Rattlehead
Forum Supporter
I will check it out. Thanks!
My thoughts on the Minelab Manticore after 50 hours and beyond!
- Thread starter Rattlehead
- Start date
markinswpa
Forum Supporter
DeWayne. Never got a Manticore, stopped with the 900. Kinda glad I did. Although Minelab addressed the build qualities of the 800 they failed on the screen/ faceplate cover. The only one they supplied looked like hell after the first four hunts and the pod cover was taking scratches as well. I had to sacrifice the backlit keyboard and cover with a faceplate decal just in case I wanted to sell the unit. Minelab has really gone cheap on us. I f you remember the ones supplied with the 800 had some scratch resistance.
I read you sold your Manticore. Speaks volumes. So is the Manticore the Beast ? Or in reality is it the Least ? By that I mean is it the least capable detector of the latest release's from Minelab. 2018 to present. 50 % more power, unprecedented sensitivity. REALLY ? Like having a Dodge Hellcat and not being able to leave the parking lot. the buzz these days is the stability issues is because everybody seems to be over driving the machine. Are you kidding me ? The reason is they IMO is they rushed it to market because they were more worried about their share than giving us the quality we have come to expect from them. And the update has done little from what I've seen. The water hunters seem to be happy but only a handfull of turf hunters seem to be satisfied. If it sounds like I've soured on Minelab, BIG TIME. They are too busy running around releasing low end detectors and pinpointers and not supplying the accessories they promised to go with what they said was the new flagship machine. IMO they need to do a 180 and quick or Nokta and XP will leave them in the dust. Ok rant over, I fell better. Signed future XP or Legend owner.
maxxkatt
Forum Supporter
Very good review. Having owned the 800, CTX and now the XP 2, I was curious on how the Manticore stacked up to the XP 2.
Loved the target trace on the CTX but hated the weight of the CTX. The very light weight of the XP 2 will most likely keep me with the XP 2 for a long time.
Loved the target trace on the CTX but hated the weight of the CTX. The very light weight of the XP 2 will most likely keep me with the XP 2 for a long time.
Rattlehead
Forum Supporter
Hey Mark. The Manticore was definitely sparky on iron if running ATHC. After putting a lot of hours on it, I had got to the point that I could tell iron from non-ferrous most of the time, but still found myself digging the occasional bent nail a little more often than I did with my other detectors. When hunting spots loaded with iron, I had better luck with ATLC. Seemed to run a lot smoother and false a lot less. Same way as Fast vs Deep HC on the D2.
The Manticore actually performed well for me, and scored some super deep coins at sites that I thought were dead. The main reason I ended up selling mine was that I just preferred the audio, ergonomics and lighter weight of my Deus 2. I never tried the update. I had already sold mine before it was released.
Thanks Maxxkatt.
I would count myself among the handful of satisfied turf hunters. But, having said that, I agree with almost everything you said
. Despite being well satisfied with the Manticore, I am getting kind of soured on Minelab too. I got on the waiting list for the Manticore almost a year ago now. Didn't get it until early February because I didn't want to get it from Cabelas. Still no extra coils available. The update is total crap in my dirt, I'm running the old version. Battery life sucks. Can't save custom disc patterns. Etc. There is a lot to be disgruntled about.
But, but, but... I am satisfied with the machine. I had low expectations too though. Better EMI handling was almost all I was hoping for and the Manticore has delivered on that, for me. I'm finding the extra speed over the 800 quite useful in heavy nonferrous park trash, too. And crown caps are a thing of the past. Even the Corona crown caps I dug so many of with the 800, non issue with the Manticore. Just those few improvements, better EMI handling, better separation in nonferrous trash and better bottle cap handling, have "opened up" some EMI heavy, trashy park areas for me and produced a lot of clad and silver that was tough to get with the 800 (not impossible, but harder). I'm up to almost $500 in clad with it, with silver coins and .925 combined nearly 50 silvers, and two gold rings. It has over half paid for itself in six months - in mostly hammered, trashy park turf hunting. It's working for me.
Add in the vastly improved build quality, screen, menu system and ergonomics, and, yes, I am satisfied. I'm surprised to find, I really like the target trace too and find it very useful. I wasn't expecting that.
But, I know a LOT of people, aren't satisfied! It's far from a home run from Minelab. It has all kinds of warts that need to be worked around. ATHC is a disaster in iron. I mean, disaster. Fortunately, ATLC isn't so bad in iron. But, ATLC doesn't hit the deep silver like ATHC, either. And so far, I have mostly used it turf hunting. My friend that has used it more for relic hunting - which I like a lot more than turf hunting - is talking about selling his Manticore to stick with his D2. My relic hunting season is just about to get started, and I might be singing a different tune, soon?
And, I thought the Manticore would be an easy transition from the 800. But it has been anything but. I can't tune the Manticore like I did the 800. Not even close. It's a completely different machine that needs completely different adjustments for my dirt. Put it this way, lowering sensitivity and raising recovery speed were NOT the way to get better signal and ID at depth in bad dirt with the 800, but I am finding it most certainly is with the Manticore.
Lot of words above. But really, I am actually in almost total agreement with you
. Minelab has seemed like they are trying to botch this machine from the get go. Yet, for urban turf hunting, it's kind of killing it for me.- Dave
markinswpa
Forum Supporter
Dave your find totals with the Manticore are quite impressive. I have read yours and others comments/posts on the other forums. The reason I'm so upset with Minelab, when they announced it I expected and had no doubt it would be as revolutionary as the 800 when it was released. I thought this will send XP and Nokta to the barn. Not even close. Then come to find the B.S. with the proprietary headphones. Still cussing that one with my 900. And the whole coil debacle. If you remember Mark Lowrie said they would be available with the release of the machine and even implied you could buy the Manticore with the coil of your choice. Nooo, they are too busy trying to compete in every aspect of the market instead of doing what they do best. Supplying us with first rate detectors. Ok I don't want to go off on another rant. Glad to see you're doing well with it and continued success. MarkI would count myself among the handful of satisfied turf hunters. But, having said that, I agree with almost everything you said
Despite being well satisfied with the Manticore, I am getting kind of soured on Minelab too. I got on the waiting list for the Manticore almost a year ago now. Didn't get it until early February because I didn't want to get it from Cabelas. Still no extra coils available. The update is total crap in my dirt, I'm running the old version. Battery life sucks. Can't save custom disc patterns. Etc. There is a lot to be disgruntled about.
But, but, but... I am satisfied with the machine. I had low expectations too though. Better EMI handling was almost all I was hoping for and the Manticore has delivered on that, for me. I'm finding the extra speed over the 800 quite useful in heavy nonferrous park trash, too. And crown caps are a thing of the past. Even the Corona crown caps I dug so many of with the 800, non issue with the Manticore. Just those few improvements, better EMI handling, better separation in nonferrous trash and better bottle cap handling, have "opened up" some EMI heavy, trashy park areas for me and produced a lot of clad and silver that was tough to get with the 800 (not impossible, but harder). I'm up to almost $500 in clad with it, with silver coins and .925 combined nearly 50 silvers, and two gold rings. It has over half paid for itself in six months - in mostly hammered, trashy park turf hunting. It's working for me.
Add in the vastly improved build quality, screen, menu system and ergonomics, and, yes, I am satisfied. I'm surprised to find, I really like the target trace too and find it very useful. I wasn't expecting that.
But, I know a LOT of people, aren't satisfied! It's far from a home run from Minelab. It has all kinds of warts that need to be worked around. ATHC is a disaster in iron. I mean, disaster. Fortunately, ATLC isn't so bad in iron. But, ATLC doesn't hit the deep silver like ATHC, either. And so far, I have mostly used it turf hunting. My friend that has used it more for relic hunting - which I like a lot more than turf hunting - is talking about selling his Manticore to stick with his D2. My relic hunting season is just about to get started, and I might be singing a different tune, soon?
And, I thought the Manticore would be an easy transition from the 800. But it has been anything but. I can't tune the Manticore like I did the 800. Not even close. It's a completely different machine that needs completely different adjustments for my dirt. Put it this way, lowering sensitivity and raising recovery speed were NOT the way to get better signal and ID at depth in bad dirt with the 800, but I am finding it most certainly is with the Manticore.
Lot of words above. But really, I am actually in almost total agreement with you
- Dave
Oh! I forgot to mention "that". Yeah, I'm wanting to rant about that too. I'm bitter and resentful about that. It's completely by Minelab's choice and it's sticking it to us customers.
I may be "satisfied" with the Manticore. But you will not see me jumping on the CTX replacement. Nope. I'm saving up for PI machine. But if I were looking for the next VLF, I'd be waiting for a D3.
- Dave
You know the beast was never going to be minelabs flagship detector if you watch the early videos that came out and all the ? they asked Mark Lowrie he said there would not be a beast 2 . He stated this is it there will never be another beast .
So with that said is muti IQ done and minelabs new flagship comes out with new and different tec ?.
I did order a manticore and deus 2 in October last year got the deus first and did not get my manticore till march of this year I ran a lot of different test on the pair and sold the beast kept the deus 2 and like the deus 2 so much I bought another .
Swinging both machines the beast is like a broom stick all that torque at the end of the swing to change directions makes it hard on your wrist . The deus has a plastic shaft which I like it loads the coil making it easier for the return .Kind of like a fly rod it loads the pole with energy for the forward cast not like a broomstick even though it is only 2.9 lbs you still feel it not like the deus .
So will minelab come out with a new flagship don't know they can't even get the manticore on the market they have to get the machine available before they can sell coils . As for all the rants these will be fixed with the new flagship (IF) they can get it to market.
I don't have anything against minlab been using them for over 20 years and they found me plenty but I getting a sour taste in my mouth especially when there are cheaper machine that are just as good or better . sube
So with that said is muti IQ done and minelabs new flagship comes out with new and different tec ?.
I did order a manticore and deus 2 in October last year got the deus first and did not get my manticore till march of this year I ran a lot of different test on the pair and sold the beast kept the deus 2 and like the deus 2 so much I bought another .
Swinging both machines the beast is like a broom stick all that torque at the end of the swing to change directions makes it hard on your wrist . The deus has a plastic shaft which I like it loads the coil making it easier for the return .Kind of like a fly rod it loads the pole with energy for the forward cast not like a broomstick even though it is only 2.9 lbs you still feel it not like the deus .
So will minelab come out with a new flagship don't know they can't even get the manticore on the market they have to get the machine available before they can sell coils . As for all the rants these will be fixed with the new flagship (IF) they can get it to market.
I don't have anything against minlab been using them for over 20 years and they found me plenty but I getting a sour taste in my mouth especially when there are cheaper machine that are just as good or better . sube
longbow62
Forum Supporter
I've hunted less this year than I have the last 6 years. I mean a lot less, most weekends just one day. I'm still having my best silver year ever. A high proportion of my silver has come from places I thought there was no silver left. Places my buddies and I had hunted several times since the silver dried up, and found no more. Several of these places the first time in with the Manticore were multiple silver hunts. One park I found 5 silvers. One old heavily hunted school yard I found 4 silvers. A small yard a buddy and I had been to at least twice and wore out both times I found 2. I was really floored I found them when the last few times at some of these places I got zilch. A new to me school yard has produced 14 silver coins and a silver ring. Most of this silver has been very deep. The kind of depth that's pretty close to edge of detection. Even with coins at that depth calling what the coins are has been spot on. I've had less days with no silver coins found than I ever have.
The above experiences lead me to believe it's quite a bit better than the 800, and even the 900 too. I generally use ATHC 5 tones in normal audio. The Sensitivity seldom goes above 23. I think my Ferrous limits are 8 high and 3 low. Recovery mostly 4, sometimes 3. It is a tougher machine to get a handle on, but to me it's been more than worth it. I may be bias about it, but on the turf I'm pretty sure it's equal to, and in some ways better than the D2. I have buddies with the D2, and I tend to find coins just a little deeper on average than they do. I don't like digging iron, and if the Manticore was causing me to dig much iron I'd ditch it. I'm more of a silver cherry picker than a dig it all person. My buddies dig a lot more targets per hunt than I do. I can call coins very good with the Manticore. The 2D screen while not the be all end all is helpful. I'm still learning the Manticore 7.5 months in. I've said it before in other threads, and on other forums I wouldn't trade the Manticore for any detector currently being made for turf hunting in yards, parks, and curb strips. I can't comment on beach or relic hunting. I'm sure on a heavy iron site I would have to move to ATLC. That's what I had to do with the Equinox. The Nox would false far more in Park1 than in Park2. For turf hunting Park1 was the program, while Park2 seemed to be the ticket for heavy iron, and mainly mid conductors.
The above experiences lead me to believe it's quite a bit better than the 800, and even the 900 too. I generally use ATHC 5 tones in normal audio. The Sensitivity seldom goes above 23. I think my Ferrous limits are 8 high and 3 low. Recovery mostly 4, sometimes 3. It is a tougher machine to get a handle on, but to me it's been more than worth it. I may be bias about it, but on the turf I'm pretty sure it's equal to, and in some ways better than the D2. I have buddies with the D2, and I tend to find coins just a little deeper on average than they do. I don't like digging iron, and if the Manticore was causing me to dig much iron I'd ditch it. I'm more of a silver cherry picker than a dig it all person. My buddies dig a lot more targets per hunt than I do. I can call coins very good with the Manticore. The 2D screen while not the be all end all is helpful. I'm still learning the Manticore 7.5 months in. I've said it before in other threads, and on other forums I wouldn't trade the Manticore for any detector currently being made for turf hunting in yards, parks, and curb strips. I can't comment on beach or relic hunting. I'm sure on a heavy iron site I would have to move to ATLC. That's what I had to do with the Equinox. The Nox would false far more in Park1 than in Park2. For turf hunting Park1 was the program, while Park2 seemed to be the ticket for heavy iron, and mainly mid conductors.
BootyHunter
Junior Member
I was an early adopter of the Equinox 800, when I saw the debut on video at Detectival in 2017, I knew it was what I wanted. I immediately contacted my dealer and traded a CTX that I had owned since 2012 on it. He said I was crazy, he said "you know this wont replace your CTX, right?" I said well if ya feel bad about it, give me the accesory coils and waterproof headphones for the Equinox when they come available. And he said "ok!" I am a relic hunter in East Tennessee, and we have some pretty highly mineralized soils here, the Equinox ran circles around the CTX for relics in this soil, that was the best detector deal I ever made. So I wanted a Manticore when they were debuted and I preordered, but Minelab being ****** would only send dealers 1 or 2 units and kept the big box stores supplies. I pre-ordered in December and Still didnt have one at the beginning of March. My dealer contacted me and said he didnt see any coming so if I wanted to cancel my preorder he was good with it, so I did. So a few weeks later I found one from Scheels in California. Ordered it, received late March. Used it for a short time and found several Civil War bullets with it, but that was it, the grass grew tall and the woods got thick, and relic season was over. So with my very limited use on it, I will say the depth is good, the signals for the bullets were solid and the trace looked good. I have updated it this summer and read the manual and watched alot of videos, but I am not able to say If it will replace my Equinox or not as a relic machine. Minelab caught lightning in a bottle with the Equinox, it is hands down the best relic machine I have ever owned, and I have owned all the main ones. The Deus is good in iron, but too much crap sounds and gives good vdi numbers. The Equinox would give you audio cues that it was junk. I am hoping the Manticore is an evolutionary step up from the Equinox. The 900 was announced after I had preordered the Manticore and I was torn on which to get. The Equinox 900 may be the relic machine and the Manticore the Park and Beach machine. We will see, I have since picked up an Equinox 900 for an awesome price, so all 3 will be used on my relic sites until I see whats what. I can see the Manticore 2d screen being valuable in manicured old lawns, curious to see if it will prove as valuable on my civil war sites. For now the Jury is still out. Oh, before the Manticore came avaialble at Scheels, I had picked up a Deus 2. But to me, it was much like the original Deus in that it would give good signals, audio and visual on junk targets. I sold it for what I paid for it (shew) when I found the Manticore. Maybe I just dont gel with the Deus Platform, but I am sure of the 3 Minelabs I have, 1 of them will come out the superior machine for relics, even if its my trusty old Equinox 800.
Interesting how one area of the country is different from another I live in the midwest and my results are the opposite of yours . I would say the nox is better for mineral ground as to the CTX but no where near in ID where I live . As to the deus 2 seems that the ID is just fine in my soil may not be in your mineral dirt good thing there are choices hope the manti works out for you I really like what the deus 2 is doing for me . sube
Rattlehead
Forum Supporter
^^This has been my experience as well.
