Skip to content

TEST: Virtuoso AC aramid-carbon table tennis blade test from France

Virtuoso Aramid Carbon controlled offensive table tennis blade

This is the French to English Google translated article of popette59 published to the forum of tennis de table France. Thank you.

Original article in French: https://forum.tennis-de-table.com/t/bois-osp-en-general/8627/6804

The virtuoso Master Series that I had tested is not the same as the Virtuoso Classic and indeed I do not see it in the catalog . I put the matter to Robert to find out if it was ultimately the exit or if it was a ” concept-blade ” grinning : he me answered it would release a whole new line of wood “Handmade” but that first he wanted to raise the level of quality of the existing normal range . For the manufacture present , he told me confirmed that nothing had changed but he had changed from machines to burn laser and that therefore the logos had been able to be modernized .

The notion of ” arc” was already present in the quotes OSP and represents the degree of curvature printed to the path of the ball , in particular in topspin, this is the arc that describes the ball in topspin. More it is significant , the higher the ball will curve ; more it will be weak , the more paths are straight and taut .

And I tried the Virtuoso AC last night . This is a virtuoso Classic with two folds aramid-carbon of at most ( so a 5 + 2), located in inner thus against the bend center that is thinner particularly , this that fact that the thickness generally of wood is retained .

I stuck to it two plates used but identical to those of my set usual , H3 in shot right and D64 in reverse .

First touch : it is more firm than the virtuoso Classic, but not too hard . The promise of making a wood carbon that keeps a touch wood is respected ; this is when even a little more firm than a virtuoso Classic but of all the carbons that I have tested ( and I have tested not bad ), it is the best compromise that I know . There I did think to fire Adidas Hypertouch who had the same kind of touch , wood with at barely a sensation of carbon below , but with the touch magic PSO.

Compared to the old virtuoso carbon , I find that the virtuoso AC is less dry and less immediately dynamic . It keeps also a feeling of flexibility further , in particular in topspin. By cons it is very , very powerful ; hyper linear too , with a great control in all the areas of the game . You are never surprised by wood .

The wood is much more stable, a virtuoso Classic, the sweet -Spot is huge , it has a feeling of safety equivalent on all the range . It has a great sense of precision , that this is in remission , in cutting , and especially of course in block and in strikes . There where the ball was easily tend to float in the block or in the stroller with the Virtuoso Classic, if we do affects not good or if it is a bit on the back foot in the block, it is well directed with the Virtuoso AC. Me who do ‘m not a specialist block and the tap , I returned the blocks and the strikes of space yesterday , even in sudden reflex so that was my first evening with this wood .

At serve, it’s the same , great precision , controlled dynamism , we serve easily where we want , we put a lot of effect and the bomb serves are obviously more efficient . In handing over , I was not embarrassed either ; it is more easy to keep the ball low and it will escape not . I myself have been made to feel , I have not been of concern to deliver short . By cons I felt the difference in returning to a point on the virtuoso Classic: the first delivery is up live too far away , it’s much more easy with the AC .

Now , topspin … well, frankly , it’s gavage : relaxed : the grip is evil , we find this feeling of precision , there goes the bullets cut without concern , I found that the grip is superior to the virtuoso . The feeling is more ” Sharp” as the English speakers say , it’s precise , like cut with a knife . It keeps a certain flexibility , a some flex , and it there was a clear tendency of wood to add the power when it works the ball in closing the racket , in playing the ball tangentially . With the H3 below , which has exactly the same faculty , I you say not the mine that I sent yesterday , it is indecent : hugs : It has a lot more ease , sending the ball with a good speed requires less effort , then we have the feeling of having more in control of what we did with a virtuoso Classic.

Caution , of course it is going more quickly , so it’s not magic either, so send you a mine and that you ‘re not a minimum placed the wood does will not drive the ball all alone on the table huh … c is a shame because that is so exhilarating that has a tendency to try the balls of egg on all this that comes … with a rate of success pretty amazing , but it was obviously of limitations.

But if there is a minimum right on the investment , there was no more to waste with a virtuoso Classic, and the power is absolutely incomparable . One can easily kill the points on a stroke , and even if the shot is all little bit missed , we keep a good speed, that that ‘s not the case with the virtuoso Classic. And if it was a ball that behind the strike is just devastating .

Yesterday evening , I played my opponents usual , @ eric68, @ Loixm68 a different accomplice , which I posed at times of trouble because he plays very well at mid distance and it is difficult to overflow , an other who plays in anti top and , even if it is less ranked than me , may also me to make the mistakes if I ‘m not careful , and finally a player who comes to train for little at the club, which has a level around 15-16 ( it is abroad thus ranking different ) and which plays , her , very clean the two sides , the service short , topspin, etc.

All my opponents have I said that I was doing very little to fault , that I was very aggressive in my game and that my ball was very heavy to control in the racket too . I had never beaten the 15 to the drive , usually I lose 3/0 or 3/ 1; it has not had the time to make a game complete , just a set on 15, but he has never been before this time and I won 15-13. I was more comfortable than usual in all the areas of the game , are included in the service delivery that which is on him , the sector most critical because it’s his spot high . And I did not remember that he has me blocked a single blow hard …

My companions of game usual were executed quite properly I have to say ; I was absolutely untouchable for 2h30. Eric took his revenge in any end of training but I had sent so many of mine that I had more cartridges : rofl : and then it was better played as in the end of training .

Conclusion : ben I was delighted with my virtuoso Classic but here I am strongly tempted to switch my good plates on the virtuoso AC … already , after having played ten minutes with I had no desire to resume my virtuoso Classic ( then with the virtuoso carbon 1 was the reverse ) … and saw that with the status health which seems to worsen , it is even not sure to finish the championship and we will play ( if they play ) that in three weeks , I do not think to deprive myself of this pleasure . And frankly I think that I could be wrong, because even if the touching of virtuoso AC is a little more firm and less sweet than the virtuoso Classic, I ‘m so much more effective with the AC that I am ready to make a small concession on the feeling to have all the benefits of AC .

On the point of view more general , the Virtuoso AC is without doubt the best wood offensive versatile of the range OSP. Here’s how I would classify the current ( offensive ) woods :

  • Virtuoso classic , made almost exclusively for topspin, allows a game in top controlled but not as easy to flat and stroller , play close to the table or 1 meter of table
  • Virtuoso +: very oriented block and play close to the table , much more hard in area than the virtuoso Classic
  • Virtuoso AC: Ultra-Flexible, that this is about the distance to the table as on the variety of strokes , very precise , drawing when it is committed and control Excellent
  • Ultimate 2: intended rather to the players powerful and 1 meter from the table or more , good in block but more demanding on the investment and the replacement ( especially the size of the pallet )
  • Ultimate 2 +: U2 XL with an area much more hard , much more powerful , dynamic and demanding , it is U2 this that the Virtuoso + is the Virtuoso Classic
  • Martin off pro: more powerful and dynamic than the U2 puts tremendous spin too , Surface gentle contrast to U2 +, but cut to slightly close the same , more demanding than U2 and aimed at the players very seasoned