Is Direct Drive Worth It? A Belt Drive Owner Tries the Simagic Alpha Mini Wheelbase.

I swap my Thrustmaster T300 and TLCM Pedals for the Simagic Alpha Mini wheelbase and P2000 pedals and do a quick review to let you know what my impressions are.
Thanks to www.simracingpros.com and Douglas Thompson for providing the gear for review.
Douglas Thompson's Main Channel - / douglasthompson
Douglas Thompson's Sim Racing Channel - / @sleepypantssimracing
Logo intro music by Nihilore -
www.nihilore.com
#simagicalphamini

[@TheFoggy916]

nice review but please stop using back ground music, its so annoying when your talking.

[@monoxidedark]

Thanks for the feedback :-)

[@TheBluesBox]

Personally, and totally subjectivity, I would say just lower the volume of the music a bit more. On mobile it’s just a bit in the way. You can also take a little if the mid range EQ out of the music (where the voice sits) and that would help your voice come over the music a little better. Thanks for the video, getting ready to take the plunge on the Alpha Mini, so appreciate your video 👍

[@regibson23]

Thank you for breaking down the advantages of DD accurately. Everyone just says it doesn't make you faster but it makes you more consistent. But you went further and said it doesn't make you faster over an individual lap. Which means that by being more consistent, you are faster. If you complete the race in less time due to the consistency, that's being faster due to the DD. No one else talks about that for some reason. Maybe it's just a hotlapper vs. racer mentality.

[@monoxidedark]

Consistency certainly can mean much more in a race vs hotlapping. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching :-)

[@tigerbalm666]

Yeah, I don't get why reviewers ALWAYS say it "won't make you faster"...If by taking corners better or not spinning out (which takes you out of the race completely)...umm, it DOES MAKE YOU FASTER! A DD is not som cheat code or makes the car faster mechanically...but JESUS CHRIST...don't they realize that driving with a DD gives you the ability to BE FASTER up to your specific abilities like 95% of the time???

[@THESHADOW97139]

@@tigerbalm666 You will go faster by changing the pedals .... even while remaining on a belt base

[@gorky1317]

People who blanket say you can't buy lap time are wrong. Its like asking someone to nail up your house with a bent hammer, the 40 year experienced carpenters can do it just the same pace and quality, whereas the 3rd year apprentice takes forever and does a poor job - but give that apprentice a good hammer and he'll do about the same job as the old guy. (Its like a cheap flexing chassis vs profile extrusion - you'll be one lap pace faster as well as more consistent) Yes the main benefits relate to consistency, but if a crap piece of gear is holding your lap time back - better gear will improve your lap time as well.

[@FAB1150]

Personally I drive a simulator because I like driving on track, not to be faster. DD makes SO much of a difference regarding feeling the track, immersion is just amazing with one. Worth it for me for sure!

[@grigorioschristodoulou5229]

I really feel the same way. You can enjoy driving around a track, trying different lines, different cars etc. and even race competitively with any wheel. You can even be quicker with weaker feedback sometimes (by not letting the car movements affect you). But if you want to be immersed and properly drive an angry racecar, you need at least 10 Nm. Above 15 you start risking your wrists sometimes, depending on the game. E.g. if you spin out in the 992 in rF2, the force towards the locks gets insane

[@elbowsout6301]

I made the move from one of the best belt wheels, the Thrustmaster TGT with T-LCM pedals, to the Simagic M10 when it first launched. I was blown away by the fidelity of the Simagic base. That's what DD is all about feeling the fine details, and the quickness of the base.

[@DouglasThompson]

Just realized I accidentally posted from my second channel. Whoops, again great job!

[@monoxidedark]

Lol. That's something you'll have to get used to managing now. I'm glad you liked it, thanks again!

[@DouglasThompson]

@@monoxidedark Ya man, glad I could help you out.

[@hiraisim817]

It is worthy. As an user non direct drive during years (G29), I decided to make a change and bought an Simagic Alpha Mini and I can enssure that is completely on another level. I can feel every detail on the track and weigth of the car is completely different.

[@MrFWStoner]

I agree. It IS a game changer. Suddenly The details of the road surface through the wheel shocked me

[@attorneyssimgarage1482]

Agree 100% from a G920. And I got faster.

[@Jpilgrim30]

Yeah I don’t get it when people say it’s not a major difference. It was a huge difference and that was coming from a clubsport v2 which is considered the best and smoothest belt drive wheel out there.

[@vsdfsdfsdfwew]

if you spend so much money on it it is necessary to rationalize it

[@kaozer666]

to me switching from a T300 to an alpha mini was like going from 30$ KZ earbuds (very good for 30$) to a set of sennheiser hd600's (just mind boggling clarity) in term of details. yeah its a ton more expensive, but i dont want to go back.

[@monoxidedark]

Not a bad analogy.

[@blackmac1970]

Nice video, good info for someone thinking of upgrading like me. Currently on a TS-PC and slowly saving towards something like the Alpha Mini.

[@monoxidedark]

I'm glad you found it helpful :-)

[@johnsanderson966]

Hey I had a TS PC and bought the Fanatec DD CSL 8 Nm with the Mclaren Gt 3 Wheel, it was a good upgrade

[@tillythekid]

The sisterhood of the traveling wheel.

[@monoxidedark]

Lol. Something like that.

[@tarushdei]

This is what I hate about my Thrustmaster TMX, is I don't have the feel of what the car is doing. It feels like the wheel is late on everything. I love racing Brazil Stock Cars and there's a finesse required to keep those things at the limit (600hp+ RWD with no TC) and I can't do good lap times at all. My wife has given me permission to finance my sim racing upgrades, so I appreciate videos like this, because I'm exactly in the same spot and need to figure out both what I need and what I want. Thank you for making it. Definitely subbed.

[@TheCameltotem]

Went from G29 that i had for 6 years to simucube 2 sport. I'm not faster but I sure enjoy it more. Love the strenght of a 20 nm wheel. It feels more real and less like a toy like the G29.

[@christopherlees3684]

I just made the switch in November. I had to send it back for a replacement (CSL DD). And that's when I noticed the difference when I had to put my CSW V2 back on the rig. Missing all the small details and snappy response.

[@monoxidedark]

It's definitely most noticable in the time directly after switching from one to the other.

[@therookiemistake9714]

Why send it (dd) back?

[@themadnes5413]

Alone how quiet a dd is, it is worth it for me. Had a g27 and the rattle and noise is so annoying.

[@ewesey]

Is that the SSH shifter? Perhaps you could do a video on this. I love the production value and your commentary here, you did a really good job in describing the feeling of a DD wheel that actually makes sense to someone who hasn't used one. "Feeling things I didn't even know I wanted to feel.", really just makes it make sense.

[@monoxidedark]

That is indeed an SHH shifter. Not a bad idea, and I'm really glad you enjoyed the video.

[@m4dalex478]

@@monoxidedark Are you ok my dude? You havent uploaded anything after this video ;c

[@monoxidedark]

Lol, I am okay, thanks for checking. Life has just gotten in the way of uploading for awhile.

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Load cell brakes do make you faster and you will have less mistakes. It’s been proven a thousand times by soo many varying types of people. And I gotta say to not be blown away by DD over belt …. You’re just one of “those guys”.

[@u982245]

you should raise your wheel a lot to get a more correct driving position

[@sethdale4721]

I agree until I learned to dial the base on a car to car basis, I didn’t think it was all that great. But once I learned to keep it from clipping and realized what it was telling me, my entire sim racing perspective shifted. It went to Wow! How is this even the same software I was playing on my g29? Being able to stay in the grip that well almost feels like cheating haha. Nice video man.

[@jvh22a]

The beginning, I thought my internet was slowing down and causing a lag!

[@pmacnz]

You will turn up the nm power over time. I started on 60% then moved up to 85%

[@Jpilgrim30]

Yeah I noticed that you can’t even hardly tell when hit hits curbs or anything. Turning up the power level also increases those fine details.

[@DFD2010]

simple anser: DD was like no gear frection &super active big Nm G25 wheel !

[@adamthompson8432]

The way your moving that wheel it looks like you have the force feedback at zero which would feel crappy.

[@monoxidedark]

The FFB here was set to 5nm.

[@attorneyssimgarage1482]

Great vid!

[@Maddo03]

Direct drives are much quieter right? I get a lot of noise from my T300 GTE.

[@monoxidedark]

Yes, definitely quieter than my T300.

[@FernandoSilva-ht8md]

​@@monoxidedark No meu país tenho apenas 2 opções este Mini Sim.Magic e o Moza R9 ,os dois são bem carros aliás,qual deles me indicaria ? Saudações do Brasil..

[@nyftn]

when i went for a test with simagic and asetek pedals . i broke my PB in a 20 minute stint. Direct drive didn't make me faster but the pedals did.

[@nyftn]

i've tested te simucube pro , fanatec DD2 . simagic mini is very good. but when you look at the higher tier . simucube pro is almost the same price.

[@monoxidedark]

Pedals definitely make a bigger difference in my experience.

[@SamB-rk9qb]

@@nyftn How did you felt the Simucube Pro? I am currently looking to upgrade my T300 and was looking ad Moza / simagic / Simucube but havent tried either and its hard to decide ,i will mainly use it for F1

[@nyftn]

@@SamB-rk9qb i can't decide on your budget. but keeping in mind F1 has low wheel rotation and sudden spikes . simucube would be my choice . but a badly configured simucube can be worse than a pro configuration on moza or simagic. if you're on a budget . decide on the wheel you want to use first. the moza wheelbase is a very good price and simagic alpha mini also . but the simucube pro is in another league and the simagic alpha is only a little bit less .

[@nyftn]

making the wrong choice is not that bad after all . the resale value for DD wheelbases is pretty good

[@eduardwalter812]

Are there other wheels, compatible with this wheelbase? Like, Fanatec, Moza, Simcube?

[@Jpilgrim30]

You could use any usb wheel with it but that’s kind of pointless as Simagic has quite a few different style wheels at great prices including the FX pro which is a full featured formula wheel with a screen.

[@xHMProductionx]

What are you using for your gear indicator? It’s like a mini iPad?

[@monoxidedark]

Just an old Android tablet running the Sim Dashboard app.

[@xHMProductionx]

Thanks you! New to Sim racing, starting with a G923 and playing ACC. Great video! Keep up the work, I noticed you haven’t posted in a while!

[@monoxidedark]

Thanks! One of these days I'll get back to posting. Welcome to the hobby. Enjoy your wheel!

[@Cagefighter]

What monitors do you have

[@turbodave6068]

what monitors are those bud also what sim are u running here?

[@monoxidedark]

The monitors are Acer ED320QR and the sim is Automobilista 2.

[@strongerandwiser2023]

Id say the pedals and brake pedal in particular coming from a logitech g29 is a huge upgrade. You can shave seconds off your laptime. At least I did anyway.,

[@elmalloc]

i shaved minutes!

[@f15strikeeagle10]

I got into sim racing with a fanatec wheel about 10 years ago. It's finally broken and at the time I was thinking of upgrading, DD wheels were over 2,000 US and the clubsport base was king. So I go to fanatec's site and the cheapest wheel they sell is a direct drive base with wheel separately, after searching around I found I would be shelling out around 600 US for the cheapest setup from fanatec. I was able to buy my load cell pedals with my wheel and shifter set for under 300 US from fanatec and I later sold the shifter set for 60 US. I am sad they simply gave this sector of the market to thrustmaster.

[@reviewforthetube6485]

Damn dude you didn't stay on the hobby very long you alright?

[@monoxidedark]

Just the hobby of KZbin, though I may be back at some point, who knows. I'm still sim racing 🙂

[@reviewforthetube6485]

@monoxidedark gotcha ok cool you should make some videos and a long review of the alpha mini since you have had it for years now. Let people know about how good the software is now and how much its changed things etc. Would be cool to see!!

[@monoxidedark]

I actually don't have the Alpha Mini anymore, I just had it on loan for a bit. That would be a great idea if I still had it though.

[@OCHOinc]

Get rid of the background music or reduce the gain please....

[@GreekSIMRACING]

Background music is tiring.

[@monoxidedark]

I appreciate the feedback :-)

[@GreekSIMRACING]

@@monoxidedark your feedback experience is honest and this matters.Intro background music was bad.

[@petermaardananders6803]

I won't advise anyone to buy Moza things ever, they did not even try to RMA my broken R5 brake pedal correctly. It took them from April 30th to July 11th, 2024 to get me a working brake pedal again, and you know that the issue is a persistent issue/reoccurring error (in all their brake pedal models) they should have already fixed for all users. And if you are one of the lucky ones who had a good RMA service, think about those who have been left with next to no service from Moza (China)or their intermediaries (Rseat France/Germany (in my case the intermediary of Hardware Experts, the Netherlands)))and their retailers (in my case: Hardware experts, Lelystad, the Netherlands( Bram Nijs & Jorgo Rinu)). Never buy their products if you want to play it safe.

[@RADERFPV]

Simagic for me.

[@petermaardananders6803]

@@RADERFPV Which model (mods?) I have heard good things about the P1000. Moza is great when it works, but their SR P lite (incl brake lite kit) pedals arent great and the build quality is below par. Yet that said my Moza R5 set is still big step up from the very reliable Logitech G920 that over 7 years never failed me or caused any issues. I won't be a returning customer for Moza I know that for sure, I'm so disappointed because I really wanted to love them for their stuff. I want different steering wheels but Moza can shove it so I'm stuck with the ES wheel until I have the mula for another brand DD base etc. However, I'm happy I did not go for Fanatec because they are in serious trouble for as far as I know.

[@svr5340]

Sorry, your video is just impossible to follow because of the background "music".

[@vsdfsdfsdfwew]

hmm hoped for some more straight forward answer to your title

[@stefan5757]

Short answer : No. Long answer: Noooooo. Thanks. Next.

[@Jasonsadventures]

No it isn't. fastest sim driver I know uses a gear drive GT Force from back in the long ago day. He also uses a cheap single monitor, all bolted to a card table. I guess it depends if you are driving on feel or driving by the numbers

[@grigorioschristodoulou5229]

For mere mortals better pedals first, and better wheelbase second, help. Aliens don’t need FFB basically, their inputs are already perfect in feed-forward.

[@clintbartholomew8005]

The background music killed this video. Clicked off

[@tigerbalm666]

Turn off the annoying music!

[@monoxidedark]

I appreciate the feedback. Was it the particular music you found annoying or do you think any music would have been annoying?

[@tigerbalm666]

@@monoxidedark THe intro music was too loud. Make it barely audible so we ca nhear you more clearly.

[@monoxidedark]

Thanks

[@shorty808100]

I’ll stick with my belt drive fanatec till I can buy a DD1 I’m not getting a baby DD

[@lil_lemonade_03]

U don’t need a dd1/dd2

[@Jpilgrim30]

I’d go with a Simagic alpha ultimate or a simucube 2 sport if you want a powerful DD. The Fanatec DD1 and DD2 just have a little too much of a grainy feel to me. The alpha ultimate is 23 nm and if it’s slightly underrated like the other alphas it’s probably a good 25 nm

[@leemzgoogle917]

Seriously. WTF is up with that HORRENDOUS background music?!?!

[@CYMotorsport]

like i always say, if you're asking the question, it's likely going to be "Worth it". worth is relative. but it's impossible to go back. usually a pretty good sign

[@stevesiracing1717]

@byron boyce This is the first video of yours I've watched. I like your style. You seem like a down to earth guy with a regular sim setup that most of us can hope to achieve. I prefer that than watching guys on $100,000 rigs. About a year ago I got a Fanatec DD1 and have driven nearly every day since. The reason I'm writing here is because I'm interested in your rear view mirror. Is that a tiny monitor projecting backwards from your car? I can't see it clearly enough in the video. Please explain it. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@monoxidedark]

Thank you! As far as the rear view mirror, no, nothing so cool as that. It's just the virtual in-car mirror that is shown in the cockpit view. It's just due to my triple screens that the mirror can be fully seen and is practical to actually use as my main mirror.

[@SheNeverCared]

I've been considering going from my belt driven to a dd, thanks for your opinion!

[@PeteV80]

background music is annoying, but keep going, otherwise well done

[@monoxidedark]

Yeah, I'd change that if I could. Thanks!

[@rickylah69]

when i first started drinking whiskey, i drink only blended malt. then my friend recommend me to try single malt. after 1 bottle of single malt, i thought its not worth it for the price, so i went back to blended malt. then i realised i blended malt isnt good anymore! from then on, its all single malt.

[@mfpresident8150]

He said pneumatic because they do feel more pneumatic than hydraulic. Characteristics of springs. I prefer elastomers because they give you resistance but not so much push back in the way springs do.

[@jwschmuc1]

I've only tried a csldd 8nm...I drive a tspc and am not upgrading until my tspc dies..wasn't mind blown either but it was better

[@TwoDogsFighting]

I'm struggling a bit with the background music. its hard to follow you over it.

[@peadookie]

Cool review and much appreciated. Sure you know by now, but the music was pretty loud ;)

[@jrx__]

awesome content! Subscribed.

[@monoxidedark]

I'm glad you've enjoyed it, thanks!

[@nikolatesla7796]

I have a simulator to simulate not to be faster. I don't waste money to be faster.... Maybe someone is faster than you and is playing with controls. My question in every buy i make is: is this thing simulating as real as posible ? That's my question. How do you compare the simulation sensation against a fanatec V2.5? It is worth the money?

[@grigorioschristodoulou5229]

If you set it up properly, you can for sure get a more immersive experience. Idk how the Fanatec is, but the kerbs on my OSW DD wheel shake the whole rig. And driving formula or prototype cars with high FFB strength is awesome!

[@saurkrautsamich]

great vid, thanks

[@ELO_BOTT]

Thank for the true review

[@eliteangler]

Great video man! It's nice to hear someone be honest and direct when doing a comparison vid. New sub here

[@monoxidedark]

Thank you!

[@Hatredy11]

What screens are you using?

[@monoxidedark]

They are Acer ED320QR that I got on a black Friday sale in 2020.

[@THESHADOW97139]

@@monoxidedark Hello Please What was the resolution on this video ??

[@monoxidedark]

This video itself is 1920x1080. If you're asking about the screens I'm using they are also 1080p.

[@THESHADOW97139]

@@monoxidedark Big thanks (from Guadeloupe to the French West Indies)

[@Alsenweg42]

you talking and talking, but you never came to any point 😫😫😫

[@ivankv79]

T-LCM are more than enough for everything, pedals from 700-800 and even a thousand euros are a classic steal of money

[@monoxidedark]

Agreed!

[@aczech12]

you pay for feel, build quality, adjustment and bit better consistency, T-LCM brake feels nothing like real car or hydraulic pedals

[@billyfitzgerald834]

I went from the TLCMs to the Heusinkveld sprint pedals because the TLCM brake pedal broke and the throttle had a short in it. Im much more consistent now. Not faster, but the adjustability is far greater than what you get with the TLCMs and built quality is obviously better. There are plenty of top Esports guys using entry level equipment but i will spend the extra money for the immersion.

[@aczech12]

@@billyfitzgerald834 being more consistent = quicker in race distance

[@billyfitzgerald834]

@@aczech12 correct. I just meant that I wasn't faster on a qualifying run. I think being able to adjust the heaviness of the throttle is what helps with the consistency. The TLCM throttle was just empty

[@thrillamoe50]

Should have done the review on ACC wtf is Automobilista 😂

[@jwschmuc1]

A game with better ffb than acc

[@robynd6138]

someone needs to try a simucube 2 pro. hands down best wheelbase ive used and ive had quite a few. the 25nm of torque fells great and the response on it is crazy.

[@GLaurence1997]

Not everyone can blow thousands on a game

[@Jpilgrim30]

I’d say the Simagic alpha ultimate is comparable to the simucube pro. It’s rated at 23 Nm but all of the alpha bases are underrated by a few nm.

[@Max__apex]

25nm is not that great. 8-11nm is perfect