All Hyperion models except for the Phoenix use a single, removable battery while the Phoenix uses a series of smaller, non-removable batteries spaced throughout the hoop. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.
A removable battery means that you never have to stop and wait for your hoop to recharge. When one battery dies, swapping it out takes only a few seconds. Removable battery versions include a 2-slot charger that will charge two batteries in about an hour. The main disadvantage of the removable battery is that it creates a small gap - about an inch and a half - with no LEDs. For many patterns the gap is undetectable, but it becomes more noticeable with dense, bright patterns. The 5/8" Hyperion Lite is an exception and has no battery gap with a removable battery. It accomplishes this using three small LEDs that run above the battery compartment. However, the Hyperion Lite uses smaller batteries and requires more frequent battery changes, and is somewhat more sensitive to rough handling.
The non-removable batteries in the Phoenix together have more than twice the capacity of a single removable battery, and allow for a completely gapless design. The batteries are spaced evenly around the hoop, which keeps the hoop perfectly balanced.
Having a single removable battery means there's slightly more weight on one side of the hoop. Whether the imbalance is noticeable depends on the hoop size and your hooping style. If you select the balancing option, counterweights are added to the hoop at two points to balance out the weight of the battery. This makes the total weight for 3/4" hoops roughly equal to that of the Phoenix.
Another consideration is that all rechargeable batteries will eventually wear out and lose capacity. How long this takes depends on how much you use them, how deeply they're discharged, and their storage temperature. Typically a life of hundreds of charge cycles can be expected if the batteries aren't abused.
Removable batteries for the Hyperion are relatively inexpensive and available all over the world. We tell customers to expect to replace their batteries every year or two for best performance.
Replacing the batteries in the Phoenix requires sending in the hoop for service. With multiple batteries to share the load, though, the Phoenix's batteries can be expected to last longer, and while they will lose some capacity over time they can last for five years or more when charged and stored correctly. Because replacement of Phoenix batteries involves sending hoops in for service, customers outside of the US should take into account the long-term cost of service, particularly for multi-hoop sets. Removable battery models have the advantage of simpler construction and no expendable components, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership. For countries like South Africa with very high shipping costs this can be a major consideration.
Our hoops are available in sizes from 22" to 40" in half-inch increments. The 3/4" models (Hyperion and Hyperion Core) include a free downsize, redeemable any time. Phoenix and Hyperion Lite hoops do not.. All models can be resized, but due to the added complexity of the internal batteries, resizing the Phoenix costs slightly more.
The regular Hyperion and Hyperion Phoenix both use the same 4th generation controller and feature WiFi support with advanced features like Art-Net control capability, a built-in pattern editor, and the ability to keep several hoops synced wirelessly while controlling them all a the same time.
The Hyperion Lite and Hyperion Core have a simplified controller with no WiFi, but all of our hoops (including earlier Gen 3 hoops) now feature short-range IR syncing. As long as all of the hoops have the same pattern set loaded, they can be synced up just by enabling the sync option and then holding the hoops close together for a few seconds. Once they're synced, they'll play the same patterns at the same time, and if the shuffle feature is enabled, they'll all shuffle in the same order. Unlike the WiFi link, though, the sync is not continuous and if settings are changed on a hoop using the remote, they'll get out of sync until they're brought back together again to re-sync.