CTX-3030 vs. V3i - My impressions thus far...

[Mirlen]

I'm going to document my thoughts between these two detectors now that I have'em. Most of these will just be quick feelings, not in depth comparisons.

So..

Picked up my CTX @ UPS today. Overall packaging/presentation is more professional on the CTX. White's feels more home-made.

Lots of doo-dads with the CTX, my spare coils came with hardware vs. no hardware on the White's.

Lower shafts for CTX are over $150 (!) vs. $28 with White's...BUT they come with hardware ( *eyeroll* Which you don't really need since the coils come with it, whatever). (White's hardware is $1.50, SHIPPED, ya, cheaper than KellyCo when you order direct from White's)

Coil changes aren't all that bad on the CTX, no need to wrap the coil wire which is nice.

Coil covers feel cheap and do not fit well. They only clip around the very bottom portion and my 17" cover doesn't stay on at the tip. Not excusable at this price point.

Audio output on the CTX via headphones feels muffled and less defined. Seems to be lacking in higher frequency audio response vs. the V3i. V3i feels more crisp in the audio and more pleasant. It's not that the TONES are not high pitch etc on the CTX, it's more like the audio hardware is muffling the output...(Direct off the box via headphone module)

I tried audio again comparing with the wireless module and audio thru the wireless module is crisper, leading me to believe that it's an audio chipset issue with the chipset used in the unit vs. the wireless module.

The display on the CTX is just no comparison to the V3i's display. The CTX display is hard to read in almost all lighting conditions in comparison to the V3i's bright sunshine friendly display. I think they really dropped the ball on the display, especially on a detector where you're going to be referencing the display a lot.


CTX feels a lot less chatty vs. the V3i but at times I felt a little blind. Adjusting to just 2D ID is going to take a little adjusting to, no icon hints.. Feels a bit more stable around EMI once you noise cancel and tame down the sensitivity a bit.

Targets on CTX seem a bit less sure & sharp vs. the V3i, need to get out of my yard to test more.

CTX is limited to only 10 modes vs. seemingly endless # of programs on the V3i. I'm sure this isn't that big of a deal, but I'm a packrat digitally, and not being able to just copy over EVERY mode I have on XChange2 is a little annoying, it's like my CTX is an iPod Nano instead of an 80GB iPod...

More thoughts later as I get more time to play, these are just my 1/2 day thoughts.

 

[Mirlen]

Day 2

Day 2

Minelab coils all come with coil covers. Or as Minelab calls them, scuff guards. Sounds great right? Well, pop that cover off and you'll find out why they come with them. The scuff guard on a Minelab coil is essentially the same as the bottom of a White's coil. The epoxy material is right there under that scuff guard...so essentially the Minelab coils are bottomless and just include a removable bottom that can be replaced.

I wish there was a mute function on the CTX. On the V3i I got into the habit of just hitting Menu to go to the menu which shut it up. Haven't found a quick easy way to do that on the CTX.

I wish I could move the Target ID down to the bottom of the screen, yanno, in the iron !!!! area where I don't usually need to see...(Sensitivity area). I need to see that clock or the wife is gonna kill me one of these days! I could probably use the large ID screen but then that covers up and obscures most of the rest of the screen...

How do I rearrange modes? Want to put my custom modes first and some of the factory ones in after those but don't see an easy way to do this...

It runs Linux, I need to root this thing...

 

[dogpound]

I adjusted all the tones on my ctx so that silver will scream out (its not as defined as on the etrac but as close as I could get), I also run mine with the back light on which seems ta help with the screen (I also added an anti glare screen protector
give the ctx some time and i'm sure you'll love it

 

[rizar33]

I would like to get out and hunt with someone with a CTX sometime. I have hunted with folks with Etracs and several other machines and have yet to feel like I have been out gunned. Maybe the CTX will be the machine that whips me and my V3i. I doubt it but I am willing to give it a shot.

 

[Crumble]

Keep the reports coming! I'm looking closely at the CTX... but not sure if I believe all the hype. V3i is going to be a tough detector to beat.

 

[Mirlen]

I also run mine with the back light on which seems ta help with the screen (I also added an anti glare screen protector
give the ctx some time and i'm sure you'll love it

Ya, I took the shipping plastic off tonight and it's a little CLEARER but still not nearly as bright and vibrant compared to the V3i. V3i reflects sunlight nicely in daylight so you can turn the backlight off. CTX you have to run it in daylight to help increase the clarity.

 

[maansman]

Hi Everyone -

New user here...actually, I was looking for a review of the 3030 and the V3i, as I have both machines. I don't need both of them, so I am really trying to figure out which to keep.

They both have plus and minuses.......I was always a White's guy....had the XLT, than the DFX....and on the side I had a Minelab, the XS and SE Pro....I have sold all those years ago, and started getting back to action with these new guys.

The V3i is a nice machine. I have it with the Sun Ray Probe as well. There is just way too many menus, programs, etc...you just get lost in the madness. One nifty feature is the "Polar Plot" which really gives me more details on to dig or not. The display is great, and it's always nice to see the familiar White's target icon's. Again....love the Polar Plot....did I already say that??

The CTX 3030 is just a beauty. What a nice, well built machine. It literary just turn on and go. This is my go to detector. When I have some extra time to hunt, I grab this one over the White's. It's just so easy, and it is powerful. I don't have any issues with the display..it's bright, and I can see it pretty well. Also, it's water proof. Now, I would not go under water with it, even though Minelab says you can....but it's great if you are in the field, and a passing rain or light sprinkle comes down...your safe, whereas the V3i you need to take cover. The CTX collapses so quickly it's a breeze to get it in the car, etc. To me, the pinpointing is SO MUCH BETTER than the White's. I find the targets dead on......the GPS function is cool, but it's gimikey.....I mean you can highlight a specific area on Google maps, uploaded it to the detector, and you can see when you hit your location. It's heavier than my V3i...well, at least I feel it on my arm muscle!

I am just in a dilemma (well, not that much!). Which do I part with, if at all? Right now, probably the V3i....but I am not ready yet! Is the Minelab worth the price? Hmm.....maybe.

If you like play with menus, and menus, and menus, than the V3i is the one. Plus, the Polar Plot function is pretty damn cool...in fact, it's the reason I don't want to sell it. White's nailed it with that one...and the "Deep Silver" program is the bomb!

They are both very powerful, and you can't go wrong with either one. If you like to hunt by sound (like I do) the Minelab is great.

If you like waterproof, turn on and go, awesome pinpointing, messing around with software on the PC, GPS, and a 'freakin' hot looking machine, than the Minelab is it.

They both have learning curves...never had a E-Trac, but folks from there to the CTX found it easy....but going from a DFX to V3i...it's a change!

Looking forward for more discussions here.......

- Mark

 

[Crumble]

The thing with the V3i, is it is easy to get overwhelmed in the menus. You just have to remember that each setting has a deepest/most sensitive setting. Ground filter - 5khz bandpass, RX gain - 15, Disc/AM sensitivity - 100, etc.

So whenever I hit a new spot, I just tweak the settings for a few minutes, trying to get all settings as close to the deepest setting as possible, while still remaining stable... then I leave it like that and forget about the settings and start hunting. The only thing I ever mess with in the middle of a hunt is the ground balance... and maybe the RX gain if I start getting EMI.

The single frequency modes are a little more tricky to get the right settings, but in 3 frequency mode you can normally run it really hot and get great depth while remaining stable.

I do want to try a CTX... all the random problems scare me though. Once people's warranties are up, those repairs are going to be costly. Minelab isn't the type of company that gives you good deals on repairs...

 

[hunter081]

hmm

Im famailiar with the ctx3030. Friend has one and in fact its for sale. Now this may sound SHOCKING to many of you swingers but I have the Whites mxt-pro and side by side, same spot, same days, same hours that ctx HAS NOT out performed my whites mxt-pro. I really really really think these minelabs are overrated. Now im not saying that to tick anyone off but I spent some time with the etrac in fla. It was boring. I was not impressed. I called a few civil war dealers that sell all various machines including the more expensive minelabs and all stated that the mxt-pro "which is way cheaper" is no joke and very deep with fast as well.

If i had to pick id take the whites v3i anyday over the minelab. People give them wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to much credit.
But hey if I spent 300 dollars on Nike shoes id walk around like I was the cats meow and tell everyone because how much I spent on my shoes that they are way better for jumping, running etc etc.

Also like someone else mentiond Minelabs customer service is horrible from what ive read and have had friends tell me so from their expierence.

Whites is in sweet home oregan. I drive a f150 and swing a American made detector, 1950's style customer service american born whites. NUFF SAID!!

 

[itsaring!]

I'll be learning my V3i when it cools off a bit. Luckily after using a DFX, a lot of the same areas you need to tweak in a V3i just has a different name now. Polar plot is gonna be sweet to use for sure Not sure how many are using all of a V3i's features to the fullest advantage? Gonna take me a while to learn.

 

[goodmore]

The MXT is a great detector. I have seen a skilled operator use his to find targets that other detectors could not hear. But arguing over which detector is best is not that simple. You have ground conditions like the red clay of Virginia. You have black sand on beaches. The MXT is no good on a salt beach. You have iron infested dirt where recovery speed and target unmasking come into play. You have trashy areas where target ID numbers get pulled down by trash targets nearby. Like I said the MXT is a great detector. I have seen it first hand. I'm glad you are satisfied with yours. Comparing it to other detectors is what happens on the forums. And sometimes we learn from comparisons. But to flat out state that one detector is better than another is just wrong to do.

Which is faster? A Ford Cobra Mustang or a a Ford F-150 4 x 4? How about off road? Different tools for different jobs.

No detector does it all.

We just recently had a post where the locals at Myrtle Beach have all been amazed by the performance of the CTX. They sold their Sovereigns and have all purchased the CTX.

The top of the line White's unit seems like a nice detector. I have seen post after post where people say there are too many adjustments. It's complicated to use. others have said the stock programs stink.

Difference of opinions. That is why we all have different detectors.

 

[Crumble]

The MXT is a great detector. I have seen a skilled operator use his to find targets that other detectors could not hear. But arguing over which detector is best is not that simple. You have ground conditions like the red clay of Virginia. You have black sand on beaches. The MXT is no good on a salt beach. You have iron infested dirt where recovery speed and target unmasking come into play. You have trashy areas where target ID numbers get pulled down by trash targets nearby. Like I said the MXT is a great detector. I have seen it first hand. I'm glad you are satisfied with yours. Comparing it to other detectors is what happens on the forums. And sometimes we learn from comparisons. But to flat out state that one detector is better than another is just wrong to do.

Which is faster? A Ford Cobra Mustang or a a Ford F-150 4 x 4? How about off road? Different tools for different jobs.

No detector does it all.

We just recently had a post where the locals at Myrtle Beach have all been amazed by the performance of the CTX. They sold their Sovereigns and have all purchased the CTX.

The top of the line White's unit seems like a nice detector. I have seen post after post where people say there are too many adjustments. It's complicated to use. others have said the stock programs stink.

Difference of opinions. That is why we all have different detectors.

You bring up a good point.

Most machines have one set of working characteristics, by that I mean, the recovery speed, the sweep speed, etc., and I've never used a machine that has had the best of all the characteristics. On an open stretch of beach, my Sovereign with big DD coil has become my go-to machine because of its great depth and very accurate target ID... but in a trashy area, the iron nulling and slow recovery of the Sovereign makes it nearly useless. So in a trashy site, I'll take my CZ21/V3i with their fast recovery over the Sovereign every time.

The V3i, with it's crazy amount of settings, is the closest machine I have seen that can handle every type of hunting condition you can throw at it... because I have control of everything in the settings menu. The biggest downside with the V3i is its iffy target identification accuracy past 6"... a place where the Sovereign is nearly perfect.

All 3 of the machines I mentioned deserve a place in the stable, because they outperform the other 2 in certain conditions.

I still want to try the CTX though...

 

[rizar33]

I have read a lot of comments about the V3i but I have yet to hear any that sound like they have come from someone who actually has some real time with the machine.

For anyone who has a V3i they should also be visiting the White's Forum daily.

Anyone with serious questions who wants to really learn the V3i can PM me.

 

[towboater2013]

In my opinion they both great machines.Its just the extra effort put into the ctx....waterproof....... usb interface and technology that grabbed my attention along with experiencing them both.

 

[Cherry Picker]

I think the CTX is the quicker picker-upper, but the V3i has the greater potential.

Right out of the box the CTX will net the user deeper finds, Minelab is good at this. It makes identifying those really deep coins pretty easy. The V3i take a little more tweaking and understanding, but, has the potential to go just a tad deeper once you've mastered it.

Both, in my opinion, are the best of the best.

 

[Crumble]

I have read a lot of comments about the V3i but I have yet to hear any that sound like they have come from someone who actually has some real time with the machine.

For anyone who has a V3i they should also be visiting the White's Forum daily.

Anyone with serious questions who wants to really learn the V3i can PM me.

That is a pretty inflammatory reply... I guess you are the only person that people should take seriously?

I don't read the whites forums, because they are completely biased. Ask about SEF coils, they will tell you whites coils are better. Ask how the V3i compares to other machines, they will delete your thread. Hell your posts have to be reviewed by a moderator before they even get posted over there... it's like Nazi era Germany over there...

Not to mention the programs they constantly tell people to use (Fox, Magic, etc.) weren't impressive, and my V3i performs much better after just tweeking it to be as hot as possible while still remaining stable on my ground... just like I do with every other machine.

 

[Mirlen]

I don't read the whites forums, because they are completely biased.

Wait, those are WHITE'S forums?!?! I thought they were Fox's forums?!

Yeah, the mighty ban hammer is very quick there, and if it's not deleted and Fox doesn't agree with it in some way then the thread gets locked or you get yelled at for even bringing up the topic, why think that way just think MY way.

As for the CTX ID being easier, I dunno, doesn't feel like it so far. It does seem more stable but you still just have 2 numbers, need to nail those down to THINGS vs. numbers. V3i at least has just ONE number to deal with and pretty little icons for idiots to at least give my 'ol brain a hint. Now granted, I've only had the CTX out of my yard once so far but the ID #'s are still confus'n.

The tones for hits on targets seemed a bit softer and more subtle vs. the V3i, but today I was poking around the same volleyball sand-pits I was a few weeks ago with the V3i, so there's probably not much new stuff in there if at all... I did manage to eek out another $1 car wash token though! *dance*

 

[Martin_V3i]

Take this from someone who pushed the envelope on Whites patience on there site for 3 years with my posts...they are way better now than they used to be. It is important to remember that it is a company owned server, so there should be bias. All in all I am fine with the Whites board. It is frustrating though how you ask for one simple set of test results on the V3i, which takes a mere few minutes and can be done inside the house even...and the replies vanish for some reason.

The Whites board over all gets a good rating from me today. Used to be you couldn't even say Garretts or propointer there. Fox has made a positive improvement in my personal opinion. He hasn't banned me yet ;-) martin

 

[rizar33]

That is a pretty inflammatory reply... I guess you are the only person that people should take seriously?

I don't read the whites forums, because they are completely biased. Ask about SEF coils, they will tell you whites coils are better. Ask how the V3i compares to other machines, they will delete your thread. Hell your posts have to be reviewed by a moderator before they even get posted over there... it's like Nazi era Germany over there...

Not to mention the programs they constantly tell people to use (Fox, Magic, etc.) weren't impressive, and my V3i performs much better after just tweeking it to be as hot as possible while still remaining stable on my ground... just like I do with every other machine.

That is my observation of the posts. How is it inflammatory?

 

[Mirlen]

I would like to get out and hunt with someone with a CTX sometime. I have hunted with folks with Etracs and several other machines and have yet to feel like I have been out gunned. Maybe the CTX will be the machine that whips me and my V3i. I doubt it but I am willing to give it a shot.

Ya? Well, I'll just dual wield the CTX and V3i and double kick your butt.