Sanwa JLX - 2025 model update 'JLX2'

[Gunstar]

JLX2 out May 12th 2025:

-Improved metal washer design
-Now comes with the same actuator size as the JLF instead of the slightly larger white model that was stock on the JLX1


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This was announced back in February I believe


Something MarkMan heard about this model:


Video impressions here showing the silent model and the adjustable switches:


I assume the silent version shown in the vid above is just one variant, excited to try this!

[bigbadboaz]

I'm curious to see how this is received. I have a feeling it will underperform. The JLF became a standard and sold umpteen copies over decades with basically one form - it just worked for so many people. The many configurations and options on this JLX imply that they couldn't figure out how to actually improve on the legend.

The big question is, why now? Is this when sales finally started to fall off in the face of all the options being offered by competitors? But the JLF - outside of those who just never took to it - seems like a clear case of "not broken". I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out just like when Seimitsu tried to phase out the LS-32 and the JLF ends up soldiering on, stronger than its "replacement".

[bobrocks95]

Silent only the video made it sound like? Or are there two variants?

[emphatic]

Wow, seriously digging the direction they're going with these.

[buttersoft]

looks nice, i'll probably try one if the prices aren't weirdly high.

I'd love a technical diagram for it, showing the dimensions and clearances. I'd assume it's a drop-in replacement for the JLF, as doing anything else would be suicide from a sales perspective. I wonder if the PCB with the new switches would just fit a JLF tho...

[Gunstar]

August 3rd release date

[buttersoft]

Cool, would love more info as it becomes available

[bigbadboaz]

I'm pretty amazed that this major launch has seen pretty much.. crickets.

[Gunstar]

I wonder if it's because leverless is the new hotness? I haven't got one yet so I don't have an opinion on it

I've seen some impressions from a couple of people I follow on twitter, Arileth is a great SF player and Hibachi has had a ton of sticks/mods sticks for a living (I think)


Some reddit impressions:



Teardown (Note: he didn't realise he had a Kowal oversized actuator on)

[emphatic]

I really miss the SRK Tech Talk forums now. :/ They would've had a deep thread on it by now.

[bigbadboaz]

For sure. The fightsticks subreddit has pretty much taken its place, but JLX talk has been very low.

Gunstar, thanks for posting all those impressions. Hadn't seen most of them and that's exactly what I was looking for. Sounds like JLX is a no-brainer for those needing a new Sanwa, but not a necessary upgrade if you have enough JLFs stored up. Personally I still have a Kowal + spring combo I have yet to try on the old stick, so that goes in before I think about anything new.

[cfx]

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[bigbadboaz]

That particular post seems like an outlier from the early feedback that I did see. It really sounds like a smoother JLF overall, and the larger actuator is more subtle than something like a Kowal. I'm still expecting it to feel very much like a Sanwa.

Of course, this is all secondhand from others' impressions.

[cfx]

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[Gunstar]

I think the white actuator on the JLX must be the same one used in the silent JLF, the JLF-P-W

0.9mm wider than stock according to the smallcabs website, so a slightly shorter throw makes sense. My current JLF has a stock spring and Kowal oversize actuator so I like the change personally. One thing that seems to be missing from impressions is the adjustable micro switches they showed, I don't know if that's been scrapped or coming out later as an upgrade. The "less gate rattle" also sounds like the change they made on the silent JLF with the one piece gate design, this JLX sounds like a more refined version of that, minus the silent switches although the PR also mentioned tighter tolerances and better material too so perhaps the feel isn't 100% the same

[cfx]

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[Martinov]

I learned to use sticks during the 2000s via the Agetec and JLF (which feel very similiar), so I'm looking forward to buying one of these in the next few months. If the throw, engage and spring are *slightly* tighter then I'm happy.

[cfx]

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[Martinov]

Yeah, so true! To me the loose spring, throw and engage distances were so alike that I had no trouble adapting to the JLF. On the other hand, I've seen the Agetec stick compared to the LS-32, which I think is crazy. I had to relearn how to use sticks all over again when I went to use Seimitsu sticks, it felt a little alien at first.

[bigbadboaz]

It's definitely much closer to the JLF than an LS-32, but frankly it's not one of the better clones and easily distinguishable from either IMO -

[Rastan78]

The greatest DC stick IMO was from Ascii and was branded for Capcom vs SNK. The one I had was a blue body with white CP and grey buttons. IIRC it also came in black with yellow buttons. Inside was a precise clone of a Sanwa JLF with "Flash" optical PCB and an octogate. Wish I had held onto that one.

I know it's some kind of sacrilege, but I really like the old Happ Ultimate joysticks like were used on some US arcade cabinets, but they aren't very practical due to not being very precise.

If you ever get a chance to play on an old school Happ Perfect 360 you would love it. Smoother and more precise with the same overall feel. I don't think the originals are easy to come by now tho. Also keep in mind arguably one of the best SF players of all time still uses Happ parts in a MAS stick to this day. I think he just won 2 retro SF side tournaments at Evo 2023 and got second in CVS2. Not a single event was won at Evo this year with a leverless controller btw. All pad or stick.

I wonder if it's because leverless is the new hotness? I haven't got one yet so I don't have an opinion on it

I think a lot of people are silently buying and testing out the JLX. At least one place sold out right away. Maybe the version with the new micros will bring some more hype? Gotta admit the JLX is a little underwhelming as is. It seems almost like they were motivated to change things a bit just to differentiate from all the counterfeiters? Not that it will take the copycats long to adjust their molds to mimic the JLX. Always buy your sanwa parts from a reputable place guys.

[cfx]

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[ACE1CC]

Weird seeing my Reddit post screenshoted here

But yeah I've been daily driving the JLX ever since I got it in early August.

The bottom line is this: it is an incremental improvement to the JLF. If you don't like the JLF, the JLX won't change your mind. But it does address the problems the original JLF had, namely in better parts and a larger actuator to decrease deadzone/quicker engage.

It is very interesting that Sanwa decided to put in a polished nylon pivot, as one of the good things of the JLF was how smooth the pivot actions are and the lack of pivot pop (which is a trait the LS32 has). But yes it is still very smooth, maybe a tad smoother than a JLF.

The real noticeable difference for me is in the larger JLF silent actuator they equipped in the JLX. As I said before, the deadzone has been reduced and the engage is a tad quicker than the stock JLF actuator. Personally I had to readjust some muscle memory from a stock JLF that I was using daily before the JLX, I wasn't used to hitting the switches that soon so I was getting misinputs for awhile. I can understand where @cfx is coming from preferring some deadzone slop, but I think the JLX has just the right amount of deadzone.

But overall I am relieved that the JLX is not a downgrade from the JLF. The changes in parts were long overdue IMO and makes it a better lever, even if changes feel more like an incremental improvment. I'm quite happy with using it for both shmups and fighting games.

[Gunstar]

Thank you both for the impressions/thoughts, cfx and ACE1CC (good to see you here, ACE). Will be grabbing one next time I'm importing things from Japan, I think I'll try and get the model with the adjustable micro switches for that extra customisation

[Bassa-Bassa]

Thanks indeed. Are JLF's gates, actuators and springs compatible with this?

[Rastan78]

Thanks indeed. Are JLF's gates, actuators and springs compatible with this?

According to the Sanwa specs it's only 3 parts of the JLX you want don't want to mess with. The main black body, the large metal washer and the pivot are meant to go together. Other than that you can swap everything out to/from a JLF. The whole pcb switch assembly, shaft, actuator etc.

[Bassa-Bassa]

Sounds good then, thks.

[cfx]

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[cfx]

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[Bassa-Bassa]

The more the info, the better, thks. I'm now curious about that forthcoming PCB with new switches and why they thought that was necessary, to begin with.