Comparisons
I'll give you a shooter's perspective...
I've been personally trying a Kamui Black Soft vs a Ultraskin Soft for about 2 - 3 months now... It's on a Jack Madden cue. Both tips are on Jack's fiddleback maple shafts, same ferrules and both installed by the same repairman on pads.
I posted this previously, but they are very similar in hit, sound, etc... the difference is the ultraskin seems to transfer a bit more energy (particularly on follow). BUT, they are very close... I can switch between them and after a shot or two, it's hard to tell the difference.
I do have a Medium on an original Predator 314 and a Hard on a McD EK-1 shaft
Medium, is exactly that... plays similarly to some of the Wizard mediums I have. Honestly with all the Madden shooting lately, it hasn't really gotten a huge workout :thumbup:
Again, the Hard is Hard...I don't shoot as much with Hard tips anymore... I didn't miscue, but I just didn't personally like it as much.
All gave good english transfer. Shaping after install was very minimal (note - I'm not a huge power shooter, so I don't tend to have to shape tips unless they are very soft that often, but others I know haven't had to shape much either).
I'll give you what for me is my best endorsement... Just ordered 18 from Tom myself to have a stock. 10 softs, 4 mediums, 2 hards, 2 HH... why the Hards and the HH's? Because... that Hard on that EK... works real nice as a Break cue. I get real good energy transfer and still some english transfer to be able to 'squat the rock' where I want to. It might not be to the level of the BK2 I have, but boy is it close...
Just my $0.02 and YMMV... However for the cost, hard to go wrong.
-Joe