Is it a worthy upgrade?

paleocaver · #1 05-10-2006, 11:29 AM

I'll keep brands out of the discussion, just to keep any bias out of an answer

My current unit has 2400 W P-to-P power, 300 W RMS with

128 x 64 resolution.

I'm looking at a new one with 4000 W, 500 RMS and 640 x 320 resolution.

Just how much detail am I going to see with a new unit, if I go with that one? It's a pricey investment to me and I don't want to be disappointed.

Is it just the resolution that will make the biggest difference, or is paying for the power really worth it?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Whistler · #2 05-10-2006, 12:34 PM

That would make a huge difference in how it displays the bottom and the fish you might see. That wattage and pixelation on the new unit won't disappoint you if you're looking for more detail, that's for sure. Mine displays in 240X240 and is pretty darn good, your's will be even better. Mine also has a 3000 watt transducer, so that 4000 can't do anything but help. If it's a quality unit by a reputable manufacturer, you will like what you see with it.

trnsmsn · #3 05-10-2006, 01:01 PM

I Have A Hummingbird, Matrix 27, With The Same Specs. That You Are Looking To Upgrade To.

I like Mine, It Just has One "Quirp". That Is When You Are Underway, It Tells You That You Are In 1,000' Of Water & That There Are Millions Of Fish(I Wished). The Thing Is That When You Slow Back Up, You Have To "Reboot" The Machine In Order To Get Things Back To Normal.

Elliot

Greg Walters · #4 05-22-2006, 04:15 PM

Scott,

Having a more powerful transmitter in a sonar unit will only help to a point. The power rating advertised is normally the maximum power – which is not always used when in shallow water. So to me things like vertical pixel count, viewability, and sonar beam width would be more of a factor in choosing a new sonar unit.

Elliot,

Sounds like you may be getting air under the transducer when you get underway. Adjusting the transducer or mounting it in another location may help. I would also update the software in your Matrix 27 as it should ‘recover’ when you slow back down. Let me know if I can help.

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com