Cobra XRS 9685 Radar Detectors

 

 

 

An update to older 8000-series detectors, the Cobra XRS-9685 was billed as a tour-de-force of technology when it was released in 2005. Its ‘Superheterodyne Technology’ was designed to give it more range than all past Cobra models, and all consumer reports bear that out. The 9685’s only real flaw lies in that of all five-year-old technology: the arms-race of progress.

The 9685 works in a full 360 degrees, picking up K/Ka/Wideband Ka/X/Laser bands. Its SmartMute feature all but eliminates false alerts in dense urban areas, though usage of the city/highway toggle in such areas is still recommended.

Though it also has VG2 detection and Stealth capability, the potential buyer should be aware that its above average VG2 detection may be obsolete as most agencies no longer use it. The 9685 does have a good history of 'stealthiness', but is not recommended for professional drivers in states where radar detectors are illegal.

 

One interesting feature of the XRS is Strobe Alert, which detects at full range the flickering lights emitted by Service and emergency vehicles in the distance.

This may come of some comfort to those who regularly encounter construction zones around major cities, where traffic can go from 70 mph to zero in no time flat. In such a case, the XRS could do more than save you money; it could literally save your life.

As a whole, the Cobra XRS-9685 is a fantastic buy for the money, delivering 95% of the capability of detectors costing three times as much.

Though no longer enjoying its previous status as ‘King of Economical Detectors’ (especially in light of Cobra’s more recent offerings) it nonetheless does just what it advertises with a degree of reliability nonexistent in most new radar detectors available at the same price.