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Mike Loffland
Web Guru (Astronomics)
Reged: 09/03/04
Posts: 2449
Loc: Norman, Oklahoma
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Meade LXD75 Mount
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jgraham
Postmaster
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 7072
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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This was a nice concise review that pretty much hit all the highs and lows of the LXD75. I bought mine about 5 years ago as the most affordable option at the time (and it still is for me) and it's been a real workhorse. It spends most of its time with my SN6 on it imaging (along with a guide scope and PHD), and a lesser amount of the time fitted with my SC8 for visual observing. One comment I would make is some of the hiccups I've seen while autoguiding can usually be reduced or eliminated by tweaking the RA/Dec percents (values that control how the mount corrects for backlash).
Have fun!
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-John
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Homebuilt scopes from 4.25-16.5"
Meade LXD75-N6/SN6/SC8, DSX-90, ETX-60BB, ETX-125PE, DS-2130
Orion StarBlast, BinoViewers, Coronado PST
Rebel XT/XTi, DSI Pro (I, II, & III), DSI, LPI, Electronic Eyepiece, Phillips SPC900NC
Tasco 60mm Refractors
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Erix
Toad Lily
Reged: 12/25/04
Posts: 22539
Loc: Ohio, USA
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Thanks for taking the time to write a review on this great little mount. The LXD75 has a been a good mount for me and gets used mainly with my 60mm Maxscope and my ED80. It's very portable and dead easy to align, especially for my use as a visual observer and sketcher. The only downfalls that I've had with this mount are the gears slipping off after transport (This happened a few times. Thankfully it's an easy fix.) and the slewing on the RA has pretty obvious backlash. I've always believed my gears must be a little gummed up and don't notice it so much on the declination.
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Erika
Automatic doors make me feel like a Jedi. 
Zhumell 16", 10" LX200 Classic,Orion ED80, ETX70-AT, DS Maxscope 60mm
My CN Gallery * 2007 July - tracking NOAA10963
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NukenGeek
member
Reged: 12/28/06
Posts: 78
Loc: Richland, WA
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That's a good review and generally reflects my experience as well.
I originally bought mine to primarily use it with my Coronado, but it quickly became my preferred platform for deep sky imaging. Shortly after having it hypertuned I acquired a SBIG ST-4000XCM and an AO-8 adaptive optics unit. Using the AO-8 I've been able to reliably acquire 30 minute sub-frames through a 4" refractor. The only thing I would change on it would be to add a weather control feature.
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Tri-City Astronomy Club
Meade 10" LX200R (Supercharged)
Coronado Maxscope 40 (Double-stacked)
Tele Vue NP-101is (and imaging accessories)
Astro-Tech AT6RC (sharp)
Astro-Tech AT8RC (amazing)
Vixen Sphinx SXD (beautiful)
SBIG ST-4000XCM (and AO-8)
Meade LXD75 (HyperTuned)
Wife (loves shopping)
Bank account (empty)
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jmcdonald
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/05
Posts: 1518
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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That picture looks like exactly my old setup - lxd75 and C9.25. It was a great pair although I thought the C9.25 was a still a hair heavy for the lxd75.
Mine performed much better after a hypertune. I finally sold it to some lucky person so I could buy a DOB.
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Jerel
Discovery 12.5" modified truss DOB
Garret 15x70 LW Binoculars
22-T4,13-T6
IDA Membership
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Don Allen
sage
Reged: 07/07/05
Posts: 417
Loc: Charleston, SC
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Just picked up a one year old 75. Have yet to get it out,,,weather curse of course. Strictly a visual user. Would a hypertune be worth it?
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Don
SV 80S S/N 0043
LXD75
35 Pan, 17T4, 7 Nag, 3-6 Nag Zoom
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Jimmy2K63
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/09
Posts: 1223
Loc: Kentucky
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Thank you for your excellent, simple, explanatory review. It is good to see mounts like this that have been around for a while.
I've had my new mount for a little over a month and have put it through it's "break-in" period. I have recently done a reset for the first time as well as a drive training since the gears have developed a little more "play." It may need a lash adjustment down the road but I am not going to mess with it right now, even though I much prefer a mount a little more "rigid." But these motors are fragile and it is possible to "diminish" their life by pushing them too hard.
I'd really like to check out some astrophotography with it before I offer an opinion on it's drive tracking. It's GoTo's are spot on, and I'm going to experiment with it with consideration to a better mount if it's worth it, possibly a hypertune. It's too new to tell. I am enjoying it right now.
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http://astronomyguy63.blogspot.com/
Meade LXD75 SN6 with UHTC
Orion ST80
Cave Astrola 10" f/5
Garrett 15x70 binoculars
FarSight binocular mount with reflex finder
Orion Paragon tripod
Canon XS (1000D) and a Meade LPI
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NukenGeek
member
Reged: 12/28/06
Posts: 78
Loc: Richland, WA
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The hypertune noticeably improved the smoothness and accuracy of the mount. After the hypertune I was able to get 2 to 3 minute unguided subs with just PEC. The AO-8 was easily able to compensate for all remaining mount error for virtually unlimited subs.
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Tri-City Astronomy Club
Meade 10" LX200R (Supercharged)
Coronado Maxscope 40 (Double-stacked)
Tele Vue NP-101is (and imaging accessories)
Astro-Tech AT6RC (sharp)
Astro-Tech AT8RC (amazing)
Vixen Sphinx SXD (beautiful)
SBIG ST-4000XCM (and AO-8)
Meade LXD75 (HyperTuned)
Wife (loves shopping)
Bank account (empty)
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pennyandchris
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 677
Loc: Horsham, England
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I've had mine (bought secondhand) for nearly two years. Generally agree with everything in the review.
Once the drives are trained, it's reasonably accurate after a two star alignment and puts objects somewhere in the fov of a 32mm plossl on my 2000mm fl Mak. With the Ranger (480mm fl) it's near enough the middle of the fov every time.
Provided it's reasonably well polar aligned, it'll track ok for visual solar observation with my PST (I haven't bothered to add the Sun as an object for tracking)
I have the simple four buton (non-Autostar) control as well, but this has a software glitch - after moving in some directions, it'd sometimes start again and move a few arc-minues at random - I don't bother using this control now.
Overall a the LXD75 was a good purchase for me, and it's staying until I can afford a GM8 or similar.
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Orion UK OMC140 Mak Cass
TeleVue Ranger
Coronado Ha and CaK PSTs
Meade LXD75 mount
Ambermile alt-az mount on wooden surveyors tripod
Manfrotto 074 photo tripod with 501 head
+ various binocs
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Honest Steve
newbie
Reged: 11/21/09
Posts: 1
Loc: Avondale, AZ
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Thanks for the posts. Having some problems with the polar alignment (accuracy) and major backlash issues. Found several of the spur gear allen screws loose (one feel out while slewing) ouch.. Heard the motors spin and shut down the mount (no damage). Replaced the allen set screw, retightened all gears. Now the mount finally is able to get a fair alignment. But I have the AR-6 which is TOO much of a scope for this mount. Sending my mount off to have the Hypertuned this weekend. So, hopefully the pointing / tracking accuracy will improve (but I know the large fulcrum swing of the AR-6, will still be a problem) sigh. But, for the cost is seems to be a good enough setup for now. Will probably put my Meade 6600 - 6" reflector on it once I find a set of rings for it. That should help / reduce some of the severe play that is present when the AR-6 is installed. etc. Thanks for letting me voice my two cents.
Steve
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Honesty is always the best policy. We must always learn from our mistakes.
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Jeff Lee
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/17/06
Posts: 558
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Good, fair review. I've had mine for about 2 years. Only use it for visual with my C8. Very accurate gotos and very good tracking for visual. Mine has the 2" legs and is extemely solid with my C8 (which weighs only about 17 pounds ready to view).
It has been a very good, and considering the cost/value ratio, mount and I'll keep it for the C8 when I go bigger. I have both a Celestron and Meade goto mount. I find pluses and minuses with both but mostly pluses. While the CG5 get more press here on CN, I see a lot of LXD owners who love their mounts.
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Jeff Lee
C90,C5,C8, 10 x 50's
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hfjacinto
Almost got me
Reged: 01/12/09
Posts: 3066
Loc: Union,NJ
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Where do you send this mount to be hypertuned?
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Celestron 9.25 w/FeatherTouch Focuser, ASGT Mount
Meade SN6 w/Moonlite Focuser, LXD75 Mount
Orion EON 80 MM APO Refractor
5,6,9 MM Zhummel Planetary 17 MM Nagler T4
31,36 MM Hyperion 15,19,23 MM Axiom LX
6.7,8.8 MM Meade UWA & 11,13 MM Nagler T6
Planetary, OIII and Narrowband Filters
Thousand Oaks Dew Control w Kendrick Heaters
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Bernez
member
Reged: 10/08/09
Posts: 20
Loc: The Netherlands
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hfjacinto,
Look at Deep Space Products
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Be patient: in time, even an egg will walk.
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Bernez
member
Reged: 10/08/09
Posts: 20
Loc: The Netherlands
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BTW, a good addition to the poor Meade manual, is the book "A User's Guide to the Meade Lxd55 and Lxd75 Telescopes" by Martin Peston. Lots of good infos, specialy on polar alignment.
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Be patient: in time, even an egg will walk.
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hfjacinto
Almost got me
Reged: 01/12/09
Posts: 3066
Loc: Union,NJ
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Thanks Bernez, I will check it out.
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Celestron 9.25 w/FeatherTouch Focuser, ASGT Mount
Meade SN6 w/Moonlite Focuser, LXD75 Mount
Orion EON 80 MM APO Refractor
5,6,9 MM Zhummel Planetary 17 MM Nagler T4
31,36 MM Hyperion 15,19,23 MM Axiom LX
6.7,8.8 MM Meade UWA & 11,13 MM Nagler T6
Planetary, OIII and Narrowband Filters
Thousand Oaks Dew Control w Kendrick Heaters
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