Raymarine Digital Sounder - any opinions?

[simonfish]

Hi, am looking at the Raymarine ds600 digital sounder. Does anyone have any experience with these, are the digital sounders just a new 'fad' or do they stand up to their advertising?

cheers,

Simon

[peterbo3]

Hi Simon,
I have the 760 which is the colour model prior to the digital. Great pics & power. The digi is supposed to have better definition so get the plastic out.

[Sportfish_5]

Simon

I want one of them too and have been checking out a few US Forums to see if any negative feedback. So far not much about the new A series only late delivery problems.
If ya get one post a review later on it.

Cheers

Greg

[Smithy]

What is your budget like? I had a good play with a few units at the Sanctuary Cove boat show and settled on the JRC Plot 500F - the upgrade of the FF50. Priced around $2100. Also in contention were the Lowrance X-15 with the 1kW transducer for around $2500 and the DS600. The DS600 looked like it could do the job very well and if your budget is in its ball park go for it but if you can stretch that little extra go for the JRC. Also helps when you get someone like Jim Carlson from Trymax Marine to show you through the units. Things I liked about the JRC were Jim had some actual pictures from 330 fathoms with the unit in question so it gets down there pretty easily, he showed me how to make a whiteline so you can easily see contrasting bottom with your colours and on bottom lock mode he showed me how you look for tails which signify different bottom structure. JRC I think is bigger in screen size and similar in pixel count.