I'm looking forward to getting mine in March. No doubt me and Mark will string a number of these at the All Englands - yes we are confirmed as Official Stringers for Team Victor for the fourth year running. Can't wait. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
So wich one is the most fun to play with, have the best power/speed ratio and best overall TK9900 or HX900 ? I trust your experience to choose my next toy after my beloved JS10... (I dont mind loosing a bit of speed for power if you judge its worth it)
I've no idea yet as I haven't seen HX900. i'll have to wait until March. Europe will receive 3U version. Mark currently has 4U version so he may be in a better position to answer your question. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
I haven't had the HX900, but for the TK9900 neither speed nor power would be amongst the first words to describe it.
When you say that Europe will get the 3U version, does that mean we will not see the 4U at all in EU?
As usual, we only receive one weight of a racket in Europe. So, I cannot see 4U version. Paul www.badminton-coach.co.uk
How bout the stiffness compared to hx 800 p? I would like a stiff racket like js 10. Is this one stiffer?
Not just the solid feel, but the sheer stability - lowest frame flex and torque of anything I've seen for quite a while. Absolutely tanks through the shots.
Couple of sessions in now and the 900 is making more and more sense. The standout features are the feel and stability, but it seems not to have any weaknesses. Off-centre hits don't lose any accuracy but they vibrate like mad - not a problem for me, but I know at least one guy who won't like that one bit. Full review probably next week.
Scratch that - I've put enough miles on it, you can have the review now. Hypernano X900 review 4UG5, Li Ning #1 @ 33 lb. Impressions As a huge fan of the MX80 I’ve wanted a successor since it was discontinued: a mega-stiff, utterly uncompromising tank. The early signs are good – the HX900 balances at 4/5 (the same) and it’s pretty close as far as stiffness goes (maybe one point down, but definitely one up on the 800). The frame is a weird one, with what I’m sure are three different profiles: boxy at the top, diamond-y in the middle, and oval at the bottom. It isn’t as “eggy” as the 800, with a bit more of an iso-corner, but it’s the same size. Looks-wise… it’ll do. It’s a bit busy for me, and while I like the two main colours, there are too many secondaries and too many Hot Wheels stickers. It has neither the phwoar-factor of the 800 nor the simplicity of the P and C. It’s also too similar to the K9900. The fit and finish is excellent, though, with loads of clear coat this time. Stringing 2+4? Thumbs up. Offsets on the four? Wow - two thumbs up. And the top cross is high, but low enough for me to get my usual clamps inside the load spreader... can I give it three thumbs up? Pretty much my dream patient. Ate 33 lb for breakfast; I noted that the 4U is covered to 30. Power I wasn’t expecting Thruster-style rockets by any means, but I was pleasantly surprised. It took me a while to find the sweet spot but once I did, shots were properly coming off, to the point where people were commenting. It imparts a really nice “weight” to a smash/clear/drive, with the head kicking at just the right time. It’s just as happy with a short swing as a long one – stabby lifts and pushes penetrate well. The sound is fantastic, too – a nice crack with good sustain. Again, drew comments. Defence It’s not the fastest frame by any means, but it goes where I want it and the shaft stiffness keeps everything together; there’s absolutely no flop or lag to it whatsoever and it doesn’t get knocked off line when receiving power. Stability/Control In my opinion, this is what this racket is “about”. It lands smack in the middle of the attack/defence axis – exactly where a Hypernano should be, let’s remember – but the heedless “plough-through” and pinpoint accuracy stunned me. It’s probably the most “together” racket I’ve seen in the last three years. After so much testing with Paul I make a point of bending and twisting a strung frame to check for shear and torque… and there just isn’t any. All the frame flex happens in the lower third of the head; everything above the last shared hole just laughs. In play this makes for a very interesting dichotomy: if you hit the sweet spot you can pretty much choose which of the other bloke’s nuts to aim at (and pop); miss the sweet spot… you’ll keep your line, but the frame offers no help and you can kiss half your power goodbye. Oh, and the sweet spot itself? Tiny. This more than anything evoked the old MX80: does what it does, and absolutely does not give a toss about you. Perfect. Feel This was something about which I was very curious, having found the HX800 to be either numb on bad shots or kind of “glassy” on good ones. I’m happy to say this has been fixed… and by “fixed”, I mean some people are going to think they’ve gone too far. The blast that comes with a clean hit… lordy, it’s like being high-fived by a passing cannonball. After an hour I stopped caring about winning points and just started whacking everything, I enjoyed it that much. … and there’s the other side of the coin. The frame not only offers no help with loose shots, it actively punishes them. A full power belt that comes off anything outside the middle four mains and you’ll think you’ve swung a steel baseball bat into a wall. The boxy section at the top of the hoop is particularly nasty, I noticed. This is definitely going to put some people off it, I know, but I love it; I don’t want any yield in any part of my setup. Value I didn’t buy mine, but the Asian asking price of 200 US is a bit steep, especially with the GBP tanking at the moment. If Victor Germany – it will be catalogued, I’m told – can get them over here for £140 or less, though, I would consider that more acceptable. It’s probably going to shift a fair few on looks alone, but it’s going to be a difficult one to market, I reckon… how do you sell a racket on stability? Conclusion I wanted an MX80 successor – did I get one? Pretty much. One point stiffer and I would have called it the sequel. I also wanted a fixed HX800, and that I definitely got. I’d call it the HX800 replacement, if anything, as it does everything the same or better. Pretty much the definition of an all-rounder with good (very good, in fact) attack, decent defence, and outstanding control. The only possible improvement – more speed – would have certainly come at the expensive of that sublime stability, so I’m happy to call it even. For a feel-monger all-rounder like me who doesn’t want any help with power or defence any more, this is a winner.
Maybe the feel would be resolved with a 3U version? I often find the 4Us get overpowered by the shuttle when going for the killer smash.
It won't be. The 3U is exactly the same as the 4U. The only difference is weight and the standard pros and cons that come with such a difference. Sent from my LG-H961N using Tapatalk
If the 3U and 4U used the same frame, how could they have the same balance point? Where did they add the weight?
After reading Mark's review, I may just have to try one... What's the bp again? And it's not as stiff as JS10 right?
Why wouldn't they have the same differences? You are assuming that the difference between 3U and 4U is simply the frame being the same and I guess the grip being where the weight is added to make up the difference. My understanding of racket manufacturing for different weight classes in the addition or subtraction of material injected into the particular racket mould to achieve the desired output weight ranges. It's not a perfect process. Hence why with victor and their less amazing standard of QC. We have racket models where one example is hardly the same as the next and similar at best. Sent from my LG-H961N using Tapatalk