Vexilar VS Marcum?

[Tommis]

Iam starting to see people here having the Vexilar FLX-28  Can you tell us how you like it and what unit you upgraded from?  Not many people that use the 28 are talking on the likes and dislikes. also is there any features the  FLX-28 has that the Marcum LX-7 does not?  One more thing When the Marcum LX-7 and the Vexilar FLX-28 are close in price what made your choice to the Vexilar? Thanks

[Rebelss]

[da man cave shack]

HUMMINBIRD

[Kilbourn]

I have a vexilar but seems like everytime I go to use it one of my friends has wondered off with it to a different ice hole. Think that's how I answered this question last time as well. 

[Fisherman 1]

He who has the highest credit card balance due to keeping up with the Johnsons definitely isn't the brightest.

[esox_magnum]

He who has the highest credit card balance due to keeping up with the Johnsons definitely isn't the brightest.

 Whats a Credit Card??? I deal in Green Bills....

[UP jigstick]

It may be Monday in the UP, but the rest of the USA started Monday yesterday eh?

LOL, Holy Wha, that's pretty dang good, I'm only a day behind, eh! 

Durn senior moments keep getting closer together. 

[Fisherman 1]

Whats a Credit Card??? I deal in Green Bills....

You're one of the few that pays up front, works for me too. 

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Iam starting to see people here having the Vexilar FLX-28  Can you tell us how you like it and what unit you upgraded from?  Not many people that use the 28 are talking on the likes and dislikes. also is there any features the  FLX-28 has that the Marcum LX-7 does not?  One more thing When the Marcum LX-7 and the Vexilar FLX-28 are close in price what made your choice to the Vexilar? Thanks

I Upgraded to an FLX28 this year. Been out twice with it. I upgraded from a showdown which was my backup unit, and downgraded my FL20 to the back up.

It's a nice unit, a solid vexilar product from what I can tell.

I though about an LX9, but decided against it. Reason being that with the digital stuff I notice a split second lag that really bugs me. On my showdown I could tell it was just a split second late on the display from the bite. My buddy also has a humming bird was a 345 now it's a 597 that he uses and noticed the same issue with it. It bugged him so much he bought an FL22 last year.

After we both tried the digital units, they just seemed to be a PITA trying to get the automatic settings to work and having to fine the with manual settings. It's just so much simpler and easier to turn a knob or press the knob to clear up interference vs going into menus and settings.

While I like the FLX 28, I haven't gotten to use the weed mode which I think will be nice. I've only fished with it 2 times in 5-10ft of water. I was a little worried it might have a split second delay, but it didn't.

Here is what I noticed with it vs my FL20.
There is no vex "hum"
The display seemed to flicker more vs the old brush system
Digital depth was nice and at night the dots help to gage depth in water column
Auto depth worked fine-the 5ft increments will be nice when in 10-15ft of water
Color options would be nice if color blind, but I preferred the original colors. The white was to bright at night.
Demo mode was nice to show people new to the units how they work.

Overall it offers a few more options, but I like my FL20 a lot. If I wasn't upgrading from a gray scale showdown. I don't think you would really notice any vast improvements over an FL20 or 22. Unless weed mode really kicks butt!

Do I think it's better then an LX7 or LX9. Can't really say, depends on each persons preference. I just haven't really been drawn to the whole LCD computer type stuff for ice fishing. That and after messing with upgrades to get the showdown to finally work the way it was suppose to I've come to hate "upgrades"

[esox_magnum]

Not sure where you notice a delay, I dont on my LX-7, as far as updates I think they are a good thing. Means my unit on season 3 can be the same as a new unit sold today with a simple free update I can do at home and takes 5 minutes...Or I can buy the latest "New" unit every couple years that does pretty much the same as the same one sold 10 years ago....I much prefer to see my bait as it leaves the bottom rather than seeing it 3-5" after it's left the bottom....

[mr tip up]

Just wondering what team has the most players.

I myself will start out by saying I'm on team Marcum!

                Team Vexilar

[Agronomist_at_IA]

...I much prefer to see my bait as it leaves the bottom rather than seeing it 3-5" after it's left the bottom....

Don't know if your lx 5 couldn't tell that, but my vex does just fine.

With the LX 7 the updates probably a good thing. No different then my buddies 597 having updates. With the showdown they charged enough for it plus u had to pay shipping.  Kinda put a bad taste in my mouth.

Maybe it's just my buddy and me, but we both noticed a split second lag in the sonar display and the bite with the digital stuff. Call me full of it, but it bugged the heck outta me. I'm just a flasher guy I guess.

[esox_magnum]

Don't know if your lx 5 couldn't tell that, but my vex does just fine.

With the LX 7 the updates probably a good thing. No different then my buddies 597 having updates. With the showdown they charged enough for it plus u had to pay shipping.  Kinda put a bad taste in my mouth.

Maybe it's just my buddy and me, but we both noticed a split second lag in the sonar display and the bite with the digital stuff. Call me full of it, but it bugged the heck outta me. I'm just a flasher guy I guess.

 
 Well according to our camera both my 5 and 7 show the bait as it leaves the bottom my partners 20 didnt register till it was 3-5" off the bottom....I am a flasher guy to just use a digital one and a color showdown   

[Fisherman-Andy]

I'm not sure what this talk of delay is on the Marcum LX7; yes there is a delay, but it's still updates faster then what you can perceive.  The LX7 translates incoming information and writes it on the display in 0.02 seconds (20 milliseconds).   It's said the lX7 updates just as fast as a typically mechanical flasher.  You feeling a bite and your brain telling you to set the hook is not even comparable.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

 Well according to our camera both my 5 and 7 show the bait as it leaves the bottom my partners 20 didnt register till it was 3-5" off the bottom....I am a flasher guy to just use a digital one and a color showdown   

Not saying that isn't possible, but a lot of things can come into play. One being the quality of the transducer. If it's gotten bounced around a lot they can loose sensitivity. Heck some are even bad right outta the box.

  I've got no problems with marcum. In fact the way I ended up with my FL20 is I went to get a flasher at the lakes and was headed out to fish. Place I was at didn't have marcum so I got the Vex. I do like the accessories vex has like the flex light, rod holders, and cup holder. Stuff comes in handy when hole hopping in the early morning and dusk. Holds a second pole, is your flashlight for walking and holds a guys coffee while moving. If you hit a hot hole bring the fish up grab the other pole and drop down  nothing like a double!

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I'm not sure what this talk of delay is on the Marcum LX7; yes there is a delay, but it's still updates faster then what you can perceive.  The LX7 translates incoming information and writes it on the display in 0.02 seconds (20 milliseconds).   It's said the lX7 updates just as fast as a typically mechanical flasher.  You feeling a bite and your brain telling you to set the hook is not even comparable.

I must be like a pro baseball player that can process stuff faster then the average guy when it comes to reading a pitch...............On ly in reading an ice fishing flasher......might be in my head, but  the delay is there for me.


Speaking of that I'm pretty proud just had LASIK on both eyes. Had to get the right eye touched up. Went into the doctor and had my check up. I'm now 20/15 in both eyes. Better than 20/20. I was legally blind without my glasses before. Best $2500 I spent yet.

[Purple Floyd]

Im with team Lorum(lowrance&marcum)

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Do you drive a Deloren ? Sp?

[nodakclam19]

I just upgraded from an lx6 to flx28. Hated the updates for marcum, they get really annoying. I ended up toying with my marcum for a half hour before it starts working right. Love the vex because you turn it on and its good to go.

[jumbo chaser]

Wondering who's got the biggest team ??  Vexilar has the most players because there are guys out there still using the old FL 8  that are 30 yrs old and still running like new and still catching there share of fish .

[Purple Floyd]

Do you drive a Deloren ? Sp?

More like a Ferrari compared to those spinning wheel thingies.

[hamms]

I also pay with good old fashion CASH. Lets give this debate a rest till next October when everyone can't stand that they aren't walking on water yet. lx7 here.

[J_Edwards]

Guys not liking updates must not be boat guys, usually update those units once or twice a year and it's not as simple as a process as up dating a LX-6 and up.

[esox_magnum]

I just upgraded from an lx6 to flx28. Hated the updates for marcum, they get really annoying. I ended up toying with my marcum for a half hour before it starts working right. Love the vex because you turn it on and its good to go.

 Other than backlight and zoom I never adjust anything on my 7, once I had it set to my liking I saved it now just turn it on and fish, it adjusts for the depth all I need to adjust is zoom...

[twincities86]

Damn, I'm think there more players on team vex right now. It's ok, team marcum are probably out fishing right now and will chime in later.

[jumbo chaser]

I like  to try both LX7 and FLx28 I just got to figure out how I can buy another unit without wife complaining and the lX 7 I can't hide in a bucket  when I carry it but the wife LOL

[openingact]

I'm not sure what this talk of delay is on the Marcum LX7; yes there is a delay, but it's still updates faster then what you can perceive.  The LX7 translates incoming information and writes it on the display in 0.02 seconds (20 milliseconds).   It's said the lX7 updates just as fast as a typically mechanical flasher.  You feeling a bite and your brain telling you to set the hook is not even comparable.

I too have to agree with this. I was paranoid about a delay when going to a digital unit. Testing a delay was one of the first things I did with it and found  none. I did return the lx7 due to the overly buggy software it started with,  however, ended up picking up the Lx9 last year. Didn't see any issues with delay, nor did I after receiving it with the new software.

Maybe you had a bad ducer or unit.

[DR.SPECKLER]

im on team vexilar.and own both brands vexilar and Marcum.

[ice tripper]

Team marcum.bought the showdown when they first came out had it upgraded to the 5.6.purchased the marcum lx7 for this upcoming season

[LateSeason]

The new Vex does have a hum but its almost undetectable, nothing like the standard vex hum one expects.
Didn't care for not having numbers on the hash marks.
Its nice that they put a gap at the bottom of the shield around the display so you can clean snow and misc off the face of the display and not pile up in the bottom.

Instead of hitting a couple buttons to get into menu to change settings you have to hold down on of the buttons on the Vex when you power it on to get into weed mode. 
At least that's what one of their reps told me at the HardWater expo.  I couldn't find a manual online to verify that and any other functions.

I moved away from a FL-8 to an LX-7.  I've got nothing but good things to say so far.
Here is a video of my LX-7 at work.  It was my first time out with it,.  I've changed a few settings since then and really enjoy the bottom zoom and knowing how much of the bottom the sonar is covering.
The transducer is LOUD on the LX-7, you can't hear it in the water but when you pull it out its like someones breaking a bunch of dried twigs really fast.  So far the fish haven't seemed to notice or mind it.

Video:
http://youtu.be/Pq1PGO5B5hI