Andro Novacell off/s versus Stiga Infinity VPS

[merlin el mago]

Just bought an Andro Novacell off/s to play with my BH LP and to be aggressive with my FH, I'm using Stiga Infinity VPS that's very stiff so is very good to play LP close to the table to block or chop-block but the feeling is hollow due to not be hard. Let's see how I feel the Andro Novacell off/s weighted 84gr AN grip of course I never will play like Sabine because I'm 67 years old handicapped player. Someone tried to let me know his feelings?

 

[piligrim]

Wich one you feel faster?

 

[merlin el mago]

Still not arrived, surely tomorrow or wednesday arrives but I chime here to know the feelings of others & vs Stiga Infinity VPS better to compare if possible.

Both are all wood 5 plies blade but I expect the Andro more powerfull so with a more solid touch than Stiga.

 

[Metaxa]

Just bought an Andro Novacell off/s to play with my BH LP and to be aggressive with my FH, I'm using Stiga Infinity VPS that's very stiff so is very good to play LP close to the table to block or chop-block but the feeling is hollow due to not be hard. Let's see how I feel the Andro Novacell off/s weighted 84gr AN grip of course I never will play like Sabine because I'm 67 years old handicapped player. Someone tried to let me know his feelings?

On the Andro website, Sabine describes the blue Novacell-OFF as her racket, but today I noticed that the handle of her racket was black and yellow, so it must be a Novacell-OFF/S, just like the one you’ve ordered.
How are you getting on with it so far?

 

[merlin el mago]

First impressions is a very very good blade for my Long Pips BH & enough fast and spinny to made dangerous attacks with my FH. Not hollow feeling like Stiga & very very nice touch with my FH with controlled BH for my long pips.

 

[TTAntiPlayer]

@merlin el mago How does this blade generally feel? I'm looking for something a bit stiffer, but not overly hard , also, how is the handle size? I saw some online reviews that the handle feels a bit too small, and I do not have small hands 🙂

 

[Metaxa]

Andro products generally always have slim handles.

 

[merlin el mago]

@merlin el mago How does this blade generally feel? I'm looking for something a bit stiffer, but not overly hard , also, how is the handle size? I saw some online reviews that the handle feels a bit too small, and I do not have small hands 🙂

Mine is anatomic because shop don't have stock of ST. It's a little bit of small side but bigger than Nittaku.

 

[merlin el mago]

Yesterday training the 3rd ball attack surprised me winning 80-90% points after my serves against the best player of my club, near 100 balls more or less serving continuously, I will consider that's a very very good signal of quality blade because show me it's a better blade for me than Infinity VPS, 1st don't have the hollow feeling, serves & topspin & counters & blocks, more easy to do with superb control and a lot of topspin or backspin that I feel still more than with Infinity VPS, remember me the Stiga ARC when speed glue was allowed, still good power for mid distance of the table but close to the table it's terrific good, now I understand why Sabine Winter uses this blade to favour her close to the table attacks with his FH.

What a big satisfaction with this blade! when you need power have power but never never loses the control so if you have enough skills you can put the ball where you want with the speed or spin you want & that's improved my skills.

You have to consider it's a 5 plies all wood blade, so the reaction isn't the same that a composite fiber blade but that's could be good depending how do you play, if you play always long rallies far 4 or 5 meters from the table could be not enough power for you but when you strategy it's playing close to the table for me now is the best blade that I tested & I feel does more spin (back or top) than composite fiber blades, till 50 years old played with composite fibers & loved the control to have bigger sweep spot than all wood blades and when speed glue allowed I didn't feel the difference in spin between a composite fiber blade & an all wood blade using speed glue so for me was better the control using composite fibers but this blade changed my feeling and now.

Also tried 7 plies all wood but a lot less control than composite fiber or 5 plies all wood blades.

I was enjoying how difficult to control was the short game for my club mate using BTY FZD ALC with Dignics 09C boosted against my Andro Novacell OFF/S.

 

[merlin el mago]

Limba-Limba-Kiri-Limba-Limba
Mine weight 84 gr.

 

[Metaxa]

😀

I’ve bought a spare racket with new rubbers. 2.1 FH black & 1.9 BH. We’ll see how it goes next week.
(Great service from tabletennisstore.eu)

 

[merlin el mago]

And good price 38€46!

What's the weight of the blade without rubbers?

I'm waiting your comments?

As per pics I guess you have two combos with same rubbers with only 1 gr of difference?

 

[Metaxa]

And good price 38€46!

What's the weight of the blade without rubbers?

I'm waiting your comments?

As per pics I guess you have two combos with same rubbers with only 1 gr of difference?

I’ve no idea how much the blade weighs. I’d asked for the rubbers to be already attached, but I need to swap them around. The red one needs to go on the side with the Andro logo, but that’s no problem – I’ll do it myself. I’ll let you know the weight next week.

That 1g difference is because the racket isn’t sitting quite the same on the sensitive scales.

I think we’re now on Andro blade number 6... 😆

 

[merlin el mago]

@merlin el mago How does this blade generally feel? I'm looking for something a bit stiffer, but not overly hard , also, how is the handle size? I saw some online reviews that the handle feels a bit too small, and I do not have small hands 🙂

It's medium hard.

 

[Metaxa]

In the meantime, I’ve swapped the rubbers around. The blade has a great weight to it, 80gr.

So the red rubber (1.9) weighs 42 gr, and the black one (2.1), 46 gr.
Test day tomorrow!

 

[Metaxa]

Last Friday, I trained with this new blade for the first time. My initial reaction was: wow!

I originally bought this racket to use as a spare, but it’s going to be my main blade from now on. Compared to my current Andro TP_Ligna All, this Andro Novacell Off/s is just a touch harder and just a touch faster, but with at least as much control. It’s remarkable that the composition is supposedly identical, as my TP_Ligna All Wood is also said to be made of limba, limba, kiri, limba, limba according to the folks at Scholer-Micke, yet the two are incomparable. Could the black finish have something to do with this? (also harder to glue).

As for the rubbers, the new HY-Q 42° rubbers have also pleasantly surprised me. For the first time in a very very long while, I’ve gone back to a 2.1 on my forehand but stay with a 1.9 on my backhand. I find these rubbers offer more grip than my NUZN45° and Hexer Grip, which I love, and for me they produce a pleasant, reasonably high arc. The 2.1 is, however, slightly less forgiving than the NUZN45° in 1.9. The latter offers a bit more control, especially when countering and topspinning. Blocking and pushing went almost without any adjustments with the 2.1

On my backhand with the 1.9, attacking was just a bit more difficult, but I had no problems with blocking and pushing. I’ll need to do some more training with this new combo, but my current TP_Ligna all-wood with the NUZN45° and the Hexer Grip spx is now being retired as my spare racket.☺️

 

[TTAntiPlayer]

It seems that it's not a very fast blade if it is only slightly faster than TP Ligna ALL. I had Timber 7 off/s before, which is a fast blade, so I thought this one would be similar but seems not.
Now I'm in doubt between Novacell off/s and Xiom Hayabusa OFF Pro, which has the same structure but a thicker core, so it should be faster.

 

[merlin el mago]

Last Friday, I trained with this new blade for the first time. My initial reaction was: wow!

I originally bought this racket to use as a spare, but it’s going to be my main blade from now on. Compared to my current Andro TP_Ligna All, this Andro Novacell Off/s is just a touch harder and just a touch faster, but with at least as much control. It’s remarkable that the composition is supposedly identical, as my TP_Ligna All Wood is also said to be made of limba, limba, kiri, limba, limba according to the folks at Scholer-Micke, yet the two are incomparable. Could the black finish have something to do with this? (also harder to glue).

As for the rubbers, the new HY-Q 42° rubbers have also pleasantly surprised me. For the first time in a very very long while, I’ve gone back to a 2.1 on my forehand but stay with a 1.9 on my backhand. I find these rubbers offer more grip than my NUZN45° and Hexer Grip, which I love, and for me they produce a pleasant, reasonably high arc. The 2.1 is, however, slightly less forgiving than the NUZN45° in 1.9. The latter offers a bit more control, especially when countering and topspinning. Blocking and pushing went almost without any adjustments with the 2.1

On my backhand with the 1.9, attacking was just a bit more difficult, but I had no problems with blocking and pushing. I’ll need to do some more training with this new combo, but my current TP_Ligna all-wood with the NUZN45° and the Hexer Grip spx is now being retired as my spare racket.☺️

Glad you like it!

 

[merlin el mago]

It seems that it's not a very fast blade if it is only slightly faster than TP Ligna ALL. I had Timber 7 off/s before, which is a fast blade, so I thought this one would be similar but seems not.
Now I'm in doubt between Novacell off/s and Xiom Hayabusa OFF Pro, which has the same structure but a thicker core, so it should be faster.

Same composition with thick core sure is fastest.