Escort Passport 9500ix Vs. Valentine One...
 

I'm in the market for a radar detector. I've narrowed down to the Escort and the V-one AND I know this may have been covered in some shape or form in past threads BUT, in a new unit of time..., comments anyone? Experience? Ease of use? GPS location functions of the 9500ix? Thanks in advance... Joel

I had the same dilema last Xmas and intially ordered the V1 but ended up going with the Passport 9500xi. Really both of them are great and you can't go wrong with either one. In the end I went with the Passport for the GPS features and ability to upload into memory maps speedcam locations and new radar traps that others have found. Maybe would have went with the 9500ci but just couldn't justify the cost for a single car install as I have 2-3 other vehicles I need protection in. So with the 9500xi I can move it from vehicle to vehicle as needed. As for those who mention the arrows on the V1 and bogey count..yes SA is good and being a military aviation guy I've been there where yes you need to know how many bogeys are in the fight..but that is to kill them and since the road environment is just a little bit different...in reality if the detector goes off...I'm slowing down and then looking...no need to know where he is really cause the most effective countermeasure in my mind at that point is NOT to be speeding...I can worry about where they are later (front, behind, etc). Yes I think the bogey counter an arrows does add more SA=situational awareness but in my case its just not needed. No if stealth is an option then I think you need to look at the Bel Sti or the new Escort Redline as they can't be detected by detectors. Check out the radar dectector sites www.radarroy.org or www.1stradardetectors.com to see more info.

As for mounting; bought 3 smart-wire hardwire cords and had each done in the cars so its pretty easy to use the Passport in multiple cars. No moving cords around between cars...just plug into wire in headliner and go. In the end it will be a personal decision based on your needs, driving style, and features wanted as each one V1 vs Passport 9500xi are comparable.

I went with the 9500xi also and hardwired. Works great!

We don't have speed cameras here, so I use the 8500 which is $200 less than the 9500. Has saved my butt many times. The new single suction cup mounts are much better. I've had two break at first, but they keep sending me new ones which have been improved each time.

I have 3 vehicles with a V1 detector hardwired in each one so it should be pretty clear which detector I'm sold on. With all of the signal sources out there I think it's very important to know which ones you need to be concerned with and the directional information that the V1 provides is a huge help with that. Before I bought the 3rd V1 I had a Passport Solo that I was using in that car. Without the arrows and just a buzzer, I felt defenseless. I sold the Passport and bought another V1. I'm sure the new Passport is a great detector, but I've become used to the arrows on the V1 and won't do without them. Anyway, just my $.02.

Mike how much advanced warning were you receiving from the Solo as compared to the V1? I'm considering getting a Solo S3 for portability reasons and I'm wondering how it compares against the V1 (ignoring the fact that you don't have directional warning).

I have had 4 of the Escort 9500s hardwired into my various cars, and i am sold on them. Very few nuisance alarms, it learns the locations of these and shuts them off. Great on the warning of camera controlled intersections. On my wife's M6 we went for the complete stealth install (it is in the glovebox, but you could fit it in the ashtray). The V1 is a great unit. One of their big features they promote, is that it points in which direction the radar is coming from. I would submit, "who cares, if there is a radar cop in the vicinity, I am slowing down".

Marine Blue, it's hard to quantify, but the V1 definitely seems to have better range. No doubt that's due to the fact that the Solo is battery operated. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the Solo cycles it's detector circuits on and off very quickly to conserve battery life which makes it less sensitve and may cause it to miss more signals than a wired unit whose circuits are on full time. In any event, not having the directional warning made me feel that I was getting less advanced warning because that vital (to me) info about whether I was driving toward or away from the signal was missing. Of course, if you absolutely must have a portable detector the Solo is the way to go.

In my area, the V1 arrows are not that useful because the vast majority of the alerts from the V1 are false alarms. That's not an issue with the Escort (I have the 9500ci) because the false alarm rate is almost zero.

I still believe for my use, the V1 is the way to go. Just bought a second one for another vehicle. Maybe 'cause been loyal to V1's for over 20 years, they have been value add to me, and their customer service is excellent.

That said, the V1 technology is long in the tooth, seems many years since they had any advancements to SW or HW. So, if wasn't for arrows, Passport should have the edge with latest technology. V1 do have too many false alerts, and if you can get complacent, to think, it is false alert, but get an unpleasant surprise ahead.

Thanks Mike, this is very helpful. I know the latest Solo is suppose to give you about 75% of the capability based upon reviews but I always prefer hearing real world responses. I've driven for the past 10 years without a radar detector and "knock on wood" I've only picked up one ticket during that time and that was in a Honda! The Spyder's exhaust seems to attract more attention from the local police so I think it's time for counter measures.

If you want to keep up a steady pace and have early warning to avoid getting caught for a few mph +/-, the V1 is the right tool for the job.

If you want a tech gadget with better features and convenience, the new units with gps and photo trap maps are quieter.

My 9500ci has equal or better detection range than the V1. I have confirmed this repeatedly in side-by-side tests in my car.

Side by side tests won't give proper results, the signals the devices send out will affect each other and not give true results. The best way to judge is to find a stationary speed trap, such as a "your speed is: xx" sign, and approach it with one and then the other, at the same speed and weather conditions. Try approaching from alternate directs, too, if possible.

I've had my v1 for a few years now, and I considered the Passport at the time, but after learning how to mess with the sensitivities and turn off some signals(X and K bands are not used out here by PD), and getting used to the arrows, I wouldn't change to another platform. The arrows may seem like a novelty, but the same can be said for the GPS abilities, in the end they both have their merits. If only they could combine the two!

I always remind myself that a radar detector is not a substitute for driver awareness, nor will it ever detect an officer that has their radar turned off, or using a plane(fairly common on I-5). Situational awareness and safe driving is your best defense, but radar detectors do make for a handy passenger!

Done that, too. Same results. There are other test reports out there that show the Escort beats the V1 on detection range. I was skeptical about these until I did my own tests. Bottom line: both are excellent in sensitivity. The Escort is just a bit better.