Readers of my reviews will know by now that I am a huge fan of Voltric racquets. Having tested and reviewed so many racquets, I have reached the conclusion that head heavy racquets suit me best. So, I was delighted when Yonex announced the launch of another addition to Voltric range, VT9.
Voltric 9 is made in Taiwan rather than the high-end Voltrics which are made in Japan. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are a lesser quality, and generally the mid-price racquets are simply the best value for money.
Voltric 9 was launched in March 2012 at All Englands and is a very striking racquet in a cool black, gold and “gloss blue” – great colour combination. As usual, the customary full length racquet bag is included which is standard across the range, rather than individually named.
This particular model is only available in 3U (weight 84-89g) in UK, and grip size G4 which is the smaller of the grip sizes on offer in UK. This also seems to be the standard grip size on offer.
Balance wise, this is a head heavy racquet, but certainly not as heavy as the other high-end Voltrics. I’d say this is very close to the weight on Armortec 900 Power although wouldn’t say the weight is all at the top. Potentially it could be a good alternative to AT900 T.
This racquet has a stiff shaft and therefore may appeal to those players who do not require the additional flex of a medium shaft and also are looking for a good racquet within a certain budget.
Maximum recommended tension on this racquet is 24lbs which appears to be a typical feature of Yonex racquets. I do consider this odd in todays market that Yonex have only revised their maximum string tension on certain models. That said, maybe this is a good thing. There are too many players who regularly increase string tension to the detriment of their game, but are happy to do so either because they prefer the additional control or they’re on an ego trip – a “mine is bigger than yours” type scenario.
On with the review
I always test racquets straight out of the bag, so there’s no surprise that the tension on this racquet is around 18/19lbs mark and very suitable for club and league players, especially those playing with plastic shuttles.
The racquet is strung in Yonex BG55 string which is an thicker gauge string for endurance rather than feel. It’s ideal for social, club and league players, especially those playing with plastic shuttles.
It’s hitting time
Having liked both Voltric 5 and Voltric 7 racquets, I was expecting this racquet to be the stiffer version – oops, I got that wrong! Yes, it’s certainly a stiffer frame than the other budget end racquets, but there was a different feel about this racquet, and sadly it wasn’t good…
Naturally, as the specification of this racquet is close to that of my beloved Voltric 80, I was expecting something a little closer in performance. Perhaps it’s unfair to compare and judge against a racquet that is so familiar to me.
I always begin my reviews with power shots and this racquet was very good with clears. I tend to expect this of most racquets these days. Bearing in mind, the lower string tension, the shuttle isn’t coming off the stringbed as crisply but that’s to be expected. The racquet certainly showed there was power, although as there isn’t as much head weight as the Voltric 80, to carry through the same.
The good news is that there is sufficient head weight to feel the head of the racquet which I believe is important to a player. There’s very little drag which is good too.
Again drop shots were good and would certainly sharpen up a little with a restring.
On to the smash
This is where I expected more from this racquet and I felt it wasn’t quite there. Even allowing for the string tension, I didn’t feel the power with the Voltric 9. What I did feel was a lot of vibration – not good…
Flat drives were fine although nothing special. I really struggled to add pace to shot.
Defensively the Voltric 9 is easy to manoeuvre if you’re used to head heavy racquets. But, I could still feel this vibration, especially when I lifted the shuttle to return the smash. There were no issues with blocks, however drives presented the same issue in terms of generating power and then there’s that annoying vibration again.
Around the net the racquet was fine. It won’t be as fast as Nanospeed 9900 but I do like the solidity of the Voltric. You don’t need to generate much speed to hit a solid net kill. Net shots were fine too and in some respects I feel perform better compared to lighter headed racquets because you don’t need much movement to play the shot.
Summary
I have to say, this racquet disappointed me. I expected far more from it and all I got was a bit of a sore arm – I never get a sore arm. The vibration was really niggling me and made me wonder whether I have a bad racquet. However, research into other reviews suggests there are others who’ve suffered from this vibration too.
So, in essence, whilst the racquet looks brilliant, it doesn’t play as well as it looks. With an RRP of only £100, this places the racquet in the top of mid-range pricing.
With online discounters you’ll probably pick one up for around £80. Having tested a lot of mid-priced racquets, this is one racquet I’ll leave off my list. Whilst it’s good looking, performance is sadly lacking, especially with power shots because of the vibration.
So how do I rate this racquet? I’m extremely disappointed because I expected the Voltric 9 to play similarly to Voltric 7 and take the title of a good budget replacement for Voltric 80. Instead I’m left wondering why it’s so different and why there is so much vibration through the shaft into the handle. Clearly something isn’t right. On this basis and I would not recommend this racquet. Despite my praise of Voltric racquets, this one simply does not measure up. In this respect, I am giving the racquet a 2 star rating.
As with all my reviews, they are based on my personal thoughts on a racquet. My likes and dislikes will not be the same as yours. Also bear in mind my technique, style, physical build and muscle structure are different so I will always feel a racquet different to you.
Hello Paul,
How glad I am to have read this review after adding this racket to my basket, but before buying it! I guess it was a “newer is better” impulse, and also I liked this VT9 look 🙂
First of all, thank you for all those reviews!! It helped me choose a racket last February after my Armortec 600 snapped. I chose a VT70 and was glad I did. Unfortunately it broke last week, so soon… I take extra good care of all my stuff and I never smashed it in another racket, but it still broke, bad luck I guess…
Anyway, I can’t afford a high-end racket right now and was therefore looking into the VT 5, 7 and 9 which can be found at £50, £60 and £60 respectively. I thought this newer VT9 would be better for the same price so I’m glad I came here. Being used to a medium-stiff/head-heavy balance and given your review of the 9, this one won’t do.
The VT 5 and 7 being familiar and according to your reviews, I guess I can’t go wrong with any of those. The 5 is a little heavier – I’m already used to the VT70 same 3U weight – and looks better to me (it’s the blue version), and is £10 cheaper (not that it’s a big deal). I guess I have a winner.
It will certainly be a downgrade coming from the VT70 but hey, one has to adapt to his purse! 😀
Anyway, no question there, just thank you and keep up the good work!
Also, thumbs up for taking the time to reply to all those comments!
Joss
Hi, loved the review made me kind of reconsider.
Just a question. Which racquet has more smashing power; voltric 7 or voltric 9.
And which one would you recommend with all your knowledge about these two rackets.
Jason
Tough question because neither is better than the other really. This depends on you as a player. Some will hit harder with a medium flex shaft compared to stiff shaft.
Paul
Hello paul,
have you ever tried the voltric 60?.Being an intermediate player i’ve always liked the feel medium flex shaft offers(my current racket:voltric 7). But i want to change my racket and voltric 60 is on my list of priority. I love head heavy rackets and found the voltric 7 best suitable for me;i just loved it more than the vt80 which i found only better for smashes failing to suit my style of play in other departments….probably the stiffer shaft being the reason… I basically play doubles operating from the front court but I also feel the need for some more power in my smashes than my current racket. So,should I go for the vt60 considering its flexible shaft??? I know it is completely a matter of personal preference but i would love to know the differences between vt7 and vt60 from you
Hi Himanshu
Yes I have tried Voltric 60 and to be honest wasn’t very impressed. From memory I had to ask the question why this racket existed because it seemed an excuse to make a racket to a price point rather than a racket that had characteristics of its own. I’m sure there will be players who like this racket but I just didn’t see the point in it. Personally, if you are looking to trade up from your VT7 then I suggest VT70 is a better racket.
Good luck
Paul
hey Paul – Im new 2 this site and its taking me some time to adjust to ur comparisions
anyways, iv been playing badminton for 3 1/2 years now….
i prefer rackets with a medium stiffness but stil cant understand what kind of a head i prefer
i am highly fascinated by d voltric series and am deciding to buy either VT9, VT7, or VT5, after using me nanospeed alpha x for 2 years…..
after this review VT9 is ruled out but i am still confused between Vt 5 and 7
im a balanced player and only attack on opportunities provided or when needed
plzzz recommend
Many thanks for your email.
Before you do anything else i suggest you read my article on choosing a racket – it will help you.
There are many players and coaches that like others to listen to them. Some will tell you which racket you should use. Please, do not listen to them. My article explains the reasons why.
My reviews are based on me trying to be trutherful about how a racket performs. I do try to put my personal preferences aside but at some point they will show through. Also, I have no loyalty to any manufacturer when writing these reviews. Some will say that as I am sponsored by Yonex my reviews are biased. However, I would disagree. If Yonex release what I consider to be a poor racket (poor compared to their standards) like Voltric 9, then I will make it clear why I do not like the racket. I also read other reviews after I have written my first draft to see if others agree.
For now you are deciding between VT5 or VT7. In my opinion there is very little difference between the two. I know players who have selected VT5 and others who use VT7.
Do you best to borrow these rackets from other players. Even a one minute hit is better than nothing and can sometimes tell you enough to know whether you like it or not.
In closing, please read my article and choose yourself.
To yuor success
Paul
OK, sorry it was pdh sports and the cost was £54 which seemed quite reasonable. If they are removing it I may buy a third so that if I break one I still have two to play with. Thanks for all the advice.
Adam
Found pdc sports who do a 10 day trial and got hold of 8dx and it felt really good. Have not felt any deterioration in my defence and a bit more power in my smashing and clears. Thanks for the advice I will buy a second racket this week.
Adam
Adam
Look out for deals as 8DX is being withdrawn from the 2013 range
Paul
Paul – thanks for that, unfortunately my local store are soon to be withdrawing the sales of badminton rackets and they were they only company I know who offered trial rackets. I have search around for another company but have not found one so far (I have also asked at my badminton club and most have just bought and they been either happy or unhappy but stuck with their racket). I have found pdh sports on-line who do a 10 day trial but they do not have the arcsaber10 although they do have the 8DX so maybe I will give that a try through them.
Do you know of anyone in the London/Surrey area who offers racket trials?
Thanks
Adam
Adam
there are probably only a handful of reetailers that offer a demo service. This is because the retailer has to pay for the racket – they are not provided free of charge. Some charge for the service but will refund off your next racket.
All I can suggest is that you watch out for players using the rackets you are interested in and approach them for a quick hit. After all, something is better than nothing in terms of a trial.
Good luck
Paul
I assume my nanospeed is a stiff shaft but having checked my racket and it says head light balance/slim shaft. Think I will start with the arcsaber 10 and perhaps the ns 9900 and see where they take me. If they are not right I will go through the rest of the arcsaber range.
Thanks for the guidance
Adam
Adam
NS8000 was a head light extra stiff frame. So, perhaps Arcsaber 10 or 8DX would be more suitable.
My instinct is that NS9900 will soon be withdrawn so it may be best to avoid it, or at least test with the understanding you may have to re-test again sooner than you think.
Having said that, there are rumours of an Arcsaber 11 being launched. If this is true, I would expect Yonex to withdraw Arcsaber 10.
Good luck with your testing
Paul
I have had a couple of nanospeed 8000 for the last 10 years and in the summer decided that at the age of 36 I needed a more head heavy racket so got a couple of demos vt80 and vt70 to try out.
Over a four week trial period I felt a lot more power with my smash (although was not hitting that many more winners) but defensively I have never framed so many shots and overall I felt that the advantages I gained in attack were not enough to compensate for the disadvantage in defence. I then went back to my nanospeeds and felt that I have a bit more power in my smash for a short period (I think you have mentioned this in previous views). Ultimately I stuck with the nanospeeds.
The reason I mention all of this is that on Sunday I broke a frame and so this is no longer a luxury purchase as I need two rackets as I play league badminton on a regular basis. I will again take some demo rackets but was hoping you could advise me on which ones to try out. Budget is not a problem and I am a fairly powerful (for my level) player with reasonable defence however the weakest area of my game is in and around the net. I have stuck with the nanospeed in the past as I think it helps the weaker side of my game but happy to take advice on that philosophy. The other option is to find a second hand nanospeed 8000 but as my versions are the original and not the updated shiny gold one they released later, I have found it a little difficult finding one on the Internet thus the reason for this post.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance.
Adam
Many thanks for your question.
It would seem that you have gone from one extreme to the other – that can be a tall order. Generally I would ask players to undergo some armchair exercises to develop their muscles if they were to move away from light headed rackets to head heavy.
A compromise here would be to look at Arcsaber range which is even balance. This way you still have a degree of speed in terms of covering defence, plus a bit more beef in your overhead. So all you need to do is look at the Arcsabers which have the same shaft characteristics as NS8000 and arrange to test these. This should give you a good starting point.
Please let me know how you find the Arcsaber and whether this is a good choice for you.
The alternative may be to look at Voltric 7 which you may find slightly lighter in the head.
To your success.
Paul
Hello Paul,
Thanks for your review on Yonex Voltric-9.
I have also tested this racket on Badminton Court and have same experience . I have gone other Blogs where people have same review regarding the vibrations. I am really disappointed with this racket regading its vibration during 3rd line power drives however hitting time is quite impressed me. I can say it is stiffer Racket.
I hope you are agree with me.
Hi Paul, first of all I’d like to thank you for all your reviews and information here. I feel that you’re one of the most reliable sources of information regarding rackets in the web.
I’m planning to buy either a Voltric 3, 5 or 7 as these are the only ones within my budget. I’ve been playing quite seriously for a year now, and I perform best at the net as I’m relatively quick and have good control. Unfortunately, my smashes are somewhat weak (for a guy) and I feel that having a Voltric can help me to generate more power.
Based on the chart from Yonex:
Voltric 3 is the least head heavy, but with more hold.
Votric 5 is most head heavy with a balanced hold-repulsion,
and Voltric 7’s head is between the two, but with more repulsion.
So here are my questions:
I feel that the VT5 will be too head heavy for my strength at the net, so maybe VT3 (which has a lighter head) will be better for me? Or will VT3’s lack of weight at the head not be of much help?
Or maybe I should choose the VT7, which is head heavier than the VT3, but not as much as the VT5 and at the same time its repulsion will be good for my front court playing style?
I hope you can shed some insight on my dilemma, Paul. Thank you so much for you time! 🙂
Louie
Many thanks for your kind comments.
I’m not sure where you get your information from because I didn’t know VT5 was head heavier than VT7 and I’ve reviewed both racquets.
From what I know the difference between VT5 and VT7 is the material composition of the racquet. I tend to find the middle range racquets generally offer best value for money so perhaps you need to choose between 5 or 7 rather than VT3.
To your success
Hi Paul!
After much consideration, I decided to buy a Voltric 3. (3U-G5, medium flex)
Unfortunately, upon playing I’ve realized that I didn’t posses enough power in my arm and wrist to wield a head-heavy racket. Although the extra weight on the head has given me more power on my smashes compared to my previous racket (a flexible, even-balanced Yonex MP 22), in the long run my arms would get tired and I’d end up with literally “weak” shots.
I tried adding more grip to even out the balance, but then the weight of the racket in general became heavier so that didn’t help much. There are also thoughts about my tension. My Voltric 3 is currently at 24lbs, same as my MP-22, but I have a feeling it should be lower, maybe 20?
Do you think are there other ways aside from improving my fitness and strength so I can wield my racket more comfortably?
Thanks Paul! 🙂
Hi Louie
If you take the time use my armchair exercises you may find that your power problems are solved. Give it a try and let me know what happens.
Paul
Thanks Paul for posting this review, and in the nick of time too. I almost decided to buy the Voltric 9 a few days ago, after reading your review I decided to withhold my decision. Thanks again for saving me and my wallet from this “mediocre” racquet.