Created for club level players, Head’s Sonic Pro Edge string is designed to offer modern, aggressive players the perfect blend of control and comfort. To find out how it performs, we’ve play tested the string and shared our thoughts on the string in this Head Sonic Pro review.
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Head Sonic Pro Key Features & Specs
| String Material | Polyester Monofilament |
| Special Features | |
| String Gauge | 17g (1.25 mm) or 16g (1.30 mm) |
| String Colour | Black or White |
String Testing Setup
For our review, we play tested the Head Sonic Pro using a Wilson Pro Staff RF97 and a full bed of the string at three different tensions to get an idea of how it performs at higher and lower tensions. Here are the exact test details:
- String: Head Sonic Pro 17 Black
- String Tension: 52 lbs, 55 lbs & 58 lbs.
- Test Frame: Wilson Pro Staff RF97
Head Sonic Pro Review- Test Results
Here’s a quick overview of the ratings we awarded the string in our test:
Control - Score: 81
Head Sonic Pro is designed for control above all, and it definitely delivers. While it doesn’t offer quite as much control as an edged polyester string, it definitely performs well when compared to other smooth polys.
Having tested the string at various tensions, we found the string plays best in the mid-50s in tension. At the higher end, the string played a little too dead and it was difficult to get much purchase on the ball, while at the lower end, we felt it lost too much tension and was lacking control. Personally, we favoured the 55 lbs setup, which seemed to get a little better as the tension dropped.
Power - Score: 67
Naturally, as a control oriented polyester string, the Head Sonic Pro is a rather low-powered string, which makes it a difficult string to use for beginners. That being said, it still offers enough of a punch and any player able to generate their own pace should have no problem hitting through the ball. The stiffness of the string actually allowed us to really swing freely on our groundstrokes.
We found it to be too underpowered at higher tensions and much preferred it when strung at 55 lbs or below, but that may just be our personal preference. It’s also worth remembering that, like all other polys, the Head Sonic Pro will lose a fair bit of tension in the first few hours of play, so it will offer more power as the tension drops off a bit.
Spin - Score: 77
It’s no surprise that, as a smooth polyester, the Head Sonic Pro doesn’t offer massive amounts of spin potential. That being said, we were still able to get enough of a bite on the ball on groundstrokes and didn’t have too much trouble hitting slice serves.
If, however, you feel you’d need more spin, be sure to check out the Head Sonic Pro Edge, which offers a lot more spin potential while still maintaining the great levels of control and comfort.
Comfort - Score: 71
As far as polyester strings go, the Head Sonic Pro is a relatively soft string and while it’s not necessarily one of the most comfortable strings out there, it’s fairly comfortable to play with. We never noticed any arm issues even playing with a very heavy and stiff frame like the Pro Staff RF97. That being said, some people have reported some discomfort.
If you are prone to arm issues but still want to give this string a go, we’d suggest definitely going for thinner 17g version of the string and using it at a lower tension. We’d also suggest blending it with a softer multifilament or synthetic gut string to avoid any issues.
Feel - Score: 74
Again, poly strings are fairly tough strings, so they aren’t exactly known for their amazing feel. That being said, we did find the Head Sonic Pro to be fairly responsive and offer a crisp feel for the first few hours of play. After that, the string does start to feel a little muted, though given the price of it, it’s easy enough to get it restrung once playability does drop off a little.
We had no issues hitting drop shots or drop volleys and got an overall nice feel from the string.
Playability Duration - Score: 72
While it’s not uncommon for poly strings to lose a fair bit of tension early on, we would say that the Head Sonic Pro seems to lose a little more than average. However, it wasn’t so much about the tension loss as it was about the loss of feel. After maybe 8-10 sets we noticed the string started to feel a little dull and muted, at which point we preferred to restring it rather than play on until the string breaks.
Personally, we found that strung at 52 lbs, the tension eventually dropped a little too low for our liking and kinda led to a loss of control. We much preferred it strung a little higher around 55 lbs, though that’s all down to personal taste.
Durability - Score: 83
When it comes to durability, the Head Sonic Pro definitely delivers. It’s a very durable poly string and we found ourselves having to cut the string out of the frame before it ever broke. As long as you account for that initial loss in tension, durability with this string is excellent.
With that in mind, we’d definitely suggest the Head Sonic Pro 17 gauge over the 16g as the slightly thinner string will offer a little more comfort and feel without really sacrificing much on the durability side of things.
Price
Head Sonic Pro is a very budget friendly string and is in fact on of the cheaper polyester strings on the market. Retailing at around £55-65 per 200 metre reel in the UK or around $140 for 660 ft in the US, it’s definitely great value for money and it’s actually a very widely available string, so it’s pretty easy to get your hans on.
Verdict - Who Is This String For?
Overall, Head Sonic Pro is a great all round string. It delivers on it’s promise of control and comfort, making it a good fit for club level players taking part in regular competitions and looking for a budget-friendly string.
Pros:
- Control
- Durability
- Budget Friendly
Cons:
- Not suitable for beginners
Similar Tennis Strings
Personally, we found the Head Sonic Pro to play similar to MSV Co-Focus and Kirschbaum Super Smash, as they all offer a pretty similar overall feel and durability. It also plays a little like Yonex Poly Tour Pro, but offers a little less spin potential but a little more power.
