OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Could you guys make a comparison between Tibhar Samsonov Premium Contact and BTY Oh Sang Eun blades? what kind of inner/outer layers are used? and which one would you choose for a close to the table controlled looping play?

Thanx

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OK, I can't compare Samsonov Premium Contact (SPC) directly vs. Oh Sang Eun (OSE) because I don't own an OSE. However, I have BTY Petr Korbel which is pretty similar to OSE and I will compare SPC vs. Korbel.

First, Oh Sang Eun in reality does not use OSE blade but instead he uses Korbel. First he used Korbel ST and now Korbel FL. What is the difference? Korbel has limba outer ply and OSE has koto outer ply (if my memory serves me well). In the Butterfly chart, Korbel is rated as medium-fast (in speed) with medium feel and OSE is rated as medium (in speed) and soft feel. However, OSE is not far slower compared to Korbel because in the chart, it is located at the very high end of medium speed, adjacent to the border of medium-fast speed. Some claim that they play similar with OSE is head heavy. Korbel is a more balanced blade although it's usually heavy also. If OSE is similar to Korbel, then I would say that it is a looping blade with lots of gear as Korbel. Probably because of the softer feel, OSE might be a bit worse in blocking or hitting compared to Korbel.

SPC is a very under-rated blade. People always mention Samsonov Alpha and Samsonov Carbon. I find that it is actually better than Samsonov Alpha (can't compare to Samsonov Carbon as they are in different categories). It is slower compared to Korbel but has better control. It also has many gears as it can be used for pushing, hitting, driving, looping, etc. as good as you can get with the Korbel (but with better feel).

So Korbel is pretty fast with medium feel and SPC is only a bit slower with medium-soft feel. Korbel is pretty much stable and SPC is slightly flexible so you can get a bit of 2nd kick when looping hard. So in my opinion, SPC is a better looping blade but is not too far behind in blocking/hitting department.

I forgot to say that SPC is rated as All+/Off- blade by some, but I will say that it is more like Off- which can be an Off blade with faster rubbers and better technique. Same with Korbel, although most people rate as Off blade, it is more like a higher end of Off- blade / lower end of Off blade also. SPC is an offensive blade with a control similar to All+ blade. Since OSE is a bit slower than Korbel, I guess it falls into the same class as SPC.

Basically, they are all GOOD BLADES and you can't go wrong choosing either one of them (Korbel vs. SPC vs. OSE). However, Korbel is very popular while SPC is quite popular and OSE is not that popular. You might want to take that into consideration also in case you want to resell the blade.

Additional info: Samsonov Premium Contact has limba for it's outer layer.

For close to the table play, I guess they are all good as my experience with Korbel and Premium Contact. One more thing, handles of Premium Contact are Conic (it's actually FL), ST and AN. Unlike Samsonov Alpha which has fatter comfortable FL, SPC's FL is similar to Korbel (slim) and I don't really like it. ST is also slim. AN on the other hand is fatter than Alpha, but still comfortable.

SPC average weight is 85 gram, but you can get as low as 80 gr. Balance is good, not head heavy.

Oh Sang Eun is kind of heavy, once I tried in the store, it is soft yet heavy (around 93 - 94 gr). I read few comments that it is head heavy (not balanced).

Hope that these answer you questions (although not directly).

Wow, great info and welcome to the forum!

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-- Andrew

Spintech All Around Penhold blade
Spinlord Keiler II 1.5 black
Nittaku FastArc G1 red

729 all around blade
Tibhar Grass D-Tec S Red
Nittaku FastArc G1 black

I second that!

Ultraman, could you compare the Alpha with PC? You said you thought the PC is better than the Alpha...

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instagram: rokphishtt

Ultraman: you really honor your nick, thank you very much. You have just saved me money with this feedback.

I consider myself in debt with you...

@Rokphish

Well, according to Tibhar specifications:

Samsonov Alpha, Speed = 8, Control = 8-, Weight = 80 gr. average
Samsonov Premium Contact, Speed = 8-, Control = 8, Weight = 85 gr. average

If you see the speed chart printed on the surface of the blade:
(Scale is from Def ---> All ---> All/Off ---> Off/All ---> Off)

Samsonov Alpha: Off/All ---> Off

Samsonov Premium Contact: All/Off ---> Off/All

So, Rokphish, the reason I think SPC is better than Alpha is because it does not 100% conform to the above specifications, especially in the speed aspect. Alpha is stiffer (not too flexible) but still has soft feel. SPC is said to be "slightly swinging" (Tibhar's words), meaning a bit flexible. Don't take it as very flexible blade, it is not. It is quite stiff, with Alpha a bit stiffer (quite linear = what you swing is what you get) and SPC is a bit flexy (has a bit of 2nd kick when looping hard, so helps in producing faster and spinnier shot). So on slow strokes (push and short game) they are both slow, but on fast strokes, they are pretty fast, with SPC has a little edge because of the little trampoline effect. Both are in the Off- range normally, but with the right rubbers and good technique you can be in the Off range easily.

Because of this:
SPC is better in looping and spinning.
Alpha is better in blocking and hitting.
But actually the difference between both of them is very minimal. When I say Alpha is better in blocking and hitting, it does not mean that SPC is lousy in this aspect. SPC is also good on this, but Alpha is a bit better. When I say SPC is better in looping, Alpha is excellent on that also, just I think SPC is a bit better.

I read in other forum that Tibhar considers that Alpha is a bit better in speed but SPC is a bit better in control, but both will suit the same game play. Meaning that they are good for allround offensive play and one player does not have to adjust significantly using one or the other, which I agree very much.

So it's back to your preference: Do you like it a bit stiffer or a bit flexible? Do you like it very light (Alpha) or a bit heavier (SPC)? Both are excellent looping blades.

Compared to Korbel, they are both a tad slower but with better control and better feel. All of them (Korbel, Alpha and SPC) vibrate like a normal all-wood blade.

One more thing, Alpha has solid handle. SPC has solid handle also but it has this kind of "premium contact" thing that I think is just a gimmick. Control wise, both are excellent.

Please take this comments with a lot of cautions because when I read most reviews, most of them say that Alpha is All+/Off- blade and SPC is only All+ blade. Probably all those reviewers are used to much faster blade, such as Primorac Carbon and Schlager Carbon. Well, they are indeed much faster, but as I play against players with PC or SC, I can blast my shots past them as easy as they blast their shots past me. In fact, against a player with speedy heavy stiff chinese blade, I can match the speed. It depends on rubbers and technique.

THANKS A LOT ULTRAMAN!!!

I'm saving this for reference. Good stuff!
Any other blades you have used and reviewed? I'll be most interested to read more...

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instagram: rokphishtt

Likewise. I've been wondering if a Tibhar Blasczyck would be a good choice for a developing player who loops both sides and like his 5 ply, small head Palio R51, but would prefer something a little heavier with a bit larger handle.

The translated review I saw on the Korean site Baum.net and what I know about Lucjan make me think it would be a perfect fit for him, but I'd be interested to hear what others with hands-on knowledge of it think.

_________________
-- Andrew

Spintech All Around Penhold blade
Spinlord Keiler II 1.5 black
Nittaku FastArc G1 red

729 all around blade
Tibhar Grass D-Tec S Red
Nittaku FastArc G1 black