Head Intelligence i.S6 Mid Plus Tennis Racquet
4 3/8 grip. This racquet is in very good physical condition, including the bumper guard. There are some nicks and scrapes to the paint, mostly around the throat. The plastic Head insignia is missing from the but cap (see photo). The specs from Tennis Warehouse say the headsize is 102, while their review says 105. I saw 102 at another site, so I think that's correct. The strings, which are Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex 16, show no wear. I weighed the racquet at 9.25 ounces. New Tourna Tour replacement grip. Includes a new Head racquet case.Specs and review from Tennis Warehouse - June 2001
Length: 27.5 inches 70 centimeters Flex Rating: 77
Swing Weight: 311
Head Size: 102 square inches 658 square centimeters
Weight: 9.6 ounces 272 grams
Balance Point: 14.375 inches
                          37 centimeters 5 pts Head Heavy
Beam Width: 26 mm
Composition: Graphite/Titanium
                        composite with
                        Piezzo Electric
                        Fibers in Shaft 
String Pattern: 16 Mains / 20 Crosses   Head Intelligence i.S6 Mid Plus Racquet Review
1997: Head knocks their competitors for a loop when they introduce their new line of titanium tennis racquets. Beginning with the Ti.S6, and a catchy advertising catch phrase (The Power of Light), Head gradually adds to their titanium line of racquets until there are a dozen different frames to choose from. Eventually there is a Head Titanium racquet available for every level of player.
2000: The titanium craze has faded. Titanium, while still popular, is no longer the cutting edge technology it once was. Head recognizes the need for a new racquet technology and introduces Intelligence Technology featuring intellifibers. The concept of intellifibers make a great story - using the mechanical energy of ball impact and converting it - in less than a millisecond - into electrical energy. The result is a boost in power by stiffening the throat area, where intellifibers are located, and a reduction in vibration for added comfort.
2001: Head has expanded Intelligence from their initial game improvement racquets (i.S10 and i.S12) to include 'tweeners and players models. The i.S6 is offered in Midplus (105 square inches) and Oversize (115 square inches). The Midplus can be considered a 'tweener, similar in specs to the Ti.S2, while the Oversize is a sort of second generation Ti.S6, making it more of a game improvement racquet. Tennis Warehouse playtests the i.S6 MP and OS for two weeks on hard and clay courts. Here are our intellicomments.
Groundstrokes
The i.S6 MP is light enough to swing fast, yet has adequate mass for a solid feel. Granville says, "the i.S6 MP really seems like two racquets, depending on playing style. Starting out, I found I could whip this racquet around, so I did. It was easy to maneuver and had a generous sweetspot with appropriate power. After awhile, I decided to swing it like a heavier racquet - longer, smoother strokes without excessive motion. I found I could 'hit out' and still keep the ball within the lines. I generated good topspin off both sides and the racquet flexed comfortably. Off-center shots were still less forgiving than with a heavier racquet but many players will enjoy the light weight, comfortable sweetspot and modest power of the i.S6 MP." Don adds, "the weight and balance of the i.S6 MP make it tempting to 'arm' the ball. After a few minutes of this, I figured I better stop or I'd have a sore arm. When I settled into my normal medium-fast swing and stepped into shots, I played well with this racquet. I was able to hit hard, deep and with precision. Out of position shots are a cinch but you need to swing the racquet or the ball will end up short. Good topspin and slice, although balls will tend to sit up unless you hit through those slices."
"Mark offers, "the i.S6 MP is a whippity-do-dah day racquet. It was very easy for me to whip it, and whip it good! It's extremely light and maneuverable. Consequently, I needed a lot of racquet head speed to generate power. I started off hitting against a ball machine and I was consistently swinging too early. Once I found my timing, I was able to hit solid forehands and backhands. I had to swing pretty hard though, because the racquet didn't supply much power." Dan comments, "when I first picked up the i.S6 MP I expected more flexibility and control than I received. My long stroke style required a haircut to adjust to the stiffness and power level of this racquet. Fortunately, I had little trouble producing healthy amounts of topspin. Slice was another issue, though. There simply wasn't enough head weight to provide a solid feel when slicing the ball." Drew concurs, adding, "I never really found my groove on slices. They tended to float and lack control."
Volleys
The i.S6 MP is maneuverable at net and will favor more aggressive volleyers. Mark explains, "I could have used a little more power from this racquet on volleys. I could place them OK but many landed short. Once I started punching volleys with more authority, power and depth improved. Maneuverability was excellent." Drew adds, "blocking balls was relatively easy. Hitting them past my opponent with any authority was harder. Due to its light weight, the i.S6 MP requires some effort for deep penetrating volleys."
Don says, "the i.S6 MP was easy to maneuver at net but I found blocking most balls just didn't provide enough power. I had to have some forward motion on my volleys in order to put the ball away, which is true for most racquets in this weight category." Granville offers, "doubles players will enjoy the i.S6 MP on volleys, as it has a good weight and balance for net play. While its light weight makes it a bit less stable than heavier models, it is certainly a capable racquet in the hands of competent net players." Dan comments, "this is a great racquet for doubles specialists with short, compact strokes all-around. It only takes a simple blocking motion for effective volleys. Maneuverability is excellent at net, which helps make preparing for overheads beyond easy. Putting away those shots is even easier."
Serves
The i.S6 MP can be swung very fast on serves, which has its pluses and minuses according to our playtesters. Granville says, "serving with the i.S6 MP was a pleasant experience. From the first warm-up serve to the last point of the set, I was simply crushing the ball. I couldn't hit the ball any harder if I'd wanted to. OK, reality check.. as hard as I was hitting the ball, I don't think I topped 100 mph. However, I was also able to place the ball seemingly at will - left corner, down the middle and into the body. Once again, this racquet's best playing characteristics were uncovered after I started hitting through the ball." Dan adds, "although I was hitting big, first serves consistently long, slice and kick serves worked well. Once I slowed down my swing a little and concentrated on applying spin, this racquet showed its strength. It should work well for doubles players, whose primary concern is getting to net."
Don offers, "the i.S6 MP's light weight demands a quick swing to generate good pace on serves. However, swinging too fast can result in mis-hits, which aren't very forgiving due to the frame's stiffness. Once I grooved my swing speed, I was able to hit effective serves with good pace and excellent placement." Drew adds, "the quick swing speed and somewhat smaller sweetspot requires a player's timing be 'on'. I was mis-hitting a lot of balls until I slowed down my serve a bit." Mark continues, "I didn't get much pop on my serves with the i.S6 MP, but I had good control and good spin. I liked the feel of the racquet when serving. It swung easily and my arm felt good when I contacted the ball."
Returns
The i.S6 MP is fairly versatile when it comes to returning serve. Don explains, "there's just enough mass to allow for blocking back booming first serves. This worked great against my net rushing opponent. Against slower serves, I was able to (and needed to) take a backswing and hit more offensive returns. Otherwise, the ball landed too short." Granville offers, "in the right hands the i.S6 MP is capable of being an offensive weapon on returns. With practice, one can hit the ball early and either block the ball short, up the middle, or hit out and drive the ball down either side of the court." Dan says, "like groundstrokes, I found I hit my best returns if I kept my stroke short. Longer strokes required extra spin to keep the ball from flying too long."
Summary
The i.S6 MP is a true lightweight, 'tweener racquet. It will favor 4.0 and higher players, who like to swing fast and play aggressively at net. This includes doubles specialists who are looking for a racquet they can maneuver quickly, and that offers good control.