Hardware & Technical Avoid the X-56 like the plague.

Warmaster Will · Jul 7, 2016

I thought people were talking smack but the horror stories are true.
Saitek is an avoid at all costs company now.
Got a brand new x-56 today and it is bad out of the box.
The power to the throttle flickers on and off.
This is a brand new product line are you fething kidding me.

Do yourselfs a favor save an extra couple of paychecks and get a warthog.

Midian27 · Jul 7, 2016

I've been using an x55 since release. Had to replace under warranty once, it's not all that bad. Sorry about your luck.

Privata · Jul 7, 2016

I guess I am a stupid person , but I got the X52 because it looks nicer than the warthog (that to me is ulgy) and I have had no issues so far.
But then again , based on the internet I have no taste sins I like ED

Argus Leadhead · Jul 7, 2016

I had issues with the X-55 ghosting buttons and flicking off and on. Solved it by making sure it was plugged into a powered USB 3.0 plug instead of a standard 2.0 USB.

Not sure if that will fix x-56 issues as I don't have that hotas. I've heard saitek sells some lemons, but I think I was one of the lucky ones. Bought the x-55 when ED was in p.beta and aside from needing to plug it into a USB 3.0 slot, I've not had a single problem.

DefiledDragon · Jul 7, 2016

Saitek sticks used to be good if I remember correctly. Sure you haven't just been unlucky?

sbdags · Jul 7, 2016

Sounds like it could be the USB power issue - not necessarily the stick.

Ozram · Jul 7, 2016

Privata said:
I guess I am a stupid person , but I got the X52 because it looks nicer than the warthog (that to me is ulgy) and I have had no issues so far.
But then again , based on the internet I have no taste sins I like ED

From what I've read the saitek issue is not that every unit sold is bad, but rather that their build quality and QC are not very good and so every time you get a hotas from them you are taking a big gamble. I went the other rout and got myself A CH Hotas (Pro Throttle and Fighterstick) and love the setup. Of the Saitek line, I find the X52 Pro to be the prettiest and almost did get one (but didn't want to take the gamble).

Privata · Jul 7, 2016

DefiledDragon said:
Saitek sticks used to be good if I remember correctly. Sure you haven't just been unlucky?

I read somewere on the web that they were purchased by another copany and as a resault they changed some of the builds. and that there was a bad batch (not the clones , just a bad batch)

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Ozram said:
From what I've read the saitek issue is not that every unit sold is bad, but rather that their build quality and QC are not very good and so every time you get a hotas from them you are taking a big gamble. I went the other rout and got myself A CH Hotas (Pro Throttle and Fighterstick) and love the setup. Of the Saitek line, I find the X52 Pro to be the prettiest and almost did get one (but didn't want to take the gamble).

My X52 squicks from time to time but thats about it.
It feels great in the hand but I have found that the thruster is more of a ''toy'' as in combat it helps a lot , but during docking its not so good. nothing that will stop you from being good in fact on my old stick I used keyboard for thrust so yeah the X52 thrust is good , just can be a bit iffy when docking

Archvillain · Jul 7, 2016

Privata said:
I guess I am a stupid person , but I got the X52 because it looks nicer than the warthog (that to me is ulgy) and I have had no issues so far.
But then again , based on the internet I have no taste sins I like ED

Warthog stick is based on the... warthog - a 1970's airframe, so it certainly doesn't look very futuristic

so I think you're right that that's a big plus for the X52, but the real-world design of warthog does work very well (and its cold metal heft and realism makes your body believe that you're touching the control surface of an actual vehicle)

OTOH, the same way that Star Wars takes the swashbuckler/samurai movie and sets it in space, and Firefly takes the western and sets it in space, Elite takes the Golden Age of Aviation and sets it in space, so even though the art in Elite isn't retro, a lot of the technology and ship capability is, so I figure I can handwave away having an old 20th century flightstick design that way

Back on topic, y'know, even warthogs have QA issues. Flightsticks are an ugly combination of electronics, moving parts, heaps of electro-mechanicals, limited space and high mechanical stresses, so fantastic reliability presumably ain't easy. Of course it's still infuriating when you pay a ton of money and get a dud and have to waste valuable time sorting out someone else's mistake. The warranty process SHOULD be much less painful than it is, but it doesn't surprise me much that the sticks themselves are more prone to issues than many other consumer electronics. The ease of getting warranty support is what's lacking.

Ozram · Jul 7, 2016

Archvillain said:
Warthog stick is based on the... warthog - a 1970's airframe, so it certainly doesn't look very futuristic so I think you're right that that's a big plus for the X52, but the real-world design of warthog does work very well (and its cool metal heft and realism makes your body believe that you're touching the control surface of an actual vehicle)

OTOH, the same way that Star Wars takes the swashbuckler/samurai movie and sets it in space, and Firefly takes the western and sets it in space, Elite takes the Golden Age of Aviation and sets it in space, so even though the art in Elite isn't retro, a lot of the technology and ship capability is, so I figure I can handwave away having an old 20th century flightstick design that way

In the end, you'll be watching the screen (or be in VR goodness) so the look of a hotas should take second seat to the feel of the hotas!
- Confucious saying

DragoonKnight · Jul 7, 2016

DefiledDragon said:
Saitek sticks used to be good if I remember correctly. Sure you haven't just been unlucky?

That was many years ago. They have been bought out by madcatz and since then their quality has been complete crap.

Sandmann · Jul 7, 2016

Afraid I must disagree - the only thing my 2 year old X52's needed is an occasional lubrication where the plastic ring slides on the metal shaft of the stick (trombone slide lubricant works REALLY well, and no I don't play a trombone.) i also have a FLY5 that worked brilliantly until I broke one of it's buttons off (hardly Saitek's fault). I've also got a bunch of Saitek aircraft controllers (yoke, 2 throttle quadrants, rudder pedals, switches, etc) and all of them have been flawless.

Sorry you've had a bad experience with your X56 but I don't think that's enough to bag the company or it's entire range. Yes some bad ones slip through, that's what warranty's for.

Warmaster Will · Jul 7, 2016

I currently have the x-52 pro and I do like it....the throttle mouse button is starting to screw with the cursor which I hear is the beginning of the end so I upgraded (well thought I was upgrading) to the x-56. Before I send back I will make sure to try the usb 3. ...I really do want this stupid thing to work I really dug the RGB LEDs, I was even planning to by a keyboard to match.
But if still screwed it goes back and I'll try my luck on the new thrustmaster ED stick thats coming out.

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Sandmann said:
Afraid I must disagree - the only thing my 2 year old X52's needed is an occasional lubrication where the plastic ring slides on the metal shaft of the stick (trombone slide lubricant works REALLY well, and no I don't play a trombone.) i also have a FLY5 that worked brilliantly until I broke one of it's buttons off (hardly Saitek's fault). I've also got a bunch of Saitek aircraft controllers (yoke, 2 throttle quadrants, rudder pedals, switches, etc) and all of them have been flawless.

Sorry you've had a bad experience with your X56 but I don't think that's enough to bag the company or it's entire range. Yes some bad ones slip through, that's what warranty's for.

If it was just me I would agree but while I was waiting it to be delivered I read many,many similar reviews.
ya think I would of been smart enough to read them BEFORE I bought it

Sandmann · Jul 7, 2016

Warmaster Will said:
If it was just me I would agree but while I was waiting it to be delivered I read many,many similar reviews.
ya think I would of been smart enough to read them BEFORE I bought it

Sure, but how many have been sold that people are really happy with and just quietly use? I'm not say there's definitley no problem or that QA can't be improved, but until you know how many bad reviews there are VS THE TOTAL NUMBER SOLD you can't make valid assumptions.

Tarman · Jul 7, 2016

Sandmann said:
Sure, but how many have been sold that people are really happy with and just quietly use? I'm not say there's definitley no problem or that QA can't be improved, but until you know how many bad reviews there are VS THE TOTAL NUMBER SOLD you can't make valid assumptions.

You could just read the forums since you've been here alone and get a good picture of Saitek. Even people who like their X-series are savvy about the QC issues by the company in general. IF you get a good one, it'll be great; but the bad ones are REALLY bad, like throw it away or rebuild it like Steve Austin bad.

sbdags · Jul 7, 2016

Tarman said:
You could just read the forums since you've been here alone and get a good picture of Saitek. Even people who like their X-series are savvy about the QC issues by the company in general. IF you get a good one, it'll be great; but the bad ones are REALLY bad, like throw it away or rebuild it like Steve Austin bad.

Yep. I love and hate my X52-Pro. Clearly has the ability to be a great joystick but...

1. I had to add magnets to get rid of the horrible deadzone.
2. Added a drum symbol felt to stiffen spring up - default is way too sloppy
3. Removed indents in throttle so smooth range is available
4. Added silicon grease to spring disc (every 2 months) to stop stiction

The stiction is the worst. It still comes back every now and then even when greased - I have to turn the disc a few times to loosen up and get a sweet spot.

Oh and the software/drivers are a bit ropey and it doesn't work on my rear USB ports only the front USB 3 ones.

But I still love the old gal even if I do hate her sometimes.

DefiledDragon · Jul 8, 2016

Sandmann said:
(trombone slide lubricant works REALLY well, and no I don't play a trombone.)

Hang on a minute. If you don't play the trombone, how on earth did you discover trombone slide lubricant? Did you misinterpret the name?

Sandmann · Jul 8, 2016

Tarman said:
You could just read the forums since you've been here alone and get a good picture of Saitek. Even people who like their X-series are savvy about the QC issues by the company in general. IF you get a good one, it'll be great; but the bad ones are REALLY bad, like throw it away or rebuild it like Steve Austin bad.

Like I said, there may be QA issues, but since you have no way of knowing how many good ones are sold (since everyone whinges about the bad ones but noone does when it works as expected) you have no way of knowing if this is a huge problem or if they're just selling huge numbers of them and the normal percentage of flaws are showing up (remember they're not hand crafted by rolls royce, they're churned out of a factory in Guangzhou, there'll be the normal percentage of lemons). The sheer fact that there's many people using these sticks who AREN'T complaining means it's not enough reason to condemn the entire company. They are honouring warranty, arent they? And many users have reported they only have problems if plugged into an unpowered hub, right? It' s not just a simple, black and white "saitek sucks" issue. You got a bad one, take it back. If they get too many returns they'll be asking questios of their QA themselves, since every return costs them money and reputation.

MissMeYet · Jul 8, 2016

Personal experience only.

My first controller for E: D was the X-52. Before that I'd only played mouse/keyboard type games. Using the twist for rudder became ingrained.

Then I bought a Warthog. Unfortunately the "twist" muscle memory reflex remained; the joystick did not take too kindly to that.

Ultimately I bought a newer'ish Warthog and rudder pedals.

My recommendation is to buy a controller on Kijiji or ebay, see if you like it, then buy a new one if you have the cash.

Cheers

Sandmann · Jul 8, 2016

DefiledDragon said:
Hang on a minute. If you don't play the trombone, how on earth did you discover trombone slide lubricant? Did you misinterpret the name?

Hahaha no. I tried using silicon grease first (I'm a scuba instructor so I had it lieing around) but it only worked for a few hours so I googled it. Apparently trombone slide lubricant has PTF in it (the same stuff the slidey pads on the bottom of your mouse are made of) and that is perfect for lubricating the plastic & metal bits. You can get it for a couple of bucks on ebay - a tiny pot of it will last you a lifetime.