New Donnay X-Series - My Thoughts

Nextman916 · May 16, 2011

I've had the dual core x-gold 94 demo for about a week now, I can say for sure hits much better than the X-dark red 94. Despite the flex rating the dark red felt like the flexiest frame I've ever hit with, in a really bad/erratic way. Even more so than my fischer m-pro 98 SL and my RDX 500 mid, both in the higher 50's flex. Directional control definitely suffered with that frame.

Comparatively the dual gold stiffened up in all the right places, but still plays flexier than spec, feels around 61-62 to me. More flex than the platinum 94. Although its much better than the dark red, it's still a pretty powerful stick strung at 55 with NXT control. Serves weren't as good as the platinum either but i much preferred groundies with the dual gold.

Still it may be too powerful for my liking, but the dual core's are much better than the xenocore.

tlm · May 16, 2011

Power Player said:
I use 17 gauge so it makes it a little easier. The grommets should be wider there though, so I hve not had a problem personally. It is basically the same as a Prestige stringing pattern so I am used to it.

TLM I think the reason the buttcap vibrates the whole racquet is because it is a 1 piece stick. I could be wrong about that though, but that could be it. Good call..I never would have thought it was the buttcap, and I hope resitting mine fixed the problem. It was really weird suddenly having the stick vibrate like mad, and I could not figure it out. It feels super plush and nice again thankfully.

I know what you are saying it is hard to believe that the noise is coming from the cap, i thought the foam inside had broken lose or something. You may be right because it is a one piece racket anything loose at all will vibrate. It makes the racket sound terrible. You may be okay by just removing your cap and reinstalling it like you did. But if you have that problem again you could try my tape method. I just cut electrical tape about 1/8'' of an inch wide and put it around the edge of the cap then installed it, so far so good.

tlm · May 16, 2011

Nojoke said:
Cut out my turbotwist in the plat 99. Restrung it with typhoon (blue) at 50 lbs. I almost hope I don't like it. That was the worst stringing experience of my life. The typhoon twisted and twisted so much, it took forever to do the crosses because it kept kinking to ridiculous proportions. Awful.

Am I doing something wrong stringing? When I tie off the mains it seems as though their is another main coming from that hole that makes it difficult to push the string through to tie off. It is hard to explain, but if you have strung one of these you will know what I mean (unless I am doing something wrong).

I would suggest using needle nose pliers when having problem inserting string in hole for tie off. Make sure you first cut the end of the string on a sharp angle then start it in the hole, then you take the pliers about a 1/4 to a 1/2'' back from the grommet and force it through with the pliers this works very good.

suppawat · May 16, 2011

Nextman916 said:
I've had the dual core x-gold 94 demo for about a week now, I can say for sure hits much better than the X-dark red 94. Despite the flex rating the dark red felt like the flexiest frame I've ever hit with, in a really bad/erratic way. Even more so than my fischer m-pro 98 SL and my RDX 500 mid, both in the higher 50's flex. Directional control definitely suffered with that frame.

Comparatively the dual gold stiffened up in all the right places, but still plays flexier than spec, feels around 61-62 to me. More flex than the platinum 94. Although its much better than the dark red, it's still a pretty powerful stick strung at 55 with NXT control. Serves weren't as good as the platinum either but i much preferred groundies with the dual gold.

Still it may be too powerful for my liking, but the dual core's are much better than the xenocore.

I used to play X-Dark Red 94 too and found it sensitive to string type. The best string for Dark Red 94 is multifilament. I'd love to hear more feedback about Gold 94 with poly. Anyway, there should be a review for Gold 94 coming up soon.

WinNCash · May 16, 2011

suppawat said:
Yesterday I was supposed to playtest X-Yellow VS X-Dual Silver Lite but eneded up playing the X-Yellow 99 for 2 hour long. The string on X-Dual Silver Lite was dead anyway.

Set-Up: The Yellow was freshly strung with Solinco Tour Bite at 55 lbs, so the pop and bite were there. It has +0g butt cap installed with no weight slide at all.

Ground Stroke: I exchanged groundstroke with my hitting partners with low to high speed ball. The X-Yellow 99 seems to be best at low to medium speed ball while my favorite Blue 99 is good for fast & heavy groundstroke. The light & thin frame cut thru the air very quickly and produce uniquely solid feel like no other. It's very easy to hit angle shots from corner to corner at various speed levels. However I need to adjust my grip. Normally, I hold the Blue 99 and other heavier racquets towards the end of handle, but for Yellow I grab the handle approx 1/4" higher up. It is a very effective way to play the X-Yellow 99, at least for me. Actually, I copied this practice from one good junior player http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1MJuFcDBMk. (I asked him to test the X-Yellow 99 after he won U16 and U18 titles on the same day. So he looks a bit tired.)

Power: it doesn't have so much power when hitting flat honestly. In fact, I don't think the X-Yellow 99 is good for flat hitters. The best way to generate power from Yellow is to hit half-flat/half-spin with faster swing, and most importantly weight transfer. Not only swinging my arm, but I had to move a whole body to hit the ball and get power out of the X-Yellow 99. The lighter weight and 3pts HL really help me master that kind of shot in a natural way. Even though the racquet is very light but the X-Yellow 99 can block/return heavy ball very well.

Spin: This is the hightlight. I have good result in hitting spin at knee level and waist level as effective as from Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT, but I got much more ball feel/bite from the Yellow. The ball seems to sink into the string bed longer than APD, so I can feel more ball bite. I don't get this kind of solid feel from other spin-oriented racquets like Babolat AeroPro Drive GT, Head Extreme MP, or Prince EXO3 Tour. The closest one is Head Speed Pro, but it's way too heavier and sluggish.

Volley/Slice: Some users commented about volley issue (stability) but I found no problem with that. It doesn't volley very sweet like Blue 94 or Wilson Pro Staff, but it's good enough. Because it's a light racquet, good footwork and weight transfer skills are required for punching deep volley. Forehand and backhand slices were sharp and much easier to hit than with heavy racquets.

Summary: The yellow 99 is a fun racquet to play and at the same time can be a serious weapon for all-court aggressive players. It's good for pure spin and best for half-flat/half spin. If you have Novak's swing style, you may like Yellow. The solid core feel makes this racquet very special in comparison to other spin-oriented hollow racquets in market today. In addition, it's one of the best control-oriented frame in a light racquet category I have tried. If you expect powerful winner shots, this is not a racquet for you (Go for Platinum 99). But if you have all-court game and love hitting the winners with extreme angles, the X-Yellow 99 can be the alternative to your current racquets. Those who use Wilson KTour 95, BLX Tour 95, or Babolat Aero Pro Drive and look for a faster racquet should try Donnay X-Yellow 99.

Soon I will be testing X-White, and X-Dual Silver Lite and will update you guys again.

I really like my X-Yellows but I do prefer them with all of the weights in the sides and the 10g in the cap. Just makes it feel a bit more solid.

joeellis · May 17, 2011

suppawat said:
I used to play X-Dark Red 94 too and found it sensitive to string type. The best string for Dark Red 94 is multifilament. I'd love to hear more feedback about Gold 94 with poly. Anyway, there should be a review for Gold 94 coming up soon.

I agree with you suppawat. I am one of the only players that seems to like the Dark Red. I use Gamma Live Wire XP and it is a great racquet to me. I don't know what it is, but I found it more forgiving than the Blue 94 or Black 94.

I also use the DC Gold 94 for doubles, but I use multi string in it also. The Gold has even more forgiveness and is slightly more maneuverable at net over the Dark Red.

Nojoke · May 17, 2011

Has anyone played both the plat 99 and the blue 99 and be able to offer a comparison?

joeellis · May 17, 2011

Nojoke said:
Has anyone played both the plat 99 and the blue 99 and be able to offer a comparison?

Yes. The Donnay guru Kal-el has. Read below.

Donnay X-Blue 99 Review

I think maybe i have enjoyed my time with the blue 99 the most of all the mix. Whereas I enjoyed the black 94 being a bit more flexy than the blue 94, this was not the case with the 99 line. I think the blue 99 being a bit stiffer works better with the 99 sq. in. head. Think blue 94 with the pop I felt that the 94 was lacking. The headsize does not feel like a 99 really. honestly felt like I was swinging a 95 around.

GROUNDSTROKES 9/10
This might just be the best racquet for groundstrokes i have ever hit. It has everything that I liked about the blue 94, but with some extra pop off the strings. the 16x20 string pattern works really well. I noticed a rediculous amount of control on both sides from the baseline. I have been absolutely crushing my forehand. The more i hit with this one, the more I like it as well. I spent 8 hours on the court with it today and realized how much I was having fun with it this afternoon. Pair the power with really heavy topspin and we have a winner here. My two handed backhand was really coming off the racquet with great power as well. My slice backhand was also seeing some improved bite. The weight of the racquet is the same as with the 94, and the 99 did not feel bulky whatsover. In fact i felt like it moved through the air even easier than the 94. All in all this frame performed very well in just about every area I can think of from the baseline. I am very impressed

VOLLEYS 8.5/10

I am up in the air on whether or not the 94 or the 99 performs better at the net. But since I said in my 94 review it was one of the best sticks at the net I've ever hit, that should say something here as well. i felt the 99 was a bit quicker through the air from the baseline than the 94, but not a quick at the net. The frame is still extremely stable, with a large sweetspot. Driving volleys were effortless and felt really good. Reflex volleys were also very good. The bigger head came in handy in just getting a little more string on the ball as well. Touch shots were also very easy to come by with the blue 99. It seems no matter how hard someone hits a shot at me, i can turn it into a drop volley no problem.

SERVES 9/10

CANNON alert! LOVE serving with the blue 99. The extra pop is much appreciated when seving here. i felt extremely confident serving in all areas of the court. I could easily dial up my normal power on my flat serve. I was striking flat serves down the T about as good as i ever have. i was also getting tremendous amounts of spin, whether it be kick or slice. I really enjoyed hitting slice serves out wide on the deuce side. I could go bit with it, or get nasty with the spin and was hitting some extreme angles.

I have not had a ton of time to play around with weighting on the blue 99 yet. I have the lether grip removed, 5g cap in the handle and no strips currently. I will be tinkering around with this one some more and seeing if i can make it anymore lethal as well.

OVERALL 9/10

This is probably going to be my go to racquet from the Donnay line. I have been back and forth between a few of the frames, but every time I hit this frame I get a great vibe. I hit my groundstrokes and serve the best with this one, and the volleys are still rock solid. Again the racquet it pretty heavy, but if you like a heavy frame, this is def. worth checking out. Weight and balance are nice, string pattern is great, and all the things I liked about the blue 94 but with the pop I was looking for... what's not to like?

X-Platinum 99 Review

Been hitting with this for a few days, and I've probably put about 15 hours of solid hitting in with this frame. I have to say I am both really impressed and really pissed off Donnay has put out yet another racquet I am in love with. I was just getting used to my blue 99, completely happy, and BAM!!!!!!! in walks the platinum 99.

GROUNDSTROKES 9.5/10

This is honestly the best, easiest hitting players frame I have ever had the chance to use on a tennis court. It is listed as the same specs pretty much as my blue, but a bit stiffer and with an 18x20 string pattern rather than the 16x20. My forehand really shined with the Platinum 99. The sweetspot in larger, control is better, and the feel is amazing. I was blasting both flat and topspin shots. It really made me realize that the 18x20 is for me here. My backhands were good, but I was not getting the depth at first I was getting with the blue 99. I think the tighter string pattern here had something to do with this, as after a few hours I was back to pinpoint accuracy. Groundstrokes - advantage platinum 99, especially from the forehand side. backhand is a toss-up

Volleys 9.5/10

Another area where the platinum 99 sets itself apart is at the net. SO much smoother feeling than the x-series here. I have not hit a volley yet that feels like it's off center it is CRAZY. Driving deep is effortless, and touch volleys are just buttery feeling. The people that complained about a "tinny" feeling from the x-series will not find that with the dual core. Def. more like the old school, solid graphite feel with the new line! Absolutely amazing at the net. The frame feels a bit more headlight which made it quicker around the net, something I really enjoyed. Volleys - - advantage platinum from all areas.

SERVES - 10/10

I am not sure if I have ever given a 10/10 mark. I will have to go back and check. However, the is the best serving racquet I have ever hit... period. The platinum 99 is an absolute CANNON. More power, more control, and easier to hit than my blue. My pace is better, my slice is nastier. My kick may not be as extreme as with the blue 99, but it is still big. I also feel the platinum 99 is more comfortable to serve with, which really surpised me because I loved serving with my blue 99. However, this new stick is the real deal. SO stable, it's almost difficult to put into words. All I can say is I am obsessed with this racquet.

OVERALL 9.5/10

Donnay is really going to make a mark on the racquet industry with the 2 lines they have out now. From what I have seen they are both amazing, and this new line may even be an upgrade from the original. There is an x-series or dual core for lots of different game play, the key is to find the right one for you!

Cosmetics I stil have to give to the x-series though. the platinums look good, but I dont know about the ice blue color on my platinums.... still sexy though

suppawat · May 17, 2011

WinNCash said:
I really like my X-Yellows but I do prefer them with all of the weights in the sides and the 10g in the cap. Just makes it feel a bit more solid.

Today, I played X-Yellow 99 again but this time I have 2 pieces of 3g slide weights and +10g butt cap installed. Stability improved a lot on deep volley. Ground stroke is much more solid but lack of maneuverability I used to get from a base X-Yellow 99 racquet. In addition, I feel like the customized X-Yellow 99 flex more when hitting groundstroke. It's a pretty weird feeling. Same thing happens when I lead up my PT57A (a very soft pro stock racquet), the racquet flex like noodle and plays so sluggish. So I think adding weight to flexy racquet may impact the maneuverability. After playing customized X-Yellow 99 for an hour, I think I prefer the original solid, light, & fast feeling of X-Yellow 99 without customization kit better. If I have to add 16g to Yellow, I'd better try Orange 99 or Red 99.

Anyway, the new 3g slide weights are compatible with X-Series and much easier to install and remove.

Nojoke · May 17, 2011

Joeellis,

I saw those reviews but was looking for some more. Good stuff there, though. Thanks for the help.

Joe

Recoveringhobo · May 17, 2011

This has probably been asked before... but when can we expect TW to stock the new racquets? I wanted to demo a few Donnays but I'm holding off until I can try the dual cores at the same time.

jlan · May 17, 2011

suppawat, as always, really nice pics. Are you still going strong with the Blue 99 or are you just playtesting all the other models?

Recoveringhobo said:
This has probably been asked before... but when can we expect TW to stock the new racquets? I wanted to demo a few Donnays but I'm holding off until I can try the dual cores at the same time.

It's been asked quite a few times

I asked TW a month ago and they told me sometime around May or early this summer.

highgeer · May 17, 2011

Nojoke,
Other than the weight the Plat 99 and X- Blue 99 are totally different. The blue is very flexible (feels like 57 or so), but not in a familiar way (not good or bad just different). You can really feel the ball. The blue is very powerful and has a huge sweetspot. The Plat has a more muted feel with not as much feedback as the blue. It is noticable stiffer, but not too stiff (I'd say about RA 65ish). The Plat seems more stable without being heavier. They both have plenty of plow through and are both excellent at net, but feel way different. The Plat seems to swing a bit quicker for me. Neither swings as fast as a PB 10 Mid. At the end of the day the Blue is just too powerful for me. I am demoing the Donnays and they are all great; I could play matches with any of them (Even the 102 X-P Lite which only weighs 10 oz. strung). I have been using heavy rackets for a long time, and I am starting to move toward lighter rackets. If you have any more questions feel free to email me your number and I'll give you a call.

Mike
email@mesquitefurnitureoftexas.com

suppawat · May 17, 2011

jlan said:
suppawat, as always, really nice pics. Are you still going strong with the Blue 99 or are you just playtesting all the other models?

For now, yes I still stick with my Blue 99. The X-Series frames I playtested are demo racquets I borrowed from a shop. The next frames to review are X-Orange 99, and X-Dual Silver Lite 99 Ext.

suppawat · May 17, 2011

Donnay X-Orange 99 Review

This is my 2nd X-Orange 99 playtest. The first time I tried was October last year, and I couldn't really figure out what dominant characteristics of X-Orange 99 are. But yesterday, I spent a good holiday afternoon with it and here is my finding.

Set-Up: Base racquet with no slide weight with default +0g butt cap. I strung it up with a soft poly prototype string at 55 lbs. It feels a little softer but louder than my current string - Solinco Tour Bite.

Ground stroke: This is not a racquet for long rally because of higher stiffness. It's not as smooth as other flexier Donnay frames like Red 99, Black 99 and Blue 99. Even comparing with Platinum 99 that has the same stiffness rating of 70RA, the Orange 99 feels noticably stiffer. However, it's not harsh at all actually it's very solid hitting frame. Ball speed is impressive for 300g thin frame. I can exchange heavy groundstroke, and the ball landed deep inside the baseline. The only drawback is the Orange 99 lacks a bit of groundstroke flavor that I got from flexier frames. I didn't hit a lot of backhands yesterday because it's more fun to go around and execute forehand winners. This reminds me of Head Speed Pro a lot, but I like the Donnay feel way better. The X-Orange 99 should attract to those who love to close the point quickly rather than to stay long rally.

Feel & Power: X-Orange 99 has very similar ball impact feel like other X-Series racquets. Ball speed coming off the stringbed is powerful. X-Orange 99 has a crisper feel than X-Platinum 99. In addition, it generated thunderous sound when hitting the sweetspot. Younger players may like it.

Volley: No problem with the X-Orange 99. I like the feel of X-Orange 99 at net more than at the baseline. I feel more connected to the ball when volleying than hitting groundstroke. Compared to Blue 94, the Orange 99 has crisper feel while Blue 94 has softer feel (like Wilson Pro Staff). I can punch deep volley more consistently than lighter frame like X-Yellow 99. Feel was rock solid and stability was awesome. There is no push around from block shots and deep volley.

Spin/Slice: Spin from X-Orange 99 was very good, but not as natural as Yellow 99. Slice was ok (balls flied a bit) but not as awesome as Blue 94. Comparing to other racquets in the same all-court game category like Head Radical MP, Dunlop 300 Tour, Head Speed Pro, Donnay X-Orange 99 is definitely better in spin/slice deparments.

Summary: This is a specialty frame and of course it's not for a feel-oriented baseliner like me. Even though the X-Orange 99 is nothing I want to switch to, but it's definitely a good racquet for today's power game. Like Platinum 99 characteristics, the power level and stiffer shaft of X-Orange 99 will allow (& force) me to move quicker and get in the position to execute winners within the first few shots. Combining with the rock solid ball hitting sound, the racquet made me feel younger on the court

This frame is definitely for those who have aggressive all-court game, and love to close off the point quickly. Those who are currently using Head Radical MP, Dunlop 300 Tour, Head Speed Pro should give Donnay X-Orange 99 a try.

Nojoke · May 18, 2011

highgeer said:
Nojoke,
Other than the weight the Plat 99 and X- Blue 99 are totally different. The blue is very flexible (feels like 57 or so), but not in a familiar way (not good or bad just different). You can really feel the ball. The blue is very powerful and has a huge sweetspot. The Plat has a more muted feel with not as much feedback as the blue. It is noticable stiffer, but not too stiff (I'd say about RA 65ish). The Plat seems more stable without being heavier. They both have plenty of plow through and are both excellent at net, but feel way different. The Plat seems to swing a bit quicker for me. Neither swings as fast as a PB 10 Mid. At the end of the day the Blue is just too powerful for me. I am demoing the Donnays and they are all great; I could play matches with any of them (Even the 102 X-P Lite which only weighs 10 oz. strung). I have been using heavy rackets for a long time, and I am starting to move toward lighter rackets. If you have any more questions feel free to email me your number and I'll give you a call.

Mike
email@mesquitefurnitureoftexas.com

Mike-

Good stuff. Thanks. I'm playing again tonight with the plat 99 with some new string which I hope will fix the few issues I had. After that, I may try a leather grip if I still have issues with stability. This racket reminds me a bit of the ag100 which benefitted greatly with a leather grip.

Joe

jlan · May 18, 2011

suppawat said:
For now, yes I still stick with my Blue 99. The X-Series frames I playtested are demo racquets I borrowed from a shop. The next frames to review are X-Orange 99, and X-Dual Silver Lite 99 Ext.

Great choice with the Blue 99. I hit with it when they were first released and loved that and the Black 99. Since then, I've moved down to lighter specs. If I was still using a heavier racquet, either the Black or Blue 99 would have been my choice.

I just got my Silver Lite (standard length) today. I weighed it and it was 286g stock unstrung, so perfect for the customizations I want to do to it. I'll hit with it in stock form and then customize it after to feel the differences. I'll be interested in your review for the extended length version as well

Nojoke · May 19, 2011

Played last night again with the plat 99, this time strung with typhoon (blue) at 50 lbs. Much more solid feeling that my prior attempt with turbotwist. In addition to being more solid, control was increased as well and it greatly cut down on the number of fliers. I like the stick enough to keep it and fiddle around with for a bit, it has great potential--the volleys are amazing. But I don't think I'm going to run out to buy a second one just yet. I'll keep playing with strings in an attempt to find something that offers control and power with tensions in the mid to high 40's, which I think this racket is going to favor.

I'm going to keep the typhoon in for a few more hits before experimenting more. B5E will likely be next, or I may order some tour bite or BHSR.

Power Player · May 19, 2011

b5e at 52#s will drop to around 45 after the first session and you will be quite happy.

tlm · May 19, 2011

What happened to kal? Did the dual cores give him te so bad he can't finish his reviews?

jlan · May 19, 2011

A couple of notes before I get to my initial thoughts on the Silver Lite.

- My 10g buttcap actually weighs 14g
- My 5g buttcap actually weighs 9g
- My Silver Lite stock strung weighed 302g
- After grip and "5g" buttcap swap it weighed 318g

I played with the Silver Lite this morning. Strung with a full bed of MSV Focus Hex 1.23 @ 52 lbs. First thought when I hit the ball, "Damn, this thing is waaaaay too light." I knew I should have just customized it completely before I played. Forehand was alright, but I was about 2 hours too early every time on my backhand. This was very reminiscent of my first time with the X-White. After a couple of shots I immediately switched to the "5g" buttcap and swapped the stock grip for leather + overgrip. It just made it more headlight, but I got better feedback from the strings.

I know with some lead and/or slide weights in the upper hoop from 10-2, this thing will be awesome. I'll probably add about 7g there. Right now, there's just not enough stability and plow through when I take big cuts. And if I don't hit with enough racquet head speed, I end up hitting an easy cheese ball that my opponent can just crush. I'm really looking forward to my next hit with this thing

nyc · May 19, 2011

jlan said:
A couple of notes before I get to my initial thoughts on the Silver Lite.

- My 10g buttcap actually weighs 14g
- My 5g buttcap actually weighs 9g

Sounds like your scale may be off by 4grams

pennc94 · May 19, 2011

jlan said:
A couple of notes before I get to my initial thoughts on the Silver Lite.

- My 10g buttcap actually weighs 14g
- My 5g buttcap actually weighs 9g

The +10g butt cap is supposed to ADD 10g over the stock buttcap. So, if the stock buttcap is 4g, then the +10g buttcap satisfies its intended purpose.

You can already see the +10g buttcap adds 5g relative to the +5g buttcap.

jlan · May 19, 2011

nyc said:
Sounds like your scale may be off by 4grams

I thought so too, but I calibrate it every day and all my other readings have been accurate. I have two sets of the Donnay customization kit and all the slide weights are true to weight, 3g. It's just the buttcaps on mine seem to have more lead than indicated. Both "5g buttcaps" weigh 9g. One "10g buttcap" weighs 13g and the other 14g. I know I'm being anal about a couple of grams, and I apologize

pennc94 said:
The +10g butt cap is supposed to ADD 10g over the stock buttcap. So, if the stock buttcap is 4g, then the +10g buttcap satisfies its intended purpose.

You can already see the +10g buttcap adds 5g relative to the +5g buttcap.

This makes much more sense. Thank you for clearing this up

tlm · May 19, 2011

jlan said:
A couple of notes before I get to my initial thoughts on the Silver Lite.

- My 10g buttcap actually weighs 14g
- My 5g buttcap actually weighs 9g
- My Silver Lite stock strung weighed 302g
- After grip and "5g" buttcap swap it weighed 318g

I played with the Silver Lite this morning. Strung with a full bed of MSV Focus Hex 1.23 @ 52 lbs. First thought when I hit the ball, "Damn, this thing is waaaaay too light." I knew I should have just customized it completely before I played. Forehand was alright, but I was about 2 hours too early every time on my backhand. This was very reminiscent of my first time with the X-White. After a couple of shots I immediately switched to the "5g" buttcap and swapped the stock grip for leather + overgrip. It just made it more headlight, but I got better feedback from the strings.

I know with some lead and/or slide weights in the upper hoop from 10-2, this thing will be awesome. I'll probably add about 7g there. Right now, there's just not enough stability and plow through when I take big cuts. And if I don't hit with enough racquet head speed, I end up hitting an easy cheese ball that my opponent can just crush. I'm really looking forward to my next hit with this thing

How does it compare to the white?

neverstopplaying · May 19, 2011

First hits:
I got to play twice with my Platinum 99s MP this week. To get used to an 18x20 pattern, I’ve been playing extensively with the 4d200 Dunlops, which I really enjoy. My previous sticks were BB Londons and Volk PB9s. Now, I have a sore wrist and strung with a multi, something I never do, so my impressions are affected by this. I have a 5.0 FH, strong 4.0 BH and movement, and effective both 1st and 2nd serves.

Groundstrokes:
Very easy to generate pace and spin. The Platinum 99 is really easy to hit, coming from the SW of the Dunlops. My opponents had problems dealing with both the pace and kick from my strokes (yes even without my usual poly?). Ball placement is more precise than the London, similar to the Dunlop, but not quite the precision. 1HBH very easy, both topspin and slice – better than either Dunlop or BB. Not quite as easy as the Dunlop to keep the slice deep, low and fast. Power is just about perfect, what an advanced player might consider a game improevement racquet, somewhat similar to the London, however always very controlled.
This is a very easy racket to hit with. From the web site, I was concerned that it might be too much, being the most player-oriented of the dual cores, but it is the right choice for me. Within a few minutes, it was effortless to vary the pace, spin and direction.

Volleys:
Again very easy racquet to use. Manoeuvrability, depth, and solid on contact. Got to some hard-to-reach balls that I would not get to with the Dunlop and would not get with pace with the London.

Going to 18x20:
Didn’t lose an ounce of spin over either the London or PB9, though they may not be considered great “spin” racquets(?). Again, both opponents commented on having to return difficult balls. There is a definite increase in precision and control. It is much easier to generate spin compared to the Dunlop.

Serves:
Sore wrist, so not my best days. I was somewhat inconsistent, but did generate v good pace, direction and kicks, so I’m sure I will dial in with better conditions. I did also serve, however, very well with the London.

Misc.:
I’ve always preferred low to medium stiffness players sticks. I’m getting older (51) and tried various tweeners since mid 2010, but never got the control that I wanted. I work regularly with a coach and am encouraged to keep up an aggressive game. I’m confident that this is the best of the last 10 racquets that I’ve tried, and that I can deal with this (or similar) until I’m 60. The Platinum 99 does not hit like a 70RA – more like low 60s.

jlan · May 19, 2011

tlm said:
How does it compare to the white?

I've only played with the White for a week as a demo and the Silver Lite for a few minutes in stock form lol. I'll try to give a fair comparison between the two in stock form.

Groundstrokes
Both are pretty unstable if you swing fast. They just seem to twist a lot being they are so light in the hoop.

My forehand doesn't need too much time to adjust to a different racquet, but my backhand sure does. The W took half a week to time my backhand correctly, and I still could not generate the same spin and pace as with a heavier racquet. The SL was no different from the W. Shank city.

Volleys
Surprisingly, I found both to do very well. I got more pop with SL, but more feel with the W. The maneuverability of these racquets is great at net, especially for those reaction volleys. The SL should be a great doubles racquet.

Serves
Both felt the same to me. I could swing fast and generate loads of spin because they are so light. I'm pretty short, so I don't go for flat serves too often.

Misc.
The SL definitely feels more solid and crisp. The W felt more flexy to me, which I also liked. It just depends on which you prefer. Touch shots are better with the W. Drop shots and slices were deadly with the W. I can't say the same for the SL.

-------

Since my first hit with the SL, I customized it to 325g. Leather grip + overgrip (halfway up), 5g buttcap, and two 3g slide weights from 10-2. I'll hit with this setup a few more times before I give any impressions about it.

tlm · May 19, 2011

jlan said:
I've only played with the White for a week as a demo and the Silver Lite for a few minutes in stock form lol. I'll try to give a fair comparison between the two in stock form.

Groundstrokes
Both are pretty unstable if you swing fast. They just seem to twist a lot being they are so light in the hoop.

My forehand doesn't need too much time to adjust to a different racquet, but my backhand sure does. The W took half a week to time my backhand correctly, and I still could not generate the same spin and pace as with a heavier racquet. The SL was no different from the W. Shank city.

Volleys
Surprisingly, I found both to do very well. I got more pop with SL, but more feel with the W. The maneuverability of these racquets is great at net, especially for those reaction volleys. The SL should be a great doubles racquet.

Serves
Both felt the same to me. I could swing fast and generate loads of spin because they are so light. I'm pretty short, so I don't go for flat serves too often.

Misc.
The SL definitely feels more solid and crisp. The W felt more flexy to me, which I also liked. It just depends on which you prefer. Touch shots are better with the W. Drop shots and slices were deadly with the W. I can't say the same for the SL.

-------

Since my first hit with the SL, I customized it to 325g. Leather grip + overgrip (halfway up), 5g buttcap, and two 3g slide weights from 10-2. I'll hit with this setup a few more times before I give any impressions about it.

Thanks for the review, i am using the white right now but before i purchase another one i want to try a couple of the dual cores. What you say about the white is very accurate, i also like the flex in the white. I do use a slice and drop shots quite often also, which this stick performs very well on.

WinNCash · May 19, 2011

suppawat said:
Today, I played X-Yellow 99 again but this time I have 2 pieces of 3g slide weights and +10g butt cap installed. Stability improved a lot on deep volley. Ground stroke is much more solid but lack of maneuverability I used to get from a base X-Yellow 99 racquet. In addition, I feel like the customized X-Yellow 99 flex more when hitting groundstroke. It's a pretty weird feeling. Same thing happens when I lead up my PT57A (a very soft pro stock racquet), the racquet flex like noodle and plays so sluggish. So I think adding weight to flexy racquet may impact the maneuverability. After playing customized X-Yellow 99 for an hour, I think I prefer the original solid, light, & fast feeling of X-Yellow 99 without customization kit better. If I have to add 16g to Yellow, I'd better try Orange 99 or Red 99.

Anyway, the new 3g slide weights are compatible with X-Series and much easier to install and remove.

Okay so this post caused me to go and use one with full kit and the other with no kit on it and after I tried them both I see your point and agree. I think I was a bit late with the extra weight. Once I took it all off I was whipping through the ball more and got some spin back (waiting for the strings I ordered in them to go so I can try the Donnay Poly). Good call. That is why I read these threads.... to learn!

BTW My grandfather has a house in and lives in Hua Hin half the year. They are big golfers... him and his wife (she is from Chiang Mai).

nyc · May 19, 2011

Too much choice! Which one to get??

I have high hopes for the Donnay line, and was hoping some of you guys might help me hone in on "the one".

I have been playing for almost two years with KBTs with some added weight, coming in just north of 350g. I have been very happy with them, but recently the stiffness and weight have started to bother me as I don't play as often as I used to. I am finding that I get a little late on strokes these days. So I am looking to possibly get a new stick as I am not getting younger, or faster. Removing the lead is only going to solve the weight, but not the stiffness issue.

So I am looking to gently ease off the weight a bit, and getting a frame that is a tad softer. I tried the PB10 mid for a while, but found it a bit too demanding, specially on off days and too soft for my taste.

I just demoed the Blue 94 and the Dark Red 94. Both demos had string jobs in them that should have been cut out a year ago, so it wasn't an accurate test. Neither of them were what I'm looking for, but pretty darn close. I just absolutely loved the plush feel they have.

Right off the bat the Blue 94 felt spot on with the KBTs I have, with groundies a tad more erratic (maybe the dead strings), but I was getting a lot more action on serves, my practice partner mentioned that as well. Slice BHs were the best - sticky and low. Totally sick. After a while I was getting a little late on shots, suffering the same fate as with my 'ol KBTs. So shaving a few grams off or making it more HL would be the trick for me.

The Dark Red was very comparable. I can see how people think it's a wet noodle, but I do like that sort of thing. The open pattern was more powerful and I was hitting with more spin, but I didn't get the control I am used to from a more closed pattern. I was hitting faster flat serves (with that nice "swiiish" sound of the frame cutting through the air), but couldn't get as much action on kick or slice serves as I did with the Blue 94. It's also a very comfortable stick, but not marriage material.

Both sticks are very nice, and both have their strengths and weaknesses. I could be happy with both, but not sure if they would improve my game. I love small frames but I think it may be time to test 99s as well.

As I don't play as much anymore, I can't demo more than 4 racquets - it would take me a year to make a decision!

There is much talk about the Blue 99, so I want to put that on the list as well, and the Platinum seems to be getting lots of love as well.

So which 4 donnays should I try? Tried the recommendation tool on the Donnay site - useless. The comparison chart brings tears to my eyes.

There's too much choice!

Any suggestions?

AlpineAce · May 19, 2011

nyc said:
I have high hopes for the Donnay line, and was hoping some of you guys might help me hone in on "the one".

blah blah blah....

So which 4 donnays should I try? Tried the recommendation tool on the Donnay site - useless. The comparison chart brings tears to my eyes.

There's too much choice!

Any suggestions?

from the sound of it I think you should try the red gold or silver.

skeeter · May 20, 2011

neverstopplaying said:
First hits:
I got to play twice with my Platinum 99s MP this week. To get used to an 18x20 pattern, I’ve been playing extensively with the 4d200 Dunlops, which I really enjoy. My previous sticks were BB Londons and Volk PB9s. Now, I have a sore wrist and strung with a multi, something I never do, so my impressions are affected by this. I have a 5.0 FH, strong 4.0 BH and movement, and effective both 1st and 2nd serves.

Groundstrokes:
Very easy to generate pace and spin. The Platinum 99 is really easy to hit, coming from the SW of the Dunlops. My opponents had problems dealing with both the pace and kick from my strokes (yes even without my usual poly?). Ball placement is more precise than the London, similar to the Dunlop, but not quite the precision. 1HBH very easy, both topspin and slice – better than either Dunlop or BB. Not quite as easy as the Dunlop to keep the slice deep, low and fast. Power is just about perfect, what an advanced player might consider a game improevement racquet, somewhat similar to the London, however always very controlled.
This is a very easy racket to hit with. From the web site, I was concerned that it might be too much, being the most player-oriented of the dual cores, but it is the right choice for me. Within a few minutes, it was effortless to vary the pace, spin and direction.

Volleys:
Again very easy racquet to use. Manoeuvrability, depth, and solid on contact. Got to some hard-to-reach balls that I would not get to with the Dunlop and would not get with pace with the London.

Going to 18x20:
Didn’t lose an ounce of spin over either the London or PB9, though they may not be considered great “spin” racquets(?). Again, both opponents commented on having to return difficult balls. There is a definite increase in precision and control. It is much easier to generate spin compared to the Dunlop.

Serves:
Sore wrist, so not my best days. I was somewhat inconsistent, but did generate v good pace, direction and kicks, so I’m sure I will dial in with better conditions. I did also serve, however, very well with the London.

Misc.:
I’ve always preferred low to medium stiffness players sticks. I’m getting older (51) and tried various tweeners since mid 2010, but never got the control that I wanted. I work regularly with a coach and am encouraged to keep up an aggressive game. I’m confident that this is the best of the last 10 racquets that I’ve tried, and that I can deal with this (or similar) until I’m 60. The Platinum 99 does not hit like a 70RA – more like low 60s.

Thanks for your review. I'm also a London user but am intrigued with the discussions and reviews here on Donnay. How did you find the extra weight of the Platinum compared to the London? I'm about the same age as you and more of a 4.0-4.5 player. I have my Londons in the upper 11's, close to 12. I keep hearing that the Plat swings lighter than it's listed weight; was that your experience with the 99? Also, I've been pretty used to the Volkl/BB "feel" and would hope that the Plat would have something similar. Did you try any other of the Donnays, such as in the X-series? Sounds like a fairly easy transition for you from London to Donnay? Thanks in advance.

neverstopplaying · May 20, 2011

skeeter said:
Thanks for your review. I'm also a London user but am intrigued with the discussions and reviews here on Donnay. How did you find the extra weight of the Platinum compared to the London? I'm about the same age as you and more of a 4.0-4.5 player. I have my Londons in the upper 11's, close to 12. I keep hearing that the Plat swings lighter than it's listed weight; was that your experience with the 99? Also, I've been pretty used to the Volkl/BB "feel" and would hope that the Plat would have something similar. Did you try any other of the Donnays, such as in the X-series? Sounds like a fairly easy transition for you from London to Donnay? Thanks in advance.

I had added leather grip and a few grams @5&7 to the London. So far, I didn't add leather to the Platinum. I've seen some posts regarding other leather-like but lighter grips - I'll probably buy these as I don't like the spongy synthetic rips - and I don't want to add another 10gms to the handle at this time.

I agree that is swings lighter than specs. Since I've played with a lot of players frames, I still struggle sometimes with anything less than the Dunlop 200s. But I do want a racquet that is less draining and this is the closest that I've come. I'm confident that I will gain complete control of this racquet with a little time.

I do find that the feel of the Platinum and London are quite close, with the Platinum being more predictable racquet, more controlled pace and direction. As for being an easy switch, it is a more demanding racquet but not excessively so. It is not as powerful as the London but easier than the Dunlop. It you want the same power level as the London, you would have to try the Gold or Silver (or an x-series). I haven't tried any of them and would not need to.

I played again with this morning and regularly hit my best 1HBH topspin ever.

jlan · May 20, 2011

tlm said:
Thanks for the review, i am using the white right now but before i purchase another one i want to try a couple of the dual cores. What you say about the white is very accurate, i also like the flex in the white. I do use a slice and drop shots quite often also, which this stick performs very well on.

Slices and drop shots are really nasty with the White. I can't get the same performance on those shots with the Silver Lite. Do you play the White stock or did you make any changes to it?

skeeter · May 20, 2011

neverstopplaying said:
I had added leather grip and a few grams @5&7 to the London. So far, I didn't add leather to the Platinum. I've seen some posts regarding other leather-like but lighter grips - I'll probably buy these as I don't like the spongy synthetic rips - and I don't want to add another 10gms to the handle at this time.

I agree that is swings lighter than specs. Since I've played with a lot of players frames, I still struggle sometimes with anything less than the Dunlop 200s. But I do want a racquet that is less draining and this is the closest that I've come. I'm confident that I will gain complete control of this racquet with a little time.

I do find that the feel of the Platinum and London are quite close, with the Platinum being more predictable racquet, more controlled pace and direction. As for being an easy switch, it is a more demanding racquet but not excessively so. It is not as powerful as the London but easier than the Dunlop. It you want the same power level as the London, you would have to try the Gold or Silver (or an x-series). I haven't tried any of them and would not need to.

I played again with this morning and regularly hit my best 1HBH topspin ever.

I also have leather grips and lead at 5/7 on my Londons. The more control that you seem to be getting with the Platinum sounds good. Although I've become fairly dialed in with the London, I still struggle with balls sailing long at times, which I didn't get with other racquets I've played with in the past. Less power may be good as I can usually bring my own power when needed. I also have a 1HBH and love hitting driving topspin shots with it, so the Platinum sounds delicious!

tlm · May 20, 2011

jlan said:
Slices and drop shots are really nasty with the White. I can't get the same performance on those shots with the Silver Lite. Do you play the White stock or did you make any changes to it?

I put the 10 gram butt cap in and with the over wrap it weighs 11.3 ounces and is 7 points head light. I am using black edge 5 at 48 lbs. or turbo twist 18 gauge at 54 lbs.

Nojoke · May 20, 2011

Second time out with the plat 99 and blue typhoon originally strung at 50 lbs. I'm starting to see the light. I stepped up the competition to someone a little tougher than who I had played before, and the racket stepped up the plate and then some.

In a two set match, I probably had 6 or 7 aces, including a bunch up the tee on the ad side. Spin serves spun, slice serves sliced. Volleys, as always with this racket, were excellent. Groundies were really clicking. Topspin, slice, flat, it was all there. The racket finally was what I had hoped, a control racket with great pop when called upon. When I lined up a short ball I had full confidence swinging out and the ball would go in with great depth and pace.

The guy who I played beat me last time when I was using my PDRGT said that my ball was faster and heavier and that he couldn't press the offense on me because of my pace and depth. Great news!

Also one other great feature for the racket today that I lacked with the K90, is help when I was out of position. If I was dragged out wide and could only barely get a racket on the ball, it would still float deep. With my K90, if I was stretched real wide and had to lunge, the racket would not help me and I'd either net the ball or float something very short. Big difference.

Chances of purchasing a second plat 99 jumped greatly today. Will spend some more time with it to avoid a honeymoon period mistake, but I am very excited, to say the least.

Joe

Power Player · May 20, 2011

Joe, that is they key. The platinum is one of the few sticks with control, but also the power to hit deep defensive shots that keep you in points. It is truly great at that. I learned that if I needed to I can hit heavy moonballs that will bounce about 1 foot inside the Bline and kick to the top 3rd of the fence. Stuff like that is great when you are trying to reset from being pushed wide.

WinNCash · May 20, 2011

http://www.donnayusa.com/xpdual.htm

As soon as someone plays with this I would be interested in hearing some feedback. I know not really the cup of tea for most of the people on this board.

Miami Tiburon · May 20, 2011

WinNCash said:
http://www.donnayusa.com/xpdual.htm

As soon as someone plays with this I would be interested in hearing some feedback. I know not really the cup of tea for most of the people on this board.

Very interesting frame very solid in feel , the fact that its a thicker beam
with the xenecore technology makes for a very stable solid hit. I have tried both racquets and was very impressed .

GoodSamaritan · May 20, 2011

Have you tried the X-Platinum Tiburon?

v1nx · May 21, 2011

can anyone who has tried both the x-dual silver & gold comment on their differences?

Miami Tiburon · May 21, 2011

GoodSamaritan said:
Have you tried the X-Platinum Tiburon?

Yes I have tried all the Donnay's ,the X platinum is very cool because its such
a limited frame and has a great chrome finish to it. I use the new Platinum
dual core 94 its a great stick, good power and of course control with such a thin beam.
I always recommend using a soft string with these frames I believe they play there best that way.
I use MSV HEX 18L at 56lbs , great combo

Automatix · May 21, 2011

v1nx said:
can anyone who has tried both the x-dual silver & gold comment on their differences?

I'd like to read a comparison of the two also.

However I'm more interested in the Silver Extended. If you add a leather grip and a +10g buttcap you can bump the unstrung weight up to +/- 310g.

Miami Tiburon · May 21, 2011

v1nx said:
can anyone who has tried both the x-dual silver & gold comment on their differences?

They both play very similiar , its just a preferance in weight. With the
Gold you have the 94 sq. if you prefer the smaller headsize. But as
far as power and control very similiar .

Automatix · May 21, 2011

By the way how does the inside of the X-Core handles look like? Hollow? Foam?

Miami Tiburon · May 21, 2011

Automatix said:
By the way how does the inside of the X-Core handles look like? Hollow? Foam?

Its the Xenecore technology it looks like a foam or cork material because
its white . You can see it when you remove the cap , not hollow .

v1nx · May 21, 2011

Seems like I'm going for the x-dual silver. as it is lighter. I'm just concerned with the stiffness (RA 70) as compared to gold (RA 67). Are these x-dual harsh on the arm Miami Tiburon? I've been using the kblade 98 for 4 years now and it's slowly eating up my arm

Raul_SJ · May 21, 2011

gh65721 said:
Just curious if these new Donnay's are made in China? and hoping they are not

Aren't most racquets made in China?

All the Wilson racquets I've seen were made in China.

Not familiar with other brands.

Are there any brands made in Europe, U.S, or Japan?

WinNCash · May 21, 2011

Miami Tiburon said:
Very interesting frame very solid in feel , the fact that its a thicker beam
with the xenecore technology makes for a very stable solid hit. I have tried both racquets and was very impressed .

Does it have super ridiculous amounts of power?

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