Which Radar Detector do you prefer? Valentine V1 or Escort 8500 X50 and why?

 

Valentine one, got it hardwired into system and I love it. Picks up radar from at least a mile away, and has saved me at least 4 times.

 

I have the X50. Saved me a couple of times already. 1 time was vs. Laser. Would be nice to have the directional arrows that the V1 has though. I am also going to get M20 xtreme Laser Blinder.

Check out the review of both at: http://www.speedzones.com/

Mez

 

This one has been beat to death here many times before.

Oh, well my $.02....

I had passport and would take trips with 1-2 other identical vehicles that had V-1. They would pick up signals several and often many seconds before I would. Sometimes, even with me in the lead they would see the radar before me. I decided to switch when after passing CHP in a speed trap, I sped back up to light speed. Guess what? There was another one less than 1/8 mile farther up the road. My V-1 packing buddies knew he was there but my passport couldn't tell me that. Fortunately, I talked my way out of a fat ticket and bout a V-1. I now have one in every car. With the exception of one person I run with, all of them have V-1.

 

i am using the 8500. i dont have any tickets with it yet but I dont know if i would not buy the v1 next just because it looks cool. I just dont know if the couple hundred more is worth it, but i think i am willing to find out.

i think you will find that it will be split on who has which radar and then most people i see are happy with what ever they selected. In my decesion with knowing this, i went with the cheaper of the two.

 

do a search on this topic. you'll find at least 10 threads.

i like the V1 for 2 reasons
1) it does its job well (i tested against a parked chp officer who had radar on and i detected him up to 1.5 miles away as i drove away (he was at an accident so i don't think he moved)).
2) the ability to mount the radar detector unit itself somewhere, and have the display be somewhere else. directional arrows are good as well.

get a laser jammer though. those are becoming more and more prevalent. once you detect laser you're screwed.

 

V1.

Why?

Directional arrows for reasons stated above

Radar count... for reasons stated above.

High quality unit backed by its company. As the technology is updated, you can send it in and get it upgraded.

 

Amen, brother! I've had the V1 since they first hit the market. Actually, I have two units, and both of been upgraded 3 or 4 times. Once they just sent me brand new units! Though the upgrades are not free it is very nice to have a company take care of customers in this way...

 

Elusive1,

There have been many "official" tests done between the two and also including the Bel RX65 which is the same (in almost every respect) to the 8500 X50.

I personally have the RX65, but would highly recommend the 8500 X50 or the RX65 (both Beltronics and Escort are the same company).

The V1 has been late to the game with a couple of updates to their technology, most notably POP detection. The V1 offers it now, but was late by a large margin in my mind (well over a year compared to the Escort and Bel if I remember correctly). The V1 has always exceled at Laser detection, but the RX65 and 8500 x50 have is beat in almost every other category. While very long distance lidar detection is fine, what your really need is a laser "jammer" as mentioned above. If you're the target of a laser signal, once the detector goes off you're already caught. The only time it saves you is when it picks up lidar coming from another vehicle near you being clocked.

In addition, Bel and Escort now offer software upgrades on the RX65 and 8500 going forward to account for new detection methods. I believe Valentine offers a similar upgrade path to the V1 as well.

Listed below are some articles to read:

http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=9090
http://www.speedzones.com/index.html

The second article is very thorough and I think after you read it you'll most likely agree the Escort 8500 x50 or the Bel RX65 is the best performing overall. In the end, you'll get a different answer from most anyone you ask. Have fun deciding.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Darren

 

personal experience

i've had high end Bel's, moved to the passport 7500, then the 8500, then the x50, and now finally the V1 with POP. the transition to x50 was for upgrade reasons, but switched to V1 due to having my x50 stolen. I could have gotten the x50 for 200 dollars (has the x50 as soon as it came out to about 2 months ago), but decided to get a V1 (359 shipped refurbished directly from Valentine).

I will tell you that the V1 (most recent upgrade) is superior to the x50. I liked the x50, especially it's warm tones and sleek design, but the V1 performance is much better. Some of the radar detection distance differences between the X50 and V1 are trivial - probably within feet of each other. However, some important aspects of the V1 over the x50:

1. The arrows! It's priceless to actually pass one of those stationary radars and have the arrows follow the source as you pass it. Proves invaluable when you aren't sure where it's coming from. Sometimes those stationary radars overpower any other radar, and when the x50 picked up any additional, it would still show the stationary as the main threat. If you pass a stationary, the arrow would point back, but if a second one is determined ahead, a forward arrow would show. Sometimes the stationarys send out 2 signals, and the x50 is none the wiser. This is priceless.

2. The POP function on the X50 BLOWS. It has so many random false alarms on this mode, scaring the crap out of me all the time, that I turned it off. I lost all POP protection due to the annoyance of the radar throwing up false signals. I have yet to get a false POP from V1.

3. The V1 doesn't overheat like the X50. I have 4 friends w/ the x50 radar, and 3 of them had major malfunctions under heat. "Self Calibrating" would read on the screen and it would just make chirping noises letting you know it's f-ed up. Mine was the only one alright (only got it couple times under extreme heat) but it doesn't matter now since mine was stolen.

4. The V1 tells you if there's a false alarm. The X50 would just not beep, or it would beep like a cop. V1 has a filter that determines a false alarm, and will put up 'J' for junk on the screen with a soft tone letting you know to forget about it.

5. Laser protection. It's good to know that the V1 also does directional laser detection. I know laser, you get shot, you're screwed, but it's good to know if it's a cop that's in front, or if it's on the opposite side of traffic shooting behind you.

6. Upgrading the V1 is awsome - you send in your unit, they give you a new one. They don't open yours up and replace crap. They take back your old one and get one of their new models.


I have two downsides of the V1.

1. Too many X- band false alarms. I know this radar is awsome at detecting radars, including x, but it threw around too many. The new one you can turn off specific bands, and knowing that they haven't used x around here since like the 80's, I was safe with turning x-band off. Haven't had any problems with this.

2. Envoys/Trailblazers send out Laser signals. V1 knows about this and addresses this on their website. If you are stopped behind an envoy, it will probably go off. Note: This happened the same with the X50 - it's the damn GM vehicles sending out laser signals. Stupid GM

To cap, the V1 is definitely worth the extra money. The X50 ain't no slouch, but comparing the X50 to the V1 is like comparing stock tire sizes with plus sizes. The x50 has come out on top in some comparisons, but all of them are 1. without V1 POP, 2. without adjustable features (turn off bands), and 3. take price into consideration. I'd pay a few hundred more to save 1g in insurance premiums.

 

When did they ad these functions? I had all of mine upgraded about 10 months ago. Is it time to do it again?

 

i got mine probably a month and a half ago to 2 months ago.

here's how to program it:

http://www.valentine1.com/lab/MikesLabRpt3.asp

the table shows you which versions have what options. look up your software version to determine

 

The ability to turn off individual bands has been around for awhile. I sent my 3 year old unit in last January for the POP upgrade and when it came back, there was a piece of paper describing the 'J' for junk. I've had it happen maybe 6 or 7 times this year where you get a Ka warning and then a funny sound with a flashing letter J to let you know the V1 has changed it's mind and no longer thinks the signal is a threat.

Elusive 1 - you can try both the Escort and the V1 for free and send back the one you don't like after 30 days. I'll bet you keep the V1.

 

Not to make this a heated debate, but the links I posted to the tests used the V1 with POP mode and it still fell short in overall performance with the x50 and RX65, and the V1 had the most false alarms in POP mode.

Each group has very avid followers so just do your research and I'm sure you'll be happy with whichever unit you decide to purchase. All 3 companies make the best detectors out there today.

 

I don’t think you can get both free. I do know that when i got my 8500 they where offering a 30 day money back. You can probably buy both and send one back for a refund but I doubt they will send it on a trial basis.

 

Escort 8500 has never let me down.

 

Thanks to all who responded to my post. Looks like this is a "debate" that will not end anytime soon. Seems that both detectors have their advantages and disadvantages. I wanted to see what kind of response this new version of an old question about detectors would bring. Very interesting to hear all the opinions and experiences.

 

V1 is the only one. I've lived with all kinds of detectors thru the years and it's still no. 1 in my book. I have 4, one for each car. I don't drive without one. It's fully upgradable, the audible alert is loud enough to wake the dead, in L mode falses very seldomly, the arrows are not a gimmick (they are indespensable).

One other thing is: don't believe everything you read, esp radartest.com and other sites, they are paid completely as advertising by Escort, Bel, and others. It is very difficult to get true unbiased reports on detectors. Even Road and Track rely heavily on advertising, so be advised.

Hope this keeps you from making an expensive mistake.

 

I have the escort 8500 X50 and have to say it is an awesome unit. Can't speak for the V1, however the escort outperformed the Valentine on all tests and even detects Pop radar. I also don't think the little arrows on the V1 provide a tremendous benefit.

Check out the following website, they provide good unbiased information: www.radarbusters.com

Another unit you might consider is the Bell.

 

I'm definitely not choosing sides here since I was an avid believer in the x50 (without trying the v1). The links that you provided have data that is not all that accurate. These sites definitely are biased. Look at the first site's features table: kinda convenient how they picked all the features that the BEL has.....and I doubt they tested an actual V1 -
-V1 has Multi step dim (actually autodim - it self adjusts the brightness w/ a sensor)
- Has AutoMute (you can pick the length of time for each of the bands before it automutes, and also what strength is required before it turns alearts audible)
- HAS programmable features (a lot!)
- has user-selectable band defeat

I 100% agree with you that ultimately the high end detectors all do a similar job, and it comes down to personal preference. I just like to clarify facts about the models, especially for other people up in the air about which model suits them the best. I still love the x50 the same, but the v1 even more.

 

You're right of course, I didn't really mean for free. Both carry a 30 day money back guarantee. Try 'em both and send back the one you don't like.

 

Passport SRX. Excellent "stealth" install. Works great. Two laser shifters in the front, one in the back. Get the LED display etched into the rearview mirror - extremely cool mod! I don't know where in FL you live, but I am in the Jax area. I drove to Atlanta to have Matt etch the mirror. He's the only guy in the southeast that can do it. I'll give you his contact info. if you want.

 

Good ole Radar Roy and his radar detector testing site RadarBusters. If anyone thinks he is unbiased in his testing ...... then I have a bridge to sell you. Any "unbiased" site that just happens to be selling the detector that wins that site's testing is not unbiased. And there are a number of them out there just like RadarBusters.

I use V1's in my cars for radar detection and wouldn't drive without them. But just for the heck of it I decided to purchase a X50 and run my own comparison test. But not like they do in the auto magazines or on the few websites that are fairly unbiased. Since I travel from NJ to FL several times a year I conducted my test in the real world of driving America's highways and byways. Oh by the way I also upgraded my V1's for POP to have a fair comparison.

Now I must admit that I am biased to the V1. Love those arrows. But when the V1 alerts on KA and the X50 doesn't alert until the cop is almost on me, or me on him/her, that tells me something. And it happened a number of times. Several time the X50 alerted just before the V1, but without the arrows it was useless -- I know, I know, you non-V1 guys say you do not need the arrows that you just slow down and do not care where the cop is. Well it does matter where the source (and many times sourceS) is (are) located - especially if it is behind you.

The end result is that the V1 outperformed the X50 in my test. Good enough for me.

For those of you who might be thinking that the cops do not use X-band anymore, be aware that in NJ the State Police and local police still use X-band. I do not recommend turning off your x-band detection capability just yet.

 

will valentine 1 work for vancouver BC canada?

 

Detectors work in Canada but are not legal in every province. The penalty for possession is confiscation and up to $1000 fine. It does not have to be on, only found in the car....anywhere.

EDIT: Detectors are OK to use in BC, Saskatchewan and Alberta only.