Badminton Pro Guide: News, Players, Gear, and Expert Reviews

Tag: VICTOR MX7600

  • Badminton Racket Victor METEOR X 7600 Reviews

    Badminton Racket Victor METEOR X 7600 Reviews

    I suddenly realized that there’s not much to say about low-end old rackets—they’re not readily available anyway. So, I might as well reveal everything during the All England Championship.

    Strike while the iron is hot; let’s try the low-end MX models, and this one with the highest serial number is the MX7600. From the first two digits, 76 seems closer to 80, but it’s not named 8000, which is quite puzzling. Since it’s an old model, it’s hard to find more information from other sources, so let’s consider it as an ordinary entry-level racket.

    Specifications:
    Weight: 3U G5, with grip, total weight in use: 93.13g, balance point: 288mm, shaft length: 215mm, stiffness: low.
    Frame: octagonal aerodynamic frame, 72-hole string bed, grooves at 9-3 points.
    String tension: 24 lbs recommended, strung at 23-24 lbs with NS660Ti.

    The racket has its own style in appearance, not following the high-end model’s patterns. It’s rare for a higher-end low-end model to have a unique paint job. The symmetrical paint scheme, with rich color layers from silver gray, fluorescent green, white, navy blue, and back to white, along with an unpolished metal-like finish, makes it visually striking. The racket is almost at the mid-range threshold, evidenced by the nano tec below the T-joint. However, the unchanged 7.2mm shaft remains the same.

    The feel of the racket in hand is surprisingly light, with a very low balance point. For beginners, it might be hard to tell if the 3U designation was changed to 4U. It can directly be used as a speed racket. The 72-hole string bed characteristics have been discussed in previous reviews, so I won’t repeat it. The racket is very user-friendly, with low swing weight, high swing speed, and a relatively soft shaft, making it easy to drive the shuttle. Many times, you can even achieve shaft deformation with just a gentle swing. The power feel is good, allowing easy access to a high hitting point and better accuracy on the sweet spot.

    However, the softness of the shaft significantly affects its attacking power and consistency.

    In practical use, the MX7600 shows its friendly side, quickly demonstrating its potential without a break-in period. In doubles play, it feels like hitting the gas pedal on an A0-level electric vehicle at high speed. The racket’s swing speed and agility quickly reveal their advantages, offering more room for play in doubles.

    The quick preparation allows for direct smashes from the front, and the racket forms a frame quickly after each shot. However, due to the string state and shaft stiffness, the response speed isn’t fast enough, making it less effective in drives and blocks. This can be improved with better strings.

    In the mid-court, the MX7600 seems to be more flexible and offers more options than just net play. It handles low or difficult shots with acceptable feel for flicks, cuts, and net returns. Perhaps the racket’s solid feel is just average, but its flexible design makes it convenient for performing fancy moves.

    Moreover, for handling passive shots or receiving smashes, if the strings were more elastic, it would perform better. I believe its softness and lightness are advantageous in such situations.

    Using the MX7600, it’s quite easy to help teammates gain opportunities for rear-court smashes. However, when it comes to taking on offensive responsibilities in the rear-court, the MX7600 feels too gentle. Despite the good power feel and easy access to high points, both sudden short power and powerful rotation will result in noticeable deceleration. Excluding string issues, the 7.2mm shaft is indeed inadequate and should be firmer. Consequently, while it can produce ideal smashes, it’s unlikely to deliver powerful and fast attacking shots. Fans of heavy smashes might want to avoid this racket. If there’s only consistency without threat, implementing various tactics becomes difficult, and sometimes a simple high clear might be better.

    However, from the perspective of a beginner’s racket, there are no issues.

  • Badminton Racket VICTOR MX7600 Reviews

    Badminton Racket VICTOR MX7600 Reviews

    I suddenly realized that there’s not much to say about old, low-end rackets. Even if I talk about them, they’re no longer available for purchase, so I might as well lay it all out during the All England period.

    Let’s strike while the iron is hot and try out the low-end METEOR series. This might be the highest-numbered one, the 7600. Just by looking at the first two digits, 76 seems to be closer to 80, but the fact that they didn’t name this racket the 8000 makes it a bit puzzling. Given its age, it’s hard to find more information about this racket through other channels, so let’s just treat it as an ordinary entry-level racket.

    Specifications:
    3UG5, with a grip, total weight in use is 93.13g, balance point at 288mm, shaft length 215mm, low stiffness, octagonal aerodynamic frame, 72-hole string bed, 9-3 o’clock string grooves, warranty up to 24 lbs, strung at 23-24 lbs with NS660Ti.
    The racket has its own style in terms of design, not following the pattern of some higher-end models. Giving a relatively high-end model in the low-end range a unique paint job isn’t something you see often. The symmetrical design from the racket head to the cone features a rich color gradient, transitioning from silver-gray, fluorescent green, white, navy blue, and back to white, all with a matte metallic-like finish. The aesthetic is quite strong. This racket is on the threshold of the mid-range level, with the nano tec below the T-joint as proof. However, the 7.2mm shaft remains unchanged.

    Surprisingly, the racket feels light and nimble, with a very low balance point. For beginners, they probably wouldn’t notice if the 3U label on the cone was changed to 4U; it could easily be used as a speed racket. I’ve already covered the characteristics of the 72-hole string bed in the past, so I won’t repeat them here. The racket is very user-friendly, with low swing weight and high swing speed, and the shaft is quite soft. It’s easy to generate a sense of power without much effort; even gently swinging the racket with a grip slightly lower down can produce noticeable shaft flex. The racket is also quite powerful, making it easy to reach a high contact point and hit the sweet spot.
    However, the shaft is just too soft, which significantly affects its attacking power and continuity.

    In practice, the 7600 quickly proves itself with a friendly demeanor, showing its potential right away without any adjustment period. In doubles play, it quickly reveals its strengths, like flooring the accelerator in an entry-level electric car on the highway. The racket’s swing speed and maneuverability are quickly apparent, offering more room to perform in doubles.

    The quick preparation, ability to drive the shuttle down from a high position, and smooth follow-through after each shot all show the racket’s potential. But due to the string condition and shaft stiffness, its response speed isn’t fast enough, especially in fast exchanges, although this can be improved by restringing.

    In the mid-court, the 7600 seems to allow for more flexibility, not just limited to net blocks. Even in less ideal situations, like when the shuttle is lower or hard to attack, it performs well with net shots, lifts, and returns. The solid feel of the racket might be average, and perhaps the string’s strong hold on the shuttle is contributing to the good feel during delicate shots and backcourt drops, but the 7600’s flexibility certainly makes it easier to execute some tricky moves.
    Furthermore, in defensive situations or when returning smashes, if the strings were more responsive, the performance could be even better. I believe its softness and lightness make it easier to handle such shots.

    Actually, using the 7600 can make it easier to create opportunities for your partner to attack from the backcourt. However, when you rotate to the backcourt and take on the attacking responsibility, the 7600 feels too gentle. Although it has a good feel and it’s easy to reach a high contact point, whether using a quick, sharp hit or a powerful shot with body rotation, there’s a noticeable loss of power in the process. Excluding the string issue, the 7.2mm shaft seems to be overloaded and should be more rigid. The result is that even if you can execute an ideal downward shot, it’s unlikely to be a high-speed, powerful smash that poses a threat. Those who enjoy hitting the shuttle into the ground should avoid this racket. If it only offers continuity without the ability to threaten, many tactics will be difficult to implement—sometimes it’s better to just play a flat lift.

    However, from the perspective of a “sugar-coated” racket, there’s nothing wrong with it. By the way, does anyone have a good method for removing old, sticky grip residue?