<< I know of some very competitive people that use 'price' servos, how bad can they be?>> My post had nothing to do with price servos being 'bad'. My point was that those servos recognized as being the 'best' and felt to be expensive have earned their reputation and their components justify their price, their performance justifies their value. Its not WHO uses what, it is the product that proves it's value. For instance I use all brands of servos, because I like to know what the differences are. The casual comment that of a previous post stating that the consensus of replies all agreed that the price servos were as good as the 'expensive' servos is reckless BUT it proves that if we try hard enough sooner or latter we will get the answer we are looking for. None of the 'top' guys get stuff for free anymore. JW bought his current sailplane. DP builds his own most of the time. We all look at the specs, the materials the gears are made of ...and of course then the price, finally mixing it all together to determine if the value exists for our standards and application. But specs and materials can trip us up. Lets say the 'best' servo brand has these things: Metal gears High torque and cost $60 each and I have a price servo that only cost $15 each but are the same size, same speed, same torque and metal gears. Why not buy them immediately! You are hesitating aren't you? Wondering about the catch, seems too good to be true, becuase you KNOW that quality comes at a price. Well what could be wrong with them. they have everything you want right? Metal gears? Sure the best servo gears are made by leading watch manufacturer of alloys proven to maintain their shape integrity for years, and machined to exacting tolerances, with pins of spec'd hardness tolerances to avoid bowing. The cases made of heat and flex stable compounds, and wipers that are super low in drag, and electronic components that are heat stable. The $15 dollar deals? They have metal gears too but they are mass produced of the cheapest materials, with little qc, plastics for the case chosen to keep that sale price down, amp components made by companies interested in volume rather than meeting specifications. Those of us choosing the 'expensive' servos aren't rich or stupid. We have just been there and done that. Using logic that some expensive servos aren't so good and that some cheap ones work fine, just allows us to rationalize that price servos are 'good enuf' for us.... and you are right. But they aren't the same or the same value as the 'best'. Like I said, you can be happy with lead, it just won't ever be gold. Use the servos you want, and be happy, but they won't ever be the same as those recognized as the best, and the best are the best for good reasons. Company's like Hitec and FMA are constantly attempting to improve their products -- yet stay in 'price' category. My view of the 'big name brands' is that they are somewhere in the middle, with their focus on the entire group of RC users. Volz and Mpx (for example) are also constantly improving their products, and while lowering the price is always of interest, their market focus is on long term consistant performance, up to the standards of the airframes they are aimed at being used in. Again, my point was that just because price servos are work, are used by competitve flyers doesn't make them the same as those recognized as the best...and that choosing servos for your ships should be done considering value, the same way you do when you chose an airframe, or a TX. On other point. IF it weren't for those brands who have pushed the quality horizons, we would not have constant improvements in any of the price/brand's offerings. Up to a quality, within a price. Up to a quality, not down to a price. Those are the choices I see today. And that IS all I have to say about that :-) Gordy RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
