Well mate, you're getting your wish haha. My affair with Aerobite is over. Probably tension too low since the strings were sliding everywhere when I started getting a bit sloppy due to fatigue. Just cut them, original owner had it done at 30lbs. Time to go to my favourite BG80 tomorrow.
So far looking at the frame, there's no real damage at all, a few of shared holes show signs of a bit of "bubbling" but I don't feel that there's anything to be concerned about. Just seems like the top layer of lacquer being pushed a bit by the high tension. I do have a gripe with YY though, they're still using the same grommets instead of choosing to go the route that Victor did by using newer grommets with thicker heads. If they're gonna dare to raise the warrantied tensions, they should be prepared for people to push it. It's a small string mark on the frame I have between a couple of shared grommets at the 5 o'clock position, but I still think it could have easily been prevented by simply using better grommets (a really cheap solution).
So at this point in time, I've put down a couple of sessions with the racket totaling about 4 hours with the racket. The latest session earlier I decided to take out the JS12 and N9II for a spin because in my collection they're the 2 most similar rackets on paper that any brand I can think of has. I do find myself really enjoying the AX77 honestly. The frame seems a bit unwieldy at first, but once you get it going and you're caught up in the pace of the game (doubles purely for me), the aerodynamics are quite negligible. I continue to hold to my original first impressions where I find it a noticeable bit slower than the Aracsaber frame and faster than the Voltric frame.
Keeping in line with tradition, YY clearly has this put out as the successor to the VT70 and VT70ETN, and I really think they've got a winner here. It has been 3 years since I actually touched a VT70ETN (and even longer since the VT70), but as successors go, you would expect them to be a better incarnation of their predecessors and it is my firm belief that this is. I have a good friend who uses the VT70ETN exclusively now and I will be meeting up with him soon for a game so we can swap rackets to get a feel for the other's to get a good comparison. I truly think that the AX77 is faster and still capable of more power than a fully kitted out VT70ETN (with the golden jazzy grommets). The answer of durability of course is still an open one as it is too new on the consumer market to truly have an answer, but the AX77 does have quite the mountain to cross over the VT70ETN which I know has few to no complaints on the durability side even when you go to the 30lbs range yet has only a very low warrantied tension (was it 24 or 25 for the 3U? I don't remember).
Comparing it with the JS12, even with the meh Aerobite on it and BG80 on the JS12, I still think the the AX77 has got the edge in more departments than the JS12 does. More power, more stable, just as easy to use, and the only point it loses on truly is swing speed (you just can't beat physics here as the aerodynamic profiles of both rackets are vastly different). The feel for the AX77 I also find is better, in terms of directness they're about the same, YY more than likely has foam in the core of the head which contributes to fantastic shock reduction because I had several mistimed hits above the sweet spot from full power smashes while trying to adjust to the new racket yet I didn't feel a single thing coming down the frame into my hand or arm. The JS12 isn't as head heavy either, the weight in the head is distributed a lower at the middle of the head up to the 11 and 1 o'clock regions, whereas the AX77 is all up top from the 11 to 1 o'clock region.
There was a good reason I brought the N9II along of course. On paper and both in use, it is the one racket I've tried so far that is pretty much similar to the AX77 in nearly every way. Even down to the shaft stiffness, these 2 rackets are really similar, they only differ in the way the shaft flexes. I don't know how to put it into words properly unfortunately. I suppose I can try to put it this way, The N9II has a gentler and slightly easier flex while the AX77 recovers faster. The one thing I didn't expect that truly surprised me was that they share a near identical head weight distribution. Both rackets carry all their weight at the top of the frame. Both rackets share many similarities that I actually find it a wee bit spooky.
- Both are moderately head heavy (with very similar head weight distribution).
- Shaft stiffness (except when they flex, but I put this difference down to simply being different materials and construction perhaps).
- Short handle (just eyeballing it and feeling it under my towel grips they're practically the exact same length of wood).
- Shaft length (it may be off by a few millimeters though due to the different cones from 2 different brands).
- Head size (just putting one on top of they other there are barely any differences in the square area, if there is any difference then the N9II is the ones with a tad more area because of the thinner frame).
- I want to say 76 holes but the N9II is on the older 2+3 while the AX77 is on the newer 2+4 pattern.
- As I type this I just recalled and realised that both rackets actually feel quite similar too on impact with the shuttle. The feel is very direct yet the shock absorption is so well done that mistimed hits that usually would have a jarring impact are all taken care off.
I know I've typed an amazing wall of text but I don't consider this a review at all. Overall so far I'm very very satisfied with the AX77 and truly believe that YY has come out with a winner here. It is a racket that is easy to use yet is capable of giving more to a better player than I am. However if your technique isn't there, my advice would be to get a piece on the heavy side of 4U if you're trying it out in 3U initially. I do have to say though, I might actually be exploring the idea of cherry picking a copy that's 85g or a 4U copy that is 84g. I say this because I'm not used to using moderately head heavy rackets regularly, so this racket is still capable of tiring my arm out after 2 hours of play. If I'm gonna keep this in the bag as a regular playing piece, I'll more than likely need a lighter one to use when I'm fatigued but still want to keep the benefits of the AX77.
