|
|
OSP Expert vs. Virtuoso |
Post Reply |
Author | ||
broken_mouth
Member Joined: 07/17/2011 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 07/17/2011 at 2:31pm |
|
I've read up on these and I'm having trouble picking one.
I'm roughly 1700 player looping and driving from both wings though alot of blocking from the backhand. Is the main difference between the two just speed? Could anyone who tried both do a comparison? |
||
Sponsored Links | ||
barnie
Member Joined: 02/24/2011 Location: Slovakia Status: Offline Points: 73 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I tried both of them. After some time playing with Expert I came back to Virtuoso. Expert is slower, more flex, too slow for modern agressive allround play. If you drive and block a lot, go for Virtuoso.
|
||
Yasaka Silver All Wood, ST
FH - Rhyzm max BH - Tenergy 05 max |
||
broken_mouth
Member Joined: 07/17/2011 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
That was the direction I was leaning. thank you for your opinion.
|
||
icontek
Premier Member This is FPS Doug Joined: 10/31/2006 Location: Maine, US Status: Offline Points: 5222 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
having used the virtuoso for a year and the expert for ten hours, I found that the expert was more powerful at mid distance due to catapult. I would guess that attackers and modern defenders or bh choppers would love this blade the most.
the virtuoso blocks crisper off the bounce, flat smashes over the table a little better and while it lacks some of the whip effect, still does nicely at mid. if you were a mid distance two wing looper who wins points with consistent drives from both sides and enjoys changing spin variation then the expert would win hands down |
||
Anton Chigurh
Premier Member Joined: 09/15/2009 Status: Offline Points: 3962 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I had/have this very dilemma in choosing between the two. My forehand is more attack oriented whereas my backhand is more block oriented. It seems the Virtuoso might be the best compromise between the two? Edited by Anton Chigurh - 07/17/2011 at 6:05pm |
||
Neo H3 40D| Offensive S | Tenergy 80
|
||
icontek
Premier Member This is FPS Doug Joined: 10/31/2006 Location: Maine, US Status: Offline Points: 5222 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I'd guess you could put a superfast rubber like coppa x, t64 or calibra on bh to improve pace of blocks on expert.
I really liked blocking on the expert best with a medium firm japanese rubber though... mambo h. blocking off the bounce with soft tensors on the virtuoso might not be as fast as an off blade like the clipper, but it's stupidly easy to do and place it. whether your opponent loops or flat smashes... |
||
mmerkel
Silver Member Joined: 01/02/2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 746 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
So far I have to say that my choice would be Virtuoso. Just a bit more linear and less flexible than the Expert. Another session with the Expert coming up Monday afternoon, so I might change my mind....
|
||
#1 RL Balance -Bluefire M2 -Acuda S2
#2 RL Avalanche#2 -Bluefire M2 -Sigma Europe #3 Primorac -Boost TP -Magna TC |
||
broken_mouth
Member Joined: 07/17/2011 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
That is basically what I want to know. |
||
broken_mouth
Member Joined: 07/17/2011 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I am afraid of changing rubbers AND blade. I can adjust to blades easier than new rubbers. I'm using XIOM Omega 4 asia and pro and I like them. I am tempted by the new calibra spin but I would want to adjust to a new blade long before I messed up my game with new rubbers. |
||
icontek
Premier Member This is FPS Doug Joined: 10/31/2006 Location: Maine, US Status: Offline Points: 5222 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
With ESN rubbers that are that fast, I would guess either blade would work up to a very high level.
Of the testers I chose, the players who were most comfortable with the expert both had very powerful loops (good weight transfer, torso rotation and whip-effect in their arms) and the blade gave them both more arc and more spin (meaning they could drive harder and still have the ball land). The one who fell in love with it is a US1600 lobber who has a vicious FH loop from 7-10 feet off the table. But unlike the same loops with his usual Stiga Allround Classic, the Expert would consistently end the point in only 1 attack even from that range. The tester who had more trouble controlling the blade for passive play was used to a hard stiff OFF- blade. He could consistently attack and counter attack from mid distance, but had trouble when playing a passive controlled game off the table. The Expert is not for people who like a hard outer ply; and the expert is not for people who like a stiff blade. From the feedback higher rated players gave me, it was better for active attacking and counterlooping play than controlled inverted counterhitting. Players who are saying that the Expert is slow likely are not engaging the blades catapult effect. And what confuses me about the Expert is that it's marketed as an All+ blade but it's really more a controlled attackers weapon. Bear in mind that I celebrated my one year anniversary with the Virtuoso this month, and even a a brief romance with a mid 90's Yasaka Extra and 90's clipper weren't enough to end the marriage. The few hours I spent with the Expert were good; but nothing does everything so well with as few compromises as the Virtuoso. P.S. How hard is the BH Tensor your are using? Acuda S3 is a little too soft for crisp passive blocks, but really starts to shine with an active block. |
||
bluebucket
Platinum Member Joined: 02/20/2011 Location: 16 Status: Offline Points: 2882 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I've only used the Expert with fast esn rubbers but imho it's a very powerful blade for the high level counter looping game, it also offers a high level of control when under pressure. It's sort of 3/4 flexible so has huge power when you need it and the power drops off when you don't want it. I really enjoyed that quality.
I couldn't imagine any blade being better, then again I didn't imagine any blade could be as good as the expert is so I could be wrong
|
||
assiduous
Platinum Member Joined: 05/01/2011 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2521 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
which Virtuoso is everyone talking about?
|
||
puppy412 : Sorry man, I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but I know that more training will make me better, I don't need to come here to figure that out
|
||
broken_mouth
Member Joined: 07/17/2011 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Thanks everyone for their info.
I'm going with the Virtuoso. |
||
bluebucket
Platinum Member Joined: 02/20/2011 Location: 16 Status: Offline Points: 2882 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
If the OSP shop ever opens again I'm ordering 2 experts. I might try a virtuoso later on but the expert suits my game so perfectly that's the one I need to get first
|
||
icontek
Premier Member This is FPS Doug Joined: 10/31/2006 Location: Maine, US Status: Offline Points: 5222 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
The regular Virtuoso. Mine was an early one (the L) model. It has more whip/power/catapult than the S model and plays slightly less stiff. And the balance on my Virtuoso is pretty amazing, even with two fairly heavy rubbers it feels light and maneuverable. I think the + model was introduced because a number of players are simply used to "faster blades" and attach a beginner's stigma to the -OFF class. |
||
HowToPlayChineseLoop
Super Member Joined: 02/06/2012 Location: 0 Status: Offline Points: 266 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
i prefer the expert than the virtuoso...
expert is faster loop when you play at mid, v+ (L) is good but lacks of power in mid
|
||
Post Reply | |
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Forum Home | Go to the Forums | Forum Help | Disclaimer
MyTableTennis.NET is the trading name of Alex Table Tennis Ltd. |