- Vintage Obsidian

First Impressions
Released in July 2022 (primarily as an international release), the 900 Global Vintage Obsidian fills a very specific niche in the lineup: high-performance urethane. Visually the ball comes in a plain, classic "Obsidian Black," which gives it a timeless look. Under the hood works the symmetrical Reflector Core. For a urethane ball, this core is unusually strongly motorized: with a 2.51 RG and a considerable 0.048 differential (at 15 lbs), it offers noticeably more flare potential than classic urethane options. This core is paired with the S26 Solid Urethane coverstock. The surface comes out of the box with a coarse 1000-grit Abralon finish, which immediately signals that this ball was built for extremely early floor contact and maximum control through the heads and the midlane.
Comparison
The most important point of comparison is the market leader in this segment, the Storm Pitch Black. While the Pitch Black has a very weak core (.022 diff) and therefore runs extremely stable and almost straight, the Vintage Obsidian behaves more dynamically. Thanks to the much higher differential (0.048), the Obsidian generates more flare. That means it keeps putting fresh surface into the oil, which allows it to create somewhat more overall hook than a Pitch Black without losing the typical, smooth urethane arc. Compared to the Hammer Purple Hammer Solid Urethane, the Obsidian reads the lane a touch earlier and looks rounder in motion, less "snappy" at the breakpoint. It is more massive in its roll than a 900 Global Burner, but it does not offer the aggressive backend reaction of reactive balls like the 900 Global Wolverine.
On the Lanes
The Vintage Obsidian is a specialty weapon for short oil patterns or extremely difficult sport patterns where the backends "explode" and reactive balls become uncontrollable. It is ideal for controlling the heads and playing a flat angle into the pocket. Because of the strong core, it suits bowlers better than conventional urethane if you normally have trouble getting urethane balls to carry, since the increased entry angle and the rotation created by the Reflector Core mix the pins better. It is not suited, however, to normal house league conditions with plenty of oil in the midlane, since it would lose energy too early there (burn-out). Its strength lies in taming wet/dry conditions and high friction on the outside boards.