PV Audio's Playtest Thread

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by Torres

^ You're well aware that the String Forum polling / voting system is flawed because people can mark down stuff that they've never even played with. It favors whatever is popular at the time, favors 'block reviews', and that Jans guy moderates the scores of anything you submit and even blocks reviews/scores if it doesn't 'fit' in with *his* view of a particular string. You can see that that Top 5 makes no sense anyway - 4 natural gut strings and PTP as the single poly sticking out like a sore thumb. Very skewed and subjective scoring system.

Oh, the forum is hopelessly biased, but it is typically biased towards German strings. The fact that the Yonex is stealing the show not only there, but even in TW reviews and on here probably isn't a coincidence. No, I do not trust that site for objective anything since every year ALU wins something.

[Torres]

You only have to look at the scores/reviews to realize that there's something not quite right.

Look at the PTP reviews. Tons of noobie posters there with a very small number of reviews. Loads of them give it the maximum 3 stars for power for example.

Look at the VS Team reviews. Lots of reviews with 1 or 2 stars for power.

Since when is PTP more powerful than natural gut?

Makes no sense does it? And before you ask, they don't have a different scoring system for polys, natural gut etc. That Jans seems to letting those 'maximum mark' review for PTP slip through for some reason....

[pvaudio]

Truthfully, I don't think the conspiracy is that great. Rather, since they have cut and dry ratings for all strings, someone rating poly power is not going to rate the power low compared to natural gut or a multi, rather they'll rate it compared to polys. That's why I look on that site to see what's trending, not to get buying advice

[pvaudio]

3 hours of tennis later and the Iontec Black in the demo is completely dead and notched to hell and back. 7 hours, right on the dot.

[rdis10093]

can I get tennis string list in an email please

[rdis10093]

also do you think the first group is more fun? the second group is kind of lame this year.

[pvaudio]

Do I? Yes, but it depends on what you're after. It's a hell of a lot more intense and there's no pushing. The last drill nearly killed me, playing 4-square with only 5 people per court. If you just want to hit around, then probably not. I was completely fried after playing at 9 haha, but I did stay until midnight so I can make an informed decision. Really though, all that the second group needs is better management. She (no names here) is not assertive enough and looks for approval when she makes decisions. The main group's management is much better, but even then, she too needs to be more assertive. I think that people don't realize you can be the nicest person in the world, but still make sure people take you seriously. But that's a topic for another day

[pvaudio]

The Pro is boxed up with the MP and shipping back tomorrow. With any luck, my own Pros will come in tomorrow! Having used it for a while, I'm not sure I want to get rid of the leather grip. It actually feels just fine with a Supergrap on top.

[rdis10093]

thank you sir

[Torres]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

someone rating poly power is not going to rate the power low compared to natural gut or a multi, rather they'll rate it compared to polys.

That's what you would think, but if you do that, Jans or whoever it is running the site, won't allow the review to be published or the scores entered into the table (though he seems to have made an exception for PTP, which throws all the scores for other strings in the rest of their database completely out of kilter). Seriously flawed scoring system they're running there. And don't get me even started about the flaws in their string of the year polling methodology....

I agree with you though that that site is useful to see what's trending. Where do they do fall down though is by trying to have a 'Top 5' best anything, with a scoring criteria that is anything but accurate.

[pvaudio]

Torres, that doesn't make sense. Look at the most powerful strings: Polyfibre Poly-Hitec and Polystar Energy are rated as more powerful than Babolat VS Touch. Those are absurdly powerful poly strings, for sure. Compared to gut, it's not even close though. That's what I'm saying, they're rating the strings compared to the things they're familiar with, not what's actually true. I think that's why the site is misleading.

[Torres]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

that doesn't make sense.

Exactly. That's why I don't take the scoring from that site remotely seriously, or the order in which they rank strings. I've submitted a few poly reviews for example (or should I say, 'attempted to submit'), which have all been blocked with the guy refusing to put the scores into the database. Me giving Dunlop BW17 5/5 for comfort for example was too much for him even though its one of the most comfortable polys out there. Then there was that email exchange I had with him about BHBR where he refused to allow my review scores into the database. Tour Bite not stiff but BHBR is? Eh? He wanted me to adjust my scores. See what I mean about him filtering and influencing how the scores eventually come out in the database? They just seem to be biased towards whatever is flavor of the month (or whatever they want to be flavor of the month).

After all the constant faff, I just gave up. Just couldn't take the guy seriously.

Then they go on to send me emails asking me to rank various strings, half of which, I've never even played with (or if I have, they've been in different racquets at different tensions). Some strings I've never even heard of, yet apparently I'm permitted to rank the top 3 as best for this, best for that etc...

[pvaudio]

Yikes. Well, indeed I do only look there for trending.

On a new note, it's Christmas!

2x Prestige Pro 4 1/2
1x Yonex PTP 1.25mm reel (too good to pass up)
3x Prince boomerangs (finally got a set)
1x 1m nylon tubing (many many many clients with cracked grommets)

Ahhh, the smell of fresh polyester and leather grip. Too bad I had to pay for it myself otherwise it would have been Christmas

[sansaephanh]

where did you get the boomerangs?

[rdis10093]

where can you get reels of yonex?

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by sansaephanh

where did you get the boomerangs?

Count me in as interested too.

[rdis10093]

mikeler hahaha! I have a question for you. I am a semi native of fl. there used to be this wine that that we would always get. it was in a blue bottle. it is very fruity, light and crisp. on the graphic there is a picture of this little like german guy that says try me. do you have any idea what it is called. I yearn for my young gun days. they always sell it at publixs grocery stores, but they dont have those in the mid west region.

thanks.

[pvaudio]

The answer to all of your questions is across the Atlantic ocean. Since they are a competitor, let's just say it's the world for stringers in the UK

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by rdis10093

mikeler hahaha! I have a question for you. I am a semi native of fl. there used to be this wine that that we would always get. it was in a blue bottle. it is very fruity, light and crisp. on the graphic there is a picture of this little like german guy that says try me. do you have any idea what it is called. I yearn for my young gun days. they always sell it at publixs grocery stores, but they dont have those in the mid west region.

thanks.

I'll have to run that one by the wife. I try to avoid Publix as much as possible.

Originally Posted by pvaudio

The answer to all of your questions is across the Atlantic ocean. Since they are a competitor, let's just say it's the world for stringers in the UK

Copy that.

[pvaudio]

I've got some numbers for you guys since I've always questioned the TW listed specs. The Dunlops were purchased from TW and all racquets are 4 1/2 grip. The TW numbers for my racquets are as follows:

Head IG Youtek Prestige Pro
Strung weight: 12.2oz

Dunlop 4D200 Tour
Strung weight: 12.3oz

I used my scale and measured things myself. The string in question is a set of Signum Pro Plasma Pure I had sitting on my desk. My results are:

Head IG Youtek Prestige Pro
Unstrung weight: 325g, 326g
Strung weight: 347g (12.2oz)

Dunlop 4D200 Tour
Unstrung weight: 348g, 349g
Strung weight: 369g (13.02oz)


All completely stock, and the Dunlops in question haven't ever been used. The grip on the Dunlops are factory Hydrozorb or whatever they call them, so that's not where the weight difference comes from. Either way, there is no way you can get a 0.7oz difference in strung weight unless it's a misprint.