If you have been searching for a state of the art unit that can eliminate virtually any “threat” to your spotless driving record, the good news, everybody: the Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector is just the tool for the job.
The Escort Passport 9500IX is the most highly acclaimed radar detection unit in the free world at this point.
The direct consequence to this paradigm is that you, as a cautious driver, require a radar detector that can adapt to all potential threats, irrespective of their nature. And so, the Passport 9500IX model came to be.
Contents
Main Features
- The TrueLock filtering system allows you to record/dissociate between the false positives and real threats with ease.
- The AutoLearn capabilities automatically catalogues signals as false after encountering them the third time.
- You can turn the AutoLearn system on/off or you can simply unlock certain frequencies that have been erroneously marked as non-threats.
- The Escort radar detector integrates a GPS to account for the speed traps (magnetic strips, induction loops, short-range laser cameras, etc.) that the device would not be able to detect otherwise.
- The static threat database is very extensive and the information it integrates can be updated by subscribing to the manufacturer’s website.
- The Variable Speed Sensitivity implemented on the Escort 9500IX series allows the unit to self-adjust the wavelength sensors in accordance to the location and your current speed.
- The audio alerts are different for every type of bandwidth detected (K, X, Ka, etc.) for better recognition of the potential traps.
- Turning on the AutoMute option will determine the device to reduce the volume of the alert after the first notification to the level specified by the user.
- The Escort Passport 9500IX audio notifications can also be adjusted manually via the SmartCord.
- The SmartCord is affixed with its individual LEDs that can be utilized as an alternative alert method when in “Dark” mode.
- The Escort 9500IX radar detector can be attached to the windshield via the suction cups of the mounting bracket.
- This unit has 360 degree sensors capable of picking up laser beams in a timely manner, regardless of their emitting point.
- The radar detector measures 5.4 inches in length, 1.4 inches in height and 2.9 inches in width.
- The package contains the unit, the smart cord, the fast reference card and the user’s manual.
- Escort provides 1 year of warranty for the laser detector during which they will repair/replace any potential faults at their expense.
Pros:
Where to start? There are just so many cool things about the Escort 9500ix radar detector that talking about the advantages of the unit would simply mean relisting the array of features!
First of all, you have to remember that most expert review websites have voted the Passport 9500IX as the single most powerful windshield-mounted radar detection unit at this point, with the Beltronics GX65 cutting a close second. Side by side tests have shown that the 9500IX is able to alert the driver of – real – threats at least one second before the GX65, irrespective of their nature.
At the same time, since we are comparing the two most outstanding radar detector units, while both have the GPS to aid the sensors in discovering all categories of speed traps, the Passport 9500IX incorporates a feature (AutoLearn) that automatically catalogues a threat as fake once you pass by it a third time.
Granted, some reviewers have argues that this is not all that useful since manually updating a non-threat only implies tapping a button three times, but it’s still nice to have when you simply don’t have time to do it.
The SmartCord is also a neat addition to the bundle of features, as it can fulfill several roles from providing control over the sound alerts to replacing the LED display of the detector for more stealth.
Furthermore, since Escort is constantly updating the database of static speed trap locations and the GPS alerts you of their proximity, this model represents the “gap filler” and bypasses the inherent vulnerability of radar detectors to POP, short-range fixed LIDAR, red light cameras and magnetic road strips. To put it simply, if the sensors fail to warn you in time, the GPS has you covered.
Cons
The price of the Escort 9500IX may not be low, but it’s definitely worth every penny.
Conclusion
A high end radar detection unit affixed with GPS sensors that can draw alerts from an extensive database, the Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector model represents the best thing money can buy.
If you have any “speed enthusiastic” friends that always get themselves into trouble and their birthday is coming up, then you might want to keep this device in mind. However, you probably should get a few other people to chip in as well. And, if price is not an object, the Escort RedLine model is also worth checking out.
