HRAP3 or a Mad Cats TE?!

Tech Talk
1

What should my friend buy people?
I have never used a TE so what do you think?

Please reply because I do not want to waste his money!

Update

I own a HRAP3 myself.
I had to replace the square gate with a octagonal

  • replace the trash stock Hori buttons with Sanwa.

Question again: HRAP3 or a Mad Cats TE?!

Update

Last question (& I close thread): So the Street Fighter TE stick does weigh more than a HRAP3?

2

they pretty much the same thing. i have both. its just a lot more time consuming to mod the HRAP3 thats all. so much more things u gotta do compared to the TE where its just 6 screws that comes off and opens up the top panel. sometimes the TE doesnt always get read by computers too but the HRAP3 is not a problem with that.

3

Some people love TE and some people hate TE, so i suggest you to try out a TE before if you are going to buy one.

4

I have both a TE and an HRAP3SA.

I prefer my TE.

If you don’t want to mod the hrap 3 get a TE.

5

My vote is TE

6

This should be a HRAP3SA vs TE lol. If not then TE>HRAP3

7

Te ftw!

8

This. As the HRAP3SA and the TE have the same parts while the vanilla HRAP3 has a Sanwa joystick, Hori buttons and a JLF-only mounting bracket.

9

I’ve got both. I prefer my TE with LS-32 and Sanwa buttons for Street Fighter and my HRAP SA with LS-32 and Seimitsu clear buttons for Blazblue.

10

Hrap3sa

11

I have played on both. I have an HRAP3-SA. It is the flag ship of my collection. The HRAP3 is Sanwa stick with Hori Buttons.(as mentioned before) Damn good, especially for $100 on amazon. If he hasn’t regularly played on a stick go for the HRAP3.

I started my stick game on an HFS3. When I played on a TE is was like magic. I picked up the HRAP3-SA and have the same/better feeling. If he gets the HRAP3 the only difference he’ll feel when moving to a TE are the softer buttons.

My Opinion -

Mayflash < Hori Wireless FS3 < HFS3 < TE = HRAP3-SA

I want to get my hands on an HRAP3-SE and a Vewlix. I hope that is all you need.

12

u guys are forgetting about the weight differences as well. the TE is really heavy and feels a lot more study than the HRAP3. i think the HRAP3 is just as good though if u guys arent planning to go all crazy and mod it. but then again, fight sticks are all about preference. some people can play with a really shitty stick and not have a problem with playing on it at all.

13

There’s not a huge difference in size or weight between the two joysticks…

It comes down to whether you like a straighter button layout (Madcatz TE) or the Astrocade style (HRAP 3/SA). Do you like the Viewlix cabinet style (Mad Catz), or the Astrocade cabinet style (HRAP) better?

I’ve got both sticks and they feel the same to me. They should because they use the same arcade parts!

You could find them both on sale for around $90 late last year. Nowadays, the HRAP 3 SA is getting harder to find.

People will say the MadCatz TE is less reliable but most of us have not had huge problems with it.

For easier modding and availability of hardware (IF you live in North America), get the Mad Catz TE. It’s full arcade, made to be easier to mod, and generally on sale for $100 or less.

The vanilla (JLF-stick with Hori pushbuttons) HRAP 3 is usually $90 if you can find it.

HRAP 3 SA is a limited production joystick with full arcade parts but is generally harder to find now. It seems to be out-of-production and will probably be replaced in future production by the HRAP V3 SA. I don’t expect new HRAP 3 SA’s to be made later this year… I think it’s been discontinued by Hori. The V3 and its spin-offs are Hori’s future.

14

Modding some of the HRAP3 models can be hell compared to madkatz’s stuff. To even get to any component you have to open the bottom panel then open the top panel by removing some annoyingly placed nuts. There’s a box-like construction inside where all the components are that can’t be accessed from the bottom panel. Art’s Hobbies does sell some modification pieces so you can replace the original bolts and access it from the top right away.
Then with a few models (like my blazblue:CT edition) they soldered the PCB directly onto the damn buttons! Prepare to desolder and rewire+solder the whole thing if you simply want to swap buttons (which you will eventually). I don’t know exactly which other models use this so look it up before you or your friends buy something. I don’t know about joystick swapping with these but you won’t have to. I do think the hori buttons are more sturdy than the madkatz SE buttons for comparison.
On a sidenote, the art material is hardly scratch-proof. There’s a whole bunch of white around my dustwasher and I didn’t even play it that much since I got my SE. I don’t know how the material is for TEs but you will need a plexi if you want the stock art of your limited edition protected.
How easy it is to dual-mod an HRAP3 no idea, but the 360 TEs are highly favoured for that it seems.