Buy Simucube 2 Pro o DD1/DD2?

[manuiniesta_14]

Hello, I have the Fanatec CSW V2.5 and I would like to know if it is worth changing and I will notice the change very much compared to a Direct Drive. Within the options, what do you recommend? The Fanatec DD1 or DD2 or the Simucube 2 Pro? Money doesn't matter, I prefer quality, thank you! I only have the rim of the BMW GT2 that I would sell with the base, that would not matter haha

 

[protocolgeorge]

I upgraded from the CSW 2.5 to the DD1 (PS4 Package on the PC) and I've been extreme happy with both the performance and quality, no issues and I could keep using all my wheels, and added several new ones via the Podium hub.

 

[manuiniesta_14]

I upgraded from the CSW 2.5 to the DD1 (PS4 Package on the PC) and I've been extreme happy with both the performance and quality, no issues and I could keep using all my wheels, and added several new ones via the Podium hub.

Do you think there is much difference compared to csw v2.5 to make the change? Buying time in laps or something?

 

[Motorhead68]

As often quoted direct drive won’t make you faster but the fidelity of the increased force feedback can make you more consistent - I upgraded from csw 2.5 to a dd1 ps4 some time back and have had no problems

 

[manuiniesta_14]

[QUOTE = "Motorhead68, publicación: 3333827, miembro: 412626"]
Como se cita a menudo, la transmisión directa no lo hará más rápido, pero la fidelidad de la respuesta de fuerza aumentada puede hacerlo más consistente: me actualicé de csw 2.5 a una ps4 dd1 hace algún tiempo y no he tenido problemas
[/And do you think it is worth upgrading from csw v2.5 to dd1 or in this case to simucube pro? Or is it a silly waste of money?CITAR]

 

[stigs2cousin]

As stated above:

it´s doubtfull a (much) better wheel will make you instantly faster.
Yes, you will feel a big difference.
Yes, after the swap to a Simucube2 pro i was able to keep the car at the bleeding edge of grip much more consistently.

BUT:
had I driven the same amount of time and training drills with my older T300, I´m not sure the difference would have been big.

If you just want to "buy faster laptimes" put the money in coaching.
The setup you have is perfectly capable to win a lot of races, problem is ( in most cases, in my case for sure) just the seatwarmer in front of the wheel.

BTW, I´m typing that sitting in a 4.000 Euro simulator and I´m still slow

So, do as I say and not as I did myself

Have fun Carsten

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Never understood obsession of getting "faster". Faster moving pixels on screen?
This hobby is supposed to be fun, and Direct Drive wheel boosted immersion can definitely help achieving that.

 

[Beef36]

Within the options, what do you recommend? The Fanatec DD1 or DD2 or the Simucube 2 Pro? Money doesn't matter, I prefer quality, thank you!

It partially depends if you like plug or play and just want something reliable that works out of the box, or if you like to tweak to get every ounce out of your DD.

I am a Simucube advocate and went from Simucube 1 to Simucube 2 Pro. I think they are great, however for Christmas last year I picked up a VRS DD.

VRS is bit like Leo Bodnar's SimSteering where the software is much simpler to use and it highlighted to me how I kept playing with Simucube's True Drive settings, and forever wondering if I have the best configuration.

VRS software has only a few setting options and the DD feel is excellent with minimal configuration.

It's certainly possible Simucube Pro 2 is better, but to be honest in a blind test I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Simucube 1, Simucube 2 Pro or VRS.

The proof for me is the VRS sits on my rig and the Simucube 2 Pro is sitting on the floor.

 

[stigs2cousin]

So if I can´t talk you out of it ( I´m not really trying) take Fanatecs Ecosystem into account.

When your already in and have four Fanatec wheels it´s fine, when like me you want to tinker a bit and maybe build an individual wheel for yourself Simucube will be way more verstile and in many parts cheaper.
Buying highend stuff with the SC wireless system will be Fanatec money, but a used rim with a SC" quick release for drifting will start at 100 Euros.

When I´m not completely mistaken a Fanatec wheelbase will give your FFB only when combined with a Fanatec Universal hub which is NOT 70 Euros like the SC2.


And maybe research the Fanatec quick release a bit more, theres a lot of moaning online about play and wiggling.
SC" Quick release is rocksolid AND faster than Fanatec.

Yes, Im biased since Black Friday when I ordered my SC2 pro

MFG Carsten

 

[protocolgeorge]

Do you think there is much difference compared to csw v2.5 to make the change? Buying time in laps or something?

My personal option is it was a huge upgrade...the amount of force available and overall detail was a huge leap forward. I would recommend the DD1 or DD2 to anyone looking for a reasonable priced, well supported (game profiles) and well made (I have personally had a fantastic experience with Fanatec, although I am aware some have had issues). My only real complaint is their driver release schedule (or lack there of) and still using beta drivers.

Driver performance wise, it has made me at least 2sec faster a lap, mostly due to the detail provided.

 

[TedBrosby-]

Incoming wall of text lol.

I just sold my SC2 Pro. Not because I didn't like it and not because it had problems. It was an amazing wheelbase, had zero flex issues, wireless was great (after I replaced the antenna) and it looks super clean mounted.

My "issues" were subjective:

• I have less time to spend for each racing session because I need to help take care of my infant daughter. I didn't like leaving a $1500 wheelbase sitting when I know it'll be depreciated or replaced with a newer model in two years.
• SC2 Pro isn't compatible with consoles. GIMX doesn't work on PS5.
• I know PC racing is better, but I want to play Gran Turismo 7 with a wheel
• SC wireless wheels, while better are super way more expensive in Japan because there are no local distributors so I have to pay 8-10% customs on top of shipping.

Andrew is right that a DD wheel will not necessarily make you faster, but I think that's a bit of a simplification. I also own a CSL Elite + wheelbase, owned a CS 2.5 wheelbase and a DIY SC1 before my SC2 Pro. Here's what I'll say in terms of Fanatec belt driven versus DD:

• You can feel traction loss better on a DD, so you'll recover from mistakes more consistently. Your fast laps won't be faster, but your slow laps will be faster.
• You can feel different kerbing way better, which means less chance of hitting the bump kerbs and sending your F4 flying into a wall.
• Less sacrifices in detail to keep the torque high. CSL Elite has 6 Nm of torque, but I often feel like it's more like 6.5 or so. It's definitely closer to a low end DD than it is to other belt driven wheels. However, because it's not DD, you need to sacrifice details to run it at full torque. This is because it lacks the ability to smooth details as well as a DD does. When I run it at 100% gain, kerbs feel very harsh and "grindy", like the notchiness of a G29. I have to increase smoothing filters using third party software because Fanatec CSL/CSW doesn't have the smoothing interpolation filter that the DD1/DD2 has (reconstruction filter on SC1/SC2), but when that doesn't work well, my only option is to either reduce kerbing effects or reduce torque. This is a compromise. You don't have to make the same compromise with a DD wheel. You can have your kerb and eat it too. lol

For DD1/DD2 vs SC2, here's what I'll say:

• QR included with every wheel
• You probably won't notice the difference in a blind test
• More inputs without USB cable (SC wireless still can't use analog clutch)

SC2 over DD1/DD2:

• Very smooth even with lower filter settings
• Bulletproof (not just figuratively, I'm pretty sure you can shoot it and bullets won't penetrate the servo shell)
• QR has zero flex and is cheaper than more popular QR (Q1R, XeroPlay etc)
• Windows software is very light, TD uses less memory than Fanatec/Fanalab

For me, when I have more time, I intend to buy a Podium F1 Racing Wheel (DD1 with PS4 compatibility) to replace my SC2 Pro. But not because I think it's just as good, because I don't think it is. But I think it'll be good enough, and as long as I like it and enjoy it, what's the harm?

The one thing I dislike is... why the hell doesn't it include an emergency stop? Just a simple torque cutoff one? It's like $10 to manufacture. SC2 includes one with every model.

 

[stigs2cousin]

I was a little concerned about the " always tinkering/tweaking" part two.

Well, after the first day playing around with settings i was satisfied and just driving.

Now I have two TrueDrive profiles, on for each steering wheel I´m currently using.

1. for the Sparco 310 I use with paddle shiftern for racing, moderat strength and a bit more smoothing against the torturous Bahrain curbs

2. a 350 MM OMP with high FFB and 30% friction for wrestling the Cobra through free roams to mimic "realistic" steering forces of a classic car with an heavy engine and no power steering . The same wheel on my T300 felt "dead", the 3.9 nm couldn´t overpower the leverage of the big rim.

Seldom I feel weird about something and change settings in the profile.

It´s like your seating position in a car:
The more settings you can adjust, the better the seat will fit you.
Most of the time you will not think about seat height but have fun driving.

MFG Carsten

 

[mrexcitement71]

I went from a CSW V2.5 to a DD1 , if you have the money to burn , go for it.

For me the biggest difference was the precision , easier to be precise with car placement and it felt smoother but it's definitely not 2 times better like the price , I would say the CSW V2.5 is 80 - 90% of the performance of the DD1 , it's a very good wheel base , It's the best one out there before moving to a DD wheelbase.
As far as lap times goes , it has made no difference.
So I say if you are purchasing with the impression it will improve your speed , it won't but it will feel better to use.

 

[TheNatural]

For me, when I have more time, I intend to buy a Podium F1 Racing Wheel (DD1 with PS4 compatibility) to replace my SC2 Pro. But not because I think it's just as good, because I don't think it is. But I think it'll be good enough, and as long as I like it and enjoy it, what's the harm?

I'm a former SC2 owner planning on getting a DD1 PS version as well.

I have a 3080 and a 9900k but I know i will punch myself if i can't play GT7 with my friends with a nice base.

It's also just cheaper for me to get the quality/look/feel i want. i know there are cheaper 3d printed button boxes out ther for SC that aren't wireless, but i would rather just have the process be simpler.

i know the SC2 is better, but i've spent a lot of time using a DD2 and i have been genuinely impressed with it's software's evolution and how it feels now.

 

[CC]

What a lot of users fail to see and even myself until the past few days or so,
is that the SC2 is roughly the same price as the DD1 on average around 1200 euros,

but with the SC bases you get the quick release system actually sent with the base models + you can buy extra adapters really cheap around 50-55 euro each so adding 4-5-6 wheels the total extra outlay is just around 300-350 euros + some postage,

with the DD1 of 1200 euros to get the exact same functionality out the box I mean 100% identical functionality you need the Podium Hub + the kill switch which again is instantly another 300 euros + adding extra wheels Fanatec do not offer no cheap quick release QR so adding the same exact 4-5-6 wheels buying 6x podium hubs makes 0 sense either its 1000,s$ extra,

I was searching a few days back for some quick release maybe 2-3hrs on and off and I couldnt find any anywhere at all,
50mm QIR like gold dust wheel side it seems also the 70mm and base side hard to find,

Simlabs do a unit but its all 1 unit around 150+ euros so again buying 5-6 of these makes 0 sense at all,
just feels to me but once you are inside this Eco system Fanatec created its just too expensive to keep adding wheels for the after market stuff,

after this experience in the end I bought a Cube Controls universal Q1R base side and 6x wheel side adapters + a SC2 Pro and a RSB wireless wheel, even after selling my DD2 my Podium Hub, SRM hub, Xbox universal Hub + the refund I took on some more products ill have money left in my pocket + a new wheel,

Again this is something a lot of people overlook including myself, I dont have Fanatec pedals or shifters or handbrake mine are all HE Sprints and HE shifters/Handbrake and such,

Then we move to the bases and software I have no experience with this at all,
is the DD2 better than the SC2 ? 90% of all comments I ever read say so but ill decide myself later,

but comparing apples for apples price wise the Simucube + upgrades at 4-5x cheaper cost wins the day for me every single time.

 

[TheNatural]

Simucube + upgrades at 4-5x cheaper cost

there is no reality where a SC2 Pro is less expensive than the DD1. It's not close, and i've owned the SC2 Pro and enjoyed it. It's much more expensive wheel environment to be in. Saying otherwise is just disingenuous.

The SC2 is already the better hardware, i don't understand why people feel the need to lie about it and make these gross exaggerations.

 

[CC]

there is no reality where a SC2 Pro is less expensive than the DD1. It's not close, and i've owned the SC2 Pro and enjoyed it. It's much more expensive wheel environment to be in. Saying otherwise is just disingenuous.

The SC2 is already the better hardware, i don't understand why people feel the need to lie about it and make these gross exaggerations.

You serious or you cant read ?

I just explained above very clearly,

SC2 comes with the QR adapter out of the box + the kill switch + the postage is cheaper almost twice cheaper

DD1 1200 euros - Podium Hub 200 euros - Kill switch 100 euros - Postage 100 euros + any import duties I pay 30% here where I live,
whats that 1500 + 30% 1950 euros to my door + 100 postage

SC2 1200 euros including the QR Adapter + Kill switch - Postage 50 euros + 30%
whats this 1560 euros + 50 postage its 400 euros cheaper,

where the heck you get these simple facts as lies ? its 25% cheaper...

 

[TheNatural]

SC2 comes with the QR adapter out of the box + the kill switch + the postage is cheaper almost twice cheaper

DD1 1200 euros - Podium Hub 200 euros - Kill switch 100 euros - Postage 100 euros + any import duties I pay 30% here where I live,
whats that 1500 + 30% 1950 euros to my door + 100 postage

SC2 1200 euros including the QR Adapter + Kill switch - Postage 50 euros + 30%
whats this 1560 euros + 50 postage its 400 euros cheaper,

where the heck you get these simple facts as lies ?

For the vast, vast majority of people the DD1 doesn't have a magical "30% fee" on top of things, that premise alone is misleading at best, it's clear you have motive here.

Also, you do not need to buy the podium hub, as the fanatec wheels you would purchase have it included in their price on the website.

If I wanted to have an SC two with a wireless rim with a clutch paddle, how much would that cost me?

 

[CC]

For the vast, vast majority of people the DD1 doesn't have a magical "30% fee" on top of things, that premise alone is misleading at best, it's clear you have motive here.

Also, you do not need to buy the podium hub, as the fanatec wheels you would purchase have it included in their price on the website.

If I wanted to have an SC two with a wireless rim with a clutch paddle, how much would that cost me?

Dude what motive ?
I own a DD2 and just purchased a SC2 Pro forget about the import taxes or 30%
its still over 350 euros cheaper for the same exact items out of the box,
I am not hear to argue take what I say or leave it I do not care less but stop replying to me you talk nonsense.

 

[TheNatural]

Dude what motive ?
I own a DD2 and just purchased a SC2 Pro forget about the import taxes or 30%
its still over 350 euros cheaper for the same exact items out of the box,
I am not hear to argue take what I say or leave it I do not care less but stop replying to me you talk nonsense.

I've bought sim components from both fanatec and SC2 component retailers in multiple countries, this magical "30% tax" is not something i have ever heard of anyone having to pay, and it's seems like largely a niche issue with shipping to where you live. When you give advice adding a fake number that doesn't apply to anyone but you, that's disingenuous.

Here's the kicker, I bought both while living in Europe when I built my first rig, the DD2 and the SC2 were the exact same price. The SC2+VAT in europe is 1500, which is the same price as the DD2. This is the case for nearly everyone on the planet, I have never heard of some magical 30% addition fee on top of vat. You are either misinformed or lying.

Also, the fanatec environment wheels all come compatible out of the box with the DD2, so claiming the podium hub is something you are forced to buy with the DD2 is ridiculous.

You also clearly stated your motive above, you said you currently own a DD2 and are getting a SC2.You clearly have bias here. Since any rational and informed person would know that the SC2 Pro and the DD2 are extremely similarly priced for the vast majority of people on the planet we call home, then why now just discuss the merits and performance of the base, rather than personal experience that seems to only apply to you?