[1QuikWS6]

Just a heads up:

Escort just released their brand new detector Passport Max HD yesterday. Higher sensitivity than the 9500iX, greater range, User selectable multi-color Graphic OLED display, all features of 9500 plus more.

Price is $549 but if you trade in a 9500 detector they give you $120 off the price

Just picked up the newest model for $429, plus since I was one of 1st 1000 to buy, got 4 yr warranty instead of 2, lifetime firmware upgrades, double the Escort Live subscription.


I've been following it's pre-release for a couple months now on RadarRoy & other sites. So if you're looking to upgrade your 9500iX - it's worth $120 toward the new model.


And the new detector uses the very same Smartcord (or Direct-Wire Smartcord) as the 9500 - so no need to re-wire thru your dash. It comes with the better design one large suction cup mount that is specific to the new model.

https://www.escortradar.com/passportmax/

https://www.escortradar.com/passportmax/max-video1.php


Here's link to a reply of the Passport Max Launch Webinar from yesterday:

http://www.radardetector.org/escort-max-launch-replay/



According to independent testing done by Speed Measurement Labs & RadarRoy, the new Max has:

• 1-2mile better range than the even the latest V1 or Redline detectors @ 15miles
• Best Sensitivity of ANY detector tested
• Response Time of >4X ANY other detector tested

Operating Bands
X-band 10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz
K-band 24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz
Ka-band 34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz
Laser 904nm, 33 MHz Bandwidth

Radar Receiver / Detector Type
Superheterodyne, Varactor-Tuned VCO
Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

Laser Detection
Quantum Limited Video Receiver
Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes

GPS Receiver
SiRFstar III

Display Type
Graphic OLED
CruiseAlert™
Bar Graph
ExpertMeter™
SpecDisplay™
5 Levels of Brightness with
Full Dark Mode


User Features
Display Color
Speed Display (On / Off)
Cruise Alert
Over Speed
Meter
Tones
AutoMute (On / Off)
AutoLearn (On / Off)
Units (English / Metric)
Voice (On / Off)
GPS (On / Off)
AutoPower
Bands (Selectable)
Markers (Selectable)
Clear Locations

Auto Calibration Circuitry

Mute, AutoMute and SmartMute

Power Requirement
12VDC, Negative Ground
Escort SmartCord® Included

Sensitivity Control
Highway, Auto and Auto No X

Compact Size
1.3" H x 3.2" W x 5.3" L

[upstatedoc]

http://www.radardetectorforum.org/sh...ad.php?t=23667

Seems the sensitivity is between the M4 and M3 horns and around the V1.

[1QuikWS6]

Good link - the response time shown in the vid for Instant On is unbelievable

Didn't seem to have any problem with simultaneously tracking (2) Constant On + a POP added in for good measure with same response time

Looks promising - as it seems the unit they were testing was a prototype from a couple months ago & not a production unit.

Course there's always room for continued improvement with the 'Lifetime Firmware Updates' I got for being in 1st 1000.

My 9500 had lost the mini USB port that's used to connect for updates & Defender Database updates anyway. Was gonna cost $130 for full refurb, so it was a choice between fix the 9500, go with RL, or the Max - decided to go with the new dog...

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

so it was a choice between fix the 9500, go with RL, or the Max - decided to go with the new dog...

I'll expect a full report.

this may be the wifey's new RD.

[1QuikWS6]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

I'll expect a full report.

this may be the wifey's new RD.

OK, just got in my new Max & installed - here's my initial impressions compared to 9500iX:

Unit

• Roughly same size as 9500iX
• Uses different mount slot so Max specific mount is req'd (can't use any of the mounts used for 9500iX)
• Top control buttons basically same as 9500iX
• Same phone jack style power connection & mini USB data port as 9500iX-but the connections on the Max are on right side of unit vs. left side for 9500iX which is actually nicer for right handed peeps
• Volume level at Max is more than enough to overcome stereo sound if you listen at normal levels

Display
Pros:

• Nice graphics on the OLED
• Ability to change graphics colors to Red, Green, Blue, or Amber
• Alert area of screen is split horizontally with a constantly scanning bar across the top above text showing what sensitivity mode you are in during normal operation-but this all disappears when an alert comes thru and it uses the entire screen for the alert

Cons:

• Roughly same overall display size as 9500iX, but due to the xtra info they include on screen (overspeed MPH setting or applicable speed limit w/Escort Live, current speed in MPH w/Escort Live) - the actual alert area of the screen is much smaller with smaller font, & harder to read than 9500iX
• Even at brightest display setting the display is not as eye catching as the 9500iX due to the OLED style

Mount
Pros:

• Included is the new Sticky Cup windshield mount specific to Max - this is a definite improvement over even their latest Super Cup mount as far as quality of adhesion to WS-cup material not only uses enhanced suction, but it is also made of that sticky type of rubber like those kids toys that you can throw against the wall & they stick
• Locking lever on top instead of bottom as in Super Cup-easier to actuate and it has much better 'pull' than Super Cup
• Angle adjustment knob has ratcheting 'clicks' to make it easier to adjust desired angle

Cons:

• Tang portion of mount that inserts into RD is much shorter than Super Cup tang which puts the RD closer to the body of the mount-because of this, the release button on the RD is much closer to rear of unit. When mounted to BMW WS near bottom, the angle of WS, combined with the angle you need to adjust the tang to have the RD parallel, places the release button very close to body of mount making it hard to get to when you want to remove RD from mount (I take mine out of my car every day @ nite) For cars with steep rake WS, I could see where it may be impossible to get to the release button to remove RD.

Escort Live Smartcord Power Hookup
Previously w/9500iX I used the Remote Hardwire Smart Cord with the remote conceal mounted in ashtray - which fit nicely.

This time I went with the Escort Live Smartcord which entailed having to re-wire the car as it has different way of connecting & the remote unit is too large to fit in ashtray

Pros:

• Using Live version enables current posted speed limit & your current speed to be displayed on screen when running app on paired phone
• Both Power TO remote & Power OUT to RD are phone style jacks & there is additional mini USB port for future firmware upgrades
• Power IN & OUT are ports instead of having all wires permanently mounted to remote which makes it easier to remove the remote & it can be taken out of car for software upgrades - but due to this difference over my previous Smartcord remote I had to totally rewire the system
• Remote has a mount with 3M tape that unit slides in & out of for easy removal
• Same functions as Smartcord - Power ON light Green, turns Blue when phone is paired/Mute button/Mark Location button/Alert Light

Cons:

• Remote is bigger than my original, with different style wiring - for me this was an annoyance as the unit would not fit in ashtray, so I had to not only rewire for different style wires, but also relocate the unit. I ended up mounting it in the small cubby located behind shifter which entailed drilling holes in cubby bottom to allow wires thru (not visible when unit is installed). Not bad, but not capable of hiding the unit as I did before, and it is not in as direct line of sight as when in ashtray.
• When paired with phone, the phone will display map with your current real time GPS location, phone will 'talk' alerts + display alerts. You can also mark police locations, redlight cameras, etc. thru the phone - all nice, but I don't want to have to be fumbling around with the phone & you can't hear the voice alerts from the phone anyway...

Sensitivity
Hard to really say as I've only used it so far during drive in today, but I have it set in Auto ranging mode which bases the unit sensitivity on your current speed (slower speeds set to City/higher set to Highway). Many business alarms along the way in to work which usually show up as X band false alerts on crappy detectors without good filtering. It only showed (1) false X Band while the 9500iX had shown quite a bit more until it auto locked out the falses. You can get rid of X Band alerts all together by selecting the Auto noX mode which is nice.


> So basically, for me, even though the display is 'prettier' & shows more info - I find the xtra info really irrelevant & of no use. All it does is make the actual alert portion smaller & harder to read for these 52 yr old eyes

> Also, due to the OLED display vs. the 9500iX display - it is not nearly as bright or eye catching during an alert, so listening to the alert tones is more critical, which you may or may not hear over the radio if you listen at very loud music levels. What would be nice is if someone could come up with a RD that actually breaks into radio sound & alerts thru car speakers similar to cell phone operation when paired with car.

> The constant scanning bar across top of alert portion is annoying as you constantly see movement on alert screen - while with 9500iX when you saw ANY movement on display it caught your eye - as it was an alert of some type.

> The optional Smartcord Live is really of no use to me, don't need the real time location map as I have NAV, can't hear the audible phone voice alerts over the radio, can't see the visual alerts unless phone is staring you in the face, not gonna fumble around with the phone while driving trying to mark locations for others on the Live network. I would much rather have just stayed with the regular Smartcord remote...


Not unhappy I purchased this unit - just gonna take some time getting used to the smaller, not as bright, alert text

[turbofever21]

Good review, I will be checking back for some updates.