Dampner

Bill Lobsalot

Hall of Fame
Any of you players not using a dampner? I don't feel that it does anything. Last night McEnroe commented about them saying "I don't know why you'd want to deaden the strings, they're already dead". And he's right, poly strings by design are stiff and muted. Just curious what you feel they do.
 

Purestriker

Legend
Any of you players not using a dampner? I don't feel that it does anything. Last night McEnroe commented about them saying "I don't know why you'd want to deaden the strings, they're already dead". And he's right, poly strings by design are stiff and muted. Just curious what you feel they do.
I stopped using one about a year ago. I don't think they do anything except fly off ocsassiohaly for someone like Sureshs to pick up and take home. If anything, the sound cracking the ball off the string bed is pronounced.
 

TheBoom

Hall of Fame
Racket depending. If there’s a ping noise (pure aero) absolutely I do. If it already makes a thwack (prestige) I don’t.

I’d rather deal with a slightly muted feel than a pinging noise every time I hit
 

LOBALOT

Legend
Don't use the goofy things.... I really don't care how the strings sound. I care about where the ball goes which hopefully is not in the back fence.
 

mixtape

Professional
I just use a rubber band. I like the muted sound from the different higher pitch sound you get without it. I did try a heavy dampener once, and I can feel a slight difference in swingweight.
 

LOBALOT

Legend
I just use a rubber band. I like the muted sound from the different higher pitch sound you get without it. I did try a heavy dampener once, and I can feel a slight difference in swingweight.

I could as well and didn't like the difference when I tried one. It took like 3 points and I tossed the thing aside.
 

ekucheraw

Rookie
It depends on the frame with me, but if I'm going to use one it's always a Kimony Quakebuster. I use one on my Ezones and Arma Pro, but don't need it on an Angell or Six.One 95 personally. It's mostly for the sound, the pinging off the strings is something obnoxiously high pitched so I like to dampen that.
 

dl32

Rookie
Agreed on Quakebuster. Only one I will ever use after trying a bunch and it does the job every well to cut vibrations.

I use frames with zero modern tech cut to vibrations. The kimony cuts out the crap but still leaves the feel. Not much like it in my opinion.
 

kevin qmto

Hall of Fame
I cannot stand racket pinging and use dampeners on all graphite frames.

But I never use them on wood rackets. They’re different in feel and one isn’t needed.
 

bad1990

New User
Most of the time I don't use dampeners. For me, it just depends on the racquet and/or strings. Most of the racquets today have some type of dampening technology already built in so there's typically no need for one.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
Sound is vibration though. And personally I prefer the smoother feel with a dampener. My favourite is the O ring style.
The sound dampened by dampeners is high frequency string vibration which does not hurt you. The one you want damped to prevent injury is the low frequency vibration from impact shock that transmits through the racquet. The racquets have dampening technology to dampen that.

It is placebo effect if a player feels that the vibration dampener makes a racquet much more comfortable.
 

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
I stopped using one about a year ago. I don't think they do anything except fly off ocsassiohaly for someone like Sureshs to pick up and take home. If anything, the sound cracking the ball off the string bed is pronounced.
I stopped using one 13 years ago when @tennis_balla challenged me to do so, in Prague. Never looked back.
However, saying that they do not do anything is ridiculous. They definitely dampen vibrations and definitely get rid of the “ping” sound. However, removing the dampener actually forced me to figure out how to get rid of that ping sound which resulted in higher racket speed and many other benefits. I also like more “communication” coming through the handle without dampener
 

Purestriker

Legend
I stopped using one 13 years ago when @tennis_balla challenged me to do so, in Prague. Never looked back.
However, saying that they do not do anything is ridiculous. They definitely dampen vibrations and definitely get rid of the “ping” sound. However, removing the dampener actually forced me to figure out how to get rid of that ping sound which resulted in higher racket speed and many other benefits. I also like more “communication” coming through the handle without dampener
My racket doesn’t have a ping sound. I also think most of the dampening feel is built into the racket unless you are playing with an RA of 70. I’ve also found no conclusive data showing the do anything other than add weight to the frame.
 

Guttersnipe

Rookie
O-Ring or Donut shaped are the best. there are some racquets that are firm/harsh & full of vibrations but I chuck one of those boys on & it’s honestly night and day. To some it may it be placebo but I’m a staunch believer (I’ve tried going raw in the past but I always come back to using them, feels straight up wrong without)

Lowkey use them as a red-dot sight to keep eyes lined up with the ball and middle of the stringbed (when you’re using a black racquet & strings it’s nice to have it in ya peripherals for extra visual feedback
 

tennis_balla

Hall of Fame
I stopped using one 13 years ago when @tennis_balla challenged me to do so, in Prague. Never looked back.
However, saying that they do not do anything is ridiculous. They definitely dampen vibrations and definitely get rid of the “ping” sound. However, removing the dampener actually forced me to figure out how to get rid of that ping sound which resulted in higher racket speed and many other benefits. I also like more “communication” coming through the handle without dampener

Haha that’s funny you’ve stuck to that.
I found that some rackets are great without a dampener, others just feel better with. Having silicone in the handle makes a difference as well as to whether put one in or not.
Currently I‘m using the Head Pro Tour 2.0 strung with Babolat VS 17 mains and ALU Power 125 cross and use a rubber band. Before I used nothing but the rubber band feels best with that setup.
Also the type of dampener makes a huge difference as well. I find the Kimony Quake Buster to be the most damp feeling, rubber band of course the least. The change in weight and balance is a factor for me as well when picking a dampener. The purple Luxilon Legacy dampeners are probably the best I find.
The ping doesn’t bother me, because like you said after a certain swing speed you don't hear it. It’s the feel of the ball hitting the strings. The right combination of feel, comfort etc.
 

PCunique

New User
It is placebo effect if a player feels that the vibration dampener makes a racquet much more comfortable.
I did an experiment - bouncing the ball while listening to music via noise-cancelling earbuds so I can't hear the sound at all. I can still 100% feel the difference (sustaining vibration into my hand without a dampener), but without the 'ping' in my head, it's less annoying. Still prefer with.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
I did an experiment - bouncing the ball while listening to music via noise-cancelling earbuds so I can't hear the sound at all. I can still 100% feel the difference (sustaining vibration into my hand without a dampener), but without the 'ping' in my head, it's less annoying. Still prefer with.
This might be a bit more scientific if you are into that kind of thing.

 

Anni.Angel

Semi-Pro
Actually this is beyond stupid.

I tested many dampeners, although I don't use one because the racquet is livelier without it and I like that. Also the feedback that comes to my hand feels good. And with dampener that feedback would be gone.

Unless your hand is made of wood, you could definitely feel that some dampeners really mute the vibration, you bounce the ball against the ground with your racquet or ON your racquet, or just hit it with the heel of your palm on the strings.
You will feel vibrations from your racquet and when you use certain dampeners it won't change and with other dampeners it will change.

Also with certain dampeners the racquet will be livelier including ball will fly slightly longer. But other dampeners won't do a thing.
And without a dampener different strings and different tensions give different vibrations, but I guess people here don't even comprehend that.

As far as I can see people here have hands made of wood, "it's just the sound".
 
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smboogie

Semi-Pro
I have a hybrid string setup and I thing it does mute a strings a bit as well as the sound. I have played without and on the Pure Strike I prefer with a dampener. I typically use the .50 tennis warehouse ones and keep in mind they stop being useful after a period of play, I would assume 6 months or so depending on frequency, maybe a year to rotate through them.
 

Wolffje

New User
I always use a Spongebob dampener, just to be able to say: "i'm ready! i'm ready!" to myself. Plus it looks funny :giggle:
 

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
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