While LevelSix has proven they're not some cheap alternative, many players still focus on BNS and Redoctane as the two key players in the DDR product scene. Last time around it was a hard decision as both products were brand new to the market and suffering issues of their own. Now we look at their highly refined state and put them to the test.
BNS Ultra DX Xtreme
The BNS is the one that breaks the trend, using a slick vinyl top the BNS aims to please by a setup that runs as stiff as the 3.1 and offers instant response, the Ultra DX shows refined design throughout the pad such as the vinyl top which catches the socks instead of letting them slide, the tight fit makes for quick arrow response as the top doesn't sink in. The test for the pad is the deadly L,R madness in a custom edit for Dead End, the point of the nonstop L,R combo setup is to see how well the pad can really respond and how well the PCB can process these commands to the system, while about 1/4 in I died but the pad didn't, I registered continuous hits to the pad during my standing session. A few more tries got me a bit further but really the test did what it was supposed to and the Ultra DX Xtreme was not phased. Next up was Afronova from 3rd Mix on basic for some freestyle fun, while the socks don't slip as much as on the nylon style top, it tends to slip a bit more on the ground as it doesn't absorb as much of the impact due to the extra tight vinyl top. Kinda hurts things a bit but by cheating and using some duct tape strips to hold it to the ground the problem gets fixed pretty easy. Overall the pad performs well but slippage is a bit more of a factor when jumping and more active movements come into play. The PC and XBOX tests went flawless, the pc showed no lag in response from the pad and the XBOX worked with no issues at all minus the assignment of buttons which happened to all pads on the converter. The improvements are a welcome change from the old design especially in PC compatibility, BNS has come a long way from the original Ultra DX back in 2002.
Redoctane Ignition 2.0
The Redoctane Ignition is held as one of the top pads to have on the market, a unique foam pad comes in this model, no where near as thick as the Ultra DX or the Deluxe pad but still able to offer a high level of resistance and a unique rebound to the feet which doesn't kill your feet in the way that some of the pads did after time. It seems that due to the extra air trapped inside the Ignition 2.0 forms a bit of an air cushion to offer relief during extendend play. The accuracy of the pad isn't compromised with this change and the pad seems to be able to stay on the ground with little trouble during normal play, when taking things up a notch for Drop Out and Paranoia Evolution the Ignition starts to do a little slide depending where high weight transfer is but it remains under control for the most part. When taking up freestyle songs such as End of the Century or D2R the pad shifts a bit more, due to the design though it seems to keep a relatively limited slide, I'm not sure if the nonslip surface on the bottom is a different material or if it's something to do with a thinner insert. Either way the Ignition 2.0 blows away the original with ease, if anything it's motivation to never consider going back to any pad using the super soft insert that the first generations used. While it packs the highest price it proves to have different quirks that make it a cut above the average deluxe pad. Usage on the PC and XBOX platforms matched the BNS song for song in accuracy and compatibility the two performed so close on each song it was a bit scary.
With all this said lets move onto the final numbers, it's been a heck of a ride and my feet and legs are killing me, these pads have had a lot of wear and tear, I'm suprised that they could handle some of the songs they went through especially with some of the custom tracks and edits on stepmania.
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