SIMAGIC Alpha Mini & GT Neo Impressions 2 Weeks Later MOVING from Fanatec DD1 & Formula V2

SIMAGIC Alpha Mini & GT Neo impressions after 2 weeks of ownership after moving from Fanatec DD1 & Formula v2 wheel after 3 years with Fanatec ecosystem.
Sims/Car/Tracks for wheel (smoothness) testing.
AMS2 Formula Ultimate at Monza.
LMU LMP2 at Monza.
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/ @jamesclarksonsimracing
Thanks to the UK retailer raceanywhere.co.uk for my Simagic wheelbase, wheel, and PROSIMRIG PSR3 (they do ship outside of the UK too)
Daniel Newman Racing - RGB profiles
www.danielnewmanracing.com/
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www.simhubdash.com/
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[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Post video, it is apparent that the undesired smoothness issue in AMS2 :- • Present on Default+ FFB • More prevalent on Default+ with higher Low Force Boost setting Smoothness is much improved on Default FFB type with or without Low Force Boost versus Default+ During video FFB was on Default+ and AMS2 Controls > FFB > Low Force Boost was set to default "50" reducing this or setting "0" reduces or removes prior undesired feeling from wheelbase in both Formula Ultimate & LMDh cars on Default+. Increasing Low Force Boost above default "50" increases the level of undesirable feeling in the wheelbase with default smoothness setting of "3" in SimPro Manager for the AMS2 profile. Tweaking sims is both interesting and fun.

[@reviewforthetube6485]

So heres a trick. Leave it at 900 degrees in software and it will auto change to the correct degrees with each car you use in game correctly. Also i got the ultimate and I absolutely love it. My ulitmate has no notch off and on nothing butter like simucube its the sloothest wheelbase ive ever used and i actually can use smoothness off. Idk what they are doing with these ultimates but its shocking how smooth and clean this thing is. Surpeises me every single day.

[@gzaos]

Wish I didn't drool on a dd wheel for 5 years and brought a 25nm wheel just to satisfy the long wait… you don't need more than 10 really.

[@reviewforthetube6485]

Enjoy the 25nm lol just don't feel bad about lowering. Amazing thing about that 25nm base is when set at 30 to 40% still gievd yoy more detaile due to the dynamic range. So enjoy knowing the expereince doesn't get better. What you feel when setting it lower and it grtting lighter is how lighter wheelbases feel so again you can now enjoy and grow into the use and get anything you want out of it lol.

[@user-sn9zw8oq2w]

good vedio,you are getting more and more popular

[@reviewforthetube6485]

I will always prefer more noise and details over making something a little smoother. Ive found my lap times get better. And I wont sacrifice that for the other. But its all preference of course. Slso games matter thede srttings snd feelings def change game to game with the smoothness setting but ams2 and others are always always more noisey and not as smooth with every base.

[@DonsShed]

Good video mate 😊 I've (literally) just finished building my Trak Racer TR120 Rig. I have a 55" LG TV to go on a Trak Racer Monitor Stand (yet to be built) and a full Simagic Ecosystem (15nm Alpha, GTS Leather Wheel, P1000 Pedals, Sigma Cortex Converter, DS-8X Shifter and TB-1 Handbrake) to go on. This is my first sim rig. Can't wait!!! 😊 Cheers Don, Perth WA (Dons Shed and Xplor Overland)

[@DonsShed]

Now I need to stop myself from buying a GT Neo immediately!!! LOL

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Very nice indeed. I used to simrace on a 55" LG OLED, too, but have been on triple 32" for 6 months. I would love P1000 pedals, perhaps one day. Thanks for watching and your comment.

[@RacingTherapy]

Are you going to play on console ? with the sigma cortex?

[@DonsShed]

@@RacingTherapy Yes, I've been playing on my Simagic Ecosystem solely on PS5 (I've played GT7 and ACC so far) for about 5 days now..... eventually I will get a Gaming PC, but this will do for now, as I still have F1 23 and WRC to start on PS5.

[@MCR.88]

Watching while working so I might have missed some slight details but you didn't feel the need to compare the Alpha Mini to the DD1? Good comparison for the wheels! Nice video!

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Hello, I already did in the first impressions video. Showing that I had come from a Fanatec DD1 & Formula v2 wheel after 3 years was for context. Thanks for watching.

[@buffysteve]

Hi James, great video. I have this wheelbase and wheel on order at the moment. Is your Alpha mini version 3? There's so many negative comments about v3 being weaker than previous versions. I'm upgrading from a G29 and only weigh 53kls, so I think the mini is enough for me.

[@Max__apex]

Great review

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Thank you. Just my 2 week impressions with my own opinions. All subjective, I am very happy with Simagic. Thanks for watching.

[@Max__apex]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing I have the Alpha and Neo and the base gives amazing FFB detail and it so beautiful in its function. I tried fanatec and simucube and leo bodner…. Simagic all the way for me and the best I tried.

[@giggsow9760]

Good review! Have you seen the discussions on the Simagic discord around the FFB settings? Seems like running 0 wheel rotation speed gives much better FFB in all games except ACC (where you can run maybe 20-30% if you use the in game damping). I tried it on my wheel and feels night and day different, a lot more detailed and little to no oscillation even without using any damping or inertia in Simpro. Might be worth giving it a try

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Hello I will try that, I had actually gone the other way with a 100 setting. I have been testing the different car classes in LMU today and setting new PB's but if I can tweak FFB and go faster I will do. Which base do you have?

[@giggsow9760]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing I'm on the Alpha mini. Had it for a month being disappointed in the FFB detail after upgrading from a Thrustmaster TX. Saw the posts about 0 wheel return speed last week and skeptically tried it as I was running it quite high before. Found that it transformed how it feels and now wouldn't go back. I finally have all the detail I feel like I was missing and no oscillations. It seems like running 0 on this setting gives you the raw output from the game, which on a high quality base like the Simagic ones feels great.

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

@giggsow9760 I did try the zero steering speed last night for 3 laps at Monza, and I was slower, I immediately changed back to 100 steering speed and set another PB. Preference and choice are good, however.

[@Wilayaat]

Great video, can I ask though why the MagLink Cable is needed when connecting to a Simagic wheelbase? I thought that was only needed when connecting to a wheelbase from a different ecosystem?

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Maglink just replaces default USB-C connection for those that want a more secure connection than the USB-C default cable provides and if you do not want to use the wireless capability of the GT Neo and Alpha wheelbases. Maglink also makes GT Neo wheel compatible with SimHub, which extends functionality significantly with a range of RGB options.

[@Wilayaat]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing - Thanks for the prompt response. So you can use the MagLink Cable INSTEAD of the generic wheelbase --> PC USB cable, don't need to connect both? Also I didn't know SimHub only worked with the MagLink and not the generic USB, I was under the impression that's only the case with non-Simagic wheelbases. I currently have Fanatec CS DD --> GT Neo but regularly get disconnected (RGBs stay on but shifters, buttons stop working) requiring reconnection between the coiled cable and USB extension so was hoping it isn't needed if / when I switch to an Alpha wheelbase.

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

I cannot test the USB-C with SimHub now as Maglink is installed. With Simagic base and GT Neo, I have not had any issue with RGB cutting out. SimHub doesn't work with wireless that's 100% certain. Maglink does offer a more secure connection if nothing else over the stock USB-C with Neo on Simagic bases. Happy Simracing to you.

[@Wilayaat]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing Cheers again. I use SimHub a lot but TBH for the Neo RGBs I could live with the Simagic app IF it meant no random disconnects. What I might try is connecting the curly cable directly to a USB 3 port on top of the PC, see of the extender or port are the issue.

[@papolo2001]

Hi James, good video. I have now a Fanatec DD2 an I am considering simagic, also Asetek and simucube. I saw your rev lights were not sync with the ones in the game wheel, do you know if is possible to sync them like you can do with fanalab?. Fanalab is true is a pretty complex software, but have the good point you can do whatever you like once you understand it, seeing several reviews of the one of simagic software I have the impression it is a much more simple and basic one, but maybe I am wrong

[@louiienation8497]

i have an alpha mini simagic base and i usually have it at 7.5-8nm at all times in iRacing for the most part. Anything above 10nm is not the most enjoyable. Maybe ill upgrade the the Simagic Alpha Ultimate down the road but just to have the longevity of having a power base and having it turned down. It should have a really long life.

[@reviewforthetube6485]

It's good but your wheel still isn't synced up with the in game wheel. Regardless good video man.

[@gagipro92]

I don't even know what to do when this happens, it seems like input lag.

[@theashenfox]

@@gagipro92 It's because he keeps fiddling around with the degrees of rotation. James, you need to just leave the wheel degrees on 1080 in the simagic software for all games, they all work out the correct ratio per car automatically, certainly ACC and AC do.

[@reviewforthetube6485]

​@@theashenfoxactually for simagic it's °900 that's the automatic setting for all games it will automatically change it to the correct setting.

[@matyslawwegz9863]

so how does the wheel settings work with simhub and simagic software both running ? isnt one overwriting other ?

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Hello, Simhub controls the RGBs (priority)

[@easybreeze1]

Yeah agree about the button issue with them rotating a little, really annoying. Regarding the noise/smoothness issue. Try force feedback detail on 0, I get odd noise with it on.... it's like a force feedback amplifier.

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

I have tweaked my FFB since and can run FFB detail on maximum (20) in LMU. The issue in AMS2 was due to Default+ FFB profile and the AMS2 FFB Low Force Boost setting. The Default AMS2 FFB profile doesn't have the same level of undesired feeling if at all.

[@easybreeze1]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing oh wow, I only play ACC and with ffb detail on above 9 I get too much coil whine/noise after a race, also the actual noise the base makes is weird so I just leave it off. Thanks for the indepth review, nicely done

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

I will look into ACC with the Alpha Mini and feedback. Which car do you drive in ACC?

[@easybreeze1]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing it was the Ferrari 296. If you lose the rear with ffb detail on 20 it sounds crazy

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

@easybreeze1 what gain setting do you use in ACC for the 296?

[@RoadRashHD]

Top buttons rotate as well. I can press them in and rotate

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Hello, I just tested, and when pressed, the top buttons on my GT Neo only very slightly move. The bottom ones move more easily, but only mentioned due to some perhaps having button OCD. Thanks for your comment.

[@Eskoxo]

hmm any particular reason to go this route from dd1 seems like a very minor sidegrade unless some sort of issues with dd1.

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

Hello, I touched on this in the first impressions video and in the conclusion of this 2 week impressions. The Simagic Alpha Mini is smoother and more detailed. I got the wheel I want without a podium hub (or SRM emulator) & comparable QR2 upgrade. The Simagic QR is night and day different to the old Fanatec QR. The sale of DD1 & and the v2 wheel recoups the outlay, and I now have a better base and wheel.

[@peterenis4752]

Why do you need maglink at the simagic base?

[@TNero1981]

This would be also my question. Should not be the case

[@TNero1981]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing I don't want to lecture you or i haven`t understood you correct, but you don't need either of them. The wheel is connected wireless to the base through the pins inside the quickrelease.

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

@TNero1981 I don't want to use wireless and wireless doesn't work with SimHub for RGBs.

[@JamesClarksonSimracing]

You don't need it. It provides a better connection than the standard USB-C cable. Maglink was my preference and only £22, video does not say Maglink is needed. Thanks for watching and your question.

[@peterenis4752]

@@JamesClarksonSimracing Yea, but why would you need any of those is connection is wireless?