Meade LX80 vs HEQ5 Pro

[jnb]

Any opinions on how these two compare? Which would you recommend and why?

I have an option of getting an ex showroom LX80 for £600. Alternatively I could go with an HEQ5 pro. That would replace my current EQ5 (well the Bresser equivalent but it's the same beast) and initially hold a 4" F10 refractor but with a view to moving up to something like a 10" F5 newt in future.

On paper the Meade looks good but I've no experience of it in real life and don't know anyone who has.

Opinions?

(Edit to add - I would want to use as an equatorial for AP use)

[alan potts]

I had a HEQ 5 Pro which I have just sold to a site member in the UK, I had two issues, the power pack cable to scope was causing pointing errors due to not enough power getting to the mount and I put the coordinates in the wrong way around a few times, so my fault.

It was a very good mount and I only sold it because I have a SW M/N 190mm and that was a little heavy for it though it handled it well enough for visual but not as good as the new AZEQ 6.

Meade, this mount was marketed at a time when its larger brother was withdrawn from sale or had a good few problems, Meade run aground very shortly after these mount launchs, I am not sure that sales were very strong and I see few people with them. Personally I would not buy one.

Alan

[MattJenko]

10" F4 newt for AP on an HEQ5 is asking too much. I am sure the refractor will be ok, but AP with a 10" newt is EQ6 and above territory. I attached my 250px tube to my HEQ5 for a laugh, but it wasn't funny.

[John]

I asked here about the Meade LX80 some time back and I was strongly advised not to touch it with the proverbial bargepole. Apparently it's been a bit of a disaster for Meade and hence can be found heavily discounted. One of it's problems is that it's capacity has been highly overstated by Meade apparently.

The EQ6 and HEQ5 are not without their foibles but seem to be well known, tried and tested.

[Bagnaj97]

Another option to look at is the Celestron Advanced VX - seems to be well regarded, similar payload to the HEQ5, but slightly smaller/lighter/cheaper. As others have said though, a 10" Newt is too much for any mount in this class. You might just about get away with it for visual, but for AP you wouldn't stand a chance.