[jimbob]

First of all, I don't believe that cloak-detecting sensors should require cloak technology. For example, several races (Feds/Dominion) at times seem adept at detecting cloaks but themselves do not have the same level of technology to use them

It seems to me that the Feds sensors were huge sensor arrays... and that their ability to detect cloaked ships was not founded in their ability to do the cloaking illusion, but that it was in their ability to construct giant sensitive arrays that could detect minor imperfections in their enemy's cloaking devices.

Though this may have been suggested a million times already, what about making separate tech branchs for detection versus cloaking. I'd suggest making the detection devices really large (~450 kT), and allow them to be placed on bases only (versus on ships which could potentially result in large sensor arrays flying around the universe, engaging in combat... )

Hope this is of use.