Escort Max - DUDE or DUD ?

[BullyDawg19]

"With final production software, the Max is the longest range radar detector available ever, for all guns, all bands" Escort on Escort Forum


REALLY?

Opinions wanted !

I have one & I love it, especially the display!

So far I have used it next to a Passport iQ (which has a Passport 9500ix integrated into it) & the Max would start going crazy on Ka band, the iQ would be silent. Then about 10-15 seconds later the iQ would start alerting. I didn't have them next to each other either. I put the iQ on the windshield as normal & had someone else drive while I sat in the back holding the Max.

I have read on the official Escort Forums where people have opted for the latest V1 with it's Bluetooth module & are regretting not getting the Max instead.

A a lot of people think the Max is over hyped & it's abilities inflated. I assure you that is not the case. Yes, Escort promotes it like it's the greatest thing ever, but that's what all companies do when the offer a new product. The difference with Escort is, the product backs up the claims.

Yes, it really does live up to that tag line. I'll admit I am a huge Escort fan boy, but I am also a realist & if it sucks...it sucks I don't care who makes it. Escort really hit a homerun with this one. The Max is actually more sensitive than the RedLine as the RedLine currently doesn't use the advanced version of DSP that the Max does. The RedLine does have DSP, but it's not based on technology from the military & NASA. The one thing the RedLine & the Bel STi Magnum for that matter, have over the Max is stealth capabilities.

I am not sure this is accurate, but I have a strong suspicion that units with GPS location filtering & so forth, cannot be stealth. I don't know if it has to do with the frequencies being used that is the issue or what, but if you look none of the stealth windshield units have GPS at all.

Is there any particular thing you wanted to know about the real world use of the Max? I do actually have on in my hand, so I can pretty much answer anything you may want to know.

as i am reading this, the first thing that comes to mind is how you are trying to tell Happy anything. For whatever reason I found that somewhat hilarious. Some of us have been here long enough to actually know "who" is "who". All I can say is WOW.
FYI - There are some folks around here that have been around the block just a few times.

[editor58]

I have a Bell Driver STI, an Escort 9500ix and the NEW MAX. I have an FCC First Class Radio Television License with the Microwave Endorsement. I have been an engineer at CBS TV since 1980. Now that that BS is out of the way, I want to speak from a point of reference. The NEW Max seems, on the surface to be no better than the 9500ix that I own. In fact, I drive the I-684 corridor from top (I-84) to (I-287) White Plains in NY. The NYS Trooper use Ka and are always in the same spots so I know the behavior of the 9500ix. Moving to the MAX lessened the warning range dramatically to the point where I could actually see the Trooper before the MAX did. Knowing that they sit in the median in the same spot for the last 15 years, the 9500ix would pick up and warn at least 3 times the range when the Ka gun was pointed in the opposite direction. So my observation is that the MAX is POOR at BEST! Again this is MY opinion, and maybe poor is a little overstated, but it is certainly average or less than average without the stated range and “mega” enhancements from the Escort PR machine. The false Ka and K alerts really make it questionable. The LACK of range makes it extremely questionable!
-----
Now to my call to Escort Customer service: After 11 minutes waiting to talk to someone, spending $600 for the Max, and the update package, and extra warrantee, I got a gentleman on the phone who was dumb as a monkey on a rock. Really, he had no other advice other than to say that the unit could be returned within 30 days but they were being liberal with the policy. This is how they handle LONG TIME customers? After a week with the MAX, I decided I was going to keep it anyway and not exercise my Trade Up and did not send the 9500ix back to Escort. At the worst, if the MAX is within Spec, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, I'd sell it on eBay. But the ONLY thing I can say that's semi-positive about the MAX is the OLED is nice, yet small!

Here's some other observations that seem to have slipped passed ergonomic design and Beta testing:
1) If you happen to own a radio or iPod, and have music on, and are using auto-mute there is no way to adjust the level of muting, thus after one beep, you virtually cannot hear the tones. So there is no user variable setting for auto mute. How'd they miss this?

2) Over speed is overly obnoxious. There is no way to adjust how often it annoys you.

3) Ka & K Falses. Huh? How does this happen? I thought the MAX had selective filtering and hyper plutonium spectral baffles. (I dunno)

3) Red light Camera just WOW! How off far off can it be? Just drive with this through Manhattan and up through Riverdale, and while on the highway you get "RED LIGHT CAMERA AHEAD) Really? I'm doing 60 on a highway, and I don't see no stinkin’camera,,, on the highway! So the GPS is not NASA or Military Grade, it more like kindergarten.

4) WHERE IS THE MAC Software? Really? Really?????

This unit has been over-hyped to the MAX! I do not believe that it is any better than the 9500ix in the real world. I do not travel with an RF spectrum analyzer or any Microwave test equipment so I have to rely on my 25 years of Engineering experience and judgment.

Now again to be realistic: I am reasonably confident (since I'm not a schmuck behind the wheel) that I will get plenty of warning for a Ka burst, I HOPE. Laser, well, I have 3 points and a $300 ticket to prove that Laser Alert on the 9500ix was a waste of time, for me at least. And while I wasn't going that fast, an OWEGO based NYS Trooper ruined a visit to University of Buffalo and didn't give me 1 MPH less. Yes Sir, No Sir, Yes Sir- Have a nice day Sir! Oh well sir! Wish I had my Jammers from my SLK on my Q5! Sir!

So to end my story and opinion here, Max is NOT ready for prime time and not worth the move? Up?? Sideways, and Down? I do have to say, The Escort Fan boys and their PR machine are impressive. Unfortunately, I live in the real world. I know I’m going to tick some people off here, but the above is simply a factual account of MY experience, from MY perspective and from MY credentials as a techie.

[scotttish]

Dud!!! I am an ex-police traffic officer who resigned after eight years of road experience to become a counselor working with veterans of various war eras, helping them with PTSD and other psychological issues. Here's my point: As an ex traffic cop, certified in radar and lidar (laser) speed measurement, the last thing I ever want is a traffic citation of my own! So over the last several years, I have used the V1, the Escort Passport, and now the Escort Max. In three weeks time, I have been in two police radar situation where the Max did not sense radar ahead of me and if I were speeding, I would be paying the $549.95 for the Max, plus the traffic fines, plus points, plus car insurance rate raises, etc. Today, I was South of Fayetteville, AR on Interstate 540 heading n/b in a semi-hilly area with several cars ahead of me for miles. I received NO WARNING SIGNAL on my Max at all. Within about a mile, I noticed a white vehicle on the right shoulder of the road and slowed down quickly. Then, my Ka started going off about five seconds later as the white vehicle was an Arkansas State Troopers with an I/O Ka band rear transmission at me. Thank God I have good eyes or BAM, prospective ticket number two would have happened! I have noticed a lot of "radar experts" are endorsing the Max, probably with the best of intentions but based upon my training, certification, and detector using experiences, I would have to put the Max below V1 and the Redline, especially as it did not warn my of any i/o Ka activity even 1 mile ahead, which is so contrary to many claims I am seeing on the web! I am considering returning mine very soon! Be careful not to put all your trust in the Max folks! Dud...

[BullyDawg19]

Dud!!! I am an ex-police traffic officer who resigned after eight years of road experience to become a counselor working with veterans of various war eras, helping them with PTSD and other psychological issues. Here's my point: As an ex traffic cop, certified in radar and lidar (laser) speed measurement, the last thing I ever want is a traffic citation of my own! So over the last several years, I have used the V1, the Escort Passport, and now the Escort Max. In three weeks time, I have been in two police radar situation where the Max did not sense radar ahead of me and if I were speeding, I would be paying the $549.95 for the Max, plus the traffic fines, plus points, plus car insurance rate raises, etc. Today, I was South of Fayetteville, AR on Interstate 540 heading n/b in a semi-hilly area with several cars ahead of me for miles. I received NO WARNING SIGNAL on my Max at all. Within about a mile, I noticed a white vehicle on the right shoulder of the road and slowed down quickly. Then, my Ka started going off about five seconds later as the white vehicle was an Arkansas State Troopers with an I/O Ka band rear transmission at me. Thank God I have good eyes or BAM, prospective ticket number two would have happened! I have noticed a lot of "radar experts" are endorsing the Max, probably with the best of intentions but based upon my training, certification, and detector using experiences, I would have to put the Max below V1 and the Redline, especially as it did not warn my of any i/o Ka activity even 1 mile ahead, which is so contrary to many claims I am seeing on the web! I am considering returning mine very soon! Be careful not to put all your trust in the Max folks! Dud...

arent you assuming that radar was present during the time you were traveling that last mile. there is absolutely no way to know if the leo was actually using his unit until you passed. thats a huge ASSUMPTION on your end.

[scotttish]

It's a HUGE assumption to assume that someone who gets paid to pull people over and write traffic reports is not going to run radar while sitting in the "I am here to catch you position" and from what I understand, had been pulling people over for hours in that location in the same manner also! So far, if I were actually speeding, I would have two citations since getting my "Max" three weeks ago. The first encounter was actually in town, in a neighborhood and it was a friend of mine that I knew from my leo experience. He told me he was running contact on as I was coming down the hill. Did not see him on the Max until it was too late but I wasn't speeding anyway. I called Escort and they said the exact same thing you did...The whole idea is that you want a detector that sees the officer before they see you right? All of my settings on the Max are set right as per Escort. I am wondering if the Max is what everyone is saying it is...So far, a dud in my experience. Hope to be proven wrong or I am out $over $500 bones.....P.S., Escort never posted my marginal review after asking me to review my Max...Hmmm...

[North Alabama]

Being that it is a new design and the bugs have not been worked out, it takes time, for history will tell if it is a better ix......

[CodyOebel]

3 V1's back to back I have owned. Bought the 9500ix full price all in one lump some to Escort. Sent it back after week 2 as I consider it "Trash", and have been accustomed to V1's detection range and off axis detection abilities.
MAX has changed thus far my mind with escort products. Here in Texas I've owned the detector a little over a week and a half, and I am getting ranged off axis detections from my MAX very on par with my V1 experiences, but it's far less noisy. I'm pretty stubborn 600$ is ALLOT of money for an RD, and I have grown a bit of a liking to the way V1c looks. However, as of now.... MAX has been hitting some ranged detections with more than ample time to slow down. I wonder what 1.5 has in store of us MAX owners!
Maybe you guys got a bad unit, or problems with your update not actually correctly taking to the unit.
For me if Max falls short at all during this trial period I'm sending it right back for a full refund, and ordering V1C paid in full.

[scotttish]

3 V1's back to back I have owned. Bought the 9500ix full price all in one lump some to Escort. Sent it back after week 2 as I consider it "Trash", and have been accustomed to V1's detection range and off axis detection abilities.
MAX has changed thus far my mind with escort products. Here in Texas I've owned the detector a little over a week and a half, and I am getting ranged off axis detections from my MAX very on par with my V1 experiences, but it's far less noisy. I'm pretty stubborn 600$ is ALLOT of money for an RD, and I have grown a bit of a liking to the way V1c looks. However, as of now.... MAX has been hitting some ranged detections with more than ample time to slow down. I wonder what 1.5 has in store of us MAX owners!
Maybe you guys got a bad unit, or problems with your update not actually correctly taking to the unit.
For me if Max falls short at all during this trial period I'm sending it right back for a full refund, and ordering V1C paid in full.

I exchanged my first Max for another one. Let's see if the latest version Max is any better. All I am looking for is a little advance notice, not expecting too much and I have always been updated fully to the latest firmware that Escort offers. Best wishes.

[smirnoff]

3 V1's back to back I have owned. Bought the 9500ix full price all in one lump some to Escort. Sent it back after week 2 as I consider it "Trash", and have been accustomed to V1's detection range and off axis detection abilities.
MAX has changed thus far my mind with escort products. Here in Texas I've owned the detector a little over a week and a half, and I am getting ranged off axis detections from my MAX very on par with my V1 experiences, but it's far less noisy. I'm pretty stubborn 600$ is ALLOT of money for an RD, and I have grown a bit of a liking to the way V1c looks. However, as of now.... MAX has been hitting some ranged detections with more than ample time to slow down. I wonder what 1.5 has in store of us MAX owners!
Maybe you guys got a bad unit, or problems with your update not actually correctly taking to the unit.
For me if Max falls short at all during this trial period I'm sending it right back for a full refund, and ordering V1C paid in full.

Let us know how you like the V1C.....

[scotttish]

3 V1's back to back I have owned. Bought the 9500ix full price all in one lump some to Escort. Sent it back after week 2 as I consider it "Trash", and have been accustomed to V1's detection range and off axis detection abilities.
MAX has changed thus far my mind with escort products. Here in Texas I've owned the detector a little over a week and a half, and I am getting ranged off axis detections from my MAX very on par with my V1 experiences, but it's far less noisy. I'm pretty stubborn 600$ is ALLOT of money for an RD, and I have grown a bit of a liking to the way V1c looks. However, as of now.... MAX has been hitting some ranged detections with more than ample time to slow down. I wonder what 1.5 has in store of us MAX owners!
Maybe you guys got a bad unit, or problems with your update not actually correctly taking to the unit.
For me if Max falls short at all during this trial period I'm sending it right back for a full refund, and ordering V1C paid in full.

Let us know how you like the V1C.....

Got my new one after the exchange of the defective one and it works very nicely! It has given me pre-warning on 5/5 times in NW Arkansas. Happy now! Thanks!