New Lowrance Icefishing Fishfinder - "The Ice Machine"

[southernman]

[url "http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/X67C_ice.asp"]http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/X67C_ice.asp[/url]

[url "http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/M68CSMap_ice.asp"]http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/M68CSMap_ice.asp[/url]

heres 2 New Lowrance Icefishing Fishfinders - dubbed "The Ice Machine"



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It is too bad it only runs 800 watts.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]When I was looking for conversion options for my X98df, I was talking to the guys in technical support for Lowrance. He was raving about their new ice transducer and it's superoir sensitivity and how I could, through some modifying, adapt the ice transducer to an X98 plug and it would work on my sonar. He was also pretty high on the ice machine as well. He could not say enough about what a nice unit it was. [/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I realize it is color and looks pretty well thought out but at $400, it seems pretty steep for 800 watts! Also after seeing Vexilar's transducer set up with the float, I think that I like the Vexilar set up for transducers better than the method Lowrance went with. They've got both units side by side at Sportsman's.[/size][/font]
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[Fishrmn]

I'm a big fan of Lowrance, but I will have to wait on this one to see if it really is a good item. When I bought my first LCD, the X40, it was to replace a flasher. It had 1500 watts, and didn't compare to a flasher. I traded it for the X50, and I've never wanted a flasher since. I've always wondered if the problem with the 1500 watt units was lack of power, lack of computer capabilities, or transducer related. Maybe the X67 will do everything that the average icefisherman could want.

I was going to get the X98df from Sportsmans'. I gave them the cash, and they ordered one for me. Then they called me to say that they couldn't get one. They were out of stock, and out of production. Lowrance is coming out with the replacement for it after only one year of production. If there is one thing I hate about electronic equipment it's that they come out with a new and improved version every other year or so. Now if they will just hurry and get the X136df in stock.

Fishrmn

[Gumbo]

If you believe that mo' watts is mo' better, then you're falling for the marketing hype these companies pump out. The fact of the matter is that increased wattage actually has a negative impact on the fish below getting pounded, but it sure looks good on a comparison sheet! Whatever sells units, I guess. It's also relatively cheap to produce high watt transducers, while it's expensive to produce more sensitive receivers. So perpetuating the wattage myth actually increases their profit margins.

Quality graphs include quality receivers and allocate wattage judiciously.

[Fishrmn]

If you're falling for the idea that less is more you're the one falling for a company's hype. Sonar signals are inaudible. Period. They are not detectable to fish. I've been over this and over this and over this on another site. Would a blind man complain that the lights are too bright? No, because he can't see them. Would a deaf man complain that your stereo was too loud? No, because he can't hear it. Will fish complain that the power of your fishfinder is too high? No, because they can't hear it. Would you know if someone were looking at you with nightvision goggles? No, because you cannot see int the infrared spectrum of light. And the sonar signal is not in the audible spectrum of sound.

Lowrance still makes a flasher that is only 150 watts peak to peak. They make LCD units up to 8,000 watts. They have been in the business for 46 years. I think that they are the experts on this subject.

Fishrmn

[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]The fish are pounded with what? Sonar pings? Show me the data you are quoting your facts from . The only thing I've seen is better performance with high powered units. I'll put any of my overpowered unit's sensitivity against ANY lower wattage unit. There is no comparision. The high end, high power units rock in EVERY category. Plus the software has better options and control. [/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I spend most of my time vertical jigging. If there was a negative impact from too much power would the fish come under a stationary boat pinging out 3000, 4000, or even 7000 watts if it caused a negative impact on them? As sensitive as a fish's sensory system is, they'd stay away if what you are saying is true. I'v got 100's of hours of vertical jigging experience that says contrary.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]How sensitive do you want to get? On both my LMS350A and the X98df you can see the swivel plain as day at over 150 ft depth. How much more do you want? I believe the technology can get better and that some day lower powered units will have as good of sensitivity as today's high powered units but not at this time.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]If you like the lower powered units then go for them but as for me, I'm buying the most powerful, high end sonar I can possibly afford. There is are significant differences. Like I've always said and I'll say it again. The man with the most power wins![/size][/font]
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[Fishrmn]

BLM,

You're being humble here. You've got thousands of hours of vertical jigging below a high powered sonar under your belt, not just hundreds. Me too. And like you, I've never seen anything but positive results from using the unit with the most power and resolution.

Gumbo,

If you were to walk or drive by the antenna for KSL radio, cranking out 50,000 watts of power would you be able to hear the radio signal without a radio? Can you see the UV rays that cause sunburn? Can you hear microwaves? No. No. And no. And fish can't hear sonar either.

Vexilar is selling 45 year old technology at the same price as the latest sonar units on the market. They can't match the sophistication, so they make huge claims that the fewer watts the better the fishfinder. And they added two more colored diodes. Whoopee. And yet Lowrance still makes a flasher with 150 watts versus the Vexilar at 400. Lowrance doesn't even market their flasher to fishermen, they put it in waterskiing boats as a cheap (inexpensive) depthfinder so the boaters don't ruin their propellers.

And Genetron makes a 15 watt unit. But the mighty Vexilars are running at almost 27 times as much power while making claims that less is more.

I've owned two flashers. They were different models of the same Lowrance unit. One was a gimbal mount, and the other one was a portable and ran on two 6 volt lantern batteries in series. I've fished side by side with a Vexilar fl8. The lower powered LCD units that I've seen don't compare to a flasher. I'll give you that a Vexilar is better than ANY 1500 watt or less LCD that I've seen in use. But the Vexilar cannot comare with any of the LCD fishfinders that run at least 3,000 watts that I've seen. Vexilars cost more than any 1500 watt LCD fishfinder that I've seen as well. I make a point out of checking out what is out there too. I've seen Hummingbirds that couldn't see a 1/2 ounce jig and a 3 inch minnow at 35 feet. I've seen low power units go black when I turn on my X85. I've seen a Bottom Line LCD lie to me and tell me that the water was getting shallower as a 1/8 ounce sinker was being raised while icefishing. I'm going to spend as much or more for my X136df when I can find one than I would for a Vexilar fl18. And I could have the Vexilar sooner than I can get the X136df. So I can get the Vexilar and save money, or spend a few more bucks and get soooo much more fishfinder than a Vexilar ever will be. Guess what? There won't be a Vexilar in my future. I'm gonna get me the most power I can afford in my fishfinder.

Fishrmn
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