MadCatz SE stock parts compared to better ones?

Tech Talk
#1

Hey,
I just got my SE yesterday and it’s my first stick. I have read the various tutorials on swapping the parts for proper arcade ones, however, I’m after a rough comparison of the stock parts against some decent ones from people who have experience.

For example, would you say the stock joystick is like a JLF, but much looser? Or are the stock buttons like OBSN-30s but less responsive?

I haven’t modded a stick before and I wouldn’t know one brand from another, but I have played loads of arcade games (in arcades), so I just want to know what I have NOW, so I can better decide what to swap the parts for.

edit:
It was seeing this on slagcoin that got me thinking. How would the stock SE parts fit on these charts?
http://slagcoin.com/joystick/attributes_brands/chart.png
http://slagcoin.com/joystick/attributes_brands/chart_b.png

#2

I swapped the stock parts on the SE with Sanwa parts. The stock buttons on the SE are definitely harder to press down and a bit less responsive as well. The stock stick on the SE is stiffer than the Sanwa JLF. That said, if you don’t think that you’ll be using your stick a lot, swapping parts isn’t really necessary.

#3

Anything>>>>>stock se parts. SE buttons will like to stick or fail completely at random at times. And the stock joystick is a joke at best. Even for casual play i’d recommend to swap them out, because not having buttons or directions not work at all is frustrating.

All that really matters is you know you’re gonna replace your parts with Sanwa or Seimitsu, both are quality and totally worth the money.

#4

its all good take out the washer tho [media=youtube]U394JpJ82nU[/media]

#5

@chunga:
No, these parts are definately getting swapped at some point. I am happy to use the shitty parts to get reaquainted with stick play and until they break, also gives me a chance to figure out how I want the stick configured when I do mod it.

@FunkyP:
I hear that. It’s only been a day of use and sometimes if I FADC forward, from the right (dashing left) it will actually make me dash backwards. From testing in training mode, it seems if I flick the stick left it sometimes registers right before neutral again, I can work around it, but that’s not how the player/controller relationship is supposed to work.

@hacksparrow:
Is this to do with PCBs getting fried or directions sticking? If it’s directions, I won’t bother as I am going to swap it out eventually. If it’s PCB fry-age, is it the PCB in the joystick itself (JLFake, JLF, etc) or the SE PCB (that connects to the console) that gets fried?

Thanks for the quick responses.

#6

SE parts < Hori parts <= TvC Parts < Full Sanwa/Seimitsu

#7

the washer ring scrapes the pcb traces, TRUST me just do it

#8

when i was using someone else’s SE before, i hated the stick. it had so much deflection that i was getting up by accident whenever i pressed down.

buttons are buttons and they all work the same for me. Most unresponsive stuff i’ve found are usually because of pcb or soldering.

would def recommend hack sparrow’s advice to remove that random washer ring

#9

Thanks guys. I’m looking into that washer thing now; it seems like only the joystick (not the whole unit) is affected by the washer issue, so I don’t need to stress at least.

@Twinniss:
Sounds like my deflection issues aren’t nearly as bad as yours, but since I am already having deflection issues, it’s only gonna get worse.

I have a specific question, again regarding the comparison of stock SE parts to good parts. What’s the engage and throw rating of an SE stick? Use the scale from slagcoin if that makes it easier.

#10

The throw is about the same as a JLF. In my experience though, the SE doesn’t engage diagonals until all the way in the corner of its gate. This is made worse by the fact that the corners and the diagonals don’t precisely match up; you have to be slightly above the corner (but on the side of the gate) to hit diagonals.

The stock buttons aren’t all that horrible, at least in comparison to the joystick. I’d compare the force to activate them to Seimitsus, maybe slightly more, but the distance they have to be pushed in feels smaller.

#11

Thanks, that’s just the kind of info I need :slight_smile:

I must be lucky because I don’t have to go all the way into the gate corner to activate diagonals, but this is only after 2 days play.

#12

Its not the feel of the buttons that are so bad, its the fact that they are guaranteed to fail or stick.

#13

i was wondering this since they look so similar (right down to the washer thing)

would putting a jlf spring make it better, or are the microswitches significanly worse as well?

#14

Your only concern is one of the trigger/bumper buttons on the face ‘‘is’’ going to go out so you will have to swab another button around which doesn’t matter cause you only need 6 then disassemble the stick COMPLETELY and remove the metal washer from the ‘‘madcatz stick’’ or it will scratch up your pc and it wont work anymore, The microswitches are bad but it has a decent swing also adding a spring doesn’t him and like i said the washer in the jlf isn’t fucking scratching your pcb like the madcatz stick theres a huge difference in response vs stock buttons and sanwa buttons,

I used my SE for along time with default parts and yes i had to go through and do everything mentioned swapping one of the buttons around to removing the washer

#15

well i’m pretty sure i fixed the washer issue already (applied a layer of hot glue to the PCB right near the ring then let it dry; the metal washer won’t scratch the pcb because the glue blocks it)

I will definitely be replacing the buttons, i just wondered if replacing the stick is an emergency, and more specifically whether the main problem with the SE stick is long-term reliability (fine by me, that’s simple fixes) or actual poor performance (crappy microswitches? Crappy spring? everything else is essentially the same)

#16

@FunkyP
Have you used the stock Hori buttons? Haha … those are pitiful compared to stock Sanwa.

#17

Why not just take the washer off? Its not needed doesn’t effect the stick just removing it, It’s pointless to even risk it if you’re wanting to make it last.

Good thing the SE Stick doesn’t have Sanwa buttons -_-