Pros: Good Radar/Laser Detector if stealth not needed in your area (like VA or DC).
Cons: Doesn't Protect from Upgraded VG-2 & any Spectre RDD. RDD Stealth poor in VA/DC.
The Bottom Line: Decent unit with easy basic operation & standard features if protection from RDD detection isn't needed. Otherwise, newer models & brands provide much better stealth protection.
kc4zyp's Full Review: Cobra Electronics ESD 6050 Radar Detector
Generally good radar & laser detector. Radar drones on bridges and construction signs still set off alarm. Unit good if stealth from police such as in VA and DC isn't needed. Reasons I say this: I managed to get out of two non-moving violations for illegal radar detector in VA. The second time I used the Cobra ESD 6050 and I barely got out of the conviction, but still had to pay the fine (with no court costs) to make the prosecutor happy (local black mail out of town thing). When I asked state trooper if he detected my Cobra with a Spectre Radar Detector Detector (RDD), he said no, but said he wished he had one. He said he only had a VG-2 RDD when his unit detected my Cobra ESD 6050. State trooper didn't say or not if his VG-2 was upgraded or not. Either way, this unit of mine was detected by a VG-2. Owner's manual says unit is undetectable by VG-2, but it is now detectable. So, beware!
By the way, according to Radar Roy at radarbusters, only the new Beltronics STI Driver (expensive too. about $450) can defect and not be detected by any all RDD including upgraded VG-2's, VG-4's and Spectre I-III. It's well shielded and filtered. Even then, you'd need to hide it from view.
As for my Cobra ESD 6050 being spotted, if I can detect and react to what is obviously an alert to police radar first, and turn off my Cobra ESD 6050 before any possible VG-2, VG-4 or Spectre can detect me, then I'm ok. You can't detect a turned off radar detector. That happened tonight in fact. Did he have a VG-2, VG-4 or Spectre? I don't know! If he had any of these, I turned off my Cobra ESD 6050 before he could detect me. I was traveling alone in that area too. This assumes the police radar is putting out a stronger RF signal for me to detect first with a radar detector, then a weaker RF signal leaking from the radar detector's oscillator that a RDD could detect (but later with enough time for me to turn my unit off before it's detection).
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