[Review] Victor Auraspeed Hypersonic

avatar m

My current racket set-up
X2 Victor 100X (both broke and in claim procedure)
Lining Calibar X Boost
Lining Calibar X Drive
Victor Hypersonic

So both of my 100X broke and apparently 100X got stock shortage in Thailand since a lot of demand for them.
So I’m now in the market for “speed” type racket. Many suggested BS12 but it’s kinda old now. 90S discontinued and it’s nearly impossible to find in Thailand 1st hand and 2nd hand now. Victor rep which I directly contacted with said Hypersonic is basically a replacement for 90S or similar. So here I go.

Specs
Auraspeed Hypersonic 4U
Swing Weight : 85Kg
Balance Point : 298mm
Shaft : Medium – Stiff
String : VBS-66 Nano at 27lbs (Max tension 28lbs)
Grip : Victor GR262 Neon Pink for finishing touch + thin layer of cushion wrap

First Impression
Design: Very eye-catching and cool design, I like it and got no complain. Some of my friend doesn’t like the design so much and said it’s too “girly” so yea, depends on people.
Racket Weight: Holding it feels light and I would say holding it felt similar to 100X (good start). Swinging the racket is felt light and fast, I would say it’s a bit faster than 100X but slower than 90S. It’s somewhere between the 2, which is perfect.
Shaft: Swinging felt medium flexible

Clears 9/10
Since this racket is in “speed” category, this racket is very easy to clear to backcourt. Backhand clear is easy as well. The word “effortless” comes to mind while warming up with this racket. I don’t need to put a lot of power to push the shuttle to back of the court.

Drive 9.5/10
This racket is so fast and generates insane repulsion. This racket can generate more repulsion on drives than 100X. Drive is so much fun with this racket. This racket is made for fast and flat exchange which I love it so much. This racket won’t make me Kevin but it made me feels like one lol. Since I operation at mid-front court of MD, this racket is a perfect fit.

Smash 8.5/10
This racket behave the same way as 100X on smash. I wouldn’t say both have the same timing since HS is a bit faster than 100X but if you’re 100X user, you can just go right to HS without any adjustment. Smashing speed is the same as 100X but the “power” is atad bit behind 100X. HS excels at half smash and stick smash, since you can generate a lot of speed with a short swing or compare to heavier racket. Full smash and jump smash is good too. I can be able to generate good angle of attack from this racket but you need to use more wrist on your smash to prevent those “fliers” smash. You won’t get that 1 shot killer from the racket if your opponent is decent at defending but it’s enough to get a weak reply and set up for a follow up net kill if you partner knows the rotation. Comparing to other Victor racket I’ve tried,
the smash ranking goes TK-F > 100X > HS > JS12ii > 90S > BS12

Control and Net play 8/10
Decent control and the shuttle listens and go where you want it to go. Deception is easy with this racket since this racket is very swift so you can hold your racket and flick the racket to change direction. Net shot is ok, I might need to adjust to the timing but I can pull off some good net shots.

If you’re Mid-Front court player and want a top tier racket that is not 100X or 88S (88S have better smash but HS is better at everything else IMO) then HS is the racket. Many people recommend BS12 for beginners, but I think this racket is overall better than BS12. I will still choose 100X since it gives me better smash but if I don’t have 100X I will play with HS knowing my performance will not be affected.

Feel free to ask any questions. I will answer ASAP.