rv75

Rookie
also this MiYami company is in Germany and they don't ship to USA . i can't buy it
Mayami has a warehouse in NJ. I've gotten free shipping to New England the last 2 purchases. After trying Big Spin I bought a reel. Great spin and very comfortable. I just bought a reel of Magic Twist. People have been calling the combo of Big Spin and Magic Twist, Big Twist and it has its fanbase on this forum. Recommendation is to string MT at least 5 lbs lower than BS. Magic Twist is on crazy sale with code "magic" until tomorrow

www.mayamistrings.com
 

mscream

Professional
Tour Hex is great, really a next generation string. Plays soft if not plush (for a poly) yet offers tons of feel, control and importantly, stays that way until it breaks. Reminds me quite a bit of Tour Sniper, which I also like a lot.
 

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
Mayami has a warehouse in NJ. I've gotten free shipping to New England the last 2 purchases. After trying Big Spin I bought a reel. Great spin and very comfortable. I just bought a reel of Magic Twist. People have been calling the combo of Big Spin and Magic Twist, Big Twist and it has its fanbase on this forum. Recommendation is to string MT at least 5 lbs lower than BS. Magic Twist is on crazy sale with code "magic" until tomorrow

www.mayamistrings.com

Big Spin here only sold in Reel. i want to buy it in one set only and try it. where can i just buy one set ?

MAYAMI BIG SPIN best tennis strings for spin – Mayami Strings
 
D

Deleted member 781523

Guest

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
ok i will get it. but one thing does worry me is that these Triangular shaped kind of poly always had NO feel when i tried them . i hope this isn't the case with this
 

blai212

Hall of Fame
if i recall correctly, black knight is octagonal/8 sided...a sharper version of rpm blast basically. I felt like I had to create a herculean swing to get any type of power with that string even though I strung it quite low (38-40 lbs) and then my arm would start hurting since I felt like I had to overswing especially with my sensitive elbow. Also tried Mayami Big spin...it is comfortable indeed but so soft that resulted in zero feel. Felt nothing off the string bed in a way that I felt completely lost about what type of ball I would hit. Might try yptp 1.20 in my 2020 ezone98 and/or alu power 1.20 in my vcp97 310 due to suggestions in this thread. I had a brief honeymoon period with SPPPhex1.20/Xperience 1.18 til my elbow started acting up. Xperience is super muted comfortable feeling string similar to cyclone or V square with the only difference being that it is quite powerful. However, I believe this muted feeling only masked the harshness of poly and my elbow would start hurting ever so slightly. The search continues for the holy grail...
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
ok i will get it. but one thing does worry me is that these Triangular shaped kind of poly always had NO feel when i tried them . i hope this isn't the case with this
We are waiting for your review then :) but you should try tour hex as well. I think thats the most „versatile” string from them while big spin is kinda more towards specific type of players perhaps.

general rule would be - if you are not sure what string to try first from Mayami- start from tour hex. Big spin is hard to clasify but maybe i would push it towards the hyper g users , or signum pro tornado but want the softer feel with same amount of control.

tour hex is for confidential or lynx tour users. All great strings but there are some small changes.

interesting thing is that when i showed big spin to one of my friends he told me it feels a bit like Alu power on impact. Perhaps big spin is a kid of signum pro tornado and Alu power ? :p i have No idea.
 

blai212

Hall of Fame
We are waiting for your review then :) but you should try tour hex as well. I think thats the most „versatile” string from them while big spin is kinda more towards specific type of players perhaps.

general rule would be - if you are not sure what string to try first from Mayami- start from tour hex. Big spin is hard to clasify but maybe i would push it towards the hyper g users , or signum pro tornado but want the softer feel with same amount of control.

tour hex is for confidential or lynx tour users. All great strings but there are some small changes.

interesting thing is that when i showed big spin to one of my friends he told me it feels a bit like Alu power on impact. Perhaps big spin is a kid of signum pro tornado and Alu power ? :p i have No idea.
wow so it’s not just me...big spin had ZERO feel for me too!
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
if i recall correctly, black knight is octagonal/8 sided...a sharper version of rpm blast basically. I felt like I had to create a herculean swing to get any type of power with that string even though I strung it quite low (38-40 lbs) and then my arm would start hurting since I felt like I had to overswing especially with my sensitive elbow. Also tried Mayami Big spin...it is comfortable indeed but so soft that resulted in zero feel. Felt nothing off the string bed in a way that I felt completely lost about what type of ball I would hit. Might try yptp 1.20 in my 2020 ezone98 and/or alu power 1.20 in my vcp97 310 due to suggestions in this thread. I had a brief honeymoon period with SPPPhex1.20/Xperience 1.18 til my elbow started acting up. Xperience is super muted comfortable feeling string similar to cyclone or V square with the only difference being that it is quite powerful. However, I believe this muted feeling only masked the harshness of poly and my elbow would start hurting ever so slightly. The search continues for the holy grail...
Black knight is 6-sided. Also Yes, big spin might be tricky to use but i would say its because of the shape - not the softness. You must hit the ball with intention of what you want to do and the intention must be - spin. If you start to push the ball or make the contact too slow you will allow the incoming force of the ball play with the string and do random things. Instead - the stringshould play with the ball ! Thats the only thing tricky with big spin.

I discovered that with 1.30 its even more important rule. I guess thicker 3-sided strings are not joking around :p

i strung 1.30 at 24/23 kg and 1.25 at 24kg
I think its better to keep the same tension on crosses with that string.
 
Time for Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25 ! Stiffness- 181 , Energy Return (%) - 86% , Spin Potential - unknown (TW database)
Overall I am giving it a 5.9 rating. No outstanding features, solid but boring. Good combination for Ezone line where it seems to unlock the potential mainly in comfort and spin.

+1

I tried PTP a few years ago after reading some glowing reviews, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment. No feel, no magic, no nothing. A dud string.
 
both will enter my second round of testing where I will play again with only my favourite strings.
I could probably put all 7.0 + strings but I will narrow it to:

1. Head Lynx Tour
2. Signum Pro Firestorm
3. Luxilon Original
4. Tourna Silver 7 Tour
5. Mayami Hit Pro
6. Mayami Tour Hex
7. Mayami Big Spin
8. Luxilon Alu Power

Looks like Head Lynx Tour and Signum Pro Firestorm are pretty special strings. Do they have the same fresh Alu 'magic'? Which one would you choose for a big final/big match?
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
I dont think scorpion would be a good fit for @galapagos since too much power. He seems to like the more control oriented strings. I tried it briefly as a cross in a hybrid setup...felt ok but then my arm started hurting so I ditched it.
yes indeed I enjoy control oriented strings a bit more but I am worried about too stiff/boardy feeling. Some strings managed to be comfy as well. Alu Power Ice Blue, Mayami Big Spin and Tour Hex, Signum Pro Firestorm, maybe even Solinco Confidential can be named here but the initial feeling is a bit dead yet not boardy, just a bit irritating I would say.
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
Looks like Head Lynx Tour and Signum Pro Firestorm are pretty special strings. Do they have the same fresh Alu 'magic'? Which one would you choose for a big final/big match?
Nothing has that fresh Alu 'magic' hah ! There are some strings that offered ready to go performance when strung with nice response and dwell time. I am thinking about SIgnum Pro Firestorm and Mayami Tour Hex but they perform differently. They are not a copy or "cheaper alternative" . Firestorm is softer, Tour Hex is a shaped string so totally different "style" I would say.
It's like Confidential is a bit towards Alu Power fans but you can also "advertise is" as a softer Tour Bite without additional power.
Tour Hex - you can kinda advertise it as a Confidential but with better initial feel when fresh.
Confidential evetually turns into mushy string softer than Firestorm.
Firestorm is a bit like Alu Power strung 1kg less ? With slightly less spin but slightly better tension stability, comfort and similar control (not mushy, not springy but responsive)

They overlap in different areas during different tensions and playing duration. But never the same when fresh.

Anyway this is where things are getting really interesting because now I will try to determine my favourite setups and pick my ultimate choice . Some strings I will try one more time. I already tried Firestorm like...5 times I think xD Same with Mayami Hit Pro.
 
D

Deleted member 780836

Guest
@galapagos have you tried alu power X nat gut hybrid? It seems to be used by the pros, but never understood why, and how it plays compared to regular full bed of poly.
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
@galapagos have you tried alu power X nat gut hybrid? It seems to be used by the pros, but never understood why, and how it plays compared to regular full bed of poly.
never tried it but I probably will soon. I dont see it as a potential main setup because of the pricetag.
In theory you will get a softer feel, more spin potential power and forgiveness. Gut is very responsive. It's like stringing your racquet at 27kg but with the feel and spin potential of 15kg tension xD
So you are getting a lot of amazing things but you need technique to control that beast. At the same time many racquets used on tour are in fact a bit softer and lower powered than the ones available to the public... HOWEVER the margin is slowly fading I think and that's why we are observing more and more players especially next gen with full poly. They are picking a bit stiffer racquets with lower SW (they can hit faster) and full poly actually encourage you to hit faster because its lower powered than gut/poly.

At the end , spin = racquet head speed and remember that biggest harm you can do to your opponent is not how fast you hit. Its how deep you can hit in a row. If you add spin on top of that you are pushing them back and making them do unforced errors. + you have more time to set up your next shot.
 
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Nothing has that fresh Alu 'magic' hah ! There are some strings that offered ready to go performance when strung with nice response and dwell time. I am thinking about SIgnum Pro Firestorm and Mayami Tour Hex but they perform differently. They are not a copy or "cheaper alternative" . Firestorm is softer, Tour Hex is a shaped string so totally different "style" I would say.
It's like Confidential is a bit towards Alu Power fans but you can also "advertise is" as a softer Tour Bite without additional power.
Tour Hex - you can kinda advertise it as a Confidential but with better initial feel when fresh.
Confidential evetually turns into mushy string softer than Firestorm.
Firestorm is a bit like Alu Power strung 1kg less ? With slightly less spin but slightly better tension stability, comfort and similar control (not mushy, not springy but responsive)

They overlap in different areas during different tensions and playing duration. But never the same when fresh.

Anyway this is where things are getting really interesting because now I will try to determine my favourite setups and pick my ultimate choice . Some strings I will try one more time. I already tried Firestorm like...5 times I think xD Same with Mayami Hit Pro.

Thanks. I'll probably try the Head Lynx Tour 1.30 after my Alu reel runs out as you mentioned it has very good longevity at 10 hrs+.

Look forward to your follow-ups!
 

blai212

Hall of Fame
never tried it but I probably will soon. I dont see it as a potential main setup because of the pricetag.
In theory you will get a softer feel, more spin potential power and forgiveness. Gut is very responsive. It's like stringing your racquet at 27kg but with the feel and spin potential of 15kg tension xD
So you are getting a lot of amazing things but you need technique to control that beast. At the same time many racquets used on tour are in fact a bit softer and lower powered than the ones available to the public... HOWEVER the margin is slowly fading I think and that's why we are observing more and more players especially next gen with full poly. They are picking a bit stiffer racquets with lower SW (they can hit faster) and full poly actually encourage you to hit faster because its lower powered than gut/poly.

At the end , spin = racquet head speed and remember that biggest harm you can do to your opponent is not how fast you hit. Its how deep you can hit in a row. If you add spin on top of that you are pushing them back and making them do unforced errors. + you have more time to set up your next shot.
dont waste your time with gut poly unless you have arm problems. Full poly still produces more spin and better durability for the typical hard hitter. I’ve also found proper tension full poly produces more controllable power than gut poly at the expense of comfort. Youre welcome @galapagos
 

Louis33

Semi-Pro
dont waste your time with gut poly unless you have arm problems. Full poly still produces more spin and better durability for the typical hard hitter. I’ve also found proper tension full poly produces more controllable power than gut poly at the expense of comfort. Youre welcome @galapagos
I don’t think so
 

Louis33

Semi-Pro
all the high level juniors i see use full bed poly of some sort...the ball pocketing of full bed poly is much more apparent than gut poly in my experience
The reason being is that gut is expensive. Some players naturally gravitate towards full poly and some to gut/poly it just depends on the player. I never played with anything that had better ball pocketing than gut although VCT is pretty good in that area for a poly.
 

blai212

Hall of Fame
The reason being is that gut is expensive. Some players naturally gravitate towards full poly and some to gut/poly it just depends on the player. I never played with anything that had better ball pocketing than gut although VCT is pretty good in that area for a poly.
you must not have tried low tension full poly. There’s a reason all the hardest hitters use full poly like sinner rublev karatsev etc
 

Louis33

Semi-Pro
you must not have tried low tension full poly. There’s a reason all the hardest hitters use full poly like sinner rublev karatsev etc
I string poly in the high 40s. Anything lower and it’s no good against high level players for me. Those players wouldn’t be able to control poly either at the tensions you play.
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
Entering tournament with Big Spin 1.25 setup. First win :) wish me luck!

I quite like it on clay. However i still prefer 1.30 so i can get that 10% more confidence especially when i have to attack. On defense its nice :)
 
you must not have tried low tension full poly. There’s a reason all the hardest hitters use full poly like sinner rublev karatsev etc
I've tried full poly and multi/poly. Both have benefits and both have negative points. It all depends on what you are looking for or needing. If you can provide all your own power and more then maybe full poly would suit you better especially if you use a lot of spin and have no arm problems. If you are a counter puncher or someone who wants a slight injection of pace when taking a slightly bigger swing then multi/poly may work for you if you provide the control or have arm pain too.

I've used both and continue to use both. The multi/poly is more forgiving and easier to play with when tiring or having a harder time generating depth/pace.
 

mscream

Professional
Entering tournament with Big Spin 1.25 setup. First win :) wish me luck!

I quite like it on clay. However i still prefer 1.30 so i can get that 10% more confidence especially when i have to attack. On defense its nice :)

Good luck! It's fantastic on clay, great string for ball bashing from the baseline (or 2m behind it)
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
Good luck! It's fantastic on clay, great string for ball bashing from the baseline (or 2m behind it)
Agree, won all my matches in the group stage without dropping a set. Tomorrow 1/8
I am not as dangerous with big spin on my counter-attacks maybe but overall its a very solid choice on clay.
Tomorrow facing a heavy hitter so hopefuly i will unlock this skill :) big spin is very low powered.
 
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Tennisist

Professional
Big Spin vs FireWire?
Here is my take. Strung them both in identical racquets, and was able to switch back and forth during play.
What I am describing mostly pertains to the time when the strings have settled ~ 3 days after stringing.
[ When I hit with Firewire the first day, just a few hours after stringing, there was nothing special. Felt like an ordinary poly. The character developed later. ]

Strings were not used "pure": Firewire (51 lbs) was paired with Red Devil (-4 lbs). Big Spin (54 lbs) was paired with Head Sonic Pro ( -4 lbs ).
These strings do not come through TW, so no data exists on their stiffness, or friction coefficients. It is hard to figure out what should be paired with what.

Both strings are triangular. That's about all they have in common. In all other aspects they are very different.

1. Feel

Firewire is a clear winner in feel. It has a rubbery / stretchy feel, which is a white unicorn among polys -- extremely difficult to come by.
Extremely satisfying. Very long dwell time and pocketing.
Big Spin had a comfy feel (by polys standards), but no noteworthy dwell time or pocketing.

2. Power

Firewire was a clear winner on power. The difference between it and the Big Spin was about ~5 feet in baseline terms.
This difference made itself very pronounced on serve. Firewire produced a much juicier, heavier serve and ball action.
It was easier to "grab" the ball for the kick-serves, and the way it curved was kind of unique.

3. Stability

The Big Spin is more stable string. It played the same on day 1, and on day 3. It did not exhibit much change at all.
Firewire started out "stiffish", then softened up considerably.

4. Spin

Both strings are very strong here. We are talking RPM-Blast or Black-Widow levels of spin. Both are extremely grabby.
Firewire took the upper edge. Maybe it was the dwell time (and not the edges) which helped, but this string can produce spin wonders on the court.
The Big Spin was strong, (stronger than regular polys), but a level below the Firewire.

5. Overall

Both are top-notch strings, rich in character and feel. I would classify Firewire as a powerful, soft and lively poly with tremendous spin.
It has its drawbacks: it changes a lot during its life. It has a tendency to become "wild". I noted myself that I need either higher tension for the next time, or I need to pair it with a stiffer cross. While it was interesting and entertaining, esp. to the audience, I actually preferred the Big Spin ( and had to finish the match with it ).
While less spectacular than Firewire, not as cushy a feel, not as crazy a spin, etc. it was much more consistent. The response was more linear and predictable. I felt more control. It aligned more with my intents and expectations. I was able to play not a spectacular, but well-scripted game with it. With Firewire, I had a few "wonder shots", but also a fair amount of "wild" shots and other "unexpetancies". I love the feel of Firewire. My search will now shift towards finding a suitable cross. If anybody has suggestions, I am all ears.
 
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Spoon

New User
Thanks for this great review. The only thing is that you didn't use the two strings fb nor with the same cross string nor at the same tension. You say e.g. Firewire is more powerful, but you strung it 3 lbs. lower... Nevertheless, some very helpful and interesting observations!
 

Louis33

Semi-Pro
I've tried full poly and multi/poly. Both have benefits and both have negative points. It all depends on what you are looking for or needing. If you can provide all your own power and more then maybe full poly would suit you better especially if you use a lot of spin and have no arm problems. If you are a counter puncher or someone who wants a slight injection of pace when taking a slightly bigger swing then multi/poly may work for you if you provide the control or have arm pain too.

I've used both and continue to use both. The multi/poly is more forgiving and easier to play with when tiring or having a harder time generating depth/pace.
I like multi/poly better because it plays more consistent and I can keep the trajectory down increasing control. Full poly plays well in the beginning but trajectory starts to climb as string tension is lost and I start playing more defensive loopy shots. I string multi/poly around 57/48 and full poly around 48/48. At these tensions the multi/poly has better feel, control, consistency, slightly less power and spin.
 

Tennisist

Professional
Thanks for this great review. The only thing is that you didn't use the two strings fb nor with the same cross string nor at the same tension. You say e.g. Firewire is more powerful, but you strung it 3 lbs. lower... Nevertheless, some very helpful and interesting observations!
Yes, due to the lack of information, tension was a gamble. My preferred tension is actually 49. I went overboard with FireWire by reading people's comments. When I realized it was too springy, I decided to go even higher on Big Spin, as people were indicating they are similar. Normally, I decide on tension based on TW published stiffness. With these two, I just had to guess. Also, my purpose was not to compare the strings. I am figuring out the best stringbed for myself. It was a coincidence: I had these two in cross-hairs right when these discussions started, and I had received them both just last week.
 

blai212

Hall of Fame
went on a bender and restrung 8 frames just out of boredom and curiosity to try some new round polys fullbed strung. I used to be diehard shaped poly player ever since I discovered the phenomenon of the grab/bite that shaped poly can impart on a ball but since i’ve recently gotten better (4.5 bordering on 5.0 if I can play my best) I decided to try out full bed round poly and see if I can generate the necessary spin through technique. (Yes, ultimately it does come down to mostly technique but if you need that extra spin without requisite racquet head speed then shaped main/round cross or full bed shaped is for you). These are the following setups that I tried:
Yonex ezone 98 2020 - YPTP 1.20 blue 40/37lbs - was ok…just ok, nothing special

vcore pro 97 310
tecnifibre razor code 1.20 blue 38/36.5
- good control, felt similar to tour hex but smooth version…was not the most comfortable, but not the harshest either
tier1 ghostwire 1.22 38/36.5 - not as comfortable for me as others have raved but maybe cuz my arm is super sensitive
lux element 1.25 38/36.5 - hoop definitely feels heavier from heavier strings…havent been able to hit with yet
alu power 1.25 38/36.5 - meh, only hit a couple balls with it but didnt seem otherworldly like so many others have claimed
volkl v star 1.20 orange 38/36.5 - felt a little pingy but that could have been bad vibration dampener, not enough trial

babolat pure strike 98 3rd gen - head hawk touch 1.25 red 38/36.5 - nice plush feeling but this racquet’s swingweight is a struggle for me when my arm gets tired. After only an hour or so of hitting, string bed started to notch.

@galapagos I think Element 1.30, razor code/ice code 1.30, head hawk touch are all worth a try.
 

antony

Hall of Fame
I played with the Angell Halo hybrid set today in a tc97 18x20, with a round poly and hexagonal poly, and it had ridiculous spin
 
I like multi/poly better because it plays more consistent and I can keep the trajectory down increasing control. Full poly plays well in the beginning but trajectory starts to climb as string tension is lost and I start playing more defensive loopy shots. I string multi/poly around 57/48 and full poly around 48/48. At these tensions the multi/poly has better feel, control, consistency, slightly less power and spin.

I agree multi/poly is more consistent for longer. F poly is great for a short time and then just average. Can also hurt your arm. I tend to use similar tensions to you on both multi/poly and full poly. Maybe a little higher or lower depending on poly itself but that's where I start from
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
went on a bender and restrung 8 frames just out of boredom and curiosity to try some new round polys fullbed strung. I used to be diehard shaped poly player ever since I discovered the phenomenon of the grab/bite that shaped poly can impart on a ball but since i’ve recently gotten better (4.5 bordering on 5.0 if I can play my best) I decided to try out full bed round poly and see if I can generate the necessary spin through technique. (Yes, ultimately it does come down to mostly technique but if you need that extra spin without requisite racquet head speed then shaped main/round cross or full bed shaped is for you). These are the following setups that I tried:
Yonex ezone 98 2020 - YPTP 1.20 blue 40/37lbs - was ok…just ok, nothing special

vcore pro 97 310
tecnifibre razor code 1.20 blue 38/36.5
- good control, felt similar to tour hex but smooth version…was not the most comfortable, but not the harshest either
tier1 ghostwire 1.22 38/36.5 - not as comfortable for me as others have raved but maybe cuz my arm is super sensitive
lux element 1.25 38/36.5 - hoop definitely feels heavier from heavier strings…havent been able to hit with yet
alu power 1.25 38/36.5 - meh, only hit a couple balls with it but didnt seem otherworldly like so many others have claimed
volkl v star 1.20 orange 38/36.5 - felt a little pingy but that could have been bad vibration dampener, not enough trial

babolat pure strike 98 3rd gen - head hawk touch 1.25 red 38/36.5 - nice plush feeling but this racquet’s swingweight is a struggle for me when my arm gets tired. After only an hour or so of hitting, string bed started to notch.

@galapagos I think Element 1.30, razor code/ice code 1.30, head hawk touch are all worth a try.
see, so overall your PTP experience is same as mine was :) kinda boring string. However in ezone Dr I had a positive experience. Maybe nowadays, stiffer ezones dont like PTP that much... Many users seems to like solinco confidential and this one after 6 hours of playing turns more powerful. Perhaps you might like it then. But it is a as well a control oriented string as well..low powered.

Vcore Pro is a tricky racquet. I was really expecting something totally different. It is supposed to be a bit like yonex attempt of prestige line but the feel was very mleeeeeh. Kinda boardy, dead... On the other hand Vcore Pro HD 18x20 is definitely better in feel. Same with Vcore Pro 330g version. Just the Vcore Pro 310g was very disappointing (compared to Angell TC95 and Prestige MP 360+ that are feel oriented frames). I will put the blame on lower weight maybe...


I tried Ice Code (here) but I prefer Red Code (here) . More confidence and connected feel. Ice Code is slightly too powerful for me maybe... I heard Razor Code is their most control oriented round string so I will try it soon.

Head Hawk Touch is on my maybe list. It's quite expensive where I live but of course I heard very good opinions. But we are entering Alu Power area of prices... BTW maybe you should try Alu Power Ice Blue ? I don't know but for some reason I prefer the blue version...a bit softer perhaps...maybe a tad more responsive. Suits my Tourna Overgrips hah ! Blue is the color !
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
Can you share your experience with this racket? Like a mini review
of course :)

My sparing partner was using it as a main racquet before switching to Dunlop CX200 tour and then Angell TC95 16x19 and then back to Dunlop CX200 and now in rotation between those two.
I got to play with it and I must tell you that for 330 grams it is quite fast. It was pretty much as fast as my 320g Angell... He had 2 overgrips on it so maybe that changed the perception a bit.
It offers very nice feel, comfort and solidness. It's almost like if you took Yonex Vcore Pro 310g and injected foam to make it a 330 gram racquet. The perception is much softer and plow much greater.
The launch angle is pretty much the same as 310 version and slightly lower than TC95 16x19. I would say neutral launch and my guy was at that point coming from a Wilson Blade Tour 93" (I think it is 324 grams version) or something like that.

The biggest difference for him was the SW. Blade Tour is a bit heavy but has very low SW. Vcore Pro 330 has higher SW and while I had absolutely no issues with that while coming from my 325-328 SW racquets, for him it was tricky to play on faster hard courts.

Also interesting fact - IMO Vcore 330g feels faster than Vcore HD 18x20 320g.

He switched because he needed faster racquet but besides that the performance was very good.

To summarize: Vcore Pro 330 is like a prostock, customized version of a Vcore Pro 310 that feels very weak, hollow and boardy in comparison. I think 330gram is a bit too much and 320 would be perfect OR make it 330g/305mm balance.
 
Here is my take. Strung them both in identical racquets, and was able to switch back and forth during play.
What I am describing mostly pertains to the time when the strings have settled ~ 3 days after stringing.
[ When I hit with Firewire the first day, just a few hours after stringing, there was nothing special. Felt like an ordinary poly. The character developed later. ]

Strings were not used "pure": Firewire (51 lbs) was paired with Red Devil (-4 lbs). Big Spin (54 lbs) was paired with Head Sonic Pro ( -4 lbs ).
These strings do not come through TW, so no data exists on their stiffness, or friction coefficients. It is hard to figure out what should be paired with what.

Both strings are triangular. That's about all they have in common. In all other aspects they are very different.

1. Feel

Firewire is a clear winner in feel. It has a rubbery / stretchy feel, which is a white unicorn among polys -- extremely difficult to come by.
Extremely satisfying. Very long dwell time and pocketing.
Big Spin had a comfy feel (by polys standards), but no noteworthy dwell time or pocketing.

2. Power

Firewire was a clear winner on power. The difference between it and the Big Spin was about ~5 feet in baseline terms.
This difference made itself very pronounced on serve. Firewire produced a much juicier, heavier serve and ball action.
It was easier to "grab" the ball for the kick-serves, and the way it curved was kind of unique.

3. Stability

The Big Spin is more stable string. It played the same on day 1, and on day 3. It did not exhibit much change at all.
Firewire started out "stiffish", then softened up considerably.

4. Spin

Both strings are very strong here. We are talking RPM-Blast or Black-Widow levels of spin. Both are extremely grabby.
Firewire took the upper edge. Maybe it was the dwell time (and not the edges) which helped, but this string can produce spin wonders on the court.
The Big Spin was strong, (stronger than regular polys), but a level below the Firewire.

5. Overall

Both are top-notch strings, rich in character and feel. I would classify Firewire as a powerful, soft and lively poly with tremendous spin.
It has its drawbacks: it changes a lot during its life. It has a tendency to become "wild". I noted myself that I need either higher tension for the next time, or I need to pair it with a stiffer cross. While it was interesting and entertaining, esp. to the audience, I actually preferred the Big Spin ( and had to finish the match with it ).
While less spectacular than Firewire, not as cushy a feel, not as crazy a spin, etc. it was much more consistent. The response was more linear and predictable. I felt more control. It aligned more with my intents and expectations. I was able to play not a spectacular, but well-scripted game with it. With Firewire, I had a few "wonder shots", but also a fair amount of "wild" shots and other "unexpetancies". I love the feel of Firewire. My search will now shift towards finding a suitable cross. If anybody has suggestions, I am all ears.
Thank you for the review.

If you have not yet tried, you might want to hybrid FireWire with Ghost Wire (which is considered Firewire Boost) which might offer the sweet spot of string response you are looking for. :)
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
My racquet family :)
tennis-family.jpg
 

derick232

Rookie
Just found my new go to combo, and it's amazing!

Solinco TB in the mains @ 55lb and Tier One Ghost Wire in the crosses at 53# (I'll likely play around with tensions a bit). This combo has massive amounts of spin and control due to the slick ghost wire combined with the bite of TB. I was hitting massive slice shots on the deuce side with absolute accuracy, getting me 5 or 6 aces throughout the match. On the ground, the topspin was incredible and really helped me since in this particular match I needed to play safer than normal while hitting deep shots. When I needed to though I could drive though the ball with lots of control and power. Ended up winning my match and I have to give some credit to this string combo that absolutely helped get me free points on my serve and also keep the ball in play during rallies. I only have 2 hours on this combo at the moment and I hope these characteristics don't fade to much before 8-10 hours.

Strung this on my Yonex Vcore Pro 97 HD with a dropweight machine.
 
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