Marcum LX5

[DeepcreekIcer]

1

[Ambystoma]

I received mine a couple weeks ago. I think your really going to like it! 

[trapperdirk]

Well guys

I was tired of debating between Vex and Marcum.  I ordered the LX5 last night.  If I don't like it, I'll put it on Ebay and order a Vex.

Methinks alot of us will be waiting a long ,long time waiting for you to e-bay that LX-5 and buying a Vex . You will not be disappointed but the envy of many .

                                 TD

[olbaidhh]

I have done a LOT of research, in fact its my job ..when I am doing it    on both the Vex and the Marcum... I have not used them yet but based on what i have analyzed for price, function, warrranty, features, etc. etc. the Marcum LX5 seems to have an edge over the Vex ultra.  Now I just need to use them both and then get one.

[LoneWolf]

I have them both and will be doing a review after a few more outings. From my first initial experience the nod goes to the LX-5.

[walleyeslayer]

sheesh, im happy as a pig in ....you know what, and all i have is a vex, fl8.

[trapperdirk]

Well the Vexes have 400 watts peak to peak and yes I personally believe it makes a difference on what you see on the screen . Power translates into better ,crisper,target definition and separation because it sends a stronger signal down and the return is stronger . Also what I found with the vex when I did my comparisons was that you would have to set the gain much higher on them than on the Marcum and when you would, you would see some clutter that you didnt want to see and also when working in close proximity to the Marcum the vex had a harder time combatting the power of the Marcum and even though alot of the interference could be blocked out thru adjustments the Marcum did not suffer from this .
   
The LX-3tc and LX-5 also use 3 separate bulbs to light up the display with three colors while the rest use two bulbs and blend them to get the third color . Last years LX-3 has an upgrade available if you wish , that will when done use the same system as the LX-3tc and LX-5 by using 3 bulbs and making it also true color without blending . They tell me by all reports that the upgrade and also the crisp colors on the display of the 3tc and LX-5 are incredible and I'm dying to see them and will soon,,, to see if I decide to go for the upgrade on my LX-3 and I hope to order an LX-5 before the season ends .

I don't want to downgrade or trash Vexilar or come across that vexes won't get the job done because they do and will continue to but I do believe that the FL-8 tech just is not up to par of the advancements that Marcum has made .If you own or buy either one you will be happy and not be left with a sour taste in your mouth and unless you put them side by side you will not notice what your missing out on or if your even missing out on anything because both show bottom, both show fish, and both will increase your catch just one manufacturer does do it crisper and more defined than the other without having to do as much guess work on what the lines are throughout the whole water column  .

                      TD

[trapperdirk]

trapperdirk,

Thanks for the info. 

I guess what still isn't clear to me is whether these units have some moving parts inside,
(do they whirr like the original Lowrance Fish-Locator, Hummingbird flashers, etc) or are
the display LEDs turned on/off via electronic switching?  No big deal, I was just wondering
how the technology is progressing.

They are Leds and I do believe they whirr but I've never had a Vex or Marcum apart as yet nor do I have the techy vocabulary or knowledge to explain it to you Maine Dog but I could find out I guess but maybe someone else can explain it on here .I've studied them and compared them from a consumers viewpoint but to get into the engineering or the workings on the inside my knowledge is limited .   I could learn though and don't mind learning .

                     TD

[Little Brown Dog]

I've only had my LX5 out on the ice a couple of times and I am very happy with it.  Helped me pull in a mess of perch and target some suspending crappie the other day.  I like the zoom and SFL display.  That way you can see something moving in out of the zoom window and go up and get it without changing anything.  There is a picture of it in action in the picture thread ...flashers in action topic.

[ceo32312]

I have a Lx1 and after reading this post, im going to have to sell it and get a Lx5, thanks alot guys...

[bigredonice]

I really don't think that power means anything at all when comparing the vex to the marcum. If it did, then you would think I would have trouble reading a small lure on the bottom in 160 FOW with my underpowered vex.  I don't. Infact, for 90 percent of my fishing I just leave my vex on low power mode.

All else equal, I would probably get a MarCum lx-5 just so that I didn't have to deal with the interference of the all the Vex units that my friends have.  Of course then again my friend with an LX-1 can't use his unit anywhere near mine around a hard bottom because of the interference on HIS unit.  Hmmm.

[cstolp]

Just upgraded from vex to lx-5.  Anybody notice that the lx-5 eats a lot of battery compared to the vex fl-8?

[LoneWolf]

The LX-5 will use more power than a Vex. According to my FL-18 manual it's using 350ma. According to my Marcum manual it's using 400ma.
Going by these numbers the Vex should run roughly 20 hrs, on a 7 amp battery, and the Marcum roughly 18 hrs.
Keep in mind that the lower the battery gets the worse the readings usually get.

 

[ice dawg]

still not impressed with the vex units,,,,,they only tell the depth

You might want to send it in to the factory and get it checked out. Cleaning the transducer helps also. For some reason you seem to be the only one posting on here that is having this problem. You can get a lemon in a Ferrari.

[cstolp]

You can get a lemon in a Ferrari.

But can you get a Ferrari in a lemon?

[Jack Magnum]

The LX-5 will use more power than a Vex. According to my FL-18 manual it's using 350ma. According to my Marcum manual it's using 400ma.
Going by these numbers the Vex should run roughly 20 hrs, on a 7 amp battery, and the Marcum roughly 18 hrs.
Keep in mind that the lower the battery gets the worse the readings usually get.

 

Lonewolf,
                         I just received my LX5 yesterday and you have mail !!!!
                                                                                                  Jack

[LoneWolf]

Excellent tips icetechy. I had done the same with mine and also removed the swing arm and installed a float ! 

Jack you have mail !! 

[oldfox]

Excellent tips icetechy. I had done the same with mine and also removed the swing arm and installed a float ! 

Jack you have mail !! 

Why the float LW?...I have the LX-3tc, basically the same configuration on the cable?

[richstick]

I kicked around the idea of rigging up a float on my LX-3, but after using the swing arm a few times, I decided I like that setup better than the ice-ducer setup.  I hole hop alot, and being able to just pick up the unit and have the transducer follow right along without all the extra cord is a huge benefit. 

[oldfox]

I kicked around the idea of rigging up a float on my LX-3, but after using the swing arm a few times, I decided I like that setup better than the ice-ducer setup.  I hole hop alot, and being able to just pick up the unit and have the transducer follow right along without all the extra cord is a huge benefit. 

Yes rich...swingarm works ok for me also...but I am always open to new ideas

[LoneWolf]

By moving the unit bracket rearward it allowed more room for the transducer and more room in general. I took the float off of my FL-18 and put it on. Removed the swing arm (1 nut/bolt) and the float fit in like a glove (sideways). I tried it for a few outings and prefer it. If I didn't it was simply a matter of 1 bolt and nut to go back to the swing arm.

I like to have the unit where I want it  - which I can with the float. With the swing arm I'm straddled to the hole. If I hook into a descent fish I can grab the cable or float and get it out of the hole easier before the line wraps around the cable. When hole hopping I lay the unit and transducer on my sled seat. When I get to a new hole I can drop the ducer in the hole and get a quick reading.
It will boil down to personal preferance and the way I have my LX-5 set up is mine ! 

[oldfox]

By moving the unit bracket rearward it allowed more room for the transducer and more room in general. I took the float off of my FL-18 and put it on. Removed the swing arm (1 nut/bolt) and the float fit in like a glove (sideways). I tried it for a few outings and prefer it. If I didn't it was simply a matter of 1 bolt and nut to go back to the swing arm.

I like to have the unit where I want it  - which I can with the float. With the swing arm I'm straddled to the hole. If I hook into a descent fish I can grab the cable or float and get it out of the hole easier before the line wraps around the cable. When hole hopping I lay the unit and transducer on my sled seat. When I get to a new hole I can drop the ducer in the hole and get a quick reading.
It will boil down to personal preferance and the way I have my LX-5 set up is mine ! 
Without the swing arm, how do you keep the cord and transducer away from the edge of the ice?...with the arm and less than a foot of ice, you need to only keep the transducer submersed...at least this is my understanding?

[LoneWolf]

That is what they say but I like to keep it near the bottom of the hole. Think about it ... the signal is going out in roughly a funnel shape (upside down). Granted it might not affect you in 1 foot of ice but when you're upstate NY or in Maine and you have 2 feet or more of ice I think the readings would be affected.

I've accustomed myself to keeping it at the bottom of the hole. Now if there is 1 foot of ice I simply have the stopper set so the transducer is at 1 foot. The float is roughly 6" and the ducer roughly 3". If I set it tight against the transducer I'm alright in 9" of ice. Lately I've been on 5-6" of ice and it will hang below the hole but that's the price I pay. As soon as I set the hook the transducer is out of the hole. 

As for the transducer and cable near the edge of the ice ? The float works as a cushion for the cable and the float thickness keeps the transducer away from the ice. The cable coming out the top I have looped around the knobs for the head tilt and this keeps all cable off the ice.

Again it's personal preferance !! 

[DeepcreekIcer]

1

[oldfox]

That is what they say but I like to keep it near the bottom of the hole. Think about it ... the signal is going out in roughly a funnel shape (upside down). Granted it might not affect you in 1 foot of ice but when you're upstate NY or in Maine and you have 2 feet or more of ice I think the readings would be affected.

I've accustomed myself to keeping it at the bottom of the hole. Now if there is 1 foot of ice I simply have the stopper set so the transducer is at 1 foot. The float is roughly 6" and the ducer roughly 3". If I set it tight against the transducer I'm alright in 9" of ice. Lately I've been on 5-6" of ice and it will hang below the hole but that's the price I pay. As soon as I set the hook the transducer is out of the hole. 

As for the transducer and line near the edge of the ice ? The float works as a cushion for the line and the float thickness keeps the transducer away from the ice. The line coming out the top I have looped around the knobs for the head tilt and this keeps all line off the ice.

Again it's personal preferance !! 

Ok LW...gotcha's now....sounds like a good idea...thanks for the clarification..

[LoneWolf]

No problem. 

[Jack Magnum]

I love when the big brown truck pulls in my driveway.  He just dropped off my new LX5 hat from Marcum.   I'd rather have ice though instead of the hat.

Just got my LX5 yesterday and found a card for the free hat----Free hat but they want 6.50 for shipping !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think I'll buy a few jigs for the 6.50 instead

[cstolp]

Just got my LX5 yesterday and found a card for the free hat----Free hat but they want 6.50 for shipping !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think I'll buy a few jigs for the 6.50 instead

I got my lx5 for free but the stinkin box cost me 479.99.

[Jack Magnum]

That does stink.  Wouldn't you think if you spend that kind of cash, they would throw in a FREE hat? 

Yep !!!!! They should throw the hat in and maybe that would have helped justify the cost to my wife and she could be more excited about the purchase;D . I am new to locators and my friends have the vexs. but after reading the posts about Marcum and talking with Lone Wolf I decided on the LX5. All I can say is ,If the clearity and detail is like in the sim. mode I will be really happy. I might be able to try it out Fri. Oh !!!! Do you guys turn your units off when going from hole to hole or just leave them on ??
                     Jack

[cstolp]

Do you guys turn your units off when going from hole to hole or just leave them on ??

I leave mine on.  It dosen't hurt a thing.  Oh and the real thing is better than the sim.  Except you won't necessarily have fish riseing to your jig right away and it won't beep when they do.