PV Audio's Playtest Thread

[bad_call]

Originally Posted by Torres

^ I always played full poly, apart from when I was a kid. I know from experience, that I produce a more difficult ball with a full bed poly. I go hitting the former women's club champ from my club every few weeks, and even though we play more on a 'friends' basis - her technique and level of play is infinitely higher than mine - a full bed poly is the only I can't stop her from putting me pressure with every ball she hits and the only way I can hang with her.

I do occasionally use hybrids but it tends to be when I'm experimenting, transitioning, or if the poly's too stiff, but if that's the case, I'd rather find a softer co-poly. I do find trying different stings exhausting - all this chopping and changing, and tension adjustments....so credit to you and PV for all your posts.

The only thing in the back of my mind with B5E is that power of the string isn't linear, and that isn't likely to change at lower tensions.

This B5E experiment has got me thinking about whether I should try BHBR at 2lbs higher...

wow...the control aspect is what ultimately sold me on this string. the comfort was great too at 47/50 tension.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by bad_call

wow...the control aspect is what ultimately sold me on this string. the comfort was great too at 47/50 tension.

It's still good at 52 in my hybrid but of course that is in a very soft open powered racket now (PK 7G).

[JT_2eighty]

Hey PV, have you tried Polystar Turbo or Strike with gut crosses?

Also, in a word, what is your #1 serve setup, without considering other factors.

[pvaudio]

Best serve setup would be the Silverstring hybrid, easily. So crisp off the stringbed, and if you follow it in to the net, it volleys like butter. All of the other good serving or volley setups couldn't do both. The SS/WT hybrid could.

[smirker]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

Best serve setup would be the Silverstring hybrid, easily. So crisp off the stringbed, and if you follow it in to the net, it volleys like butter. All of the other good serving or volley setups couldn't do both. The SS/WT hybrid could.

PV, I have been looking on the auction site at the Performaxx guts. I know from our posts they play differently. Which version of the 1.20 WT do you use?

Some of the descriptions/pictures don't match ie two versions (the HT and non HT presumably) have the same picture but different descriptions.

Sorry to be a pain but I want to ensure I am buying the right one.

Also what kind of longevity do you get from a 1.20mm gut, given that you use it mainly in the crosses?

thanks and sorry for all the questions!

[Torres]

I've stepped back into my mixed BHBR/BHSR hybrid over the last few days, after my experiment with B5E, and man oh man, it's just sooooooooo much more comfortable than a full bed of B5E. It's like stepping back into your favorite, most comfortable, nicely broken in, pair of tennis shoes.

In comparison to a mixed stringbed of BHBR/BHSR, B5E is just harsh, with much less 'give' and 'spring'. I'd fear for my arm health if I continued with a full bed of that in my 95/18x20 setup. It doesn't feel very nice either...more akin to a reel of generic poly. I just can't see myself playing with a full bed of it again. Bit of a shame really because control and spin is good but the string just doesn't last and stiffens pretty quickly on its way to going dead.

As for BHBR/BHBR....spin, power, comfort, feel, longevity...its just all there, and control is improved by adding some BHSR into the stringbed to stiffen it. As long as you've got the racquet head speed and technique, the action you can generate on the ball is devastating.

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by smirker

PV, I have been looking on the auction site at the Performaxx guts. I know from our posts they play differently. Which version of the 1.20 WT do you use?

Some of the descriptions/pictures don't match ie two versions (the HT and non HT presumably) have the same picture but different descriptions.

Sorry to be a pain but I want to ensure I am buying the right one.

Also what kind of longevity do you get from a 1.20mm gut, given that you use it mainly in the crosses?

thanks and sorry for all the questions!

Indeed, he has since changed the product line. The "regular" WhisperTouch is now called WhisperTouch HT. This used to be reserved only for the high tension variant of WhisperT, but that's not the case anymore. The difference is that now, the string can hold far greater tension than it previously could. The XHT variant of WhisperT is the "new" high tension variant. After that, you've got Light Touch which works in a completely different tension range than WT ever did. Note that the original tension range of WT still exists; its upper limit has only been increased. The nominal lower limit of WhisperTouch XHT, however, is higher than what the original high tension WhisperTouch was. I hope that makes sense, I bolded the important part.

[pvaudio]

I do find it pathetic that his perfect seller rating has gone out the door thanks to some moron who clearly doesn't understand how e Bay works.

[smirker]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

Indeed, he has since changed the product line. The "regular" WhisperTouch is now called WhisperTouch HT. This used to be reserved only for the high tension variant of WhisperT, but that's not the case anymore. The difference is that now, the string can hold far greater tension than it previously could. The XHT variant of WhisperT is the "new" high tension variant. After that, you've got Light Touch which works in a completely different tension range than WT ever did. Note that the original tension range of WT still exists; its upper limit has only been increased. The nominal lower limit of WhisperTouch XHT, however, is higher than what the original high tension WhisperTouch was. I hope that makes sense, I bolded the important part.

Yes,

Thanks a lot.

[bad_call]

Originally Posted by mikeler

It's still good at 52 in my hybrid but of course that is in a very soft open powered racket now (PK 7G).

2 players in the BO gang bought BH reels and have either traded or looking to trade for WC strings. can't take credit for introducing either of those players to WC...tho i tried. think they had to find out the hard way.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by bad_call

2 players in the BO gang bought BH reels and have either traded or looking to trade for WC strings. can't take credit for introducing either of those players to WC...tho i tried. think they had to find out the hard way.

At the rate you are going, I hope WC starts offering you a finder's fee!

[klementine79]

Has anyone commented on Tecnifibre's TGV?

I have it in both my mids right now and I'm diggin' it.... full jobs.

The tight pattern coupled with a small frame really gives life to full-bed multis... and TGV is becoming one of my favorites.

It frays really nice... unlike my experiences with x-1.. which tends to snap all of a sudden on me.

TGV is also pre-stretched... so it holds tension fairly well.... definitely not as soft or powerful as nrg2 or x-1.... but that's a good thing... has plenty of pop... with a firmer feel.

Just trying to contribute. Thanks for the great thread PV!

[pvaudio]

Contribute as much as you like!

Thread has not died, never fear! Deep down...on the surface, I know that none of you have

Anyway, no, the thread is still going. I just haven't strung up anything new recently. Still using 2 sticks of B5E/WT and the third with BHBR/WT. Not too sure why I'm so stubborn/lazy since the polys have all gone dead, but I'll get around to putting in the Mamba strings either some time this week or the next (I'm moving this weekend, so the Aria will be dismantled shortly). Anyone have a preference as to which one they would like to see strung and in what configuration?

[pvaudio]

Hmm, what do you think? String up a full bed of some Mamba for tonight?

[pvaudio]

Oh and stay tuned: after I test these Mamba strings, I will be doing a budget string test. No string type aside from Kevlar is off limits. Only criteria: less than $7 a set/stringbed.

[UWBTennis]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

Oh and stay tuned: after I test these Mamba strings, I will be doing a budget string test. No string type aside from Kevlar is off limits. Only criteria: less than $5 a set/stringbed.

So you'll be mainly testing synthetic gut?

[TaihtDuhShaat]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

Best serve setup would be the Silverstring hybrid, easily. So crisp off the stringbed, and if you follow it in to the net, it volleys like butter. All of the other good serving or volley setups couldn't do both. The SS/WT hybrid could.

I hit my fastest, most kicking serves with Silverstring crosses; very impressive serving string with just the right amount of power.

[pvaudio]

Oops, that was supposed to be 7, not 5. And nope, anything suggested goes. Eliminates all high end multis and mid-premium poly strings. There are still numerous choices left, however.

[finalfantasy7]

try mantis is control poly as cross, gosen sheep micro mains. if not this setup could you try either one. would be interesting

[pvaudio]

Discho Black Mamba 1.23





Stringing: Without question this is one of the most stubborn, stiff and recalcitrant strings that I've ever dealt with. Honestly, it's second only to Alien Black Diamond in terms of diabolical stringability. Nonetheless, the Alien stuff is truly a great poly even though it's deadly to string up, so I'm not basing anything off of this. Anyone thinking that this stuff is the same as SP Hyperion or Genesis Black Magic......you've got to be kidding me. Strung at 47/47.

Groundstrokes: This string plays how it feels and strings, but only from a power and feel standpoint. It is not a harsh string at all, but it's not soft. I would say that Hyperion is slightly softer, but not by much. It's about as soft as maybe Cyberflash, but without the other qualities. It has very little power anywhere in the court. You really need to work the racquet to get your shots to work how you want them to. There is a very strange feeling to it, something that I have only experienced with X-1. It honestly feels as though the racquet is strung at different tensions all across the string bed. if you hit the ball a bit lower in the stringbed to get a sharper angle, there is no power. If you hit it a bit above the sweet spot, there is a bit more power, but not by much. The string really takes the sweetspot of even the deadest polys and shrinks it. To put it another way, the strings just feel dead right from the get go. Normally, I would say that there is a type of player that would like this, but no play style would benefit from the way it played for me.
Overall: 7/10

Serves: Same as the groundstrokes. This is not a server's string as there is no help whatsoever on a power or spin standpoint. It's simply just a dead feeling string and seems to take away pace that you already would have had even with a syn gut. Since I rely heavily on my serve, this is a definite no.
Overall: 6/10

Volleys: Too stiff. There is no feel from the stringbed. The same applies here about the "uneven" stringbed. You have absolutely no way of knowing whether or not your volley is going to go where you want it. Now, I know I play with gut crosses in my go-to setup, but even then, mushy Black Magic is more reliable.
Overall: 6/10

Durability: It may be too early to tell since not enough time has passed, but this seems to be a rather durable poly. There is no notching whatsoever, but honestly, after feeling it, that's not surprising. The crosses were sliding all over the place though. Either way, the strings felt dead even after they broke in, so I really can't imagine what it will be like once they die.
Overall: Too early.

I don't believe in reviewing something and not being honest, so I won't be doing that. This is not a string for me. I'm not going to use any hyperbole here, so I'm just relaying exactly what I think. I know that some people like it, but for groundstrokes this reminds me from a feel standpoint of Signum Pro Hyperion. Similar spin off of both wings as well. The difference is, Hyperion is easy to string, doesn't move about and is very playable at the net and on serves. For groundstrokes though, it's very similar. Not that soft, stiff feeling and very low powered. In all other aspects, it isn't even close. It doesn't feel plasticky like Black Code, but it plays just as poorly.

Overall: 6.5/10