Read before you buy the X52 (pro)

[Funkyjazz]

Hi,

 

I just came back from a shop and tested the demo models of the X52 and the X52 pro. Read the story on the saitek forum: http://www.saitekforum.com/showthread.php?t=18457

 

Hopefully it will prevent disappointments comming home 100 to 160 euro lighter....

 

Grtz Funk

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Yes the X-52 has a little play in it. But I've had my X-52 for years with great performance and don't feel disappointed at all. Actually, in its price range their isn't a better product to be had with the feature set it has. An X-52 will kill a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro any day of the the week. It sounds like you didn't even get to test the HOTAS while actually hooked up to a PC. You can't accurately test a HOTAS if it's not even connected. And even if it was remember that it was a test/demo model that MANY different hands have touched. I think you need some more testing before you make accusations the X-52 isn't a good stick. No offense but this post as well as the Saitek forum post smells a lot like trolling...........

 

But hey to each their own as I always say but in this case you should probably keep the opinion to yourself until you get the facts straight.

[Prophet4no1]

I'v been using the X line since teh X36. They have been great for me. I admit, I liked my X45 better than the X52. But it died and I had to get a new one.

[joey45]

need to register...

[Pilotasso]

Yes X52 has center play but so does the G940, cougar and many others. You may want the upcoming X65F or the HOTAS warthog.

 

X52 is still good though.The pro version should be better.

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Taken from his post at the Saitek Forum:

 

Dear all,

 

Sorry for my bad english. I did my best.

 

Ive got a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. This unit is 5 years old and i was looking for a decent replacement.

While im flying Lock On Flamming Cliffs i was attracted to the Saitek X52 serie. Reading all negative threats about the X52 and the X52 Pro made me some kind of "nervous". 120 euro's for the X52 and 160 eruo's for the X52 Pro are tough prices.

 

I went to the Aviation Megastore in The Netherlands: http://www.aviationmegastore.com/, near Schiphol which is 20 miles from my home.

Overthere they have two demo untits, the X52 and the x52 Pro, placed on a shelf so you are able to look at them and feel them.

 

The looks are stunning! Truly said, only for the looks you want it on your desk. But then....i grasped the X52 stick and moved it around. It felt light and the movements were smooth.

But immediately i noticed something else that worried me big time. I felt a huge movement in the stick while it was centered. So i further investigated the stick.

What is did was as follows: When you look at the stick you see the base. Out of the base comes the shaft with the spring around it. Between the sping and the base is a metal ring (X52 Pro, the X52 has a plastic black "ring" underneath the spring).

I put two fingers on each side of the spring to hold tight the metal ring. In that way i fixated the shaft. Then with my other hand i grasped the top of the stick and moved it. There was

about 4mm margin in all directions while the shaft was fixated with my fingers. That means that the stick was loose on the shaft...Both units: X52 and the X52 Pro had this problem!!

 

Beside that i let go of the metal ring and again i moved the stick. There was 1 cm margin on the whole stick in all directions while it was centered. Again both units had this problem. In my opinion can only be explained due to very bad internal contruction. There must be slack between parts that result in such free movement.

in the base. But hey...this cant be normal i thought. I asked if they could open up a new unit fresh out of the box. They did, i felt again and hell yeah....same problem as the demo units!!!

 

As you can imagine, i left the aviation store with empty hands, drove to the closest PC shop i bought a new Logitech Extreme 3D Pro for 35 euro's which doen not have the margin problem. It lacks all buttons and leds

but hey...i must be very accurate aiming unguided rockets on a sam unit 4 miles away or dogfighting with the canon.

 

Im not going to say that everybody experience the same thing as i have. But its something you really should notice before you buy a X52 ot X52 Pro because its a lot of money. If you buy it in a store, let them open up the box and feel for yourself. Maybe you'll allright with it, maybe not. In the latter case you are lucky to experience it before comming home and be disappointed big time.

 

Saitek, you just lost a customer regarding the X52 and Pro.

Im still flying Fs9 with the Proflight steering wheel, rudders and two extra USB throttle quadrants. They work nice and easy but youve lost me with the X52's. It would be nice if you would respond to my experience.

 

Grtz. B.

 

-END-

 

Hitch

 

And correct me if I'm wrong but the X-52/Pro are the CHEAPEST HOTAS's you can buy that compare to the likes of CH, Thrustmaster, Logitech, or even the new SaitekX65.

Edited February 19, 2010 by HitchHikingFlatlander

[Cyb0rg]

While waiting for the X65, i'am using the x52's throttle with the Extreme3DPro (more than a year now) :music_whistling:

[Ramstein]

I have had the X52 Pro and pedals for a few years.. no problems with the X52 Pro. (pedals, they sent me a kit to install, in case the pedals went off the track internal..).

[diveplane]

x52 here , only gripe i have on my throttle control is the grip rubber is wearing off.

 

sure i could get rubber padding somewhere glue on.

[diveplane]

anyone got any suggestions on adding grip to the throttle again?

 

tape?

 

compound paint on?

[Bucic]

Can someone post a picture of how the center play looks like? A specific value in angles will be fine. Just remember to note if it's a value to one side or total (a cone angle).

[pacotito]

Eyeballing mine it's about 3° left and right down is 0° and up is 1°. Since (mine at least) tends to stick well until I put white lithium grease(not oil that will seep down) on it...a common fix for the plastic disc I set my dead zone well above the play in the stick since that jump after the disc stopped catching would throw you off. after the grease mild deadzone no problem. The tm cougar needs extensive mods this is a simple one compared to that

[Bucic]

I used X-52 Pro for a year. There is almost no center play... if you remove the whole centering mechanism

 

Re eastern ways of tearing things apart :) - the first day I got my X52 Pro I did the hall sensors mod (because some idiot at Saitek decided to use moving parts there and he didn't even know he'll get heavy non-linear characteristics - sic!). A month later or so (why so late - don't ask me...) I ripped out the whole lots-of-play-and-constant-force centering mechanism

 

 

What I got? No play (except that on the gimbal mechanism which is insolvable without replacing the whole mechanism) and variable force + no transition bump when going past the neutrum.