Tests and Review: Nine by Pipeline / Dicodes ~ The Vapelier

Commercial characteristics

Sponsor having loaned the product for the magazine: The Little Vapoteur
Price of the tested product: 229 Euros
Product category according to its selling price: Luxury (over 120 euros)
Mod type: Variable power electronics and temperature control
Is the mod telescopic? No
Maximum power: 60 watts
Maximum voltage: 12
Minimum value in Ohms resistance for a start: Less than 0.1

Reviewer comments on business characteristics

Pipeline is one of the benchmarks in the field of “high-end” electronic mods. He built his reputation on his first and then second tubular mod, the Pipeline 1 and 2, which are still today the only regulated electronic mods that send a flat AC signal.

But now, electronic tubular mods are now a thing of the past and it is the boxes that crystallize all the attention of the market. After a long gestation (too long perhaps), Dicodes and Pipeline have finally launched into this sector with two boxes: the Eight and the Nine.

For today, it is the Nine that I am entrusted for a test. With a price of 229 € (excluding batteries), this box is really at the top of the range and the price per watt (I like this indicative report) and 3,8 € where Chinese boxes display a price 10 times lower. So, shall we break the piggy bank?

Physical characteristics and felt quality

Width or Diameter of the product in mms: 30
Product Length or Height in mms: 80.5
Product weight in grams: 271
Material composing the product: Stainless steel, Aluminum
Form Factor Type: Flange
Decorative style: Classic
Quality of decoration: Good
Is the coating of the mod sensitive to fingerprints? No
All components of this mod seem well assembled? Yes
Fire button position: Lateral near the top cap
Fire button type: Mechanical metal on contact rubber
Number of buttons making up the interface, including touch zones if they are present: 2
Type of user interface buttons: Mechanical metal on rubber contact
Quality of interface button (s): Good, flush button is very responsive
Number of parts in the product: 2
Number of threads: 2
Quality of the threads: Excellent
Overall, do you appreciate the quality of manufacture of this product with regard to its price? Yes

Rating of the vapelier as to feelings quality: 4 / 5

Reviewer's comments on physical characteristics and perceived quality

The Nine adopts an original design, the name indicates that the shape is inspired by the number 9. Now, for me, it could be a painter's palette or a kind of bean (there, I push a little). We therefore have a very curved design which allows to lighten the massive appearance of the box. The measurements are 80,5mm high, 54mm wide, 30mm in its thickest part (the one that accommodates the 26650 battery) and finally, 23mm in its thinnest part (the one that receives the atomizer). It seems well proportioned but it is clear that we are not on the compact.

The assembly and materials are impeccable. The stainless steel 1.4305 and the anodized aluminum convey an undeniable feeling of high quality. Everything is perfectly assembled and does not suffer from any defect of fit.
The OLED screen is placed next to the 510 pin on the top-cap. This same 510 pin is beryllium copper for better conductivity and the thread is, of course, perfect.

The bottom-cap, it accommodates the access hatch to the battery which takes the form of a flat cap that will be screwed or unscrewed using a coin. The thread is, again, nickel.

Finally: the buttons. The fire button is well made, it bears the logo of the brand but we can regret two things however. Firstly, the disappearance of the excellent button from the Pipeline pro and secondly, that the button turns on itself, the logo is therefore never in place and this does not match the quality spirit of the rest. The control buttons are of good quality but a bit noisy.

All in all, one can only appreciate the legendary German quality and it is difficult to find any real flaws in it. At the same time, this is not extraordinary given the price. It's just, in my opinion, normal.

Functional features

Type of chipset used: Owner
Connection type: 510, Ego - via adapter
Adjustable positive stud? Yes, through a spring.
Lock system ? Electronic
Quality of the locking system: Good, the function does what it is for
Features offered by the mod: Switching to mechanical mode, Battery charge display, Resistance value display, Protection against short circuits from the atomizer, Protection against reverse polarity of batteries, Display of the Current vape voltage, Display of the current vape power, Variable protection against overheating of the atomizer resistors, Temperature control of the atomizer resistors, Display brightness adjustment, Clear diagnostic messages
Accusability: 26650
Does the mod support stacking? No
Number of batteries supported: 1
Does the mod retain its configuration without batteries? Yes
Does the mod offer a recharge feature? Charging by AC adapter sold separately
Is the recharge function pass-through? No
Does the mode offer a Power Bank function? No power bank function offered by the mod
Does the mode offer other functions? No other function offered by the mod
Presence of air flow regulation? Yes
Maximum diameter in mms of compatibility with an atomizer: 23
Accuracy of the output power at full charge of the battery: Excellent, there is no difference between the requested power and the real power
Accuracy of the output voltage at full charge of the battery: Excellent, there is no difference between the requested voltage and the actual voltage

Vapelier's note regarding functional characteristics: 4.8 / 5

Reviewer's comments on functional features

This box offers a lot of functions and settings. Here is the exhaustive list:

From 5W to 60W for the power range.
Output current of 20A.
Adjustable positive spring-mounted stud.
OLED screen.
Temperature control (possible with different resistive wires).
Heat protection mode.
Power Boost Mode.
Bypass mode (unregulated but electronically protected against overloads).
Possible setting of the cut-off voltage of the battery from 2,5V to 3V.
Measurement of the resistance.
Display of the battery voltage under atomizer charge.
Brightness of the adjustable screen.
Stealth mode, screen off.
Setting and displaying the scrolling speed of the menu.
Setting the sleep timer.
Measurement of the battery capacity.
Information menu.
Resistance range of the supported atomizer: from 0,05 to 5Ω.
Resistance range of the atomizer supported at 60W: from 0,15 to 2,4Ω.
Reverse polarity protection.
Overheating protection.
Charging connector under the mod (for docking station not included)

Everything works perfectly well. No USB port, but a contact installed in a bottom-cap cavity and which allows recharging by a dock not provided.

No bad surprises, but no revolution either, it's serious Pipeline as we like with a multitude of possibilities.

Evaluation of the packaging

Presence of a box accompanying the product: Yes
Would you say that the packaging is up to the price of the product? Yes
Presence of a user manual? No
Is the manual understandable for a non-English speaker? No
Does the manual explain ALL features? No

Vapelier's note on packaging: 2 / 5

Reviewer's comments on conditioning

The box is presented in a beautiful metal box bearing the logo of the brand. The box is wedged in a foam.

The rating could have been better because the packaging is very correct, but what weighs it down is once again, the absence of instructions. You have to download it from the site, it's still a bit limited, especially when you see Chinese products, lower range, which offer instructions translated into French. I will also add that we only have the box, no battery, no recharging system, it's a bit rough for 229 €!

Appreciations in use

Transport facilities with the test atomizer: Nothing helps, requires a shoulder bag
Disassembly and cleaning facilities: Easy, even standing on the street, with a simple Kleenex
Easy to change the batteries: Easy, even standing in the street
Did the mod heat up? No
Has there been any erratic behavior after a day of use? No
Description of situations in which the product has experienced erratic behavior

Vapelier's rating in terms of ease of use: 4/5

Reviewer's comments on the use of the product

A Pipeline mod is not necessarily easy to understand in settings and menus. In terms of menus, there are always so many but the arrival of the buttons [+] and [-] makes the thing more digestible, once swallowed the five pages of the manual that you will download.

The clutter, and I will add, the urge to preserve your expensive toy will push you to carry it in your bag.

The battery is accessible, the Germans have bet on a simple and resistant system over time, by adopting the threaded plug, but some may see a side a little outdated and not daring.

In terms of autonomy, the box holds up well in cool use, from 5 to 25W, but from 40W on a Griffin type atomizer in double Clapton coil, the autonomy of the battery goes down quite quickly.

The screen is readable and, of course, the quality of the vape is still as attractive, even if it is clear that this particularity is losing ground in the face of the undeniable progress of Chinese competitors in particular.
The only real downside for me, the left-hander, is the ergonomics. Perfect for a right-hander, the left-hander is condemned to shoot with the thumb. Personally, I am not a fan and I would have appreciated an adaptable or specific model.

A good box, which once set according to your tastes, will bring you a super quality vape.

Recommendations for use

Type of batteries used during the tests: 26650
Number of batteries used during the tests: 1
With what type of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? Dripper, Classic fiber, Sub-ohm assembly, Genesis-type rebuildable
With which model of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? What you like as long as the diameter is less than 23mm
Description of the test configuration used: Griffin double clapton coil, Kaifun 4 mounted at one ohm, and the Squape x
Description of the ideal configuration with this product: it's up to you, note that the resistive wire recommended for the TC is NiFe30

was the product liked by the reviewer: Yes

Overall average of the Vapelier for this product: 4.5 / 5

Link to a video review or blog maintained by the reviewer author of the review

The mood ticket of the reviewer

Here, the Nine harvest of course a good note. It's impossible not to emphasize the almost irreproachable quality of the product.

The vape is still as pleasant and the many settings more easily manageable thanks to the arrival of the buttons [+] and [-].

The design is successful even if it does not offer perfect ergonomics for all, left-handed people have been a little forgotten on this occasion.

The only problem is that this box comes at a time when the Chinese and the Americans have already shared the lion's share, in all tariff sectors. I think the gap between different brands is getting smaller and German Pipeline only has its two year warranty to really stand out.

So I can't tell you that this box is bad or that it is not worth the asking price. I still adore the sensations that this AC chipset brings as much, but I think that only aficionados of the brand will afford this luxury, because at € 3,80 euro, the watt we might have hoped for more daring and performance.

Good vape

Vince

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