Hi all, I'm an intermediate club player, mainly doubles, I play a fairly strong power game but I'm looking to improve my touch play.

I've been playing with a couple if APACS Edgesaber Zsparks (looks like a ZSlash but nothing like really… but £30 each) it's a medium flex racket, I'd say even balance, plenty of power – originally strung at 22lbs and 26lbs (I knew I'd get them restrung the same later) – strung with a fairly springy APACS string. To be honest they were bought in a hurry when I broke my last 20 year old Carbonex 10 – and although they were good enough to get me going I've never been totally happy with them. They are great for pure power game (even the one that is supposed to be 26lbs) but I personally find them difficult around the net -and on the more finessed shots so really I'm looking for something that I'm more comfortable wiith. I've adapted to the APACS for most shots – smash, clear, defence, serve etc but around the net I just can't make it work – either not enough and it's in the net or too much and it is too deep/high. Strangely both the 22lb and 26lb rackets play near the same at the net (or at least I do when I'm playing with them)

Unfortunately I'm going to have to buy without testing – there's just no way I can test – so I'm trying to mush up all of the info out there and take pot luck this time around… I'm sticking with Yonex as I've never had a bad Yonex racket (all be it that the early C10s were a bit fragile).

I've found some cracking deals on the ARC100/ARC7 – at £90 but I do have a few concerns that it might be a bit like for like with the APACS in terms of control – or am I reading too much into the shaft stiffness and not enough into other stuff that impacts on how it plays? Would this be a good “control” racket? String it medium-high tension with a harder string maybe?

I quite fancied the AT900T and P (not really put off by their “soon to be discontinued” status) – I think the P would add control to my natural game and the T migh force me to change my game the way I want it to go. But they are about £30 more and not sure if there is a lot of gain there. ARC10 and also 8DX are quite appealing but not sure I have enough power to get the best out of them. (Suppose that applies to the ATs as well…)

Last up is the Voltric 70 which of course is seriously pricey but the slight-head heavy + power + control is a very attractive package. (All be it that if I break it I might regret the decision…)

Mentally I always liked the Carbonex 8 but after a lot of time getting used to the less head heavy 10 I always played better with the 10. Not sure what the actual balance of the 10 was – neutral I think? FWIW I also intend to get the APACS restrung but I'll take some advice from the stringer I'm going to use – but thinking maybe BG80 or 65Ti to make the feel a bit harder.

Any thoughts would be appreciated – I know I'm unlikely to get it perfect first time round but just wanted to run my thinking past some folks who would pick up some faux pas thinking! Damn it was easier when they only had one all carbon racket in the range