The larger ball means less Rev's per sec so it will never spin like or at the same speed as the current 39.5MM ball.  More likely one will see various metal and composite blades introduced to drive the ball further in an attempt to overcome the increase air drag due to its larger size.  The men's game may look more like the current women's close to the table game.

It did not happen between 38 and 40 ball size the reason is it takes longer to make a rev with the larger ball, very simple and with the additional air drag  further reduces the spin impact.  For those that play only the new ball then it becomes relative that is if someone's technique is better that generate more spin then the opponent it may make a difference but relative to the 40 mm ball the new 40+ will always have less spin.  As long as C ball is legal and available TT will be played on two different spin levels.

I expect them to raise the max sponge thickness.

No idea. The bottom on the ball package has "XF AD" imprinted on it, but that could mean anything.

Maybe. Didn't zeio once link to a research paper that stated that it is almost pointless to increase rubber thickness too much and that the current 2.2mm thickness is almost optimal?

Your beloved blocks would become slower, higher and very much smashable with the new ball. In other words, "Цыплят по осени считают".

 

Blockers had better prospects of success in the 38 MM ball and speed glue era. Google Waldner blocks.

 Nope, they definitely survive the "fork smash" test 

Either some people are really unlucky or I'm lucky, we'll see in a month I guess.

For example, according to http://www.ittf.com/stories/Pictures/balls_14_14.pdf" rel="nofollow - http://www.ittf.com/stories/Pictures/balls_14_14.pdf , there is no time limit of any kind on Tibhar 40+ SYNTT*** (Plastic with seam) balls.

At this point in time, they do not ship outside the Czech Republic. But I've noticed, that after a recent site redesign, they added another currency, so it may change.

 

Re the playing characteristics, i think everyone needs to have a go with them before assuming what and why they behave differently.

 

My view is that topspin shots bounce higher than the celluloid ball, but I think (just my simple assessment, not fact) this is due to the spin wearing off, and at the point of bounce and beyond the topspin is having less effect, therefore not pulling the ball downwards. I would say prior to the bounce there's not much difference in flight.

 

Backspin, and more specifically float shots definately bounce less, and sometimes seem to slide off the table.

 

Blocking does seem easier, and there doesn't seem much of a problem controlling the placement & speed of blocks.

 

A couple of really good counterhitters at my club seem very happy counter spinning loops very early off the bounce

That might be wasted money  

Who do you think is producing the balls for Andro, Joola, Butterfly, Stiga.... and I'd not be surprised 

to see the best QC  in products of the original manufacturer (DHS/DF)  - accordingly the poor QC on the other  branded balls.

But that's my personal opinion only - the first 30 DHS balls I got don't show any of this irregularities - only roundness could be better.

http://tabletennista.com/2014/7/chinese-super-league-introduces-two-toned/" rel="nofollow - http://tabletennista.com/2014/7/chinese-super-league-introduces-two-toned/

  China is having a hard time generating viewing interest in its super league,as I was  watching the video's of the matches recently I noticed  the stands were nearly empty and only a few rows near the play have any fans.  I am sure there are matches with larger number of fans in attendance but it looks as if the sport has peaked in China.  

 

:)

Not sure about this. The Chinese and French are known for using their borderline illegal services(hidden and toss). Also, the Chinese rely on the 3rd ball kill... If anything, the German team may take over China.

40 MM Ball medium spin

40+ MM ball Low spin

the direction of the game seems clear how one color's or marks the ball seems to be a minor issue.

If the direction of the TT game is to make it easier to return the ball rather then generate a winning stroke by either player for an  immediate winner or that causes the opponent to make an outright error or a weak return then the entire structure of the game should be changed including serve,  points and equipment that help/encourage players to return balls for longer rallies.  Maybe a time limit say a rally has to last 5 minutes before a player can make a point.  

I don't know about you, but I can't watch 38mm games. Timo vs Waldner was like watching paint dry, there were more unforced errors than winners. The game should have been changed to "Pick ball off the ground" 40mm games are a little better, but still has a good serving of unforced errors. The Chinese even prefer to watch Basketball, Tennis, and Soccer over TT. 

What if basketball players used water balloons instead of a basketball? What if Tennis players used a rubics cube as a ball? What if soccer players used golf balls instead of soccer balls? 38mm TT was like using Rubics Cube Tennis, like watching two blind children play.

After training with only XSF balls for an upcoming tournament I see why people love this ball. Its great for long rallies. Absolutely easy to loop. My box is from tt11 and the balls are pretty durable. I noticed that they dont become glass-like after use unlike the NP40+, and dont dent easily. If they crack, they break. NP40+ sometimes dent and become uneven.

My question is are there are any pro events/pro leagues that actually use the XSF balls? I wonder what pros think about them.