I'm really liking my fire med. Put a fire med on a friends cue also, he likes it. Also tried some black softs. Switched out my cue from the black soft to the fire med just to try one, and also my black soft was mushrooming more than I liked. No mushrooming on my fire med, just works, has a little harder hit, and click on hit than the black soft I first tried. My wife is still using the black soft I first put on, and is happy with it, and hers has not mushroomed at all. Also put a few black hards on some house cues to use for breaking at home, they work fine, and would also be fine to play with. Forgot to add, all installed on wood shafts.