I have the Japan version, Speedmaster 200, which as far as I can tell is the same thing, only black. It is an extremely smooth reel, but having said that, it takes quite a bit to get used to especially if you are used to fishing the green curados, and I'm not sure if I like it better. The newer ones are heavier, and the difference is quite noticeable, at least for me, and I think it affects the overall sensitivity of your combo. My rods balanced well with the older curados, but with the new one, the combo feels butt heavy, which is a hard thing to fix. I think there's almost 1oz difference between the new curados and the older SuperFree curados. Fishing the senkos and ikas, I dont know, I am thinking of going back to the older curados, and saving the new one for something that requires more continuous cranking. Only time will tell I guess, any new gear with significant changes probably requires time to get used to it. The larger sideplate thing hasnt bothered me too much, but I'm glad I didnt get rid of any of my trusty green curados.

Foofish