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Review: Xiom Vega Asia |
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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Posted: 01/15/2010 at 11:32pm |
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I just received the rubber today. First of all I would like to say thank you to Alex and Xiom for their generousity to allow me to do some tests on this rubber.
The first impression: The high quality rubber, 2.0mm thickness, sponge is black color and air sponge technology. This is a medium hard rubber and few degrees softer compare with T64. The uncut rubber weight 61grs, and 43.5grs cut onto DHS Hurricane King 655.
Some result after an hour practice against robot:
Rubber to compare: Tenergy 64, red 2.1mm and Xiom Asia, red 2.1mm
Service: both produced very good spin when serve, ball is low for just over the net, Xiom Asia is little more spin on this category.
Speed: Tenergy64 is a bit faster than Xiom Asia but maybe 2.1mm against 2.0mm. Xiom Asia 2.2mm maybe same speed as T64 2.1mm but I am looking for BH rubber and 2.0mm is fast enough for BH close to table attack.
Control: Both rubber are unforgiving rubbers because they are fast. They need time to get used to the rubbers performance.
Push: I can get more spin out of Xiom Asia than T64 because Asia sponge is softer compare to T64
Flip: both of them are very good, but i need to do some practice to control ball placement.
Block: both are very easy to block the incoming ball, Xiom Asia return ball a bit higher compare to T64.
Slow Loop: Both rubbers is ok to lift the heavy spin but will not be as easy as Hurricane 3.
Loop Drive: Both are very good, easy to loop drive the ball but will need time to practice for ball placement.
Loop Kill: Both are best in this category because they are fast and low arc rubbers.
Smash: Both are the best in this category.
I will write some more reviews in the next couple of days.
Xiom Vega Asia review continuous: Day 3: I went to the club today with the main setup, Hurricane King 655 blade, BW3 black on the FH, and Xiom Vega Asia 2.0mm on the BH. I played about 45 minutes to get warmed-up and did some test to see how the rubber performed before the actual match. I kept turning the rubber to FH and BH to do all kinds of blocks, counter loops and loop drives. Vega Asia did settle down after two days of glueing. Here is my impression after 3 hours of play Xiom Vega Asia. When I used Vega Asia on my FH: The rubber is fast, it was faster than BW3 and it was easier to create spins, good service, good controls (needs sometime to adjust if you never play Tenergy or some other fast rubbers before.) It has good ball control but it is not great. When I used Vega Asia on the BH: I would mention that in the last couple of months I played with different rubbers on the BH, like- T64, T05, Hexer, Baracuda, Revo Fire, Vega Pro, Tibhar Genius, Juic Air Condle and now with Xiom Vega Asia. I have to give it two thumbs up to Vega Asia after today. The rubber performed very well and it met all my expectations. Push: I got ball the over the table for the first couple of times but after adjusting the blade force, the ball was low and full of spin, and that gave my opponent a hard time to loop over my push. A lot of balls ended up in the net. Loop: top sheet has enough grips to hold the ball for loop with very good amount of spin. Ball curve is medium to low arc with good speed. Ball control: good but not great because of the fast rubber. Block: the rubber returned opponent�s loop drive with a deadly low and fast ball. Service: ball is low and is loaded with spins. Flip: need to close blade angle a bit to keep the ball from going over the table end. Smash: sponge gave a strong ball catapult when smashing the ball. 1/20/10 I played again yesterday and again today. I'm finally getting used to it performing and I'm very happy with it so far. Xiom really did a good job on Vega Asia with its price. I plan to switch the rubber onto my Butterfly Kong linghui Special tonight and I will post some results of it on the softer blade in the next couple of days.
1/21/10 Update:
I glued Xiom Vega Asia on KLHS backhand and BW3 on the FH. I played for an hour yesterday and a couple of hours today. KLHS is a soft 3 ply blade with 2 arylate light carbon, KLHS top ply made by Hinoki wood which made the blade fast, good spin, and has a softer blade. The Xiom Vega Asia felt a bit medium soft of the blade but not too soft for my liking. The speed and spin was still very good for BH and is good for service. The control is good with the OFF blade. The top spin looped was loaded with spins. I smashed the ball was still fast.
Guys, remember- this is just my personal experience on Xiom Vega Asia only. Thanks
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thethinker
Silver Member Joined: 11/17/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 776 |
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Thank you Alex!
I have received my Xiom Vega Asian MAX red today, as well. I will not have a chance to play with it until next week. I have used Xiom rubbers in the past; one being Omega III euro. This rubber's packaging is more simple and the quality of the rubber is just as good. The rubber has a topsheet the thickness of Tenergy05 and thus thinner than Chinese rubbers like BW. The topsheet feel very strong and probably long lasting and not fragile like O3. I cut and glue the rubber on my TB T5000, with the other side being a BW2. Now I have black sponges on both sides!!! I asked for a hard sponged rubber from Alex because I was using a Bryce unglued on this blade for bh and just starting to enjoy the challenges of hard sponges, and this rubber isn't anywhere close to being hard. I am fearing that I will not be able to have the gears that I am used to with my Bryce. Vega Asian is softer than Tenergy05 by a few degrees and softer than my BW and Bryce by far. It feels like a rubber immediately after tuning--that's how the Vega feels like. Vega feels like a tuned rubber that's still wet and not a tensor rubber. A tuned rubber sometimes has a dead feel (soft and slow) if not allow to dry completely after adding paraffin, for example. Only difference is Vega aren't sticky. I can put a protective sheet on Tenergy and it would stick and stay on. I can't do that with a new sheet of Vega. The spin of Vega comes almost totally from the soft sponge. The sponge is soft but I want to stress that it's not very fast like most tensor rubbers. The slow speed is the biggest plus of this rubber. It should give a lot of control for players who likes a control looping game and can't handle Tenergy. I have a feeling that it will not suit my game but it's great for an allround looping game. I have to break Vega in for a period to see if any of this is true. The characteristics may change after it's broken in. I would expect that, for example, Vega sponge would "dry" after some play. Once again Thanks Alex. sadius, I think that your 2.0mm allows more contact of the ball with the blade and hence faster. I did a bounce test and Vega MAX is slower than T05 2.1mm for now. It may gain speed as it is broken in. And, please edit the title to add "Vega". |
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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The Thinker: already added "Vega" on the tittle. Thanks for your initial review on the Vega Asia. Keep it coming.
I didn't like T64 on my BH for the short control game but on the long rally attack game it is the best. I also didn't like T64 weight. It's too heavy for my taste. On the otherhand, the Vega Asia is lighter, softer and more spinnier and I think with 2.0mm it will be good for BH and 2.2mm for FH.
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thethinker
Silver Member Joined: 11/17/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 776 |
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What's the difference of the three versions of Vega, if anyone knows? If you posted it before do it here again please. I don't mean the difference in playing characteristics; I want to know if they have the same sponges or topsheet etc. I've heard that the Pro version is harder, slower, and has more spin than Asian because of a different sponge...
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lildudejds
Gold Member Joined: 02/27/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1503 |
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The Sponge on Europe is DEFINITELY softer than Pro.
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Nexy Hannibal
Tenergy 05 Tenergy 05 FX |
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Anton Chigurh
Premier Member Joined: 09/15/2009 Status: Offline Points: 3962 |
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As far as I understand, it is as follows:
Pro/Asia = exact same sponge (or at least, exact same hardness). Asia has taller pips and is synthetic/natural blend; whereas, Pro has shorter pips and is 100% natural rubber.
Europe has similar (or same) topsheet as Asia, but with a softer sponge.
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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I have Vega Pro and Vega Asia. The different between them is the pip contruction. Top sheet are similar material. The Vega Pro sponge is more harder than Vega Asia, I would feel the Pro is atleast 5 degrees than Asia, it even 1 or 2 degrees harder than T05. Vega pro is not slow rubber, you will get it full speed only if you hit it hard (due to hard sponge).
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Anton Chigurh
Premier Member Joined: 09/15/2009 Status: Offline Points: 3962 |
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kelvinyoong
Silver Member Joined: 10/23/2008 Location: Malaysia Status: Offline Points: 771 |
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Prices for the Vega rubbers are very appealing. Just slightly more expensive then Sriver or Mark V.
Iruru doesn't sell Vega Europe. Only Asia and Pro versions. Why? |
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Andrzej Grubba AN
Sriver 2.1 Sriver 1.9 |
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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Some more review on Xiom Vega Asia. Thanks
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thethinker
Silver Member Joined: 11/17/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 776 |
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So if Alex wants comparison of Vega to Tenergy, should the comparison be make like this:
Vega Pro to T25 (larger pips structure) Vega Asian to T05 (taller pips than Pro and harder than Eur) Vega Eur to T64 (softest of all) Yes or no? |
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x04ty29er
Member Joined: 03/12/2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 28 |
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So using Sardius' first review setup:
Rubber to compare: Tenergy 64, red 1.9mm and Xiom Asia, red Max Both on backhand. Service: Both produce generous amounts of spin on service. I felt that both were quite similar in this category Speed: In this category, I feel that T64 is definitely faster, even 1.9mm T64 vs Max Vega Asia. Control: Both are very unforgiving, but, being a little bit slower, the Vega has a little bit better control. Push: Spin on pushes felt similar, but it was easier to keep lower with the Vega. Flip: Didn't flip yet. Will update in the future. Block: It took less effort to block with T64. More to come later. Slow Loop: Felt like the T64 generated more spin on the slow high loops. Loop Drive: Both are very good. T64 is harder to control, but has slightly more pronounced arc. Loop Kill: More to come. Smash: More to come From first impressions, T64 felt faster and spinnier. Also, the T64 topsheet feels grippier than the Vega topsheet. I will add more in the future as I test the Vega a little bit more. |
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Butterfly Taksim
FH: Butterfly SpinArt BH: Butterfly Tenergy 64 |
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lildudejds
Gold Member Joined: 02/27/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1503 |
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No. Vega Europe is way too soft to even be compared to any kind of Tenergy. |
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Nexy Hannibal
Tenergy 05 Tenergy 05 FX |
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JimT
Premier Member Joined: 10/26/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 14602 |
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I am not sure about Vega Pro using the same sponge - my Vega Pro MAX weighs 69 g - that is wa-a-y more than his 61 even allowing for 2.0 vs 2.2 (that difference should be about 7% of overall weight = 4 g).
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Single Ply Hinoki Club, Founding Member
Say "no!" to expensive table tennis equipment. Please... |
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Anton Chigurh
Premier Member Joined: 09/15/2009 Status: Offline Points: 3962 |
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The Vega Pro has 100% natural rubber topsheet; the Vega Asia does not (synthetic/natural blend). Is it possible that the natural rubber weighs significantly more than the blend? I suppose it's possible that the sponge density ratings that Xiom released are incorrect, but I'm not sure why they'd do that. Maybe the difference in topsheet composition accounts for the difference in weight... but I'm just speculating.
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Hans Regenkurt
Silver Member Joined: 08/12/2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 826 |
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Could someone please compare Vega Asia and Pro? I am particularly interested in the counterlooping and close to the table loop killing abilities.
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kelvinyoong
Silver Member Joined: 10/23/2008 Location: Malaysia Status: Offline Points: 771 |
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I think Vega Pro and Asia share the same sponge but different topsheet.
While Asia and Euro share the same topsheet but different sponge. Pro: Rubber1 + Sponge1 Asia: Rubber2 + Sponge1 Euro: Rubber2 + Sponge2 My speculation. |
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Andrzej Grubba AN
Sriver 2.1 Sriver 1.9 |
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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I played both rubbers on my FH and BH. The Vega Pro is slow than Vega Asia, harder feel rubber while the Vega Asia feel medium and more feedback than Vega Pro.
If you are play close to table loop and counter loop than both of them are good for you.
If you prefer ball go with higher arc than pick Vega Pro. Lower arc like Tenergy 64 than go with Vega Asia.
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kelvinyoong
Silver Member Joined: 10/23/2008 Location: Malaysia Status: Offline Points: 771 |
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How hard is the Vega Asia sponge using a Butterfly scale?
I seriously doubt it has a 47.5 degree hardness. |
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Andrzej Grubba AN
Sriver 2.1 Sriver 1.9 |
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Hans Regenkurt
Silver Member Joined: 08/12/2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 826 |
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Thank you Sadius.
It is good to hear that its faster than Pro. |
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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I think the Xiom Vega Pro got few degrees harder than T05 so maybe 38 or 40 in Butterfly scale. The Xiom Vega Asia is same or a degree harder than T64. This is just my personal experience on those two rubbers.
Thanks
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Thaidog
Gold Member Joined: 01/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1661 |
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Is the red topsheet at all translucent or is it basically solid red?
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Timo ALC FL
Tibhar Grip S MAx Tenergy 64 FX National 2.1mm He never boosts... of course he never had to... |
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thethinker
Silver Member Joined: 11/17/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 776 |
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Thaidog, the sponge is black! What do you think?
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thethinker
Silver Member Joined: 11/17/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 776 |
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Here is my review of Vega Asian.
Blade: Butterfly TB T5000 Rubbers: FH: Haifu BW2 BH: Butterfly Bryce -> Xiom Vega Asian MAX for testing Vega Asian speed: medium Vega Asian Control: 8.5/10 Vega Asian sponge: medium to soft feel Vega Asian weight: ?gr (no scale) on the heavier side but not as heavy as Chinese. style: close-to-table topspin play both wings. Occasional blocks and topspin defense at further distance. Review: I was able to play Vega Asian for 1.5hrs on my bh. I was expecting my bh to have a lot of control and an easy time topspining even out of position. I have been working with Bryce with no glue or tunner; so my footwork and positioning was getting better. I fully expect that playing with Vega would be much easier and I was not disappointed. Vega Asian has a totally non-sticky topsheet. It have less stickiness than most Japanese rubbers and especially Tenergy. A plastic cover is useless on it. However, the topsheet has a lot of (leathery) texture and combines with a very soft sponge, Vega asian can produce a lot of spin for loops. I can "hold" the ball and decide whether I want a fast loop or slow loop. Looping is very easy, and fun for someone who has a lot of creativity. I even tried a few times on my fh. The counters are effortless, but it does bottom out as a fh rubber whereas Tenergy has at least a gear or two more. I prefer a hard rubber on fh that has many gears, just in case I needed them. But for those who is working on being consistent, working on making their rally longer, and working on developing good footwork, Vega Asian is good enough even for fh. Vega Asian is noticeably slower than Tenergy and that is the biggest plus of this rubber. There are many complaints that Tenergy is an advanced rubber for the elite and it's too fast and reactive to spin. Vega Asian's slower speed plus the totally non-stickiness topsheet enable control on loops, blocks, short game, defense, and any department that requires it. One thing to keep in mind is that the rubber is less reactive to spin in returning service, but the speed of the rubber can sometimes produce errors going long. It's not tenergy speed but it's still faster than any Chinese rubbers. For a rubber at a fraction of the cost of Tenergy my opinion after one hour and 30 minutes of a nice outing (I beat three players ranged 1600-1850, during which I had very few unforced error on bh) is that it is better than Tenergy in terms of what you get for your money. I have to say my initial impression of this rubber is very positive. I have to see if this rubber is durable. Now I hope that Xiom comes out with a Vega Hard just for me. |
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jackass22
Super Member Joined: 04/24/2009 Location: Slovakia Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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And what durability? Do you think, that will durability be so good as new tensors(baracuda, genius...-here is very good durability)
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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I don't know how long the Vega Asia will be last but for sure the top sheet and sponge is higher quality than Baracuda. I don't even compare to Genius, gave up Genius after 2 section.
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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The Xiom Vega Asia and Pro are solid red.
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thethinker
Silver Member Joined: 11/17/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 776 |
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The color of Vega red sheet is bloody red and not as fresh and bright as other red rubbers on the market because of the black sponge below. So there is a little of the black showing.
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sadius
Silver Member Joined: 06/17/2006 Status: Offline Points: 667 |
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Here are some reviews that i already updated with KLHS. Thanks
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Baal
Forum Moderator Joined: 01/21/2010 Location: unknown Status: Offline Points: 14336 |
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Vega Pro, red, 2.1 on my Butterfly Viscaria, normally I use T05. It felt incredibly dead and non-linear, very low throw, not real spinny. I think there are a lot people it could suit, but not me. I was very surprised by the feel, was expecting something quite different based on reports here and in another forum. Based on other things I have read I almost wonder if I got a bad sheet or something.
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