Just six weeks after releasing the MVP Volt, MVP Disc Sports is releasing the Volt’s understable sibiling… the MVP Amp. When we reviewed the Volt, their stable driver, we talked about the small amount of high speed turn the Volt had. After testing the Volt, it was clear that it was stable, but starting to border on understable. Because of this, we were curious to try out the Amp which is marketed as an understable fairway driver.
As usual, lets start with what MVP says:
The Amp fairway driver has a smooth turn and substantial glide with minimal fade. It is excellent for both high and low power players looking for easy, controllable distance with accuracy.
Luckily the wind conditions were very low when we took the Amp out for a test. We knew with an understable disc we weren’t going to try a headwind too much. The test round was very calm and provided many different shots for us to try.
As with the Volt, the Amp felt very comfortable in the hand. We started out at the local driving range to try and get a feel for what the Amp could do. We first released it on with a nice flat release and instantly saw the Amp’s ability to turn. With a flat release (RHBH thrower) you will be able to send this disc right. The turn was noticeable, but looked controllable. We gave it another flat release but with a little more height this time. Again, it turned right. The added height allowed it to come out of the turn a little bit and settle down with just a touch of fade back left at the end.
Seeing how much turn we could get out of the Amp, we were anxious to try it on a hyzer flip line. The first actual hole we threw this on was slightly up hill with the basket just left of the hole that plays about 250 feet or so. Normally, we’d go with a stable midrange or a slightly overstable fairway driver on a slight hyzer line. We took the Amp on a pretty decent hyzer release and saw it fly a very beautiful flight path. About 80 feet or so off the teepad it flipped up flat and rode a nice straight line with a small fade at the end. We actually let out an audible “wow” after the throw.
We took it again and threw it on a nice straight line with a hyzer release. Same exact thing. We would say it was about a 15 degree angle of hyzer and would result in a nice flat flight path. If you’re looking for something you can easily throw on a straight line through a tight wooded course, the Amp might be what you need. When kept low, with a hyzer release, the thing is dead straight from start to finish.
We were also able to get some nice anhyzer lines with it too. We saw very nice glide as it would flip a little, hold the line, settle back out and land nice and flat. We actually found better results with a flatter release and letting the disc itself do the work though on turning right.
An important note to make is that the Amp was very nose sensitive. On a few throws we threw it with the nose a little higher than we should’ve. When thrown nose up it would stall consistently and you wouldn’t get any turn at all out of it. If you’re throwing the Amp and notice it stalling out, its clearly a nose up problem.
Lets also take a look at the flight chart from Inbounds Disc Golf:
You’ll see from their initial data a nice high speed turn to go along with a little fade at the end. This chart does seem pretty accurate when you throw it with a flat release and enough height to let it finish the turn.
As a point of reference, on the Innova flight scale I would put this at: 8, 5, -2, 1. Overall, the Amp is a very nice controllable disc with nice glide and a predictable flight path. If you are looking to fill that understable fairway hole, the Amp will be the ticket. The one thing that still has us day dreaming is the pretty flight this disc can hold. Nothing beats a strong hyzer flip or a great looking controlled anhyzer to put yourself right next to the basket. With the addition of the Amp, MVP’s arsenal just got stronger.
The MVP Amp will be in stores on Friday December 7.
