Poll

What do you prefer or think is the best sonar out there? Feel free to tell us what you use and why. If other, tell us what you use.

Marcum
217 (38.2%)
Vexilar
191 (33.6%)
hummingbird
97 (17.1%)
Other
63 (11.1%)

Total Members Voted: 565

Author Topic: Marcum vs. Vexilar vs. hummingbird vs. other POLL(Lets settle this finally!)  (Read 68313 times)

Offline adkRoy

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I will move this to the ice fishing with electronics after its been up for a week. Then when the question of which is the best sonar comes up, we can just redirect the person to this thread.  ;D
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Offline adkRoy

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btw, I have used a vexilar fl-8 for the last 10 years and love it.  ;D
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Offline rgfixit

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Dreamer :roflmao:

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Offline adkRoy

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Offline Bumski

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Offline 32footsteps

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A poll like this won't settle anything until you start to compare the results against the market share for each brand mentioned and then it still won't settle anything.  Vexilars have been around the longest and have more units in the field than any other.  As a result of the sheer number of vex users there are the results will skew in Vexilar's favor.  Does that make them the best?  Nope.  It doesn't mean they aren't the best either.  It means that the poll is inherently flawed before anyone answers. 

Offline Raquettedacker

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What no Ford, Chevy ,Dodge ,Toyota , Nissan pole?    ;D
Just like jigs, line, augers, shanty's, creepers, $100 jig poles, you name it..
Its all of a matter of opinion...And no one is better than the rest..     ;) ;)       ;D ;D
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Offline rpdog

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I'll jump in I have 2 vexilars.
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Offline mealworm

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I have a Marcum and a vex so I should vote for other lol wait vex is the best cause that's what I use

Offline adkRoy

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A poll like this won't settle anything until you start to compare the results against the market share for each brand mentioned and then it still won't settle anything.  Vexilars have been around the longest and have more units in the field than any other.  As a result of the sheer number of vex users there are the results will skew in Vexilar's favor.  Does that make them the best?  Nope.  It doesn't mean they aren't the best either.  It means that the poll is inherently flawed before anyone answers.
Its just a basic poll. Its a question that gets posted on here at least twice a day. Have fun. Its just to see what everyone likes and why.  I personally don't care one way or another what people like, but some people on here like to see what others use.

P.S. as of right now, marcum is in the lead. lol
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Offline Raptortrapper

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I've only had one fish finder ever.  It's a Marcum LX7 and I love it.  Marcum gets my vote till they prove me wrong.
The next time you think you know it all, try telling someone else's dog what to do.

Offline NEZ

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I also just got an LX 7 and is absolutely incredible.  I have a Hummingbird Ice 35 and have used vexilars and is no comparison.  The LX7's target separation is by far more superior than the other too, and even Marcum's Showdown.  Fished a tournament today and was day 2 with the graph.  When that red line came up to the jig's line, hold on cause the bite is there.  Great job Marcum!!!  Also customer service is top notch.  So I vote X2 for Marcum. 

Offline russelln114

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What Vexilar has going for it.

1 Great customer service
2 Durability(with care they last forever)
3 Great warranty(2years with the option to buy2 more)
4 Exceptionally fast turn around when serviced
5 When you call you get to talk to a live person who doesn't give you the run around
6 Try to google vexilar problems (you won't find much) then google marcum problems

Not knocking others,just love vexilar.

Offline rgfixit

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I FOLLOW MY NOSE! IT ALWAYS KNOWS!





 ;D

Rg
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Offline rgfixit

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By the way...this is a poll.....not a debate.

Rg
"Did you ever get the feeling that the world was a tuxedo and you were a pair of brown shoes?"

Offline 46r

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Not really voting because I only watched others working their machines and I bought a Marcum Showdown dual beam a few years ago ... No regrets nor desire for anything else.  It's easy to interpret with a vertical orientation that directly reads depth unlike most others.  No noise.  The more (LCD) bars showing, the bigger the fish (assuming the fish is horizontal).  Separated bars indicate multiple fish.  It picks up the tiniest sinker or swivel, even heavier line.  It sets the angle, sensitivity and range automatically or you can set them manually.  And you can zoom anywhere in the column. 

It accurately shoots depth through what I'll call grey ice.  Black ... no problem.  White ... forget it.  But more black than white (lots of bubbles but not snow) ... okay.  If the ice is not smooth, you do have to put down a little (very little) water to get a good couple between the probe and ice.

The only "complaint" is that the zoom range increases with depth and cannot be overridden.

The Showdown can be used in summer too, but it would be a lot more clunky than a fixed device. 

Marcum added a heater to speed up the electronics (I assume the LCD crystals) in cold conditions.  I generally keep the heater on and have never run out of battery power with it on continuously for up to 10 hours. 

FWIW ... When other see how simple mine is to operate, they say that's what they are going to get if they don't already have a fish finder.

Offline Republic of Alberta

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Vexilar because I like to buy something that I don't have to send down to the states to repair all the time.   Lol

Offline keithire2

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Marcum. Reliable and great customer svc.

Offline Adkrs

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Vex guys are still trying to log on...dial up is too slow and outdated. But its reliable ;)
Beer will get you through times of no ice better than ice will get you through times of no beer...

Offline Kevin23

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What you use and what you think is the best are two different things for most people. Keep that in mind before you say the fl8 is the best.
EYECONICFISHING

Offline adkRoy

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What you use and what you think is the best are two different things for most people. Keep that in mind before you say the fl8 is the best.

Never said it was the best. I've just been using it the last ten years and it works for me so I never saw a need to "upgrade" to a different model or brand.
New York State Ranger School Alumni 1994[

Offline Kevin23

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That wasnt directed at anyone specific, just something for people to consider before voting.

I personally think the humminbird is the best entry level, then marcum lx5 for mid level and marcum lx9 for "the best".. So i voted marcum. I really like my humminbird and lowrance though.
EYECONICFISHING

Offline kevs

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 Marcum Showdown 5.6. 6 years on both unit and battery and still working great. Easy to read, adjust, and carry. Easily 'sees' baits down to a size 18 ice fly. Only once had issue with interference and that is when several fellas using vex's turned their units up trying to see the ice flies they were using, and by then they were also complaining about the interference. Use it for both hard and soft water.

Offline rgfixit

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You guys are something else. Now your stuffing the ballot box.

Rg
"Did you ever get the feeling that the world was a tuxedo and you were a pair of brown shoes?"

Offline rpdog

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You guys are something else. Now your stuffing the ballot box.

Rg
 No were just really bored
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Offline rgfixit

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That....I believe ;D

Rg
"Did you ever get the feeling that the world was a tuxedo and you were a pair of brown shoes?"

Offline Lite-Bite

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Offline rgfixit

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Yugo  ;D

Rg
"Did you ever get the feeling that the world was a tuxedo and you were a pair of brown shoes?"

Offline Raptortrapper

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Dodge Ram with a Marcum
The next time you think you know it all, try telling someone else's dog what to do.

Offline Loudmouth879

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I'm bored okay.... :afro:

Time to raise heck on the Oneida threads!  :roflmao:

Coming from a guy who used a Fl-8 for the past 5 years and this year switched to a lx7 the lx7 is the cats meow

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