You won't go wrong with either the X50 or V1. It's all about personal taste, affordability, and what you want from your detector. Just remeber that with 2 antenna's, the V1 is a radar locator, not just a detector.

Here's something nobody mentions much, so maybe it's only important to me, but it's a biggie and is THE difference to me:

Those arrows are HUGE and glow BRIGHT red. When I have the top off, radio jammin, and I'm cruisin, that get's my attention. The Bel985 I had (now in the Jeep) had the same display style that the 8500 has, blue or red, doesn't matter...but there was nothing on it that caught my eye in situations where I can't hear it. After a while, you just don't notice. With the V1, when those arrows light up, you see em.

I'm also very used to the arrows pointing out the source. When my Bel goes off in the Jeep, I find myself looking around....where is it? That doesn't happen in the vette with the V1.

The 8500 is a fine unit and depending on what you want out of your equipment, it's a very good choice too.

 

I've always wanted to use this smilie and now I can:

I just ordered the V1... should be here today and I can't wait.. then I'll be able to chime in... just wanted to use the smilie

 

SpongeVette, you're not usually so aggressive... jeez, - it's a Radar Detector not the end of the world.

Phew. Easy big guy...

Peace

EG

 

 

I use mine in that small L mode. Still shows X band but starts all but the strongest signals in the quiet mode... Works great!

 

I know Sorry, had to let a little steam out.

 

The X50 is plastic, silver, longer than V1, higher than V1, weighs more than V1, only 1 antenna and 2-3 miles behind in rear Ka band detection, with a dumbcord that has nothing useful to say, and less resale value than the V1.

The V1 is magnesium, black, shorter than X50, not as high as X50, weighs less than X50, 2 antennas with arrows, beats X50 by 2-3 miles in rear Ka band detection, and has a true concealed display with real information you can put anywhere in your car you want, and it keeps it value like platinum.

The V1 is wider than the X50 but not by as much as the X50 is longer than the V1. I will take a wider detector all day long that has 2 eyes with depth perception compared to a plastic cyclops with no arrows.

 

Just got my V1... I think it looks nice

 

I plan on buying a new detector next week and I have ruled out the V1. Most of the new tests in the last year has rated the V1 3rd or lower. I am looking at the Escort 8500 X50 red/blue and the Bel XR65 Pro(I think Escort owns Beltronics) which has tested very well against the V1 and the 8500 X50. The new tests also show that we all are pretty screwed when it comes to laser unless you have a hidden lasar/blocker detector installed in addition to your windshield mounted V1, Bel or Escort... I am leaning towards the Bel XR65 Pro. Just want to try something different.

 

My V1 is somewhere in transit....c'mon UPS!!!!

 

Can't believe I got mine first.. you should have ordered next day air. It's coming from Cinn. Ohio btw.

 

Could u post the link or articles that these results were found? I would like to read it.

 

Wouldn't it be great if these things had antennas you could place in the front and rear of your car. Then you could totally conceal the base unit, while using a remote for hits.

 

There are units like that - They work well and Escort and others make them; they are big $$$.

Only one problem... they are too low. By the time you get a warning, you are probably nailed, unless you live in a big sky state with no hills etc.

Ideally, if you could get your detector up about 6 feet above your car for radar and about 1000 feet in front of your car for laser, you'll be all set.

EG

 

V1 saved my butt twice in 1st hour of use. Yes, I had to cruise around and test it out since it didn't arrive until 4:30pm. The cops were everywhere tonight. I pulled beside a Rustang GT (and wouldn't you know it... a cute girl was driving) and got hit in the back with radar... good thing we weren't moving too fast. She didn't have radar and sped up but I got behind her for the block

5 miles down the road and it's telling me two bogeys in front. I stop at a light and cruiser pulls up in front... he's got his radar on while cruising... the other cruiser was at the top of the hill. I've never seen so many cops around here. I think this is the first weekend the college kids at Stetson are back... must be why. Thanks V1!

 

RadarBusters

 

ask and you shall recieve.

Radar Busters test lab

and for RaDaRiDiOt I can certainly live with having less rear radar notice with the 8500 I usually only worry about whats in front of me at the speeds I travel a Cop 3 miles behind me is not going to get a reading anyway and unless he's already coming after me he's not going to catch up anyway.

This review is also on the radar busters site but was performed with the Teaxs state police

State police testing

That is the test that convinced my brother to buy the Blinder laser jammer (and me now as well)and if you read it you will see that they as well as I in my own personal tests have found the 8500 performs better over a hill and unlike RaDaRiDiOt I am very concerned about that type of thing. Pre warning about what coming at me is a tiny bit more important than what's coming up from behind. Also as you'll see they three top detectors perform pretty damn well and similar to each other with the V1 picking up flat land radar a bit sooner in X and K and the 8500 picking up flat Ka better. It just reiterates they are both fantastic detectors (hopefully we all can agree on that) but one is slightly better at some stuff then others. It comes down to your driving area and taste/price. I don't regret spending $399 on the V1 or $299 on the 8500 they have both served me well.

the "dumb" cord is a very usefull tool if you ever by chance are looking at the radio/Climate control/Ashtray(N20 switches) and for muting without reaching across the windshield if you have your detector mounted in the best spot low on the windshield. Sometimes it's just not good to be the king.....

 

http://www.policeandsecuritynews.com...tionalTgtg.htm

Summary of 2003 SML test by Carl Fors:

"When officers were told to quick trigger (approximately one second) their radar guns against the Escort 8500, it did not see, nor report, the use of Stalker’s ATR, Stalker Basic, Kustom Directional Golden Eagle, Kustom Talon, and Kustom Falcon. The 8500 did not see any MPH POP transmissions."

http://www.radar.co.nz/nz/report1.html

Summary of testing by company that has been doing this for 23 years

NEWS:
END of an era! R.I.P Escort 8500
Well, there has been a bit of a rush this past month, for the Escort 8500. The New X50 - 8500 is really just a BEL 995/RX65 in a different housing. Overall performance of the X50 is nothing like the current Escort 8500. Less Ka camera performance, compared to the earlier Escort 8500. The X50 shares 95% the same hardware and software of the BEL Vector 995/RX65.
This now puts the Valentine 1/CENZ in a league of its own.
Beware of performance claims for the new X50-8500, based on tests that were carried out on earlier 8500.
The X50 is not the same detector.!!

http://www.epinions.com/content_154879364740

Summary of one persons review

BUT BY FAR the biggest problem with the 8500 is that it is not durable. So far mine has been back to the factory 2 times and its needs to go back again now. The first time it lost its K and KA detection ability, fortunately I had a few days of warranty period left. The warranty department was very nice and friendly. Unfortunately, they did not properly repair the unit and it broke again within 45 days. Apparently the problem was a weak antenna connection, which is rather shameful considering that I treat my radar detector with kid gloves.

The detector started failing again this summer. For a few days during the hottest part of the summer the detector gave unrelenting continuous KA band alerts, when it cooled the problem went away. Then, over the labor day week end, at about 450 miles into a 500 mile journey it started acting up again on KA mode. Unlike last time, this time the detector realized it had a problem and cycled in and out of calibration mode 3 times before it shut down and displayed the ‘service required’ display, it indicated a "cal 3 error"

The reason why Mike Valentine will get my money every time

 

2003 SML test,

There is a 3 degree hill at 2.2 miles from the base vehicle. We wanted to see if detectors gave any warning as they approached the radar guns from over the hill at 2.2 miles. At 2.2 miles there is very little radar gun signal to detect as we learned from our discussion of the "Inverse Square Rule." Remember 2.1 miles is still seven times the normal targeting range of a radar gun using The 1/4th Mile Rule

Results:

Valentine One X band 3.3 miles, K band 2.6 miles, Ka band 2.3 miles

Passport 8500 X band 2.2 miles, K band 2.5 miles, Ka band 2.3 miles

Their summary:

The results clearly show the Valentine One gave advanced warning on all bands before the hill at 2.2 miles on all bands.

I also find it interesting in the 2004 SML test that the X50 can't pick up K band at 2.5 miles like it could in the 2003 SML test. Also, the V1 can't pick up X or K band at 2.5 miles in the 2004 SML test like it could in the 2003 SML test.

I also wonder why the RX65 can't pick up X, K, or Ka at 2.5 miles over the hill according to SML when the X50 shares 95% of the same hardware and software as the RX65.

There are some weird anomalies with the 2003 SML and 2004 SML test.

In 2003 SML said, "Please do not ask us to recommend a detector. We won't! Please don't ask us to compare this year's models to last year's. We do not recommend specific detectors, nor do we sell them."

In 2004 SML changed their mind and said, "The “Top Dog” of radar detectors in the Over $300.00 price category goes to Escort’s X50 for the following reasons. It was the only detector to report constant on and instant on radar over the hill at the 2 1/2 mile cone. It consistently alerted to MPH’s Bee III POP mode. It was one of only two of the six detectors tested to be invisible to the new Spectre III RDD and it tied in the Long Ranger test alerting at an astounding eleven miles from the radar guns. The X50 also lends itself easily to interfacing with motorcycle defense systems with external audio."

Gee, I thought they didn't recommend radar detectors. I guess they have to take the "IMPARTIAL FIELD TESTING AUTHORITY" from underneath their name for next years test and replace it with "Craig Peterson's Top Dog Radar Detector Competition brought to you by Escort and Bel"

 

Well, the radar busters site certainly didn't rank the V1 third based on performance....

I also have a problem in the way this "test" represents the X, K and, Ka results graphically. The Bel RX65 and Escort X50 each received X band at 4.5 miles the V1 tested to receive it .1 miles sooner at 4.6...but the graph bars shows them equal. When you move on the K and Ka band test results graph all three were tested to 4.3 miles yet the V1's results are shown with one bar less on the graph so that someone making a quick scan of the results would rate the other two higher....to me, this is It is a simple matter of graphsmanship designed to draw the reader to a conclusion of the author's choosing. Lastly, bear in mind that this test is published on a site that is a reseller of radar detectors. The only reason that they lower the rating of the V1 is due its higher price which does affect the "value" to the consumer.

With that said, I don't think you will go wrong with any of these top units. I prefer the V1, YMMV. The other units may in fact be a better value since they are generally priced lower and have similar results. I liked the design of the V1 with the arrows so that's what I bought.

Paul