SoxFan

Well...I can't tell you how it works against incoming missles, because I just got this intalled today,but I can tell you tht the seemless tiny signal light (pics to come) makes this the LEAST offensive, seemlessly integrated, barely noticable radar/laser detector I have ever seen. I also understand the performance is outstanding...the installer I work with said he did a test with the local police and it is the best he has ever sold. Moreover, from an aesthetic perspective, there is a TINY light embedded flush above the reset button, and that's it.

SoxFan

Here are a couple of pics of the K40 Calibre installed. Here are some additional interior pics.

That little blue light you see on the inside left is the flush mounted K40 Calibre Radar/Laser Detector warning light (this is the only thing you see -- it's the smallest, least invasive device I've ever seen).

The remote control unit is not really needed once you program it for the setting you want, unless you want to turn it off or change settings. It;s tiny and stoes easily.

relisysj4

looks pretty good, let us know how it works....

jamusa

How much does this K40 unit sells for .Did a dealer or stereo shop do the install?

SoxFan

I paid $900, installed, which was a slight discount (not much) from his original quote of either $950 or $990 (not sure what he originally quoted). This price is for the front installation only (front and rear would have been about $1,600 -- but this unit provides .5 miles rear coverage anyway, and otherwise neither the dealer nor I felt the rear was worth it: "maybe if you lived in Montana").

Herb Chambers Mercedes in Boston is quoting $2,000 for front and rear (rip off - bassically a surcharge over the installers to whom they sub out the work anyway) and other smaller installers in the Boston area seem to be quoting $1300-$1,600 for the front only version ("single" with laser defuser).

I think I stumbled into a good deal with a small shop that's "been working with K40 since the beginning...for 18 years", and really seems to know their stuff, but isn't into price gouging. This is the second detector I've had them install. They aslo did the installation of the older version K40 on my 2002 CLK55 CAB.

R. Range

Does this have an audible alert as well? Less invasive is good up to a point, but I'm not sure I'd ever notice that tiny light in time to do any good. What would be sweet would be some sort of HUD type warning.

SoxFan

This absolutely has an audible alert: it talks to you (very authoritatively) and says things like:

"K-Band, Front", etc. Very effective!

The voice also tells you that the unit is on when you start the car, etc.

The Godfather

yOU may want to rethink not getting rear protection. It's the equivalent of being an Ostrish, your head is underground and you feel safe, when your butt is wide exposed. Cops can come up on the freeway behind you and you may not see them and they can shoot you from the rear and your $900 unit won't even tell you whereas my $400 Valentine 1 will. Or say you drive north and southbound there's a cop who clocks you going 80 in a 65. You're nailed but he can't turn around to get you b/c there is a center divider. But as he passes you, he turns his rear radar on and tries to get a reading on your speed from behind. If you slowed down, he'll probably just let it slide knowning you learned your lesson, but if you're still speeding or going faster, he may call his buddies ahead of you to get you. Knowing whether or not he clocked you from the rear may be added information you may want to have.

Anyway, there's a lot more to it than just this one example get the rear !!!!!

Oh and the install looks great. I supposed by bluetooth, it means that there are no wires going from the radar unit to the dash or what?

SoxFan

I discussed all this at length with the dealer/installer. I just don't agree, First of all, the unit has a rear inidcation range of 1/2 a mile. The rear unit provides coverage for 4 miles.

In your scenario 1: Cops can come up on the freeway behind you and you may not see them and they can shoot you from the rear and your $900 unit won't even tell you whereas my $400 Valentine 1 will.
In your scenario 2: Or say you drive north and southbound there's a cop who clocks you going 80 in a 65. You're nailed but he can't turn around to get you b/c there is a center divider. But as he passes you, he turns his rear radar on and tries to get a reading on your speed from behind. If you slowed down, he'll probably just let it slide knowning you learned your lesson, but if you're still speeding or going faster, he may call his buddies ahead of you to get you. Knowing whether or not he clocked you from the rear may be added information you may want to have.Listen, is rear protection conceivably better? Sure. But I don't think the value/ROI is there -- with the rear indicators, I think you are mostly told that you are dead vs. warned that there's trouble up ahead, when you can adjust/do something, and so I am fine with what I have, especially for New England.

The Godfather

Rear radar could save you too in case someone else behind you gets clocked first, you still may get some warning that a unit is coming up.

I'm speaking from experience, having been both the hunter and the hunted.

sudo4re

This has a review of the Calibre:http://www.speedzones.com/k40Test.html and here's another review:http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/k40_calibre_bluetooth_radar_and_laser_protection_s ystem> This appears to be a very well built unit with excellent performance albeit a little pricey at this stage.

SoxFan

I agree, it's not perfect...but then again, this unit does have rear coverage: just for 1/2 a mile and not 4 miles. That probably covers you if someone else within 1/2 mile behind you gets clocked.

As for your other question: I supposed by bluetooth, it means that there are
no wires going from the radar unit to the dash or what?

The are some wires -- that's why it takes 3-4 hours to install. I am not sure what it means. I think for us it means that the wires going to the dash are totally hidden, and all you see is that TINY flush-mounted blue light indicator...

I think the big thing about the Bluetooth is that the remote control is wireless, which allows you to turn the unit on/off and the adjust the settings remotely. With my last K40, there was a rather large knob which was installed on the front panel above my left thigh which had these controls. Now, there's no need for that.

See: http://www.k40.com/

SoxFan

The reviews I read were excellent...and the dealer/installer said he did his own field test with the local motorcylcle cops and found that it performed very well (and he's been working with K40 for 18+ years -- "since the beginning" -- not sure if he's talking about K40s "beginning" or his own "beginning" as a dealer/installer).

One of the supposed techological advances of this unit is that it minimizes false positives in the CITY mode, which is a big advantage...although I am still getting some false readings...but many fewer than before, so I keep it on more often.

sudo4re

From what I can gather from different sites, the Calibre does required you to run the power wire(s) from the remote sensor(s) to a switched 12V source. The main unit or brain will also needs to be wired into another switched 12V source which provides the power to the unit as well as the LED's. The sensor(s) communicate with the brain via BT hence there is no need to run wires from the sensor(s) into the cabin.

SoxFan

I guess I can add it later at little/no penalty...my sense still is that the rear mostly tells you you're already dead -- although I am sure there are some scenarios that could apply to the rear where there could be advance notice that could help.

IME, especially in traffic, the danger from the rear here in MA is usually from unmarked cars clocking you from behind by following you at the same speed. Unfortunately, nothing is going to save you from that scenario.

Maybe your car is getting singled out because it looks intimidating (looks great too)?

R. Range

I am very skeptical of the basis for the claim of 1/2 mile coverage from the rear. If the only sensor is mounted facing forward, then whatever rear coverage you have will be from signals that pass by you and are then reflected back into your front sensor after contacting another car, sign, or something in front of you. If you always drive in a fairly congested urban type area, this may be fine. But if you're on a deserted highway, I don't see how you could count on 1/2 mile of coverage with no rear sensor. This is especially true given the number of variables that go into when any detector will pick up a given signal (angle, type of radar, terrain, etc.). Frankly, the 4 mile stuff is total BS for any detector, unless you're facing a cop with X-band on the surface of the moon.

Anyway, not knocking the detector at all as I'm sure it's an excellent choice, and for most circumstances the front coverage should be all you need, but I remain unconvinced that you can count on reliable 1/2 mile coverage from the rear on all frequencies without a rear facing sensor.

SoxFan

I have done some more research and I think I misunderstood the 1/2 thing...they basically meant that you get reflective coverage back from other cars, signs, etc. If you are on a deserted highway with no signs for miles, then you are right, you would be naked. I still think, if you got zapped from the rear, that you are more than likely learning that you are already dead...same thing on a deserted highway from the front...the advance notice really only helps if there's some traffic so you pick up the signals from activities towards the cars ahead of you. Of course, the laser defuser works from the front (and would work from the rear), but I think you are more likely to get lasered by a stationary vehicle in front of you than a moving car behind you, which would tend to be radar.

Anwyay, I still think it's a good system/product, but sorry about the misinformation.

RaDaRkInG

The K40 is an overpriced average radar detector with no laser jamming ability. I saw a video of the K40 in action and it had the radar detection of a Cobra or Whistler radar detector and it couldn't jam a single laser gun on the market today so good luck with that. K40 threatened to take legal action against Radar Roy of Radarbusters.com if he didn't remove the video of it not jamming anything.

SoxFan

This guy must have a big personal issue/problem with K40. It certainly has a laser defuser and was field tested here by my installer. This sounds like a dealer vendetta...this unit has plenty of great independent reviews.

Kev04C320

It's like the V1 vs Passport debate. It just never dies.

FlyByNight

Well, to me it sounds like you're rationalizing just a bit about the rear probably because you've either not been nailed in the rear or don't realize its dangers. In California, the fact remains that MOST highway radar detections are done from the rear. CHP are just cruising up the freeway and people's speeds are just popping on the detector as they fly along. Its what they do... cruise. They don't sit at the side of the road counting flies. They move, constantly. And since they must move with the traffic, and not against it (duhhh), they obviously have to detect from the rear. Anyone who has been here knows. I'm guessing this has to be common elsewhere. This is especially true on the open stretches. Think about it. In the city it makes sense to set up a trap, hop on a bike after zapping someone coming towards you (front) and write them up, but it makes zero sense to do that on the freeway.... there you go with the flow of traffic and catch the fastest fish... All CHP do this routinely.

Second, the notion that you can't prevent or detect this is just silly. They run with the radar on the entire time. Its bouncing off houses, walls on the freeway, everything in site. In CA, its all Ka Band. You get them coming and going, and its never too late if you have a good setup front and REAR. All of my tickets have been rear, so I've learned. As they zoom in and out of traffic going upstream, the signal elevates and descends as cars in front of them block and unblock the signal as they move... really gives a rear detection away long before you're nailed... its a very predictable pattern / finger print...

The only kind of radar device you cannot see coming in time to do something about, front or rear, is laser. Commonly called a ticket detector, the laser detection on all of these units is really just a matter of luck. If they are aiming at you, front or rear, you're toast before you hear your alert. But x, k, and ka? Please, you can hear them coming from a long ways away.... front AND REAR.

So, sorry, just don't agree one bit on that. If I were doing any setup nearly that clean, I'd consider rear mandatory...

Lastly, everyone, I love the wireless Solo S2 by Escort. I've had them all... the convenience of this little thing is great. I get a solid 12 hours of driving before I have to replace 2 aa batteries. With front and rear and no cable, you can quickly just pop it anywhere on your windsheid. They you can throw it in your other car. Or, if you're like me, you have one in each car... and when you go on that long special trip, you put the second one in the rear window! ****ING killer! Talk about detection that blows any of these setups away... half the price, removable, portable.

Hell, one time I was so annoyed by getting laser detection every time I passed by this strip mall, I stopped, got out of the car, just yanked the Solo with me, and triangulated where it was coming from! As the signal got stronger I found this WATCH store of all places... and sure enough, inside, he had a laser alarm system pointing at the front door... and it was bouncing into the street. Wireless rocks.



Loren

FlyByNight

Who knows, but I can tell you that I've read a lot about laser diffusing and its successes and failures. Lots of failures on all the units to some degree. And initially the K40 didn't have it and then offered it as an addon module... or was that Valentine. Don't remember. The bottom line is its very illegal to diffuse the laser signals most places, and since CHP use Ka for now, not worthy of my attention. I haven't seen laser on the streets around here in socal, but that doesn't mean its not here.

Whether a diffuser is successful has a lot to do with aiming luck, since the premise is that most devices will be aimed at the license plate area (where the diffuser is). Off to the side, a little higher / lower, etc, and the diffuser won't do much good. That's what I've read... but who knows what nifty new thing they've come up with since then...



Loren

SoxFan

I agree. I am rationalizing: I made a calculated decision based on $/value after considering the advice and eexperienceof the installer based on our region.

But, you guys are helping a bit with some additional perspectives. I think if I was in CA, I would definitiely get the rear detector; although again, the same reason you say things are bouncing off signs and houses from the rear is the reason why there is some protection from the rear with a forward facing system. However, in our area, the majority of highway stops are speed traps set up in front of you. The good news about this product is that I can always add the rear with no penalty, except I have to bring the car back down there (about 10-15 minutes away) and pay the incremental cost (about $600).

Thanks.

metalica_23

Yeah, sounds like rear is significantly more crucial in CA. We almost never see cops "Cruising" to ticket people here in MA. Traffic is generally too congested here for that. Mostly, they're just looking for that guy who's cutting through all lanes of traffic at 80mph. And they can't catch that guy "cruising", unless they are doing the same cutting and weaving, which wouldn't be safe. Almost everything in New England is just speed traps.

I saw someone post earlier that the K40 was just an overpriced radar detector. Are there cheaper options that allow you to be as discrete, with out having some ugly looking mechanism sitting on my dashboard, or windshield or something? I'd pay the extra money just to not look at the box. (BTW, The same reason that my "fast lane" transponder for paying tolls, sits in my center console and is not mounted on my windshield.) It's bad enough MA makes me put a plate on the front.

Of course, ultimately, I'm trying to avoid a detector at all, since it'll probably just make me speed more and make me more likely to get a ticket...

NewMoses

I have a wireless Solo S2 and a V1. I use the V1 in the E55 and the Solo in the 911. No comparison, IMO. I just don't think a battery powered unit can generate enough power for long-range detection. Having said that, I've never had a ticket using either the Solo or the V1. They are both excellent units and in California will help keep you out of trouble.

I recently got a ticket on I-5 from a plane spotter. V1 needs an anti-airplane mode! There are lots of good solutions out there. I love the look of SoxFans K40 install. Beautiful. Of course, we could all just slow down, right? (not a chance!)