bolt and the breech, creating some nasty gouges in the bolt and scratches in the breech. Luckily there doesn't seem to be any major detriment to performance, but this is an area that you should clean between each game, just as you would your barrel.

The plastic breech knob can unthread easily, so keep an eye to ensure that this doesn't happen. A dab of Permatex on the threads of the breech rod would be a wise move.

The Speed can reach up to 30 windows of opportunity to fire with Sensi mode on, 22 chances to fire with Sensi mode off (more on Sensi modes in the Electronic Menu sections). The Speed is actually capable of achieving those speeds, in the sense that the marker can fully cycle at that rate. Some manufacturers that claim insane rates of fire at over 60bps are really only referring to the chip's ability to cycle that fast. The rest of the marker may not be able to keep up.

With the Speed, it's not just a fast board. WDP used several technologies in order to get such fast cycle times.

The Opto trigger is non-mechanical. By blocking a beam of light, the marker is fired. For me, the trigger feel is fantastic, making high ROF very, very easy.

The shorter dwell that the Speed can operate at allows more shots per second. You can further adjust the dwell time (anywhere from 8 to 20 milliseconds) if you wish to optimize it for your air system.

As mentioned before, the new bolt is made of Delrin, which is a very light material. The lighter the bolt, the faster it can be cycled.

Note, however that a sustained 30bps is currently not possible, even if the Speed is capable of firing that fast. The reason - loader technology. Loaders are falling further behind markers such as the Speed. 18 months ago, a Viewloader Revolution with an X-board and a six-arm paddle would've been a hot setup. At 13bps, an X-Board Revolution as well as a Ricochet (which is even slower) are now slowpokes when using a Speed. The exceptions to this are front players who are using the Speed. The slightly lower profile and marginally lighter weight of these older loaders might be an advantage, as front players rarely need sustained, high ROF.

The only two loaders that are commonly available worth considering are Viewloader's Evlution II and Odyssey's Halo B. They can "only" fire at a maximum of 17bps and 22bps respectively, but currently, they're the best we have. There's also the Warp Feed hose system, but that requires a loader anyway.

I didn't have a chance to test the Halo B with the Speed, but its faster feed rate would've been a great match. I have, however, read several reports that some Halo B's have compatibility problems with Angel IR3's or Speeds. I can neither substantiate nor deny these reports, so I won't elaborate any further since I can't say first hand. Hopefully, by the time I test the WDP volumizer, I'll also be able to run a Halo B on a Speed and give you a first person account.

On the other hand, the next fastest loader, the Evlution II from Viewloader, worked very well during testing of the Speed. Forget about what you may have heard of the original Evlution - an Evultion II with a Y board is a significantly improved product.

Using the Evlution II with Sensi Mode 1 and 2, I experienced two ball breaks out of the first 6000 rounds. After getting that, I was more comfortable with the Speed, and also starting doing calibration shots. I didn't break any paint during the last 2000 rounds for this test. It is possible during peak moments to outrun the Evlution II, but it didn't happen very often.

Since you can fire an entire hopper very quickly, I would recommend getting the clear version. It's really the only way to keep tabs on how many rounds you have left.

One both positive and negative aspect of the Evlution II is its polycarbonate shell. It's higher quality and stronger than previous Viewloader shells. The downside is its feed tube is also made from the same, strong & rigid material and it's too large in diameter for the Speed's feed neck. On older Viewloaders, the material was soft enough that you can simply jam the tube into most marker feed necks. Not so this time - I had to sand down the Evlution II's feed tube with a dremel tool in order to make it fit. So be prepared to work on a customized fit (the same will be required on a Halo B as well).

The bottom line is that the Speed is truly one of the fastest cycling markers available today. It's faster than the best loaders out there and it looks like it will be some time before we see loaders that can feed at 30bps. So the Speed will be a viable marker for a a while.

Except for the occasional game here and there, I haven't used pre-Speed Angels very much. The times I did, I found the accuracy wasn't bad, but I still preferred my Automag back then. Also, older Angels also had a substantial kick or recoil, degrading the stability of the marker.

I was quite impressed with the accuracy of the Speed. The groupings are very tight, and the trajectory seems flatter. The Speed's kick is much reduced. The increase in stability of the marker meant that it's easier to hold on a target. Overall, I found the Speed's accuracy was more than acceptable and I don't miss my mag.

" Use tournament quality paint that was stored properly before you opened the case.
" Match the barrel to the paint carefully.
" Have the input air extremely well regulated (in this case, double regulated), to ensure consistent input of pressure, shot after shot.
" Soft recoil, to allow a stable platform.
" Avoid broken paint through an anti-chop system and gentle cycling of the marker.

The last three points, great regulation, soft recoil and avoiding broken paint, have been taken care of by the Speed Air system I've attached to it.

There's nothing wrong with the stock, Infinity barrel that comes with the Speed. It's 0.689 in diameter, but if it's not your cup of tea then you can allways bye another after market barrel.

When you turn the Speed on, it takes a few seconds for it to do a battery check. Make sure you have the Speed activated and gassed up well BEFORE thestart of a game!

You can check a few things with the external buttons (along the spine of the grip) and the rest inside the grip frame. The left cheek of the rubber grip has to be opened, unthreading the three screws. Do this carefully, as it's easy to strip the threads of the grip frame.

External controls include the Sensi test (checking to make sure the Sensi function is working), turning Sensi mode on or off (the off position is the fifth shooting mode), battery status and Maximum Rate of Fire.

Of note for external functions - when doing the Sensi test and dropping a ball into the breech, keep your eyes on the LED display. The LED's that indicate a successful drop are on for a very brief time, so don't even blink, otherwise you won't see it.

Maximum Rate of Fire should be adjusted to the maximum rate your loader can feed your marker. If you have the MROF beyond that, you'll simply increase the risk of chopping, even with one of the Sensi modes activated.

The Speed is advertised as having five shooting modes. Those consist of 4 modes with the Sensi Mode activated, with bps up to 30. The fifth mode is the Sensi off, maximum 22bps. Sensi software controls the Piezo sensor that detects the weight of a ball in the breech. This system does NOT detect a ball visually or through beam interruption, so dirt and paint won't affect it in that way, although you still do have to keep the system clean in order to allow the spindle to move smoothly.

Strangely, it's not mentioned in the manual to fire five to ten shots first, to calibrate the Sensi mode. I recommend that you do this, as this will allow the system to read the weight of the ball and the speed of the drop.

Modes 1 & 3 with Sensi on are designed so it will not chop paint. Mode 1 is optimized for rapid fire in short peaks (similar to what a front or mid player might shoot); Mode 3 is for sustained fire (like what a back player would do).

If the sensor (the Piezo sensor mentioned above, with a plastic spindle, the top of which extends into the breech) doesn't detect a ball, the marker will NOT fire. The player has to pull the trigger again, hopefully load a ball at this point, and then the marker will fire.

I've found these modes to be a bit strange at first. Cycling the trigger rapidly and not having any paint fly out the barrel is a bit unsettling. The reason for this is that the Evlution II can feed only 17 rounds per second. The Speed is so easy to fire quickly, it's possible to exceed 17bps at peak moments. So there are many instances where the loader was simply not able to load a ball quickly enough. In addition, I managed to break a ball anyway (although it was only one out of 4000 rounds).

Modes 2 & 4 are also Sensi modes. The difference is that if a ball is not detected, the Speed will create a small delay, and then fire, whether or not there is a ball being detected by the sensor. There is a chance of breaking a ball, but this time, the player does not have to pull the trigger again to institute another firing cycle. Mode 2 is best for high peak ROF, while Mode 4 is for sustained fire.

I did indeed break one ball in Mode 2, but this was only one out of 4000 rounds. Also, it might've been a barrel break rather than one at the bolt or breech, as those areas were clean. Once I did my 10 calibration shots , I was able to shoot a perfect (i.e., no breaks) case. I found these Modes to be easier to use out of the box, as they shoot once for every single trigger pull. Mode 2 is my preferred setting.

Mode 5 is with Sensi completely off. Maximum ROF is capped at 22bps. This would be useful if you really don't like using the Sensi feature. It's a bit of shame not to use one of the first four modes, but if you just can't get used to the Sensi, then this is a way of turning it off.

Most players who don't have luck with Sensi at first usually have a marker with too much packing grease on the Sensi spindle. It's important to make sure that area is completely clean, so clean out any paint that might've gotten into this area too. Also, don't forget to fire at least five to ten shots to calibrate the system first.

Dwell settings - I would recommend that you go no shorter than 12 milliseconds during your first few cases. 12 milliseconds are all three green LED's plus two yellow LED's activated on the grip frame display.

In general, a shorter dwell setting (8 to 11 milliseconds) leads to a quieter, more efficient marker, with less recoil. The input pressure may have to be slightly higher for a shorter dwell, but the Speed is a low-pressure marker anyway, so this isn't a big deal.

The main reason to go to a longer dwell (13 milliseconds or more) would be to make the marker more tolerant of inconsistent paint. The price is a louder, less efficient marker with noticeable recoil.

A method of determining your ideal dwell pressure after you've put a few cases through the Speed to break it in is this -

" The dwell range available on the Speed is between 8 to 20 milliseconds. Set it in between, at around 12 to 14 milliseconds.
" Achieve your desired fps over a chronograph, by adjust the input pressure on your Minireg.
" Once you have your desired fps, increase the dwell all the way up to 20 milliseconds. Your marker is now inefficient (gas hog) and loud.
" Fire the marker over the chronograph. Note the velocity. It's probably about the same or a bit higher than your initial fps.
" Lower the dwell by one millisecond and then fire over the chronograph.
" Your velocity will either stay the same or drop slightly
" Continue to shorten your dwell and checking fps. At a certain point, your fps will drop BELOW your desired fps. Stop reducing your dwell setting at this point and go up one dwell setting. This is your optimum dwell time.

If the dwell time is higher than you'd like, try increasing your input pressure and then retest. A higher input pressure generally means a shorter dwell time.

If I had to choose, I'd sacrifice an ultra low pressure for a shorter dwell time (i.e., I'd set the Minireg to a higher pressure). As mentioned, the Speed is a very low-pressure marker anyway, especially with a volumizer. So going up slightly in pressure to get a quieter, more efficient, and more stable marker is a small price to pay.

Follow WDP's recommendation of oiling your Speed every 8000 rounds, and then greasing the internals every 20,000 rounds.

I've canvassed my dealer as well as a few sources on the Web to find out where exactly the Speed should be lubed every 8000 rounds, because in the Maintenance - General Care & Cleaning section (Page 16) of the Speed manual, it doesn't actually mention this fact. My dealer and several reliable Web sources (see Appendix at the end of this article) say a couple of drops in the hammer, which can be accessed once the Rotabreech is open. One Web source recommends this as well as a couple of drops in the air line leading to the Minireg.

The grease to use every 20,000 rounds is Love Juice Extreme Grease. The Speed manual goes through the disassembly and reassembly of the internals that requiring greasing very well so there is no need to repeat that here. I would strongly recommend that you purchase the specialized tools (as well as the LPR gauge) required to disassemble the Speed without damaging it. Either that, or bring your marker to a qualified Angel service center and have them do it for you instead.

The essential peripherals we've already covered - a fast, reliable loader such as the Evlution II. Precise paint fit through quality paint and the use of a barrel system such as the Freak or dye. Use a high quality, adjustable air system with a very high flow rate.

Besides that equipment plus correct setup, the beauty of the Speed is it is tournament ready and doesn't require much in the way of upgrades. Adding useless accessories to a Speed, which is a top-level marker stripped down to its bare essentials, is contradictory.

About the only other thing I would add would be the large Speed volumizer from WDP. These new volumizers designed specifically for the Speed, with the largest one in the three-volumizer set being much larger in size than volumizers previously available for the IR3 or LED.

The new Speed volumizers also have a shorter thread distance. Older volumizers may actually thread too far into the Speed body. I'll write an article once I have time to properly test the largest WDP volumizer,.