Exceeds in some aspects: Shaft diameter, Paint job, Non solid shaft (personal), Durability ??. Would be interesting to see if they use M50 fibre.
I just got a 3u Ax90 Tiger. With strings, cushion wrap, and overgrip (stock grip removed) it only weighs 90 grams so pretty light for a 3u. I haven't played with it yet, but just flexing the shaft by hand and swinging it around it doesn't feel particularly flexible, but rather solid and stiff like a 100zz. The handle is also very long.
Has any heard of these limited edition racket? https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...PnBCg8&id=696002922431&ns=1&abbucket=0#detail
After using Yonex before, I have become a fan of Li-Ning rackets I´m using N80 and 3D Calibar 800 and like them, they are good alround rackets, but not as monster-like as my favorite Yonex racket, the AT700. So now I just came up with the idea to get myself a Li-Ning N90, but they are hard to obtain. Does anyone know if some obscure online shop still has some N90's laying around? (preferably in EU). Any generation of N90 is of interest
N90IV (3d Calibar 900B) is still relatively available, but I think you're only referring to N90 1-3 right?
If they have been consistent with it - okay. But releasing the up to date AX80 in contrast to the rest kinda disappointing for me.
With such thin frame and shafts, they propobably must have noticed 72 holes would dampen vibrations better than 76. Why don't we every racket in 2023 doesn't have free core? should work great with such thin rackets.
whole Axforce line is really messy, one racket is their arcsaber (ax80), then gazillion of 100zz copies, at least they did not think off to use 68 holes (probably costs too much to adjust manufacturing)
How should it? The sweet spot on old 72 holes patterns is smaller. Hitting not the sweet spot result in more vibration or am I missing something? I think the freecore is something which is patented by Victor. Never played a new Victor yet, but kinda keen to try. IMO more grommet wear in this area, more flaring of grommets, more hassle to conquer the shared holes to avoid crossovers, clamping the crosses and bending mains because of uneven stringbed are just issues from a stringer perspective. From a buyers perspective I'm somebody who see this decision as a step back and no advantage. 250€ rackets in 2023 for a racket which don't have something which had a Armotec 800 series or a Nanospeed 7000 racket (damn old rackets and nearly 20 years old) had is for me a no-go. This is on par to bring out non isometric shaped rackets back.
Strining issues aside, that's my main gripe with these 72 holes frames. IMO having the outmost main strings creates a more evenly dense stringbed towards the sides which is just logical to result in a larger usable hitting area - so in fact a bigger sweet spot. I see this as one of the most obvious useful innovations that have been introduced in many years. All manufacturers are using CNC machines to drill the holes, so it's merely a change in the program to have it drill 72 or 76 holes. Maybe there is a serious upside to having less holes that we are all missing or underestemating (stability?). If not, I just can't make any sense of that too. Wherever there is a patent, there are 100 ways around it. They main point is that it requires a serious amount of research and some trial & error to get the details of this technology under control - as we've seen with the first Freecore batches from Victor. Wooden handles have worked fine forever now, so I fully understand why companies are hesitant to jump on that train. And speaking from my experience with the 90KII until now, the Freecore does the job fine and the overall feel is really good. But if I didn't know that there was no wood underneath the grip, there is now way I would feel any difference. IMO this is still mainly a cost reduction and quality consistency feature.
IMO this inconsistency makes it really difficult to compare rackets within a series if the sweetspot position and size vary. They mastered to make the whole turbocharging range (except a very few low low ends) with 76 holes. Also the Aeronauts where all 72 holes and the Calibar Range (except 900s) was 72 holes. Tectonic, BladeX and Axforce are totally mixed (72, 76, 78 holes). Stability wise I would assume that lower priced rackets tend to have less holes. Yonex was able to make the 100ZZ with slim frame, fully recessed and 78 holes, so I have the feeling I should get the same from Li-Ning when I pay a third extra because it's Li-Ning.