The numbers are in and MarCum Wins!

MarCum Technologies LX5 VS: Vexilar FL20

Receiver sensitivity :

Receiver sensitivity is the measurement of a sonar receiver’s ability to detect an input signal. This measurement tells just how small of a return signal the unit is able to pick up and display. The LX5’s receiver is more sensitive.

Measurement:

LX5- 24uV

FL20- 40uV

Receiver Gain:

Receiver gain is a measurement of the total system gain or amplification. Typically the more gain a receiver has the smaller signal it will be able to detect.

The LX5 receiver has more gain.

Measurement:

LX5- 89.77db

FL20- 70.89db

Receiver distortion:

Receiver distortion is a measurement of the sonar receiver to filter, amplify, detect, and display a return signal. A receiver with less distortion will give a more accurate display. The LX5 has less distortion.

Measurement:

LX5- less than 1%

FL20- more than 40%

Transmitter power:

Transmit power is a measurement of the output power into the transducer. This is usually defined in Watts peak to peak or Watts RMS. In the sonar world more power means a better return signal with less noise and less filtering. The LX5 has more power.

Measurement:

LX5- more than 2000 Wp-p or 300 Wrms

FL20- more than 400 Wp-p or 50Wrms

Conclusions: The LX5 surpasses the FL20 in every sonar measurement that was made. With these measurements it becomes clear that the LX5 is a superior product in respect to its receiver/transmitter design. These measurements were made on off the shelf units using an industry standard tester.

What this means to the ice fisherman is that with the LX5 you will get a clearer, less distorted picture of what’s below the transducer. We at MarCum believe that these measurements reflect what LX5 users have been seeing on the ice. The MarCum Technologies LX5 is truly the best and this can be backed up and verified by scientific measurements.

Duane Cummings

Chief Sonar Engineer

MarCum Technologies Inc.

Note: measurements were made on an EDI sonar tester.

Congratulations.. Who did this test?

Dunno DJ, gotta check it out. I heard there was a product debate at another site…

Geez, when will this madness end!!!!
There are MarCum fans and Vexilar fans, can’t we just leave it at that? I was a Vex fan but switched to MarCum and glad I did. But, this non-stop ego with sponsorships gets really old. Just my .02 from a grouchy guy waiting on ice

I saw the same debate you copied and pasted this info from. Kinda bias test considering the source.

Any idea what a ” industry standard tester” is?

I knew I loved my Marcum for a reason Am not sponsered both unit will mark fish you decide. Just like Miller or Bud

Actually, this is the kind of information I am looking for. If the tests are in fact valid, and I do not have any reason to dispute the results, it looks like Marcum will be the unit to beat. I have been looking at the SFL (Super Fine Line) feature and am intrigued by the possibilities. Eliminating the split screen is a + in my book. The proof in the pudding for me will be the IR. The one thing that gets me is interference. We are almost always with guys that use a Marcum or Vex, and close proximities cause problems. Who can be without a flasher? I am not turning mine off so my buddy can see!
So let’s bring on the ice!!!!

Mike – It’s just healthy jim jamming between competitors as long as it doesn’t get personal. Besides the fall walleye bite has been fantastic and I’m not ready for ice yet

Derek – Dude it looked like you melted down a little in there. I am gonna have to check with my engineering sources in the morning I’ll let you know. Pretty interesting stuff and I doubt Duane made this up. Now Derek you know if you pull the bulls tail your gonna get the horns. Another reason why I don’t post in there is to get away from that debate because in the past it always ended personal and some of it my doing.

Thats why I leave it over there.. Since Marcum is a IDA site sponsor, I have chosen to stay in my cage for the remainder of the ice season.

This is awlays a fun topic to debate every year during down time. Ive got my sled ready, got new line on the rods, all tackle is stocked and ready. Three new FL-20’s waiting to be abused and no sign of ice in the forcast. Might have to hit the river.

Miller or Bud ??

it’s Bud all the way

I am right there with you guys, I NEED ICE. The river is fine, but ice wins hands down for me. Bass and walleye are just fillers for the real fishing for me

Hit the river Derek now’s the time for that personal best walleye

trumar – I am a slow pitch softball player, there’s only one beer and that’s Coors Light

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We at MarCum believe that these measurements reflect what LX5 users have been seeing on the ice. The MarCum Technologies LX5 is truly the best and this can be backed up and verified by scientific measurements.

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I too would like to know the source of this. This is arbitrary until then. However in the quote above,…”We at MarCum……”.
If proven relevant, This is not being “nit picky” at all. This is the science behind why. I can take you out on the ice and show you, but I don’t have the numbers to show you why; until now. I find it fascinating as I work with these measurements quite often.

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and walleye are just fillers for the real fishing for me

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Are you feeling OK there Wats??

I take offense to the Walleye comment
Now bass on the other hand…….That makes sense

That’s my feeling too Matt. I like to quantify things by having the facts to back them up. I am big into 6 Sigma QA. Nothing separates BS from cold hard factual data.

You cant blame Duane Cummings I mean MarCum has received a pretty good beating on that site since there inception into the flasher industry. Duane set the record straight and handled it well. Sometimes going in that site is like going into a lion’s den. MarCum’s engineers are Mar-zean and -Cum mings, get it MarCum.
I think about it now and I am glad I turned the Powerstick thing down, man they wanted to take my MarCum. Over my dead body…

Tim I’m not trying to pin you in the corner here;

Are you saying that this is Duane’s research?

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I am a slow pitch softball player, there’s only one beer and that’s Coors Light

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Tim,
I thought softball players drank only free beer.

You don’t hapen to know anyone looking for a Miken Freak98 and a couple Miken Blanks do you?

Sorry to hijack the thread….

We went through similar debates years ago with Ham radio receivers. People compared “sensitivity’, gain, etc. and debated the numbers endlessly. Ultimately we found out that those numbers didn’t always translate into better receiver performance when faced with real world conditions.

The bottom line is this: If you can see tiny little jigs , baitfish, or walleyes inches from the bottom on ONE of these units but NOT the other, then you have a winner. It isn’t clear to me from those measurements that this would be the case.

My $.02

Rootski

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Miller or Bud ??

it’s Bud all the way

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Oh come on!!! It’s gotta be Leinie’s

Interesting for arguments sake, either one is going to catch you more fish (though I’ll still take a marcum anyday ).

Matt – Yes it is I added it up top…. Until Hondex, Japan refutes these facts it’s fair game in my eyes, like I said you can only pull the tail on the bull so many times…
It’s nice to see MarCum putting out the facts cause you haven’t been getting them from some staff on the other side

Anybody check out that tester Duane used? I’m lost… and this is well above my pay grade

Blue Fleck – I’ll check wit da boys and let you know…

Not to get off subject but can some one explain why we need so much power in these units when (most)not all of us fish 40 ft or less of water? I personally dont like the colors on marcum probably just takes getting used too.Die hard vex guy here.

BP – It’s all about perfectly matching your transducer and receiver, maybe I’m wrong I am no engineer. All I can tell you is the LX-5 is the best in heavy weeds and reading below the mat. I have never seen anything like it and I owned a FL-8 and FL-18. As far as the colors go for me there alot easier to discern because of MarCum’s True Color Display. While the Vexilar is a two color blended display, MarCum has three distinguishable bulbs that improve sight picture. BP – I am with guys that keep there vexes we have a few laker guys round here and they use there LX-5’s a majority of the time and when chasing lakers deep they grab there Vex. Definitely room for both and all including Nature Vision and Lowrance.

Matt, those numbers come from Testing done at MarCum. For years they have been bashed for just about everything from to much power, to poor recievers, to not having “bottom locking” or whatever. It is something new every year.

So, with the introduction of the FL-20 this year, MarCum decided to put the units to the test. The tests done, will be repeated many times. In the past MarCum has taken the high road and not released this information. However, at some point you have to stand up and tell the facts.

As for who did the testing. Duane knows more about sonar technology than most of us will if we were to all put our heads together. He is the one that designs the MarCum units. He is the guy I take my ideas to when I have a new feature I want to see is possible. He originally worked on this stuff in the military. He is extremely smart and if that is what he says the numbers are, I agree.

I would be willing to bet, if an independent lab did the testing, the results would be the same.

It is nice to know that the companies actually care about this stuff and continue to improve their products. We all benefit from this

This is just like the old Chevy/Ford truck commercials when they say their model has the most towing capacity, most horse power, best handling, etc. The funny thing is each company uses numbers to make these claims. Pick the flasher/company you trust and go with it. My choice happens to be Vexilar for several reasons.

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Pick the flasher/company you trust and go with it.

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I think that is the best advice. Do your best to educate yourself on all the products and then make a decision. I wouldn’t necessarily trust the advice from the local dealers either. I watched an employee from the local sporting goods store mis-lead a customer on a flasher last year. A lot of what he told the potential customer bordered on lies.

Read all you can, then get good solid advice from other people.

So the title of the thread is The numbers are in and MarCum Wins! and it turns out the numbers are from an in house Marcum test?

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So the title of the thread is The numbers are in and MarCum Wins! and it turns out the numbers are from an in house Marcum test?

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Yep.

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BP – I am with guys that keep there vexes we have a few laker guys round here and they use there LX-5’s a majority of the time and when chasing lakers deep they grab there Vex.

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I missed something here. If the Marcum has more power, why wouldn’t it excel in deeper water?

Sully