My Radar Detector Review

**Sarge** · 08-13-2008, 11:43 AM

I dont know shit about radar detectors. But I have a piece of paper on the wall that sez I'm supposed to be smart or I sat through a shitload of classes

Either way I love to "test"....so I started.....I have had a Cobra for awhile. It's OK....I mean it goes beep beep when there is a cop....Mebbe a 1/4 mile or so on Ka band...longer on K band.....saved my ass a few times. I left it turned off in town because it went off on every door opener around. I just figured that is how radar detectors worked and I thought Cobra was one of the better ones. So I started reading some post one night recently and found out a few things.
1. Cobra sucks ass.
2. Valentine and Bel cost $400 bucks.
3. Nothing less than that works worth a shit.
4. Cobras make other detectors go off cuz they "leak" ( see no#1)

So this gets me going. My buddy has a Valentine1 so I borrow it for a day or two. Son of a bitch! Thing would pick up a cop fricking 2 miles away. But it is so sensitive it goes off all the time. I cant listen to SRV and have that shit going off all the time. Screw that. I find a few forums and read and find out these new Whistlers Pro Series kick ass and are right there with the high end models in performance. So I buy a Whistler Pro 78 Rev.c a XTR 690 and a el cheapo XTR 330. The 78 was $140 delivered. The XTR 690 was $116 delivered and the XTR 330 was $61 delivered.
Well the Pro78 was first and this thing outperformed my buddies Valentine. K/Ka/X band it picks up way far away. Around corners or over a hill. Just outstanding sensitivity. The Cobra I had is not anywhere in the same league. XTR 690 the exact same performance as the Pro78. Fricking outstanding reach. Best thing is both have 2 City modes and 3 filter settings. Both are quiet! I may have had 1 false in a week in town where I used to have a kabillion. The XTR 330 is top notch. I cannot believe I paid like $200 for that POS Cobra and this $60 Whistler kicks the living shit out of it. Not as feature rich nor as sensitive as the Pro78 or the XTR 650 but clearly triples the range and sensitivity of the top end Cobra I had. Damn nice little detector for under $100 for sure. Also much quieter than the Cobra or the Valentine1. So any three of these models are the balls as far as radar detectors go. I am happy to have found these things and really did not know you could actually have a radar detector that really works and doesn't false alarm all the damn time. I'm writing this because the Pro78 saved my ass this morning as I was hauling ass in the truck ( been on the road a lot this week) and it picked up one of them instant on radars well over a mile away....so just wanted to share my experience and let you know you can have big league radar detector performance for pennies of the cost versus the higher end models. Nobody told me!

**doozjamann** · 08-13-2008, 11:52 AM

Good info Sarge. Let's me know I can get a good radar without having to pay several hundreds. And I need one too. Passed a cop the other morning running 80 in a 55.

**Sarge** · 08-13-2008, 12:01 PM

I shit you not any of those three Whistler models will perform as well as the top end expensive models.....the XTR330 wont perform as well as the Pro78 or the XTR 690 but it holds its own and gives you plenty of warning and has great filtration of falses alarms....but it is a very good detector no doubt...great filters and range...the Pro78 and the XTR690 will perform "in the real world" with the expensive detectors.

**Sarge** · 08-13-2008, 12:02 PM

And before any of you ask my daughter took the XTR 690 and I put the XTR 330 in the GTO....

**KING Z28 HAWK** · 08-13-2008, 12:07 PM

Good shit old and wise Sarge

**doozjamann** · 08-13-2008, 12:10 PM

Damn I was just about to ask you to send me one.

**Sarge** · 08-13-2008, 12:23 PM

I felt you.

**Sarge** · 08-19-2008, 03:58 PM

Update.....I also got a Pro 68. This is a newer platform. Thing is unreal. Excellent reach and sensitivity but Whistler added the filters so I get diddly squat for falses. I did get a K band false at WalMart today but that is pretty much it. Thing was $100 bucks delivered. Damn Whistler has it going on...... http://www.opticsbestbuy.com/Whistle...-Detector.html

You get the hard wire kit with it so you boys get out there and level the playing field with Johnny Law.

**tims02** · 08-19-2008, 04:06 PM

Thanks for the info Sarge..I was just telling the wife that I needed to get one before I got my ass thrown in jail for speeding..

**Speedy_Gonzales** · 08-19-2008, 04:23 PM

which site did you get the XTR 330 for $61 shipped ? Good to read a review from a consumer instead of a website that sells radar detectors...........thanks for your time spent

**Sarge** · 08-20-2008, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by SpeedAddict38

which site did you get the XTR 330 for $61 shipped ? Good to read a review from a consumer instead of a website that sells radar detectors...........thanks for your time spent

http://www.amazon.com/Whistler-XTR-3...233185&sr=8-37

**Sarge** · 08-20-2008, 03:58 AM

Disable POP/VG2 and run it in City Mode II...that disables X band....all three of those bands are outdated as hell and mebbe .005% LEO's use them at all....VG2 is only applicable in Washington DC and Virginia anyway.....POP is on the K/Ka band so you'll get an alarm in those bands anyway ( hopefully from scatter from them shooting a car in front of you

.....X band is very rare.....if your not sure if your LEO's are running XBand just put it in City Mode I for awhile.....City mode I or II doesn't affect the K/Ka bands range/sensitivity at all......

**qwkgto** · 08-20-2008, 09:34 AM

so these things actually work?damn i thought back when they cam out with that new tech when they shot you with it ,they had you? this is nice cause i need one of these also maybe I will not have to rely on my eagle eyes as much ..

**Sarge** · 08-20-2008, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by qwkgto

so these things actually work?damn i thought back when they cam out with that new tech when they shot you with it ,they had you? this is nice cause i need one of these also maybe I will not have to rely on my eagle eyes as much ..

Yup....Instant On radar will get you if your out on the road all by yourself....or laser...but if a LEO shoots a car a mile in front of you with instant on the alarm does go off and then stops.....then you know the bastard is out there.....but quite honestly....far and away the LEO's run constant on K/Ka bands 98% of the time......I mean for under $100 bucks these Whistlers kick that ass....Cobra's suck that ass.....stay away from Cobras....cheap ass trash...

**Speedy_Gonzales** · 08-20-2008, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sarge

And before any of you ask my daughter took the XTR 690 and I put the XTR 330 in the GTO....

How much better is the range of the 690 vs. the 330 ? Also which site did you buy the 78 and the 690 from ? I will be buying one of the three this Friday

if the 690 and the 78 outperform the Valentine thats a great deal

**Sarge** · 08-20-2008, 05:41 PM

The 690 and Pro 78 will be equal to anything on the market in the real world.....I bought them from http://www.opticsale.com/radar-detector.html ...dont get confused on the price as you'll see an instant rebate that applies at check out example the 690 sez it is $169 but there is a $40 instant rebate when you click on it..........I had a chance to test

Cops put one of those Kband radar boxes that tell you your speed....The 78/690 picked it up at 1.5 miles out....the 330 about 1 mile out....more than enough time to slow your ass down if it had been a cop....but I appreciate the LEO's helping me out in my testing by putting their lil trailer radar doohickey out ther just for me

**Speedy_Gonzales** · 08-20-2008, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sarge

The 690 and Pro 78 will be equal to anything on the market in the real world.....I bought them from http://www.opticsale.com/radar-detector.html ...dont get confused on the price as you'll see an instant rebate that applies at check out example the 690 sez it is $169 but there is a $40 instant rebate when you click on it..........I had a chance to test

Cops put one of those Kband radar boxes that tell you your speed....The 78/690 picked it up at 1.5 miles out....the 330 about 1 mile out....more than enough time to slow your ass down if it had been a cop....but I appreciate the LEO's helping me out in my testing by putting their lil trailer radar doohickey out ther just for me

you got some good local contacts

...............how about around curves and hills ? Man that 330 looks like the way to go...........which one has the blue flashing lights ? Almost forgot the pro68 whats its range ?

**Speedy_Gonzales** · 08-20-2008, 06:01 PM

I found the WHISTLER XTR-690 for $116.99 shipped @ buy.com
A little bit cheaper

**Sarge** · 08-20-2008, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by SpeedAddict38

you got some good local contacts

...............how about around curves and hills ? Man that 330 looks like the way to go...........which one has the blue flashing lights ? Almost forgot the pro68 whats its range ?

All of em have the blue flashing lights which I really like.....All three I have personally tested are excellent over hills and around curves.....The Pro 68 is is in between the XTR 330 and the Pro78.....but dont get caught up in distance crap...the XTR 330 will warn you in plenty of time....just the higher up you go the better the sensitivity/range....but at the end of the day your talking around $100 bucks for any of them....