Product information
Bluefire JP was good and Acuda was good also, but this product merges them and makes a better combo. To be honest the JP series was not as successful as M series, their topsheet wore off quickly, so this is a reboot for JP series in my opinion. The sponge is the same as the JP series, the topsheet is very similar to the Acuda series. I tried it on both sides and loved it.
Fresh of the package there is someting new and something old in this rubber, clearly the grippy, but not tacky rubber surface greets us, to touch it is a bit grippier then the M series. The pimple stucture of the topsheet is similar to the normal Acuda, but the material of teh topsheet is somewhat softer to the push. The sponge is the very familiar Bluefire JP sponge, with the distinctive smell and the even pores inside it. I loved this sponge in the JP series, because they were very linear and spinny, so I had some high hopes.
Counterhits
When counterhitting I felt some spinginess in the whole rubber, but the overall speed was less, than M2, when hitting the ball flat. When making the contact a bit more spinny the rubber comes very lively and the speed increased a tempo. It was clearly visible and forseen, that this rubber was not engineered to counterhits. During smashes I felt the lack of power, even the bottom of the rubber, so I could clearly hit through it.
Looping
Acuda series were always adored for their looping characteristics. As seen on the counterhits, when the blade was a bit more closed the ball speeded up, this force was actively working in the loops. Looping can be achieved with insane spin, medium throw, very fast pace and good control. To use this rubber at most, you must have an intermediate technique, but the topsheet helps you with that. Have I mentioned, that when hitting with a closed racket angle the rubber becomes more faster? Oh yeah! Well this rubber makes you loop all the time, with spin and speed. Lifting underspin has to be timed, and the ball will clear the net, but huge arc monsterloops are hard to create. Counterspins have to be timed well also. So If i compera to the JP or the M series, this rubber has a greater potential for a much aggressive play, but with a greater risk... as it used to be. Blocking loops were firs decieving me, they cleared the net, but I clearly saw them in the net, the trajectory is very low.
Short play over the table
For the first time when pushing the ball I had the same Tenergy feeling, when my opponent pushed with P2 i had to lift the ball instead of pushing or it instantly went into the net. Other honorable mentions with these capabilities Donic Barracuda, Xiom Omega (Elite). The rubber is a bit bouncy and sensitive to incoming spin as any other high spin european rubber, but due to the medium throw, it was not hard to keep the ball low and spinny. Due to the loop/smash speed duality of the rubber I found it hard to flip with FH. BH banana flicks were revarding and hearth warming shots. Serves are spinny, but I had to count in the spring effect of the rubber... so after some adjustments my serves were great.
Summary
[FONT="]I play with M2/M1 and the throw was sufficient, the speed was better, than M2, the spin is awesome. The rubber is not very sensitive for incoming spin like Tenergy, bounces a bit less, and the speed is the same or a bit slower. Control and drops are flatter, but do not go into the net. [/FONT][FONT="]Still I can say as an intermediate player I had the required technique to use this rubber effectively, only had problems in finding the right angles. I do recommend this rubber to a spin oriented player, who wants a decent attacking rubber which is more forgiving than Tenergy 05. Playing distance is close to mid distance, from far away developed and strong strokes are required to get the ball clear the net. Durability is the same as an usual Donic rubber, some abrasions after 30-40 hours of play (please keep it clean), but the grip remains, occasional reboostering is required after 3-4 mounths and it is good for a year. [/FONT]
Blade recommendation
My blade for the testing was a Yinhe/Galaxy/Milky Way - Venus 14, a blade hat is a Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit Clone with 80-90% identity. I would not recommend softer blades for this rubber, because it may feell mushy. Clearly this rubber was designed to loop so looping blades are recommended with stiff or nearly stiff builds. Flexible blades max require better technique and longer strokes to get the maximum out of the rubber. I really liked the rubber on the Zhang Jike ALC (2012 Blue dragon pattern) Which has koto outer plies and kiri core, but my setup was also nice with limba outer ply and kiri core.
[FONT="]
[/FONT][FONT="]Overall, if you want to upgrade from Bluefire JP buy this, if you want to be more aggressive, than Bluefire M, buy this. If you want a bit more spin, speed and control than Acuda, buy this.[/FONT]
Fresh of the package there is someting new and something old in this rubber, clearly the grippy, but not tacky rubber surface greets us, to touch it is a bit grippier then the M series. The pimple stucture of the topsheet is similar to the normal Acuda, but the material of teh topsheet is somewhat softer to the push. The sponge is the very familiar Bluefire JP sponge, with the distinctive smell and the even pores inside it. I loved this sponge in the JP series, because they were very linear and spinny, so I had some high hopes.
Counterhits
When counterhitting I felt some spinginess in the whole rubber, but the overall speed was less, than M2, when hitting the ball flat. When making the contact a bit more spinny the rubber comes very lively and the speed increased a tempo. It was clearly visible and forseen, that this rubber was not engineered to counterhits. During smashes I felt the lack of power, even the bottom of the rubber, so I could clearly hit through it.
Looping
Acuda series were always adored for their looping characteristics. As seen on the counterhits, when the blade was a bit more closed the ball speeded up, this force was actively working in the loops. Looping can be achieved with insane spin, medium throw, very fast pace and good control. To use this rubber at most, you must have an intermediate technique, but the topsheet helps you with that. Have I mentioned, that when hitting with a closed racket angle the rubber becomes more faster? Oh yeah! Well this rubber makes you loop all the time, with spin and speed. Lifting underspin has to be timed, and the ball will clear the net, but huge arc monsterloops are hard to create. Counterspins have to be timed well also. So If i compera to the JP or the M series, this rubber has a greater potential for a much aggressive play, but with a greater risk... as it used to be. Blocking loops were firs decieving me, they cleared the net, but I clearly saw them in the net, the trajectory is very low.
Short play over the table
For the first time when pushing the ball I had the same Tenergy feeling, when my opponent pushed with P2 i had to lift the ball instead of pushing or it instantly went into the net. Other honorable mentions with these capabilities Donic Barracuda, Xiom Omega (Elite). The rubber is a bit bouncy and sensitive to incoming spin as any other high spin european rubber, but due to the medium throw, it was not hard to keep the ball low and spinny. Due to the loop/smash speed duality of the rubber I found it hard to flip with FH. BH banana flicks were revarding and hearth warming shots. Serves are spinny, but I had to count in the spring effect of the rubber... so after some adjustments my serves were great.
Summary
[FONT="]I play with M2/M1 and the throw was sufficient, the speed was better, than M2, the spin is awesome. The rubber is not very sensitive for incoming spin like Tenergy, bounces a bit less, and the speed is the same or a bit slower. Control and drops are flatter, but do not go into the net. [/FONT][FONT="]Still I can say as an intermediate player I had the required technique to use this rubber effectively, only had problems in finding the right angles. I do recommend this rubber to a spin oriented player, who wants a decent attacking rubber which is more forgiving than Tenergy 05. Playing distance is close to mid distance, from far away developed and strong strokes are required to get the ball clear the net. Durability is the same as an usual Donic rubber, some abrasions after 30-40 hours of play (please keep it clean), but the grip remains, occasional reboostering is required after 3-4 mounths and it is good for a year. [/FONT]
Blade recommendation
My blade for the testing was a Yinhe/Galaxy/Milky Way - Venus 14, a blade hat is a Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit Clone with 80-90% identity. I would not recommend softer blades for this rubber, because it may feell mushy. Clearly this rubber was designed to loop so looping blades are recommended with stiff or nearly stiff builds. Flexible blades max require better technique and longer strokes to get the maximum out of the rubber. I really liked the rubber on the Zhang Jike ALC (2012 Blue dragon pattern) Which has koto outer plies and kiri core, but my setup was also nice with limba outer ply and kiri core.
[FONT="]
[/FONT][FONT="]Overall, if you want to upgrade from Bluefire JP buy this, if you want to be more aggressive, than Bluefire M, buy this. If you want a bit more spin, speed and control than Acuda, buy this.[/FONT]
