Researching new detectors so many options

[Indotguy]

So I have been researching the currently available detectors to upgrade from my current AT Pro. I have watched a ridiculous number of detecting videos on Youtube and Tiktok . And so far here are a few of my opinions based on my highly scientific research ( insert sarcasm) . Yeah so I'm suffering from information overload by now and have come to realize most everyone here is way way ahead of me on understanding the technical side of the equipment. I just want to go out and find cool stuff and stay off my couch. Honestly if I could walk into a store and buy a Manticore I would probably have done that before now. Minelab has made the mistake of giving me time(forcing me by not having these available) to look into the alternatives. Before now since I have been on the detecting sideline for awhile so I am pretty much behind the times. When I was detecting before the latest greatest thing was the equinox 800 it was all the hype and everyone was patiently waiting for theirs to come in. So fast forward to now it it has seemed to have proven itself as one of the leading detectors in it's price range. So I had no information on a xp Deus and now the Deus II. Or a Legend or Nokta or anything else for that matter so a researching I went. My take aways that I really like the XP Deus II BUT it really seems like it is for the people who are a bit more technical and want to have an infinite amount of adjustability. I'm sure it would be good to just not use alot of the features but why pay for stuff your not going to use also the VDI Looks really small and I'm old and can't see little stuff ? The Legend just doesn't appeal to me for some reason can't put my finger on a real reason and I'm sure they are a good machine for some . Now how in the 700 and 900 equinox's the pluses are I can walk into the store and walk out with either when I want. (I have no patience) I'm really not seeing a huge amount of difference in the 900 and the Manticore and throw in the fact that the 900 comes with 2 coils, which is a feature I would use, and it's 5-600 cheaper and it seems to be leading in my research race at the moment especially like the VDI's of the Minelab better Kina like having a big screen TV. One of the bigger appeals to me for the Manticore initially was the target ID screen but the more I think about it I doubt that even be a huge benefit maybe some but not worth 600$. decisions decisions. The weather here is a rainy drizzly mess and doesn't look to be better any time soon so I'll keep looking ,,,maybe. So sitting in my recliner spending money it is. (Ordered a new Preadator Barracuda) and a couple other little things. Back to YouTube and Tiktok for more overload.

The AT Pro is a very good detector but I fully understand your desire to move on. Biggest issue I have with the AT Pro is its lack of a screen backlight or a volume control. I dug lots of good stuff with mine and the iron audio feature is a big help with weeding out those pesky crown caps.

 

[markinmichigan]

Looking at all the comments about the legend, new to this, love the at pro cuz I have some time into it, time for an upgrade?

Mark in Michigan

 

[Magicmantx]

The AT Pro is a very good detector but I fully understand your desire to move on. Biggest issue I have with the AT Pro is its lack of a screen backlight or a volume control. I dug lots of good stuff with mine and the iron audio feature is a big help with weeding out those pesky crown caps.

I agree . Couldn't tell how any times I've been out having a good time and it starts to get dark. Also I've been through 2 MS-2 headphones and have to now use my water phones and no way to adjust the volume so get my ears blasted. Prefer to detect with the headphones. That and I know the technology is just so many years advanced it's just time .

 

[Dflan83]

Along with that a few of the features of a modern machine i feel are:
1) Waterproof or the ability to be waterproofed
2) Wireless or ability to go wireless
3) Multifreqency
4) Backlight

Again everone has their own opionion on these things but most of if not all of the newer machines have this stuff except for maybe the apex but that has kinda fallen off the radar

 

[Cherry Picker]

Along with that a few of the features of a modern machine i feel are:
1) Waterproof or the ability to be waterproofed
2) Wireless or ability to go wireless
3) Multifreqency
4) Backlight

Again everone has their own opionion on these things but most of if not all of the newer machines have this stuff except for maybe the apex but that has kinda fallen off the radar

Don't forget ergonomics. A biggie for me. I love how light the new detectors are.

 

[oldkoot]

I have a 600 and am thinking about adding a Legend. Back and forth on that and selling the 600 for 900. Are there any notably things you like about your Legend compared to the 600?

Gold mode and the fact I can dunk my Legend and not worry whether it will drown

 

[Magicmantx]

Thanks for all the input. I picked up a new 900 yesterday. Looks like nice weather this weekend so time to get out and learn the new machine. I have several spots that I have been to numerous times recently so we'll see what I missed.

 

[Magicmantx]

What I have learned so far. Coming from the AT Pro I found that using the 5 tones setting is very similar to using the AT Pro sound wise. I started with all tones and that was a bit confusing . I also see when watching the people reporting the Manticore signals they are the same as the 900. Nickels are 25-26. dimes 80-81. quarters 86-88. Silver dime was 88-89 . memorial pennies 76-78 zincs are all over the place but mostly 76-79. Where I have been lately there is alot of shallow clad. I switched from the 11" coil to the 6" because of the amount of pull tabs, nails and foil and have seen the 900 will separate out the coins easily. Most of my targets are 4-6" or less . In 2 1/2 hrs yesterday I pulled out 10.91 in clad. In 3 days I have found over 30.00 in clad, a couple junk rings, a pocket knife ,3 boycott neckerchief slides and 2 1964 silver dimes. Both silver dimes were at 6" in between nails. I've still got alot to learn and different settings to try.

 

[hoser]

Well whatever you come up with, CONGRATS. I'll stick to my old decerped E-Trac. See ya at the finish line.

 

[yrekadude]

I really enjoyed the tones of the Minelab E-trac but it was a little heavy. I've owned the EQ800 and now I own the Manticore and they are both great detectors but I was much more able to tell what target was under the coil with the E-Trac and it's tones were so much smoother and pleasant on the ears! I could "hear" the edges of a bottlecap and I knew really easily if I was over a nickel, Dime, Quarter etc. The audio for the Minelab EQ800 and Manticore is still frustrating and annoying to me. I owned the EQ800 for over a year and still felt it is too chatty and never got used to the tones. I was hoping the Manticore tones would be better but only slightly if any improvement at all. Many people swear by them though, perhaps I'l get used to it eventually.

Hope that helps a little

 

[Magicmantx]

I really enjoyed the tones of the Minelab E-trac but it was a little heavy. I've owned the EQ800 and now I own the Manticore and they are both great detectors but I was much more able to tell what target was under the coil with the E-Trac and it's tones were so much smoother and pleasant on the ears! I could "hear" the edges of a bottlecap and I knew really easily if I was over a nickel, Dime, Quarter etc. The audio for the Minelab EQ800 and Manticore is still frustrating and annoying to me. I owned the EQ800 for over a year and still felt it is too chatty and never got used to the tones. I was hoping the Manticore tones would be better but only slightly if any improvement at all. Many people swear by them though, perhaps I'l get used to it eventually.

Hope that helps a little

Can't you change your tones to suit you?

 

[yrekadude]

Can't you change your tones to suit you?

The CTX, E-trac, Explorer II and other models of that era all have the tones I'm talking about that are a little more soothing to me, the EQ600 through 900, all Vanquish models and the Manticore have different tones which are a bit harsher in my opinion. I've tried all the settings and I cant get anywhere close to the Flutey E-trac sounds which I got really used to..

Here is a video that shows the different tones of the two detectors:

I'm not sure others would feel the same and it's not a big difference.. now that I listen to this video..

 

[Captain Silver]

In my opinion...the tones of the old FBS and BBS Minelab machines have not yet been duplicated, and their ability to find coins in a sea of steel crown bottlecaps without having to push buttons or check/change settings has not been surpassed...by any of the currently available detectors. Dig the silver, leave the bottlecaps to rot

 

[Cherry Picker]

There is something about the tones of the FBS that make cherry-picking deep coins out of trashy parks that, in my opinion, has yet to be matched,

 

[Martin_V3i]

If the Etrac had an option to emulate the Explorer SE series machines display, I would still be using the Etrac. The cantered display on the Etrac just doesn't work for me.

The FBS tones are king.

 

[jmaclen]

The CTX, E-trac, Explorer II and other models of that era all have the tones I'm talking about that are a little more soothing to me, the EQ600 through 900, all Vanquish models and the Manticore have different tones which are a bit harsher in my opinion. I've tried all the settings and I cant get anywhere close to the Flutey E-trac sounds which I got really used to..

Here is a video that shows the different tones of the two detectors:

I'm not sure others would feel the same and it's not a big difference.. now that I listen to this video..

Bill did not have the Equinox audio setup for full tones in the video above like the Etrac was.

For those that don't know what some of these latest SMF detectors sound like in Full Tones or would like a comparison, here is me fumbling around trying to make a quick video that gives a decent idea about what Deus 2, Legend, Equinox 800 and Equinox 900 sound like using full tones swung over a US nickel, US zinc penny, US silver dime and US silver quarter 3" under a couple of containers filled with moderately iron mineralized Arizona and Colorado dirt.

Some people really don't like Deus 2 in Square Wave Full Tone audio. For me it's okay. This quick video has Deus 2's Full Tone audio sounding a bit jittery. That's because I forgot to lower the sensitivity a bit and due to its 9" coil picking up more EMI than the other detectors that had smaller coils.

It's a short 2 minute 30 second video

 

[rreahard]

... XP Deus II BUT it really seems like it is for the people who are a bit more technical and want to have an infinite amount of adjustability. I'm sure it would be good to just not use alot of the features but why pay for stuff your not going to use also the VDI Looks really small and I'm old and can't see little stuff ? ...

D2 does have a big number display option.

 

[plance78]

Consider how the Minelab engineer replied when asked how much deeper the Manti would go over the Nox. He said, "Might go up to 2 to 3 cm deeper (about 1/2" to 1")

"Might" and "up to" being key words.

So let's say we give full benefit to the doubting keywords, and say that under certain conditions, the Manti will provide about an 1" more depth than the Nox. So the Nox can detect coins from 1" to 10", and the Manti can sometimes find a coin that the Nox missed if the coin was 11". In other words, the vast majority of targets will not be exactly at the 11" range. 99.9% of the targets within the range of detection will be shallower than that 11".

Exactly! If your getting coins at 11 inches you got a good enough machine. I know that Garrett AT Max will not get close to 11 inches. And is it really submersible without leakage? If you want a machine that is waterproof UNDERWATER submerged and a ground machine that can get 11 inch depth on coins. Get a Whites MX Sport! I know Whites has went out of business but Garrett bought there technology and will service all Whites machines still. I have had the MX Sport but sold it because i really needed money. I WILL ALWAYS REGRET THAT! I will probably buy another one. I just bought a MXT Pro for 477$ on Ebay. I knew what i was buying. What a WONDERFUL machine but not waterproof. And i know the MXT Pro is just as good as a Minelab nox and Deus. Except for the weight. MXT Pro 4.4 pounds and Deus 2 pounds. Not sure what Equinox weighs. MXT Pro with 3100 nicad lithium battery gets 40 hours of operation!!! The Deus gets like 12 hours. And you have to charge the coil, the headphones and the control screen. You have to use different coils and get new software downloads. To much to worry about if you ask me.