Escort 9500 IX Radar Detector Review
The new Escort 9500 ix just hit the market in the last couple months and being an owner of an Escort 8500 and then an Escort 9500i, I had to give the new Escort 9500ix a try and see what the differences are, and if they really work as described. Just so everyone understands, the Escort 9500ix has a fully integrated GPS chipset (just like the Escort 9500i). The big difference is that the 9500ix auto learns false alarms where the 9500i needs to be told that an alarm was false and then it will block the signal out the next time it is in the same area. With the 9500ix, if it sees the same signal (frequency and location) three different times, it will automatically block it out so that it will not set off the alarm again. Of course, you can also (just like the 9500i, manually block out a false alarm) and it will also keep it from triggering the alarm. The 9500ix also comes preloaded with the United States speed camera locations (pretty cool) so it will alarm you when you are approaching known speed camera. The detector can also be updated via the internet with the latest camera location database (really cool)
None of all this really matters if the darn thing does not do as advertised...So let's test it out!!!!
I mounted the 9500ix on the upper part of my front window, just to the right of the rear view mirror, using an SCP Escort Radar Detector Mount and InvisiCord. I left the Escort in my car during everyday driving for a couple weeks. There a several shopping centers in my area of travel that always set off radar detectors ( I had already blocked them out as false alarms with my 9500i) and wanted to see if the 9500ix would be able to detect them and put them on the "do not call list". After about 2-4 days, I started noticing that the false alarms were quickly disappearing. The areas that I had the most travel were getting cleaned up first and then it spread to the less traveled areas. Within a week or so, all the areas I travel within my little bubble were pretty much false alarm free (pretty amazing).
During the second week, the local law enforcement put one of those speeding signs that tells you your speed in my travel area and sure enough, set the detector right off. I thought this was a perfect test as this speeding sign was right next to a common false alarm area that used to always set my other detectors off. The Escort 9500ix pulled it off with flying colors!!! False alarms blocked out and a new threat identified immediately.
Escort 9500ix
As far as the speeding cameras, so far pretty good. I have had the detector tell me on a few occasions there is a speeding camera when there is not one anywhere to be found. But 7 out of 10 times the camera is there. Kinda makes me wonder if maybe the database that is loaded in the 9500ix is current and future camera locations. Not sure of this, but might be a plausible explanation?
Demo of the 9500IX below....
Anyway, I am really impressed with the Escort 9500ix!!! Excellent product that gets my full recommendation!! Next up will be a head to head test with the Valentine 1.
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