PV Audio's Playtest Thread

[Posture Guy]

pv......love the reviews.

I just demoed Pacific Classic Gut with B5E crosses, and loved it.

Then I tried the same mains with Co-Focus crosses and wow, REALLY loved that. In the midst of drilling went back to try the B5E and now in comparison it felt dead.

the gut mains/co-focus crosses is so far the best combo I've yet found. Great spin, very good control, controllable power, excellent touch, and I LOVE the way it feels, and especially how it sounds. Just terrific in my Volkl V1 Classic MP.

Haven't tried Scorpion, but I love the feel of the co-focus. Wow, what a great combo.

Note: as a reference, I strung it at 60/56 on a Neos 1000, double pulling each main and cross per Irvin's video/suggestion for more replicating the results from a constant pull machine.

[mixedmedia]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

Keep switching between Co Focus and Scorpion. Damn these German polys, damn them. It's now become like my picking between Scorpion and B5E mains. Each has its own delicious feel. I don't think I tried LT/CoFocus at proper tension, but even now, after settling them in, I think the WT/CoFocus bed is better. The Scorpion gives more control, yes, but I don't know. It just lacks that responsiveness.

Maybe Classic Touch/Scorpion is the answer! I feel you though; I too am having a terrible time picking between these German polys.

[pvaudio]

A local guy here actually bought a racquet from a TTW member, and it just so happens that he contacted me for stringing. Guy knew his stuff: wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. Racquet is a Wilson K90. Strings are WhisperTouch Pro / CoFocus at 52/49. His thoughts after using it:

Hey man, just want to give you my first impressions of the racquet and string set-up. So the K90 strung with our setup is . . . a total spin machine! For one, I think the racquet itself I think is geared more for spin, with the open string pattern, and the way the racquet swings--it really knives through the air. It really has a different feel than the ncode; I've read that the weight distribution is different, and I think the K90 is likely more polarized, which makes for great spin potential and more maneuverability. Granted I haven't played it with another string, but I do know that I was getting a gobs of topspin (and some wicked slice) at club Thursday. I mean balls would look like they were going out and then just dive and kick. This happened a lot. I got a lot of free points and weak balls back this way. It was great! That heavy ball is something I really wanted -- and I think the racquet with this setup work together well to achieve it. And I felt like I had plenty of control -- I could add racquet head speed and the added pace would be complemented with the wicked spin and keep the balls in. It's likely that there are a lot of shots I can pull off with this racquet and set up that I couldn't do as easily before--things like angle shots and approach shots, where that added spin helps. (By the way, hitting one of those high kicking balls to a fellow's backhand makes for a great approach shot!) And I like the feel of the gut -- my sense is that it will really shine up at the net and on precision-type shots hit around the service line. One volley I hit in particular sticks out since it felt great.--I will have to experiment a bit with dampening; the rubberband I was using dampened a bit too much (combined with the low string tension) -- I'll have to find something really lightweight like a rubberband but that allows for more response from the string-bed. But in due time. Just wanted to let you know that I think we've created a heavy ball monster Thanks for your help!

[levy1]

Pmaxx wisper touch 1.20 is 50-60lbs recommended.
Pmaxx Light touch 1.20 is 25-50lbs recommended
racket A Pmaxx LT mains MSV Hex Cross 48/45
racket B Pmaxx Wt mains WC Scorpion Cross 50/47

Racket A is the best and I can do no wrong. Excellent power, control and spin not to mention feel. Racket B I hit long often, feels harsh and I do not have the control I have with A.

Can anyone suggest why I like B over A? Is it the Pmaxx wisper touch or the Light touch.

The above rackets are 50-62 tension.
I will have a new racket tomorrow. Tension is 52-68. I am thinking of trying 50/47. with Scorpion crosses. Should I use the LT or WT.

[pvaudio]

I've flopped back, the WT just feels more lively. The dwell time of the LT is likely what you're noticing, but it's just not the same. the LT racquet will give you more margin of error, but it won't give even remotely close responsiveness. That's why I switched back to WT/CoFocus. After the LT/Scorpion settled, it was just too mushy and felt like a pusher's setup.

[levy1]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

I've flopped back, the WT just feels more lively. The dwell time of the LT is likely what you're noticing, but it's just not the same. the LT racquet will give you more margin of error, but it won't give even remotely close responsiveness. That's why I switched back to WT/CoFocus. After the LT/Scorpion settled, it was just too mushy and felt like a pusher's setup.

OK but can I use the WT at low tensions say at 47 or 50? I haven't tried the Co Focus but I will order some.

[mixedmedia]

That should be fine with the WT. I use it at 54 and may drop a couple pounds.

[mixedmedia]

PV, how much affect does switching to livelier gut mains have compared to switching to livelier poly crosses?

[levy1]

Originally Posted by levy1

OK but can I use the WT at low tensions say at 47 or 50? I haven't tried the Co Focus but I will order some.

PV please answer this for me. Thanks

[levy1]

Co focus on the way and I am ordering some more WT now. My rackets are really dialed in!

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by levy1

OK but can I use the WT at low tensions say at 47 or 50? I haven't tried the Co Focus but I will order some.

Yeah, you can. I've used WT in the high 40s no problem. My standard now is WT mains at 52.

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by mixedmedia

PV, how much affect does switching to livelier gut mains have compared to switching to livelier poly crosses?

The liveliness of the gut is a huge factor, but the poly is also equally huge. Let's take three smooth polys of roughly the same gauge: WC Scorpion, WC Silverstring and MSV CoFocus. The gut mains the same, the MSV cross racquet is going to feel like a cannon compared to the Silverstring. That isn't to say that the MSV has poor control. It's exactly the reason why I love natural gut crosses: it lets you fine tune and get the most out of your mains. Poly crosses let you fine tune and get the most out of your gut. YOu basically get all the standard benefits of gut, but then can make it softer, more powerful, more spinny, more control, crisper, etc.

[Torres]

I think I'm going to give this whisper touch/co-focus stuff a try to see what the hooo-har is all about.

Unfortunately, I don't have either of those strings lying around...though I can probably get some Co-Focus off the Bay.

Of the gut, I do have:-

1. Klip Legend 1.25
2. Performaxx Touch 17
3. VS 16

Which of those would you recommend with Co-Focus in a 98/18x20 (Youtek Prestige MP) and a 95/18x20 (BLX 6.1)?

Is there another poly cross that you would recommend if I can't get hold of Co-Focus. I have a whole load ranging from WC, Tourna, Polyfibre, Lux etc. Is MSV Focus Hex any good? I have some of that lying around, though of course, its a shaped string.

Have to say though I'm still a bit confused by your reviews. In the WT/Scorpion review you say that you were underwelmed and disappointed with the gut mains, but in the WT/Co-Focus review, you rate everything off the scale. Am I missing something?

[Posture Guy]

if you can order from TW, they have it.

[levy1]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

Yeah, you can. I've used WT in the high 40s no problem. My standard now is WT mains at 52.

Thanks, I tried to order 2 sets of WT but they only had one. Cant wait to try the new setup with co focus.

[mixedmedia]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

The liveliness of the gut is a huge factor, but the poly is also equally huge. Let's take three smooth polys of roughly the same gauge: WC Scorpion, WC Silverstring and MSV CoFocus. The gut mains the same, the MSV cross racquet is going to feel like a cannon compared to the Silverstring. That isn't to say that the MSV has poor control. It's exactly the reason why I love natural gut crosses: it lets you fine tune and get the most out of your mains. Poly crosses let you fine tune and get the most out of your gut. YOu basically get all the standard benefits of gut, but then can make it softer, more powerful, more spinny, more control, crisper, etc.

Thanks, PV. Hmm, I have been using Scorp crosses and am now trying Storm Metal crosses at the same tension and with the same gut (WT). The Metal crosses actually feel pretty similar, but maybe a bit softer (it's hard to tell since I didn't try them head to head). I like the control I'm getting, but it still feels kind of stiff to me sometimes and underpowered for some reason. Any predictions on how WT/Scorp, WT/Co-focus, Classic Touch/Scorp, and Classic Touch/Co-focus would compare?

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by Torres

I think I'm going to give this whisper touch/co-focus stuff a try to see what the hooo-har is all about.

Unfortunately, I don't have either of those strings lying around...though I can probably get some Co-Focus off the Bay.

Of the gut, I do have:-

1. Klip Legend 1.25
2. Performaxx Touch 17
3. VS 16

Which of those would you recommend with Co-Focus in a 98/18x20 (Youtek Prestige MP) and a 95/18x20 (BLX 6.1)?

Is there another poly cross that you would recommend if I can't get hold of Co-Focus. I have a whole load ranging from WC, Tourna, Polyfibre, Lux etc. Is MSV Focus Hex any good? I have some of that lying around, though of course, its a shaped string.

Have to say though I'm still a bit confused by your reviews. In the WT/Scorpion review you say that you were underwelmed and disappointed with the gut mains, but in the WT/Co-Focus review, you rate everything off the scale. Am I missing something?

No, the poor Scorpion hybrid was with LT strung at too high a tension. The contest then became LT/Scorpion vs. WT/CoFocus. Switching them around makes both worse: CoFocus is just too lively to be used around 40lbs and WT/Scorpion isn't crisp enough.

[rdis10093]

I didn't feel like going to club tonight, the weather stinks, and I have a bit of sore thought. Anyway I was reading your thread and I was interested in the whisper touch and thunderstring review. Those sound like some pretty good traits to me. I really enjoy the current combo that you strung up, but sometimes when my footwork is not all the way there, the ball goes a bit long. Is thunderstring a multi or a poly, and would you recommend the whisper touch and thunderstring setup for someone like me? We have hit a couple of times, so you kind of know how I play, but I really like to play from the back of the baseline. I would consider myself more of a counterpuncher than a pusher. What do you think?

PS The current setup is still working pretty nice. The poly went dead a while ago, but it is still holding tension fairly well. The gut is shredded, but still holding up. When the footwork is on, I hit such a nice sounding ball. The groundstrokes feel so dominant. If I stay with this setup in the future, I think I might have it strung tighter, to compensate for how powerful the gut is.

thanks

[pvaudio]

No, definitely would not recommend. You know how to make shots, big shot. This is just for the player content with percentage tennis. The guy who doesn't get excited when they hit a great winner or an ace. It's for that sort of person because even when you hit the ball which would otherwise have been a winner because it goes right where you wanted it to and when the other player is in the perfectly wrong position, they still can get to it because there's no weight to it. It's just like feeding balls to different parts of the court. Yeah, you can have superb accuracy, but you're just waiting for someone else's mistake and ONLY that. Think about the guys you probably played in the first to second rounds in tourneys as a junior, the guy who just irritates everyone because he's quick, and puts the ball back where you don't want it, but makes you lose the point instead of him win it? Yeah, he'd love it.

[rdis10093]

I hated those kids