fireman rich

M11x, no questions this is the radio that you want. I am a believer that you get what you pay for! Keep in mind there are always people who do this hobby on a show string budget. Because they can not afford a top radio does not make it a bad radio or unnecessary. It simply means that they buy the cheaper models because that is what they can afford! Truth be told if everyone could afford M11x's and Exergin temp guns they would have them. There is a reason that a Ferrari cost 100K and a KIA cost 15K. It's your money, buy what you want/can afford.

rccardude04

I look at features list vs. price vs. intended use vs. availability of receivers, as well as if it's a small company that won't be around forever (Nomadio) or if it's someone who can't just leave the technology alone and functioning (Airtronics).

I had a Nomadio React for a while and it was pretty slick. Telemetry was kinda fun and the PC programmability was awesome. However, they had a terrible defect rate, receivers were impossible to get, and they stopped making hobby-level r/c stuff entirely.

After that, I decided to go with a Spektrum DX3R. Bang for the buck was great. It felt like good quality. The scroll wheel is a little awkward to use but other than that it's been great. The receivers have been pretty consistent, and there's even a couple different ones to choose from. A good, fast, expensive one for race cars, and a cheap one for stuff that just gets played with at home.

I'm not really a fan of the cheaper Spektrum systems though, with the possible exception of the DX3C. I haven't used it so I really don't have an opinion. In the $150-200 category, the Airtronics MX-3X is really solid. The Futaba 3PM-X (or whatever it's called now) has also been pretty good from what I've seen. I wouldn't touch any of the new Futaba 'sport' gear though. They use a different technology than the normal FASST for some reason. Not really sure why.

Either way, the best thing is to determine your budget and research inside the price range you're going to be looking in. The higher end radios give better features and smoother operation as well as faster response times.

-Eric

bentgear

ALL the higher end radios are great........ bottom line. For every person out there saying this radio or that one is the best there will be a line of folks saying its a POS.

Find the one with the features you like that feels the best in YOUR hands. In the long run feel is much better than status symbol of the month.

Jrwperformance

iTrader: (7)

I decided to start racing again a few months ago when we got a good place for indoor carpet racing. I went to my LHS to check out the high end radios. DX3R; cool radio...feels a little cheap and a $350 price tag. M11x was sweet, but again, a big price tag. Futaba 4PK.....same deal.
I checked out the races a few days later and there was a guy kicking ass. I checked out his gear and he was still rocking an older Futaba 3pk. All the adjustments you could ever want and built with a removable module. He said it was a PCM radio when he got it 7 or so years ago, and had upgraded to module to a newer 2.4ghz set up.
I looked the 3pk up on the auction sites and rc trader sites and found that these older radios are going for a huge chunk less than they where new (around $100). The older M11 and even the M8 are still being used and are all updated to the newest tech. I found my older 3pk and found a new module for less half the cost of the newest high end radios.
So dont think brand new is the only way to go.

1evo RRR Driver

iTrader: (11)

+1 same exact thing I experienced switching from SPEK to KO! It was hard for me to explain, but I remember telling my fellow racers "I dont kno what it is but it just feels more connected to the car"

EatYoLegs

iTrader: (1)

Does having a 250$ radio (like a Dx3r pro) make you faster than say a 150$ radio (like a mx3x)

tc5 man

Not really if your going by reaction time the Mx3x is pretty fast the Mx3x has a good feel to it in your hands pretty comfortble doesnt feel cheap ethier . It is 2.4g by the way.

Really its what feels good in your hands.

Smooth driving is what makes you fast not the radio.
There is guys with $300 radios that arent great at driving.

Torian4000

iTrader: (51)

I use one of these and love it! $180.00 bucks.



http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXRL8&P=ML

RCaddict0

iTrader: (85)

You can spend as much on a radio as your kit or get this...
http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-gt3b-carradio-lcd.html
Extra RX's
http://www.hobbypartz.com/fs-gtr3c-receiver.html
It has 10 model memory. It has all the bells and whistles aswell. I honestly dont think it can be beat for $40 shipped w/ extra RX's for under $10. I started with the $19 2ch radio, then bought a few extra RX's then bought the GTB-3 and have been running FlySky radios for about a year now. Never any problems. A few guys run with it at my local track and they are no further behind the guys with the Spektrums and Futabas

rccardude04

It can if you're good enough of a driver to take advantage of the quicker reaction time of the radio, even though if you're smooth and consistent, you should be OK getting used to a slower system.

I think the only real advantage is going to be the ability to fine-tune it better. I liked the frilly features on my old 3PJS like the th.acc where it would take the slop out of mechanical nitro linkages by advancing the servo a little bit when throttle was applied. I miss that on my DX3R but I don't race nitro any more so it doesn't really matter anyway.

ABS is useless IMHO (throttle servo killer really). The adjustments I use most on the radio is the timer (only during practice when I really figure out the track and am trying to see what lines are better), and the brake/steering rate adjustments that are located by the thumb on the transmitter. I like being able to dial brakes in/out or steering in/out while driving after changing something significant about the setup.

In short, anything more than trim, servo reversing, sub-trim, endpoints, exponential, dual rate, and model memory is just stuff that's to help sell radios (unless you really need a 3rd channel mix for brakes or mixture adjustment, or a switch to turn on/off lights, but for racing features the previous list is really all you need). For me the only exception to that is the th.acc feature on the Futaba stuff but that's even a little excessive most of the time.

-Eric

mr.gabanz

iTrader: (1)

i owned sanwa-mx3x and futaba 3pk fm n 2.4ghz module...

u can feel the different on :
1.the weight
2.quality of the radio
3.setting
4.reaction time
5.feel

people usually tend to buy a expensive radio,but they dont know how to use it 100%..am i correct?..

AreCee

iTrader: (1)

You are mostly correct.

I rank my needs as:
1. weight
2. feel
3. features
4. quality
5. speed

Currently I have three radios I like to use:
Spektrum DX3R Pro (without the drop wheel) for racing.
Futaba 4PL for Rock Crawling
Futaba/Spektrum module for back up to the above (with a rx swap for the crawlers)

JimmyG

My only need is..

end points go past 100%. some are 120%, others 150%

I race stadium, but I also race monster trucks. The extra really helps on the monster trucks.

Other than that, I really dont care what radio I have. If the vehicle is setup right, all those extras are not needed.

RETRO R/C

iTrader: (57)

I have been through a few radios over the last 10 years or so, I keep coming back to to the ones that FEEL the best in my hand after an extended practice session or final.

I most recently I have had a 3PK (LOVED IT!). I then picked up a sponsorship with Losi - so I went to Spektrum......... Unfortunately I hated the DX3R Pro transmitter "feel".

After allot of consideration, and using other peoples transmitters , I have finally settled on the Sanwa (Airtronics for you stateside guys) M11X. The main reason was that it was SUPER COMFORTABLE, felt like a 3PK but has a MUCH nicer layout for running through the menus and adjustments. I completely forget I have the transmitter in my hands sometimes as it is that comfortable - something that I did not have with the Spektrum. For something a little cheaper, but feels A W E S O M E in the hands - you have to check out the Sanwa MTx4...really nice radio. The Futaba 4PL is also very nice.

No one can tell you either way what you will most comfortable with. Be rest assured though, that if you are spending $250 or more - you will get an excellent radio - no matter the brand. Try all the radios - take the one that feels most comfortable.

Cheers

Darryn