Escort Redline XR Review

How can RadarBusters save you more than $100 on your Escort Redline XR?

An Escort Redline XR is simply a stock Escort Redline that is programmed by another retail site for an whopping extra $100 and promotes as the best radar detector on the market today.

Well we don't agree with this deceptive marketing practice to extract more money from the unsuspecting consumer and here is why.

First, "custom programming" the Escort Redline does only takes 30 seconds to do and rather than charging people for this simple modification we'll show how to do in our video below.

Second, we don't agree that the Escort Redline is the absolute best overall windshield mount radar detector from Escort as we feel that the Escort Max 360 currently holds that distinction as well as the new Escort Redline EX.

Escort Redline XR Summary

The main benefits of choosing the Escort Redline XR are:

Pros:

• Extreme detection range - greater than 8-times the range of a police radar gun
• Dual front facing antenna design maximizes sensitivity to all police bands
• Stealth to all radar detector detectors (RDDs) including the Spectre III/IV
• Ability to segment the Ka-band spectrum enabling faster scanning and longer range.
• Can filter out some of the false alerts caused by the anti-collision sensors installed in new cars today
• Easy to read LED display
• Clear digital voice alerts

Cons:

• The Escort Redline XR is not as effective as the Escort Max 360 and the new Escort iX at filtering out K-band CAS systems
• Disabling TSR can lead to a significant increase in K-band false alerts from vehicle collision avoidance systems.

Conclusion:

• The Escort Redline XR is one of the best available for highway and rural driving, but not the most suited for mixed highway and city driving.

What is Ka Band Segmentation?

If you look in your manual you’ll see that by default your Escort Redline is programmed to scan the entire Ka band from 34.700 to 36.0 GHz.

Now, this is a pretty large swath of real estate for the Escort Redline to scan, which slows it down and increases the possibility of false alerts.

As a result, Escort now enables you to select the frequencies you want your Escort Redline to scan through a process called band segmentation.

By enabling this feature, your Escort Redline will have increased sensitivity and fewer false alerts to Ka-band.

The best way to determine which bands you should segment is to operate in Spec Display for a few weeks noting the exact frequencies of Ka band in your area, to avoid blocking out any older police radar guns.

Common Police Ka Band Frequencies

By segmenting your Escort Redline XR you’re enabling it to focus only on the frequencies you select and the three most commonly used within the USA are:

• MPH Industries: 33.8 GHz
• Applied Concepts: 34.7 GHz
• Kustom Signals, Decatur & McCoy: 35.5 GHz

Recommended Ka Band Segmentation Settings

There are two methods you can use to segment your Escort Redline XR: the first is done manually, by going into the advanced programming menu option of your Escort Redline XR, the second, which is the fastest and easiest way, can be accomplished by interfacing to your smart phone with the Escort Live application.

Based upon the listings of the most commonly used Ka frequencies used in the US, your settings would be:

• Ka2: 33.704 to 32.896 (33.8 turned on)
• Ka5: 34.592 to 34.808 (34.7 turned on)
• Ka8: 34.378 to 35.618 (35.5 turned on)

Stealth to all RDDs

The Escort Redline XR s undetectable by all RDDs including the Spectre, which makes the Escort Redline the model of choice if you live and/or drive in Virginia or if you’re a professional driver.

Escort Live Ready

The biggest break through this decade in the speed counter measurement community is the ability for your Escort Redline XR to share historical and real time data with accuracy, with other Escort owners in the cloud.

By interfacing the Escort Redline XR with the optional Bluetooth power cord will enable you to connect to the Escort Live! community through your iPhone and/or Android smartphone.

This enables your Escort Redline XR to:

• Alert you of real time police spotted alerts
• Alert you of real time traffic enforcement speed traps in your area
• Alert you of historical speed trap locations including aircraft enforcement locations
• Alert you of fixed photo enforcement camera locations
• Enables you to program the advanced features of your Escort Redline XR through your smart phone

Easy to Read LED Display

The Escort Redline XR has an easy to read, bright red LED display.

Additional features include:

• Bar Graph – identifying the signal strength of the threat
• SpecDisplay – identifies the actual numeric frequency of the band detected
• 5 levels of brightness including full dark mode

Clear Audible Voice Alerts

The Escort Redline XR has easy to understand voice alerts, which warns you of approaching threats, enabling you to keep your eyes on the road and not on your Escort Redline XR.

User Preferences Programming

You can access the advanced programming features of your Escort Redline XR by pressing the buttons on your Escort Redline XR enabling you to:

• Sensitivity – City, Highway, Auto, AutoNoX
• Ka band segmentation
• Display meter options
• Audible tones
• Automute – On/Off
• Voice – On/Off

Included Accessories

Your Escort Redline XR comes shipped to your door with everything you need including:

• NEW - Sticky Cup Windshield mount
• 12-volt power cable
• Carrying case

Additional Accessories

You can also accessorize your Escort Redline XR with these additional accessories

• Escort Live Power Cable
• Basic Direct wire
• SmartCord direct wire
• Dash Mount
• BlendMount mirror mount

Motorcycle Use

When accessorized with the proper motorcycle mount, external warning device, and weather protection the Escort Redline XR becomes great for your motorcycle.

External Warning Device: The Escort Redline XR does have an external earphone jack, which you can plug into your motorcycle sound system. However, we would recommend the Legal Speeding HARD system, which is a wireless heads up display.

Weather Protection: There are several websites that sell “motorcycle detector boxes,” but we don’t recommend them. Instead, go to your local CVS and buy a child’s size shower cap. It’s cheaper and will protect your Escort Redline XR just as well.

Warranty & Support

Your Escort Redline XR comes with Escort’s 1-year warranty and our 30-day no risk money back guarantee.

Also, because we have been an authorized Escort dealer since 1995, you’re pre-approved to purchase Escort’s extended 24 month extend warranty for only $29.95.

Here on RadarBusters, We have several articles in his help guide section to assist you in getting the most out of your Escort Redline XR such as: How to Maximize the Use of your Detector and Defensive Driving Tips for Radar Detector Users.

You’re welcome to contact our support directly 24/7 by using the contact form on this website or calling our toll free number during normal business hours.

Why Buy from RadarBusters?

Authorized Escort Dealer: RadarBusters has been an authorized dealer for Escort since 1995, so you can be assured that you radar detector is covered under Escort’s warranty program and pre-approved for Escort’s 24 month extended warranty program.

Real Reviews: Unlike the other review websites out there, Our founder is a retired cop and certified traffic enforcement instructor with over 40 years of experience and has his own arsenal of police traffic enforcement equipment. Luxury Automotive was so impressed with Roy’s high standards and qualifications that they dubbed him the “General Schwarzkopf of detectors”.

No Sales Tax: You will not be charged sales tax as long as your order is shipped outside of Arizona.

No Risk 30-Day money back guarantee: Don’t like your Escort Redline XR? Return it no questions asked!

Low Price Guarantee: By becoming a member of our VIP Club you will receive his 90-day price match guarantee, ensuring that you will get the best price anywhere!

Trade Up – Not In: Considering trading your old model for a new one? DON”T until you watch this video!

Support: Have a problem or concern? Then email us 24/7 and we will PERSONALLY get back with you typically within 12 hours or less!

Do you have any videos that I can watch?

Yes, our two most popular videos is our Instant On Ka-Band and our Constant On K-Band videos where we test the Passport Max2, the Redline, the Escort Passport and the Uniden LRD950.

Is the XR the Best?

Well that depends. The XR is based on Escort’s M3 dual antenna design, which makes it stealth to all RDDs including the Spectre RDD and it is best suited for highway use.

Because of this we would consider it the best if you live and/or frequently drive in Virginia where detectors are illegal, or if you’re a professional driver.

However, this Escort s not the best detector if you often drive in a city environment because of it’s filtering and because it does not have an internal GPS or photo enforcement database.

So if you drive both in the city and on the highway a better choice would the either the Escort Max 360 or the new Escort iX.

Redline vs. Valentine One, which is better?

In January of 2014 Car and Driver did a review of the Escort Max and the Valentine One and here is what they had to say about the V1:

“One annoyance is incessant false alarms—the Valentine’s filtering isn’t very effective. On our 22-mile loop, the V1 called out 53 threats in its most selective mode, which reduces but doesn’t eliminate X-band alerts. Turning off X-band is an involved process that you wouldn’t bother with on an interstate exit ramp. Determining what’s a cop and what’s not is left to the driver…”

Something else to consider is that the Valentine One is not stealth to the Spectre RDD, which is an important factor if you’re a professional driver and/or drive in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

XR vs. 9500ix, which is better?

The Passport 9500ix was one of our top picks till a few years ago, but now it’s at the bottom of the heap, here is why.

Car manufactures have begun installing adaptive cruise control sensors into their new cars, which operates on the same K-band frequency that police use.

Because older models like the Escort Passport 9500ix and the Escort Passport 8500 x50 are unable to filter out these out, causing an over abundance of false alerts.

To combat this issue Escort integrated new technology into their newer models like the Escort Max 360 and Escort iX, which is able to filter most of these out.

The result is they can detect the newer low power digital guns, while also being able to filter out most of those pesky false alerts.

Operating Bands X-band 10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz K-band 24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz Ka-band 34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz Laser 904nm, 33 MHz Bandwidth Receiver / Type Dual Antenna with Dual LNA Receiver Superheterodyne, Varactor-Tuned VCO Scanning Frequency Discriminator Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Laser Detection Quantum Limited Video Receiver Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes Display Type 280 LED Matrix/Text Bar Graph ExpertMeter SpecDisplay 3-Level Dimming, plus Dark Mode Additional Patented Technology TotalShield Technology

Programmable Features Power-On Indication Power-On Sequence Signal Strength Meter Alert Lamp Voice Alerts AutoMute Audio Tones City Mode Sensitivity Display Brightness Dark Mode Radar / Laser Bands Auto Calibration Circuitry Mute, AutoMute and SmartMute Power Requirement 12VDC, Negative Ground Escort SmartCord Included Sensitivity Control Highway, Auto and Auto NoX Compact Size 1.25" H x 3.0" W x 5.0" L