Simagic users here? Mind sharing some thoughts?

Hi all,

I might take the plunge and dive into Simagic gear.
At the moment I'm using a Fanatec CSL DD (8Nm) but I'm leaning towards Simagic's mini or Alpha.
Question do rise around the compatibility with AMS2, which is my main sim.

For now I run at 90% FFB in game, default + FFB and between 70 and 85 on the base.
SENSITIVITY is always on auto, don't like a fix rotation, rather keep it authentic.
FEI sits around 70-80%.

How is this with a Simagic base?
If someone has got the GT NEO wheel and like to share his thoughts, please do.
Someone who made the change from FANATEC to SIMAGIC, even better.
Thanks.

 

@BadEngineer might be able to help

 

Been using simagic alpha mini and ams2 with default + ffb for about a year. No issues to speak of, with iracing i have some osciallation and heat issues unless i add additional damping but have not experienced thise with ams2.

Having used a friend csl DD unless you're going for specific wheels (fx pro etc.) I'm not sure the mini is a huge step up, both feel quite nice I'm my opinion. The alpha would give that little extra.

Haven't tried the gt neo but likely what I'd get if I was buying the base today.

 

I've swapped all my Fanatec gear for Simagic early this year and I think this was the best decision I've made in a while. Here are some thoughts:

Alpha mini vs CSL GT DD Pro 8nm: the CSL was the Fanatec base I had. The mini is known to have been measured at a bit over 10nm, but a lot of folks online seem to have found out Simagic made an updated hardware version (Alpha Mini v3) that apparently outputs a little less according to some users who have independently measured their own units. If you're considering the mini I'd completely disregard all this discussion. What I can say is that it feels a bit heavier than the CSL and, one day I wanna grab myself an Alpha U to never have to worry about this again. The Mini feels great with 300mm rims (I have an FX-C and a GTS, both from Simagic) but it feels a bit too light on a 330mm classic rim I got from Ali Express, although I'm still happy. Software-wise I really like the options Simagic give us, and their software feels very modern next to Fanatec's IMHO. If you play iRacing, the FFB Frequency option on Simagic's driver is akin to Simucube's reconstruction filter and it vastly improves the notchy feeling, 60Hz FFB on that game. Also, being able to use any wheel with the top-in-class NRG-style quick release is a huge advantage.

Wheel rims: this is where I felt the most difference. The GTS and FX-C are just amazing pieces of equipment. I feel loved every time I touch my rims and sometimes my wife get's jealous (not kidding). Illuminated buttons, contactless, magnetic paddles, the little rubber around the buttons... So much attention to detail, it's brilliant. The GTS is an extremely underrated little rim I find perfect for driving classic formulas and older tin-tops. The FX-C has everything I need to drive prototypes, GT3s and modern Formula cars or basically anything really. My classic, cheap Ali Express MOMO-branded rim I use to drive GT1s, Group Cs, classic touring cars, etc., without loosing FFB like Fanatec does. Amazing. The Simagic rims are also wireless and this is priceless imho. I'd hate having to swap cables when swapping wheels. And while some high-end competitors also have wireless rims, Simagic beats them in their price tags. As a citizen of a developing country this makes a lot of difference to me.

P-1000 pedals with 2 haptics (brake and throttle): I feel like if I have to drive without these pedals and haptics I'm gonna feel naked. I've put some effort into making a good config on my Simhub to use Viper4G's plugin that calculates wheel slip so I have a great feeling for threshold braking and traction. I have the hydraulic brake module as well and, although a bit expensive if purchased separately, I love them and feel it was worth it to upgrade. I will get the hydraulic throttle and the LED bars at some point as well, that's for sure. I strongly feel like these will be my last pedals, or so I hope.

Customer support: if you buy from a local, authorized reseller, they have spare parts and direct/easier contact with Simagic and are authorized to make repairs and replace your equipment. I've yet to face issues with my equipment but I took this in consideration as well. While some people criticize them for dealing through 3rd parties, I actually think this works brilliantly, especially for people like me.

Now to your actual question: I use my Alpha Mini basically maxed out all the time, of course taking care to not experience clipping, making adjustments per-car, per-game. I've been using Default+ FFB with about 70 FFB strength in-game (as a baseline, I also adjust per-car) and 30 or so FX, not much else. Damping I set-up in their software. I use 1080 max rotation in the driver, the game adjusts per-car correctly. I use the generic direct drive controller type (or something like that, can't remember now). It all feels amazing to me.

Other thoughts: I will upgrade my cockpit to aluminum profile and get their handbrake and shifter. All their peripherals are just top notch! I wanna have an all-Simagic ecosystem. For context, I have a TH8A and cheap Ali Express sequential shifter I use as a handbrake sometimes.

Sorry for the wall of text and for sounding like a fanboy but I really am this happy about my decision. I had many Fanatec rims, with the old QR1 and then upgraded to the new QR2, and I really loved most of them (only one I hated was a CSL Universal Hub that feels like it's gonna break every time you press any button). But Fanatec is, unfortunately, stuck in time. Their products look and feel dated to me and are just too expensive for the little amount of return you get from them.

Hope that helps a bit! And good luck!

 

I moved over from fanatec DD1, formula V2 and Porsche rim to simagic ultimate, FX-Pro and GTC rim.
The quality of the simagic gear I feel is much superior to fanatec and functionality is better.
I only wished that the simagic software was as developed as FanaLab but they are constantly working on bringing new features to it.

I left fanatec because of their despicable practices and that they are so slow to bring new and modern products to market. The QR2 was amazing but I never liked the fragile looking pin arrangement on the wheels. Don't have that worry with simagic.
I run the wheel at 100% in the software and 40 - 60% in game.
I personally feel that the FFB is a bit more refined than the DD1.
Very happy with the move and will invest more in simagic when I can.
The GT Neo seems a bit hit and miss though, it was built down to a price and I have seen numerous posts on the official discord about premature wear on the rubber grips, rattling buttons and disconnection issues. I was going to get one but will hold off to see if they drop an improved v2 at some stage in the future.

 

Hey guys,

The Simagic Alpha has arrived and is installed.
I coupled the NEO GT to the base, set some settings in SimPro manager and started up AMS2.

All feels great until i start to turn in a corner.
Not all corners but in most of them all track feedback gets lost.
So no bumps or cracks in the track come through.

Ripplestrips or grass do and they feel the same as going straight..

What can do the trick here?

It feels like perfect driving straight but once you turn or weave over the track, you only feel the steering wheel get more harder to turn.
All what should be felt on the track is completely gone.

 

Lower the gain in game. Sounds like clipping

 

Gain is at 70, should be no problem, right?

 

IIRC I use 60 on my CSL DD so it varies between bases. Try 60 and see

 

your running 80% and only of 8nm .
That’s causing clipping.

 

@Kuku I'm trying to understand what happens.

If I check my settings for Fanatec CSL DD 8nm, i was on 6Nm and around 80 in Game.
No issues whatsoever.

So, now with the Simagic Alpha I get clipping.
Thus, I do something wrong with the 80% and the 8Nm.
Can you clarify why that cause clipping?

 

Just lower the ingame value till you are not clipping. If you feel like it gets too light then up the Nm setting in SimPro. If you cycle the HUDs in AMS2 you can see the FFB statistics in one of those. Most right one going red indicates clipping.

 

I think Simagic recommend running g the Simpro settings at 100% gain and 100% of your bases nm and then adjust the ffb settings ingame

 

Thought I'd just drop this question in here...
my GT Neo is not activating the LEDS for TC, ABS, Pit Limiter flashing etc... is it supposed too?
All those work correctly in ACC, any ideas?

 

if you really feel you don’t want to have full power range , just try one method . Not both .
Doing both is a double whammy and it’s doing exactly what it’s been told too, not replicating any forces above the low limit your setting.

 

Don’t have a Neo, but for active lights to work on my Gts, Simpro needs to be running .
Plus they need to be assigned, unless there’s a preset profile.

 

Well, I just have the wheel since yesterday.
The flags do work, TC and ABS doesn't do anything here also.

 

Hey Rob,
You figured it out with the leds in AMS2?
Same story here.
In ACC they work great but zero led feedback in AMS2.

 

hey, nope didn't figure it out. Not sure whom to pursue about it Simagic or Reiza???

 

Definitely Simagic. The game puts all these in the telemetry. Simagic's SimPro Manager should be responsible for reading the telemetry and activating the wheel rim LEDs accordingly. So I'd say try their official Discord.