Xiom Sigma 2 (II) Pro comparative review

Here is a rough review of Sigma 2 pro (S2P) but i can do more specific comparison with any of the following rubbers i recently played:

Tibhar 1Q, 1Q-XD, MX-P, Tenergy 80, Hexer HD, Rakza9, Aurus,

Hardness feel wise it is little softer than 1Q-XD/Hexer HD. More in 1Q/MX-P/Aurus range, which is a very sweet range indeed. i don't like the hardness range of Tenergy 80/rakza9 (kinda soft for my taste)

Spin: 1Q-XD is a spin champion for slow brush opening against underspin 80% of my BH opening loops are not blcoked outside the table even by mature 2100 players. (doesn't mean i win those games...will explain later why).
But MX-P and S2P have equally monsterous spin in semi-brush or full bodied loops using the sponge, while 1Q and Aurus in spite of having same hardness has lower spin ... and Tenergy 80 and Rakza 9 are spin deficient in my scale. Tenergy 05 manages to have the same spin range as MX-P and S2P but with a softer sponge so the spin starts from even slower strokes, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

Speed: All the above rubbers are fairly fast when new except probably aurus which although fast is slower in this range.  I think the rubbers reached a level of minimum energy dissipation in sponge so most of them pretty much return inward momentum as efficiently and loss-lessly as rubberly possible.
The loss starts when you bottom it out and the paddle comes into play.. wood is not perfectly elastic as rubber so it dissipates some energy.. and hence when you bottom out the rubber you do not get enough speed. and the only 2 rubbers i could feel bottomed  in hard strokes were T80 and R9. others i couldn't bottom yet.

Short game control: The whole bunch here has good over the table control in pushes. By control i mean the ability to drop the ball closest to net on opponents side without being too much affected by incoming spin from serves and pushes. 
However MX-P definitely stands out followed closely by S2P, 1Q-XD, Aurus, 1Q.
Tenergy 80 in spite of being way better than T05 in short game control, still stands out as the bad boy in this league.
Rakza 9 also is not the best.
1Q and S2P displays notable inertness to incoming spin.

Blocks:  A good blocking rubber for me is the one which shows inertness to incoming spin in faster strokes like loops and drives.

These are all great blocking rubbers but Hexer HD will get lower points here, along with MX-P, Rakza 9 and Tenergy 80. Dont be mistaken... its a comparative statement and they are all very good in blocking. And whether you are playing on a flexy racket or rigid one also makes a difference. So don't take my observations as perfect.
1Q-XD and S2P allows for passive blocking without being careful about blade angle. But funny thing is MXP in spite of having a spinny surface, blacks very well due to low throw. 

Opening loops:
Aurus is the bad boy here. While others turn bad after a couple weeks of play, except ...you guessed it right :) .. 1QXD. The best thing about this rubber that it shows maximum resistance to change. very predictable.

However that does not mean it is the easiest to open loops with when all rubbers are new. When all rubbers are new, Tenergy 80, MX-P and S2P are awesome to open loops with. Followed by rakza 9 .. and then comes Hexer HD then 1Q and.... Aurus is the last one.

Aurus is a very versatile rubber... but just that it is a little picky which underspin to loop and which not to.