Sounder Reviews

[krill]

Fish finding not that important (do any of those really work well anyway?)

A good sounder will absolutely detect individual fish.

[cut_loose]

I Have A Lowrance x50 ds sounder

Colour/Grey Scale? Gray Tone

Pixels? 240 x 240

Power output? Not Sure

Screen size? 4" LCD

Unit size? About 5"

Water temp display? Yes

Speed display? No

Warranty? Yes, 12 Months I Think

What did you pay for it? $270

Value for Money? Yes

Easy to use? Yes

In your opinion, does it find fish accurately? Yes

In your opinion, does it find bait balls accurately? Not Sure Never Use It For That

In your opinion, does it read the bottom accurately? Yes

Any extras worth mentioning?

What are you able to do with your sounder? See Depth, Read Bottom Clear, See What The Water Temp Is, Read Battery Power, I Sure There Is More

What can't you do with your sounder? Not Sure, Can Not Read The Speed The Boat Is Going

Your (personal opinion) rating out of 10 overall? 7

Edited May 5, 2008 by cut_loose

[Methodman]

Furuno 620

Good price: around $1100 - $1200

Colour

Easy to use.

Accurate

Easy to mount

Not bad unit for a cheap game fishing sounder.

[bluefin]

FCV-585: 8.4" Digital Colour Sounder

FCV-585:8.4 Inch Digital Colour Sounder

Click for a larger view

The FCV-585 is an award winning dual frequency (50 kHz and 200 kHz) Colour LCD Sounder featuring Furuno's DSP technology. The FCV-585 displays underwater conditions in 8, 16 or 64 colors on a super-bright 8.4" LCD screen.

You've probably heard about digital fish finders, but aren't quite sure what the difference is. The main difference is the filtering capabilities and auto adjustments. Our new FDF (Furuno Digital Filter) technology helps adjust gain, STC "Clutter" and output power, as well as suppress main bang (the echoes just below the transducer.) It also makes the picture clearer and easier to decipher. But even the best digital filter won't help unless you start with a solid basis, such as Furuno's renowned fish finder technology.

The FCV-585's waterproof construction allows it to be installed on any bridge. Audio and visual alarms alert you whenever preset limits are met for water depth, water temperature and fish echoes. Selectable display modes include High or Low Frequency, Dual Frequency, Zoom, Nav Data, A-Scope, Marker Zoom, Bottom Zoom or Bottom-Lock. Furuno's TLL (Target Lat/Lon) output allows you to interface the FCV-585 with your Furuno chart plotter so you can mark any spot you desire and save it as a waypoint, enabling you to return to it whenever you desire.

OK thats the word from Furuno, Whats it REALY like?

Had a play with one today, have been using a Lowrance 125cdf for the past 2 years so i have what is regarded as a top sounder to compare it to.

PRICE It is double the Lowrance at $2099 !!!!!!!

What do I like ? Screen clarity is amazing, Lowrance show the bait balls, and if you look closely you can make out the predators, This Furuno has them jumping out and biting you!!!!! There is no clutter as with Lowrance, just a clear picture! And perfect arches from the big boys!

The ease with which you can change between 50 and 200 hz,Dual Frequency, Zoom, Bottom Zoom or Bottom-Lock is great, just twist a well marked dial.

The hi resolution 50 hz has an 11 degree angle and the 200 a 45 degree.

The transducer I used today was angled forward too much and would not pick up the return signal at speed on the hi resolution but did work on the low res due to the greater beam angle easy fixed by removing the suggested wedge and mounting it flatter so the tranny is flat to the hull. I hope!!!

Bottom-lock flattens out the bottom image in a swell so you don't have all the ups and downs on the screen, just a flat bottom, makes it easier to read.

Dislikes, none yet, but the unit IS big ! This one was mounted next to the steering wheel, because it blocked out too much of your view if mounted on the top!

Is it worth it? Probably, if you can justify the cost, It's BRILLIANT.

There is so much more to this unit , I have only used the basics!

Howard.

[Alby]

Just upgraded my Lowrance X51 to a Lowance HDS 5. Weather has been crap so have not been able to give it a good workout yet but the clarity is amazing.

Had a fish on my usual grounds and feel like I have a new set of glasses on. I am able to see so much more detail it feels like I am about to rediscover a whole new fishing area again.

I purchased the combo unit even though I wasn't in the market for a GPS but the price difference extra was'n't enough not to go that way and figure will be handy as a backup GPS anyway.

Have yet to fiddle with all the options in detail but in its out of the box plug in and go format it is brilliant.

Very impressed.

[Catcher cold]

Anyone have an Eagle Fisheasy 350C at all ?

If you do, what is it like?

Are you happy with it ?

[idolz]

...

i have a Garmin 550s sounder it works great, has GPS and it is upgradeable throught the garmin website, cos me about $1250 plus $400 ish for the fancy SD card that gives you many more features( i wouldnt have bought the card if i knew whet it actually did) is a good sounder.... im sure that there are many more sounders out there for a similar price that are better

[SNAP-ER]

Ive got the Furuno FCV-620 worth every cent i paid for it.

LOVE IT and has changed my results dramatically

[wrxhoon1]

FCV-585: 8.4" Digital Colour Sounder

FCV-585:8.4 Inch Digital Colour Sounder

Click for a larger view

The FCV-585 is an award winning dual frequency (50 kHz and 200 kHz) Colour LCD Sounder featuring Furuno's DSP technology. The FCV-585 displays underwater conditions in 8, 16 or 64 colors on a super-bright 8.4" LCD screen.

You've probably heard about digital fish finders, but aren't quite sure what the difference is. The main difference is the filtering capabilities and auto adjustments. Our new FDF (Furuno Digital Filter) technology helps adjust gain, STC "Clutter" and output power, as well as suppress main bang (the echoes just below the transducer.) It also makes the picture clearer and easier to decipher. But even the best digital filter won't help unless you start with a solid basis, such as Furuno's renowned fish finder technology.

The FCV-585's waterproof construction allows it to be installed on any bridge. Audio and visual alarms alert you whenever preset limits are met for water depth, water temperature and fish echoes. Selectable display modes include High or Low Frequency, Dual Frequency, Zoom, Nav Data, A-Scope, Marker Zoom, Bottom Zoom or Bottom-Lock. Furuno's TLL (Target Lat/Lon) output allows you to interface the FCV-585 with your Furuno chart plotter so you can mark any spot you desire and save it as a waypoint, enabling you to return to it whenever you desire.

OK thats the word from Furuno, Whats it REALY like?

Had a play with one today, have been using a Lowrance 125cdf for the past 2 years so i have what is regarded as a top sounder to compare it to.

PRICE It is double the Lowrance at $2099 !!!!!!!

What do I like ? Screen clarity is amazing, Lowrance show the bait balls, and if you look closely you can make out the predators, This Furuno has them jumping out and biting you!!!!! There is no clutter as with Lowrance, just a clear picture! And perfect arches from the big boys!

The ease with which you can change between 50 and 200 hz,Dual Frequency, Zoom, Bottom Zoom or Bottom-Lock is great, just twist a well marked dial.

The hi resolution 50 hz has an 11 degree angle and the 200 a 45 degree.

The transducer I used today was angled forward too much and would not pick up the return signal at speed on the hi resolution but did work on the low res due to the greater beam angle easy fixed by removing the suggested wedge and mounting it flatter so the tranny is flat to the hull. I hope!!!

Bottom-lock flattens out the bottom image in a swell so you don't have all the ups and downs on the screen, just a flat bottom, makes it easier to read.

Dislikes, none yet, but the unit IS big ! This one was mounted next to the steering wheel, because it blocked out too much of your view if mounted on the top!

Is it worth it? Probably, if you can justify the cost, It's BRILLIANT.

There is so much more to this unit , I have only used the basics!

Howard.

What transducer are you using ? Are you still happy with it?

[helliconia]

I got a Humminbird 587cxi Chartplotter/Fishfinder Combo as an upgrade on the new boat.

Display

* 4.5" diagonal

* 320V x 240H

* 256 Colour display

Memory

* Waypoints: 3,000

* Routes: 50

* Tracks: 50 w/ 20,000 points each

Sonar

Dual Beam

* 200 kHz / 20° @ -10db

* 83 kHz / 60° @ -10db

Power Output

* 300 Watts (RMS)

* 2400 Watts (Peak-to-Peak)

GPS Features

* 50Channel GPS

* Chartplotting

* Humminbird UniMap

* Internal GPS antennae

What did you pay for it - $800

Value for Money - Yes

Easy to use- Yes

In your opinion, does it find fish accurately - Yes

In your opinion, does it some bait balls accurately - Yes

In your opinion, does it read the bottom accurately -Yes

Any extras worth mentioning? Takes Navionics Gold Charts - haven't got them yet.

What are you able to do with your sounder - Logs trips, shows tracks (handy when channels aren't marked and you want to retrace your course), has tons of icons for marks such as fish, ramps, marinas, wrecks etc, and allows them to be renamed, fish alarm can be set to anything, medium/large or large, display can be customised to show speed (knots, mph, kph), temp, depth and others, easy to use and has a few views to chose from.

What can't you do with your sounder - actually catch fish I see on it! (starting to believe it lies!)

Your (personal opinion) rating out of 10 overall - 8 - unimap is pretty basic but I have to save for the Gold Chart. Takes a few minutes for the GPS to grab a signal and place your location when you first switch it on.

[bluefin]

This must be a record, 9 months to reply to a post. Sorry Bream.

Am using the 600 watt, yes I a happy overall. The screen fogs a little some days and I have trouble telling what the bottom is made of in 30+ meters of water.

Howard.

Edited December 31, 2010 by bluefin

[Marlin01]

Furuno FCV-620

Used in 350-480m last weekend where it marked fish and bottom very well reading to 160m at 22knts after a little tweaking. Very Happy

Also have a Raymarine A70D which is my primary Plotter (very good resolution) and secondary sounder, pales by comparison as a sounder.Also very happy

Just upgraded to FCV585. These units are incredible for a 600w transducer in deep water. Getting a great picture of the bottom at 22knts (fast cruise) in up to 160mts. Easy to use and becoming very cheap to buy.

Cheers

Dave

Edited March 8, 2012 by Marlin01

[stevo-72]

I have the LOWRANCE HDS 10 GEN 1 and cant get it to read past 300 meters, up graded the software from lowrance site didnt help, the worst part is that it locks up and dosnt do anything...like it gets lost. When crossing back over the to shallower water it finds itself and is ok again. Im really not happy with it being a true BLUE water sounder, starting to think it really belongs in a BASS lake back in the USA.

[livewire]

hello mate.... i bought the same unit and not happy with it as it freezes when it feels like it..even if you pickup a bit of speed...

I haven't tried that depth yet, have done the upgrade also. So lowered the tranducer hopefully that might do something...

Edited July 9, 2012 by livewire

[stevo-72]

hello mate.... i bought the same unit and not happy with it as it freezes when it feels like it..even if you pickup a bit of speed...

I haven't tried that depth yet, have done the upgrade also. So lowered the tranducer hopefully that might do something...

Ill have my fingers crossed for you as im out of options on how to get it working in some sort of decent depth...Im going to reset the system on it tommorow and see how i go. if its still shithouse i have to send it back to the dealer and let them deal with it, will probably buy a cheap $150 sounder for the meantime and i know of one what works.

[Cannon85]

Ill have my fingers crossed for you as im out of options on how to get it working in some sort of decent depth...Im going to reset the system on it tommorow and see how i go. if its still shithouse i have to send it back to the dealer and let them deal with it, will probably buy a cheap $150 sounder for the meantime and i know of one what works.

hey stevo

im just about to invest in one of these units myself have you resolved the issue?

what transducer do you have fitted? the 1kw? i think it is meant to be able to do 500m+ if not i might have to re-think my choice.

let us know how you go mate

[piratesgold]

I am offered a furuno fcv 620 for 600 bucks, but whilst this is a good sounder, it is only a sounder/fishfinder. What else would 'raiders' recommend for 600 bucks-ish, that would give plotter GPS facilities as well as a good sounder (Max 750)

[a boat]

Hi, simple answer is nothing. For $600-$750 you are going to only get basic small screen combos with limited pixels and abiltity. If I was in your shoes, I would grab that FCV-620 for $600, if new, and that will be far superior to any combo unit upto a couple of grand. Then save your pennies and buy a stand alone mapping unit that will give you both with good size screens for both. Or for about $300 you can just get a stand alone GPS/Plotter, but they have no maps. If you are stuck for room and have to have a combo, then as I have said before the best value for money is the GME Combo that gives the biggest / best screen or the best bang for your buck. There are better combo units on the market but if price is the factor it is hard to go past the GME.

Cheers,

Huey.

[piratesgold]

Thanks Huey, I actually managed to haggle down to $350, 2 years old, and from a known reputable person, a steal at that price, that made up my mind as i have now have a good sounder and as you say i can get a gps/plotter to add to it as i can afford it. combos save space and clutter but singles give a better choice. i was in the industry 30 years ago in marine electronics for commercial vessels, mainly kelvin hughes, atlas, furuno, decca, ferrograph. (MS44 was a brute of a sounder, 3kw, depth in Kms). got a lot of catching up to do but essentially not a lot of change except the price, size, interfaceing and a screen instead of scorched paper and a smell of ozone.

[a boat]

Hi Mate, good haggling and that is a top shelf sounder and yes save your pennines and get a mapping unit to go with it. Yes hard to think how far electronics have come in even five years let alone 30 years and yes the old "paper" fishfinders were something else.

Cheers,

Huey.

[Serena]

Hey marlin01 and bluefin

I have also for the 585 and I absolutely love it.

Do you boys get arces on your screen when marking big fish?

[Marlin01]

Bluefin, I don't get arches so much but big fish like Mackeral and marlin are quite distinct soundings, sort of tapered each end with marlin tails sometimes showing up like tails on the end.

You'll know them when you see them.

Marlin01

[Serena]

Marlin01

Thanks for that. I'm getting long tube shapes. Sort of like jelly beans. Just wasn't sure if those units showed arces.