New Donnay X-Series - My Thoughts

Gold 99

I am really a huge fan of this stick. I know it gets a lot of positive feedback but I dont think you can overstate how good it is. Its so TRUE on every shot and just a sweet stick. I switched from Prestige Pro and have not looked back one time. I have not found a weakness except I dont get quite the pop on 1st serve, but it more than makes up for it in every other aspect. Has anybody noticed how awesome the slice BH is with this stick?
 
aside from the angell and the head, here is my current collection

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mrc said:
I am really a huge fan of this stick. I know it gets a lot of positive feedback but I dont think you can overstate how good it is. Its so TRUE on every shot and just a sweet stick. I switched from Prestige Pro and have not looked back one time. I have not found a weakness except I dont get quite the pop on 1st serve, but it more than makes up for it in every other aspect. Has anybody noticed how awesome the slice BH is with this stick?
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I hear you, mrc. Personally, I think the Blue X-99 feels the best as far as fitting my swing and the response of the racquet face hitting the ball. I hit an extreme western grip forehand and a 1hbh. The Blue has a high swing weight and I get so much controllable power from the frame, especially on groundstrokes. Unless i catch the ball late. Then the ball flies.

That brings me to the Dual Core Gold 99. I agree with you. It is the most consistent of all the Donnay racquets I've hit. Gold 99 has a very smooth swing, provides a ton of spin and it is maneuverable. It probably has the best balance of maneuverability and swing weight. As far as defending is concerned, yes, the Gold provides the most effective slice. Return of serve is excellent with this racquet. The only negative I have experienced, is on serve. I have shoulder issues, so i have to be careful. At times the Gold did not give me enough power on serve. Also, sometimes I get too cute trying to put an inordinate amount of spin on the ball, don't hit thru the ball and hit short. This has happened with the Gold a few times.

I am currently playing with the Dual Core Platinum 94. It may be the best of both worlds. It has characteristics of the Blue 99 and Gold 99. I'll keep you guys posted on my success.
 
I prefer the X-Dark Red 94, the thing is a beauty. I should have bought 10 of them while they were still in production. I have two and they're beginning to get worn.
I've tried to find something similar, but the thin beam keeps me holding on to the Donnay.

Awesome collection though Kal. Gave me a donnaygasm.
 
v-verb said:
I got a pair of X-Plats from Kal. Superb sticks. Apart from some curiosity factor to hit with a Steam 99s, this stick has ended my racquet quest
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Are you guys referring to the 'unreleased' x-platinum 94?

If so, I picked up 2 of them from Donnay website. Perfect for me as well. Hammer of the Gods.
 
v-verb said:
Yes exactly the unreleased X-Platinums. Great frames - glad you're liking them!
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This best Donnay X-series racquet for me, was the Blue 99. Loved the swing, balance and available power. But it was not as maneuverable when i tired or had to set up quickly. I couldn't find any 94in frames that felt like the Blue 99.
I did try the Gold 99, which was very consistent and maneuverable, but lacked the plow thru of the Blue 99. I even demoed the dual core platinum 94, but it was missing something. Maybe too muted.

Then i tried the X-Platinum 94. Wow. It's what I've been looking for. I am truly enjoying it. Has all the positive characteristics of the Blue 99 and is more maneuverable. On top of that, i believe the head moves much faster through the hitting zone, than Blue 99. Feels like I can still catch up to the ball, even when i'm late.

Have any of you guys tried the dual core Platinum 94 or 99?
 
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pjonesy said:
This best Donnay X-series racquet for me, was the Blue 99. Loved the swing, balance and available power. But it was not as maneuverable when i tired or had to set up quickly. I couldn't find any 94in frames that felt like the Blue 99.
I did try the Gold 99, which was very consistent and maneuverable, but lacked the plow thru of the Blue 99. I even demoed the dual core platinum 94, but it was missing something. Maybe too muted.

Then i tried the X-Platinum 94. Wow. It's what I've been looking for. I am truly enjoying it.

Have any of you guys tried the dual core Platinum 94 or 99?
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Hey Pjonesy

Haven't tried any other Donnays but looking forward to it. Actually I was thinking of the X-Blue 99 but it sounds like I may not have to now;<)

What string and tension are you using. As well how do you find it for spin and serve power?

Cheers
 
v-verb said:
Hey Pjonesy

Haven't tried any other Donnays but looking forward to it. Actually I was thinking of the X-Blue 99 but it sounds like I may not have to now;<)

What string and tension are you using. As well how do you find it for spin and serve power?

Cheers
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For the Blue 99, I had Volkl Cyclone 18g in mains and Isospeed Control Arm Protection multi 1.30(16g). It gave me even more spin, decent power and good control. But the feel was muted. As I lost feel, I started hitting more spin and was hitting too short. Can't remember tension exactly. Under 50lbs for Cyclone in mains and mid 50s for Isospeed multi.

Currently I am using a full bed of Tourna Quasi gut 17g in the x Platinum. String tension is 59. Much livelier string, but it provides a tremendous amount of spin. The ball will fly, if you catch it late. If you cover the ball well and hit a long full stroke, the Quasi gut pays off. Power and spin galore. Combined with the potential racquet head speed of the x platinum, it is lethal. I'm still adjusting to the racquet and string myself. But once I get locked in, I expect to be in total control of baseline rallies.
 
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pjonesy said:
This best Donnay X-series racquet for me, was the Blue 99. Loved the swing, balance and available power. But it was not as maneuverable when i tired or had to set up quickly. I couldn't find any 94in frames that felt like the Blue 99.
I did try the Gold 99, which was very consistent and maneuverable, but lacked the plow thru of the Blue 99. I even demoed the dual core platinum 94, but it was missing something. Maybe too muted.

Then i tried the X-Platinum 94. Wow. It's what I've been looking for. I am truly enjoying it. Has all the positive characteristics of the Blue 99 and is more maneuverable. On top of that, i believe the head moves much faster through the hitting zone, than Blue 99. Feels like I can still catch up to the ball, even when i'm late.

Have any of you guys tried the dual core Platinum 94 or 99?
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Even though I am not playing the Platinum 99 anymore, but I still miss the fast/soft/solid feel of that racquet. I played it since it was a prototype in softer and stiffer layup. The stiffer one seems to work best, and it finally becomes X-Dual Platinum 99. Solinco Barb Wire at 52lbs works best for me.

A year later I had a chance to play the similar frame in a different layup and weight. It feels like Gold 99 (310g, 66RA, 310mm) with 18x20 string pattern. It's a really nice frame. Most pros/players who tried it easily fell in love with it. Donnay should have made this racquet for public.

DONNAY_JHT027_11.JPG
 
suppawat said:
Even though I am not playing the Platinum 99 anymore, but I still miss the fast/soft/solid feel of that racquet. I played it since it was a prototype in softer and stiffer layup. The stiffer one seems to work best, and it finally becomes X-Dual Platinum 99. Solinco Barb Wire at 52lbs works best for me.

A year later I had a chance to play the similar frame in a different layup and weight. It feels like Gold 99 (310g, 66RA, 310mm) with 18x20 string pattern. It's a really nice frame. Most pros/players who tried it easily fell in love with it. Donnay should have made this racquet for public.

DONNAY_JHT027_11.JPG
Click to expand...

surprised i never got my hands on one of these... love the thin beamed all blacked out rackets... so cool looking
 
pjonesy said:
For the Blue 99, I had Volkl Cyclone 18g in mains and Isospeed Control Arm Protection multi 1.30(16g). It gave me even more spin, decent power and good control. But the feel was muted. As I lost feel, I started hitting more spin and was hitting too short. Can't remember tension exactly. Under 50lbs for Cyclone in mains and mid 50s for Isospeed multi.
1
Currently I am using a full bed of Tourna Quasi gut 17g in the x Platinum. String tension is 59. Much livelier string, but it provides a tremendous amount of spin. The ball will fly, if you catch it late. If you cover the ball well and hit a long full stroke, the Quasi gut pays off. Power and spin galore. Combined with the potential racquet head speed of the x platinum, it is lethal. I'm still adjusting to the racquet and string myself. But once I get locked in, I expect to be in total control of baseline rallies.
Click to expand...

Thanks Pjonesy - great info!

Kal-El 34 said:
surprised i never got my hands on one of these... love the thin beamed all blacked out rackets... so cool looking
Click to expand...

They look KILLER! Kal if you get one and want to sell please let me know
 
I am not at liberty to release prototype or pro stock frames. Actually i need to ask the board to quit emailing Donnay asking for them or we will have to take our pictures down as well... Gracias
 
donnay pro stock

i was just looking at donnay frames on the big auction site and came across a pro stock for sale. seems like a rare find on there!
 
Kal-El 34 said:
I am not at liberty to release prototype or pro stock frames. Actually i need to ask the board to quit emailing Donnay asking for them or we will have to take our pictures down as well... Gracias
Click to expand...

Absolutely understood - thanks for clarifying
 
Anybody have a string and tension recommendation for the Platinum 99? I tried the Donnay CoPoly and it was pretty good. Right now I have a hybrid of B5E and Nvy. I think I might prefer a full set of a softer poly. I really liked how the CoPoly volleyed. Thanks!
 
try the donnay x-poly.. i actually find it to play softer than the co-poly... holds tension better and lasts longer too! goes great in the platinums

i also like full bed of solinco barb wire
 
v-verb said:
Thanks Pjonesy - great info!

I might have spoken too soon. I played with the x platinum, strung with the quasi gut at 56lbs. Played on hardcourts against a guy who hits very hard and I could barely keep the ball in the court. Ball was flying. I may need a poly to offset the springy nature of the quasi gut.
Click to expand...
 
Hi guys,

Seems there's a lot of Donnay experts here, so I need some help please. I'm currently using a Babolat APD 2013 version, and the stiffness is just killing my wrist. I was hoping it wouldn't but there's no denying it.

I was looking at the X-Dual Gold and it appears the specs are almost identical with the APD except for the stiffness. If someone has a very spin-oriented game, using Tourna BHB7 @ 48 lbs, do you think the Gold is a good transition stick?

I like the lower SW and open string pattern of it. I'm hoping that with the Gold I can still generate good pace.

Any thoughts?

Thanks :)
 
anubis said:
Hi guys,

Seems there's a lot of Donnay experts here, so I need some help please. I'm currently using a Babolat APD 2013 version, and the stiffness is just killing my wrist. I was hoping it wouldn't but there's no denying it.

I was looking at the X-Dual Gold and it appears the specs are almost identical with the APD except for the stiffness. If someone has a very spin-oriented game, using Tourna BHB7 @ 48 lbs, do you think the Gold is a good transition stick?

I like the lower SW and open string pattern of it. I'm hoping that with the Gold I can still generate good pace.

Any thoughts?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Gold 99 is a flexible frame with good spin potential but you have to add more weight to the hoop to get more power. It is a good frame for baseliners. The other frame you should also demo is Silver 99. The Silver 99 is 10g lighter and stiffer and has more power than the Gold 99, but no where close to atomic power of APD2013. Both Gold 99 and Silver 99 are thin beam frames which should allow you to serve and hit spin more naturally than thicker frames.
 
suppawat said:
Gold 99 is a flexible frame with good spin potential but you have to add more weight to the hoop to get more power. It is a good frame for baseliners. The other frame you should also demo is Silver 99. The Silver 99 is 10g lighter and stiffer and has more power than the Gold 99, but no where close to atomic power of APD2013. Both Gold 99 and Silver 99 are thin beam frames which should allow you to serve and hit spin more naturally than thicker frames.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm trying to stay away from stiffer frames, so that's why I chose the Gold. I like the low swing weight so that I can really whip it around to generate spin. Not too concerned about power though. I actually found the 2013 APD to be rather low powered. If I slowed down my swing enough, the ball really didn't travel very far or fast.
 
anubis said:
Hi guys,

Seems there's a lot of Donnay experts here, so I need some help please. I'm currently using a Babolat APD 2013 version, and the stiffness is just killing my wrist. I was hoping it wouldn't but there's no denying it.

I was looking at the X-Dual Gold and it appears the specs are almost identical with the APD except for the stiffness. If someone has a very spin-oriented game, using Tourna BHB7 @ 48 lbs, do you think the Gold is a good transition stick?

I like the lower SW and open string pattern of it. I'm hoping that with the Gold I can still generate good pace.

Any thoughts?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Gold can generate lot of pace with good technique. And it forces you to hit with good technique as just pushing around will not work with Gold. As you are Coming from APD, i will suggest you to try Pro One 16x19 as that is similar to APD with good spin. I can hit all kinds of shot with Pro one than Gold. But Gold is simply special on certain strokes. Pro one is not that stiff though its rating is high. You can use hybrid strings.
 
Can anyone tell me anything about the X-Dual Silverlite Extended? Just bought a couple cos I like the specs. Thinking I'll add the customised weight: 10gms buttcap, 3gms 12 o'clock. I've read all there is to read on the entire internet about this stick (which isn't much).

EDIT: Just got my 2 x Sliverlite Ext. Put the 10g buttcaps on as well as 3g at 12 o'clock. Feels nice to swing, but it's not strung yet. Now I've just gotta get my knees in good enough shape to hit!!!!
 
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anubis said:
Thanks. I'm trying to stay away from stiffer frames, so that's why I chose the Gold. I like the low swing weight so that I can really whip it around to generate spin. Not too concerned about power though. I actually found the 2013 APD to be rather low powered. If I slowed down my swing enough, the ball really didn't travel very far or fast.
Click to expand...

Ok guys. I've been away, testing the Gold dual core 99 vs Blue X 99 vs Platinum X 94 vs DC Platinum 94 and 99.

To begin with, I thought that i wanted a super stable, fairly flexible 11.5 to 12.5 oz racquet with a high swingweight. But, with a torn labrum in right shoulder, a heavy racquet with a high swingweight tugged at the joint when i took a full swing serving.

I put the 5g butt cap weight in the blue 99 and plat 94. It made it more head light and gave me more whip through contact point on serve. These 2 racquets are the most dynamic in my opinion. With a clean stroke, these are nasty. Great power, spin, defense and precision. However, my stroke needs more work. I'm inconsistent right now and am not ready for these racquets. I need something a little more forgiving.

The Gold 99 has been covered and I would agree with most of the comments. It is very consistent, reliable and smooth. I want something more dynamic. But if you hit medium pace shots and are looking for the ability to hit a consistent ball with depth and control, this will get the job done all day long.

I am now playing with the DC Platinum 94. It has a perfect swingweight, while being very maneuverable from all areas of the court. It's heavy, but I can hit just about any ball late and still catch up to it with this racquet. I did replace the grip with a Dunlop leather grip, with no slide weights or butt cap weights. The DC Plat 99 is a little more forgiving, but I prefer the 94, based on the fact that it forces me to drive through the ball. I have an extreme full western grip and my forehand can get wild at times. The DC Platinum 94 forces me to have better technique on my groundstrokes and it pays off. I am using a full bed of Tourna Quasi gut 16g at 56 lbs.
 
Ashley D said:
Hi Jonesy. Have you played with the Silverlite Ext? I have two sitting here but can't play with them until my knees recover.
Click to expand...

I just got one off of cl. I put .5 oz on the handle in .4 on 5 &7. will play this wkd. swings nice. in a way, reminds me of the PK ki5x.

I haven't played with an ultra thin beam b4. I hope it won't twist against the hard hitters.
 
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just came back hitting with the silver lite ext.

it had msv red hex on there around 53lb. initial hit is pretty good. its really a very good control stick. I was really impressed how much control I had for being an extended. I couldn't generate as much spin as compared to my bb NYC but after all it is a control stick.
shanked a couple of balls initially due to the length but even then very comfy.
what really I noticed is serving, dtl, CC, sliders, a lot more pace and accuracy. only thing I can't do are kickers, back is killing me today.
I will prob cut out the strings and put on a high gauge multi with a low tension and see if I can generate more pace.
don't think I will switch over from my moded stick now but great to satisfy my curiosity of donnay sticks. for such a thin beam, it is extremely stable! very impressed.
 
coolblue123 said:
just came back hitting with the silver lite ext.

it had msv red hex on there around 53lb. initial hit is pretty good. its really a very good control stick. I was really impressed how much control I had for being an extended. I couldn't generate as much spin as compared to my bb NYC but after all it is a control stick.
shanked a couple of balls initially due to the length but even then very comfy.
what really I noticed is serving, dtl, CC, sliders, a lot more pace and accuracy. only thing I can't do are kickers, back is killing me today.
I will prob cut out the strings and put on a high gauge multi with a low tension and see if I can generate more pace.
don't think I will switch over from my moded stick now but great to satisfy my curiosity of donnay sticks. for such a thin beam, it is extremely stable! very impressed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update CoolBlue. Good to know you found it pretty stable, because it is light. I'll be putting a hybrid of Big Hitter Blue Rough 17g mains and Klip Kicker 17g crosses at about 52 I reckon. Do you have a 2hb? I've got a 1hb so wondering how extended length will go. Also, the stiffness rating is 66. Did it feel like that? Or softer?
 
Ashley D said:
Thanks for the update CoolBlue. Good to know you found it pretty stable, because it is light. I'll be putting a hybrid of Big Hitter Blue Rough 17g mains and Klip Kicker 17g crosses at about 52 I reckon. Do you have a 2hb? I've got a 1hb so wondering how extended length will go. Also, the stiffness rating is 66. Did it feel like that? Or softer?
Click to expand...

np, I have a 2hb. didn't feel the stiffness at all. its really comfy. I think bcz I put lead on the 4/6, it felt a little slower. I am thinking cutting them msv, and putting some multi in there and see what happens. trying to draw more power. too bad I love my bb's so much else would try to make this work out.

did I mention the serve off this stick is wicked?
 
coolblue123 said:
np, I have a 2hb. didn't feel the stiffness at all. its really comfy. I think bcz I put lead on the 4/6, it felt a little slower. I am thinking cutting them msv, and putting some multi in there and see what happens. trying to draw more power. too bad I love my bb's so much else would try to make this work out.

did I mention the serve off this stick is wicked?
Click to expand...

Looking forward to a bigger serve! I'm only 5 foot 9, so hoping extra reach wil help a bit. And coming from Rebel 95, so hopefully low power won't be a shock. Although I also have 2 x BB delta core pros and they are awesome for spin.
 
Ashley D said:
Hi Jonesy. Have you played with the Silverlite Ext? I have two sitting here but can't play with them until my knees recover.
Click to expand...

No, I sure haven't tried the Silverlite Ext. I know its very light. I'm short as well and would be willing to demo it.

What experience with or opinions do you guys have on the X-P Dual, X-Dual Pro and X-P Dual Tour?
 
Hi guys,

Perhaps you can help me with my dilemma. The Donnays sound amazing. Got a Donnay rep in HK who can provide me with some Donnay sticks (the older X-line that they still have a few left of) as I live in Japan and there are no dealers here. Sadly, that also means no demos.

I'm torn between the blue, black and red lines. The red 99 sounds like an interesting stick for a spin/attacking game, or even playing around as a doubles stick (and its light enough to be customized either way).

Out of the 94's, probably the black is striking me as the best (somewhat more forgiving than the blue 94 - and given its a "buy before I try" perhaps it's good I err on the side of caution!). That leaves the blue 99 as the final option...yet both the blue 99 and black 99 seems to come with great praise.

So if I was to pick up a red 99, a blue 99 and a black 94, would that be a good mix of racquets in terms of differing spec/feel/performance?

If that's overkill and it's best to choose just one or two Donnay x-series, which would they be?
 
Or would a blue 94 + black 99 be best? I really want to pick up one of the 94's and a 99 but it'd be silly to pick up both in the same color/model line right?
 
Double_Bagel said:
Or would a blue 94 + black 99 be best? I really want to pick up one of the 94's and a 99 but it'd be silly to pick up both in the same color/model line right?
Click to expand...

Well, as you can see on this thread, there are quite a few people(including me) who have had problems deciding on a Donnay model. I've already shared my experiences throughout this thread, but I will give u a quick rundown of my thoughts. I don't think it would be silly to use 2 different models, with different head sizes. However, I don't think many people would
encourage it.

The Blue 99 is the most stable racquet I've hit. A beast off the ground. It fit perfectly with my long, fast forehand stroke. I really felt I could outhit just about anybody on the forehand side, while still being able to hit with fantastic spin when needed. I had to take the ball early to get the most out of it. Catch it late and balls fly. Technique is still very important with this racquet. Phenomenal on returns and solid at the net. Flat and topspin backhands were amazing.

My only issues are as follows;
Didn't help my serve much, but its more about my serve technique than the racquet. I have a torn labrum and I have to protect it. I hit a 1hbh and the Blue 99 is steady, but i didn't find it as maneuverable on that side. Slice was harder to control.

The good certainly outweighs the bad, regarding the the Blue 99.
 
Thanks Pjonesy. The blue 99 definitely seems to be the most popular...with good reason from the sounds of it.

Perhaps that, and the black 94 (two very different racquets), could be a good pair to buy, sight unseen. Keep the favorite and on-sell the other. Is it hard to sell a used Donnay?

The other wildcard is the Red 99 but it seems to have really mixed reports.
 
Double_Bagel said:
Thanks Pjonesy. The blue 99 definitely seems to be the most popular...with good reason from the sounds of it.

Perhaps that, and the black 94 (two very different racquets), could be a good pair to buy, sight unseen. Keep the favorite and on-sell the other. Is it hard to sell a used Donnay?

The other wildcard is the Red 99 but it seems to have really mixed reports.
Click to expand...

I think spec wise, the blue 99 is closer to black 94 and vice versa
 
Readers said:
I think spec wise, the blue 99 is closer to black 94 and vice versa
Click to expand...

I was wondering about that, considering the specs. I did not demo the Black 94. I did demo the Blue 94 and it seemed more sluggish and less stable than the Blue 99. I did demo the Black 99. It is a nice racquet, but I felt it was a predictable low power player's racquet. You get out exactly what you put into it. The Blue 99 gave my forehand and returns more power and control. Which is exactly what I needed.
 
Double_Bagel said:
Thanks Pjonesy. The blue 99 definitely seems to be the most popular...with good reason from the sounds of it.

Perhaps that, and the black 94 (two very different racquets), could be a good pair to buy, sight unseen. Keep the favorite and on-sell the other. Is it hard to sell a used Donnay?

The other wildcard is the Red 99 but it seems to have really mixed reports.
Click to expand...

I did use the Red 94 for a while. Although it had more power than the Black 99, I would generally put it in the 'predictable, consistent player's racquet' category. Nothing special and it didn't stand out in any way. Although it is easier for me to serve with a 94 inch head.
 
Kal-el 34 as you are very experienced with Donnay I wanted to ask you a few questions. I have played with wilsons untill I switched to the Head Prestige and played with them for a decade before switching to the Platinum for the last apprx 2 years. Well the frame has cracked and the balance is all off so I was looking to order the Gold 94. My concerns are as following:

The Platinum is 7pts head light as you know in comparison to the Gold which is 4pts. I have shoulder issues so I wanted to know if

A. Does this make the Donnay Gold Head heavy in comparison to the Platinum?

B. Will I be able to swing as freely with the Gold as I used to with the Platinum.

C. Will my swing speed be affected? Racquet Head speed? As I need all the help I can get to swing fast and free.

Sorry for the 20 questions but I am thinking of buying this racq and I needed an expert opinion.
 
What's up guys? I took about 3 months off, but I've been back on the court since March. Well, as far as my experience with the Donnays? i'm now using the Blue 94 w Donnay x-poly 17g and Donnay x-micron multi 16. This racquet is amazing with this string set up. The 18x20 provides almost as much spin as the Blue 99 and much more control. It's more maneuverable than the 99. Especially using my 1hbh and at the net. I found my Holy Grail racquet, but now they don't make them anymore and I'm having difficult finding any more. I have found some that were $300, but i'm not willing to pay that......yet!
 
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