Vanquish 440 update

Canada Swinger

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Apr 21, 2021
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Is there any way to tell if my 440 needs to be updated. Any help would be nice as I'm new to the hobby. Just got my 440 two weeks ago and still learning about it and all about metal detecting.
 
Why specifically do you like the 440 more than the 540? :?: Please advise as I am still trying to make a decision on a "backup" detector.

The coil size for sure, stock coil on 540 is 9x12 and felt heavy,,440 stock coil is 7x11 and just a perfect size and swings nice. I've dug indian head pennies with the 440 at a honest 8 inches with perfect signals. The 440 has high iron bias,540 has low and high, I always use high because the Vanquish does like iron so that helps alot imo. I just feel the 440 is a better option to the 540, maybe some might like the pro pack the 540 has but at $500 your better off getting a nox600. 440 is priced right,and performance with 7x11 is perfect
 
The coil size for sure, stock coil on 540 is 9x12 and felt heavy,,440 stock coil is 7x11 and just a perfect size and swings nice. I've dug indian head pennies with the 440 at a honest 8 inches with perfect signals. The 440 has high iron bias,540 has low and high, I always use high because the Vanquish does like iron so that helps alot imo. I just feel the 440 is a better option to the 540, maybe some might like the pro pack the 540 has but at $500 your better off getting a nox600. 440 is priced right,and performance with 7x11 is perfect

Thanks. Very informative and much appreciated!!
 
For the 340 and 440, the only benefit to updating them was supposed be better battery life. I did the update and the battery life especially on rechargeables is still awful. I can barely get through a 3 to 4 hour hunt on one set of rechargeables.

Like woodbutcher, I believe that the 440 comes with the best coil for the Vanquish series as far as ergonomics and sensitivity. It just seems to fit the Vanquish the best especially for weight and feel. I have tested the 10" coil against the 12" coil on what turned out to be 10" wheat pennies at one very mineralized location using both the 540 and 440. The 10" coil could easily hit those wheats just as well as the 12".

I like the five tones, extra adjustability, discrimination segments and iron bias/iron volume settings on the 540 and the Bluetooth wireless transmitter which works great with any APTX low latency headphones or earbuds. I bought the 540 with just one coil (12") and no wireless headphones for $369. I did buy another 10" coil and will sell the 12".

For the 440, I like the stock 10" coil, simple to use 3 tones, and easy operation for even a total beginner. For $279 it is a steal since it comes with the best coil already. It works well with any wireless transmitter/headphone system like the Garrett Z Lynk or Detech systems if you want wireless.
 
Monkeys Uncle: said:
Why specifically do you like the 440 more than the 540? :?: Please advise as I am still trying to make a decision on a "backup" detector.
No, I'm not 'Woodbutcher', but I'll share my thoughts regarding the Minelab Vanquish series having had the opportunity to check out the 440 plus I have owned 3 of the 540 Pro Pack offerings.

First, the V-440. I feel it is an OK value for a lot of people, especially if they are not too involved in this great outdoor hobby, and the V-540 might be better for those who like at least a couple of different options or deign.

440 - WHAT I LIKED:

• Naturally, the excellent physical package appeals to me because it is comfortable and easy to handle for a long-day afield.

• I like to use 4-AA interchageable batteries so I can pick Alkaline or rechargeable NiMH.

• I liked the bold display that is easy-to-see.

• I liked the audio response, and by that I mean the audio is clear and loud enough.


440 - WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

• I didn't care for the 3-Tone audio ID. There are only three detectors I've enjoyed where I liked 3-Tone.

• I would have preferred more Discrimination notches or segments.

• The standard 7X10 DD. I like a 5X8 or 5X9½ in a mid-size DD, but the 7X10 seems a bit too big or clunky for many typical trashy sites or fitting in and around dense brush.


I bought three of the V-540 Pro Pack units, planning to keep two in my personal outfit with the 5X8 coil on one and the 9X12 on the other. The 3rd V-540 Pro Pack I bought to use as a 'loaner-unit' for friends and family.

540 - WHAT I LIKED:

• I liked the 5-Tone Audio ID.

• I liked having the Low Iron Bias option for cleaner ferrous plagued sites.

• I bought the 540 Pro Packs, two at $425 and one for $385, and I liked having the two search coils.

• I especially liked the 5X8 DD as a general-purpose search coil.

• I liked the ML-80 wireless headphones that came with the Pro Pack.


540 - WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

• The back-Light was not very bright, and the red color also didn't work well for any of my night hunts.


WHAT DIDN'T I LIKE ABOUT BOTH VANQUISH MODELS:

• The preset GB 'behavior' of any search mode, especially in more challenging ground environments

• Because it was a faulty or glitchy design regarding the above, the 'Horseshoe' All Metal function is just about useless as it results in very noisy behavior and errant responses.

• Their poor performance, both audio and visual, when the coil sweep encounters a small 'clump' or 'cluster' of coins, such as a 'pocket spill' with several coins in contact with each other.

• Both models, with any of the coils, didn't work well in some dense iron nail sites and comparisons. Even with the 5X8 DD the V-540 didn't pass my minimum requirement on my Nail Board Performance Test and couldn't match my two Tesoro's w/6" coils, Nokta FORS Relic w/5" DD, Nokta / Makro Simplex + w/5X9½ DD or my Garrett Apex models using a NEL 5" DD, Garrett's 5X8 'Ripper' DD or their 8½X11 'Raider' DD. All of those models also easily handled the clustered Nickel / Dime / Quarter with a good audio report and visual information.

• I used the Minelab NiMH rechargeables, Eneloop and Varta NiMH rechargeables, and four different brands of quality Alkaline AA batteries. Regardless of which I used, the Battery Life. compared to almost every other model I own or have used, is simply 'terrible.'

The Vanquish models can work fine for many applications I had where I was mainly encountering incidental, random coins that were not masked by iron or in a 'pocket-spill' condition. Very good depth of detection, and as I said, they handled quite well But for me and the many dense iron contaminated sites I hunt, they just were not the best pick.

Monte
 
The coil size for sure, stock coil on 540 is 9x12 and felt heavy,,440 stock coil is 7x11 and just a perfect size and swings nice. I've dug indian head pennies with the 440 at a honest 8 inches with perfect signals. The 440 has high iron bias,540 has low and high, I always use high because the Vanquish does like iron so that helps alot imo. I just feel the 440 is a better option to the 540, maybe some might like the pro pack the 540 has but at $500 your better off getting a nox600. 440 is priced right,and performance with 7x11 is perfect

did see the 540 "pro-pack" priced at $425.00 once.not sure if it's still available
at that money!

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
TexHunter: said:
That's the Minelab military discount price...
I bought three (3) V-540 Pro Packs. From a Dealer I got my first and I never mentioned former military and it was $425 quoted to me. The 2nd was $400 or $425, with shipping, and the 3rd from a fellow who never mentioned military, and didn't have any, and bought his for $425. But his wife only tried the 9X12 for less than an hour and preferred her other detector with a smaller coil. Never tried the 5X8 ??? I checked back and I bought that for $380, delivered.

Monte
 
I bought three (3) V-540 Pro Packs. From a Dealer I got my first and I never mentioned former military and it was $425 quoted to me. The 2nd was $400 or $425, with shipping, and the 3rd from a fellow who never mentioned military, and didn't have any, and bought his for $425. But his wife only tried the 9X12 for less than an hour and preferred her other detector with a smaller coil. Never tried the 5X8 ??? I checked back and I bought that for $380, delivered.

Monte

Monte, truth be told, you bought two 540 Pro Packs from me on Feb. 7, 2020 and Feb. 29, 2020 for $475 each, not $425. I sold them to you when you posted a want ad for them. I don't know about your third one, but there were several sold in the $425 range when they first came out. Happens all the time with a new release.

Again, $424.15 is the Minelab Military discounted price on a "new" one from most dealers. That's 15% off the $499 list price. Used prices are whatever someone is willing to sell for, and someone is willing to buy for...

 
TexHunter: said:
Monte, truth be told, you bought two 540 Pro Packs from me on Feb. 7, 2020 and Feb. 29, 2020 for $475 each, not $425. I sold them to you when you posted a want ad for them. I don't know about your third one, but there were several sold in the $425 range when they first came out. Happens all the time with a new release.

Again, $424.15 is the Minelab Military discounted price on a "new" one from most dealers. That's 15% off the $499 list price. Used prices are whatever someone is willing to sell for, and someone is willing to buy for...

Truth be told, I lose track of real names and screen names, but I believe you're correct. I bought a number of them for others because they were new on the market, said 'Minelab' on them and that drew attention, so I nabbed two or three extra that I needed at the time for some detector trades. I was doing multi-trades at the time.

A dealer I used only charged me $425, even, including shipping so I had the two that I needed. I also got one from a fellow in the NE, and then another two for trade. One of those from you, I believe, was traded straight across for an Anfibio Multi a fellow used two or three times in a week. Then another went to a fellow and I got a pristine Silver Sabre µMAX, 6" Concentric coil, along with a new-in-the-box Racer 2 w/extra 5" DD and 7" Concentric coils.

The last one I got for $380 to use as a loaner. I came out ahead on my detector trade deals back then, and the last one as a loaner-unit I traded for my 4th Apex that keeps the stock coil on and that is now just a 'loaner-unit' so friends and family will be using the same detector and settings that I would be using.

By the way, not only did I part with mine, but the folks I traded with, or sold my two personal 540's to, all parted with them. They went to an Equinox 800, Apex, and a Deus and ORX. The 'loaner-unit' I'm not sure about. That guy already had two 540's before at different times and wanted to "check it out" again. But he was also leaning toward a Deus or ORX wanting more adjustments.

Monte

PS: Minelab has offered a 'Military Discount' for quite some time but I never asked for it with any BBS, FBS or other Minelab detector I have owned.
 
no I am not mr.tracy doesn't matter if it's the minelab military money,
as I "caught a break" and grabbed it. detector is "crackerjack" ,and I won't be giving
it back anytime soon, and could care two sh*ts less as to how it works! I'm just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
no I am not mr.tracy doesn't matter if it's the minelab military money,
as I "caught a break" and grabbed it. detector is "crackerjack" ,and I won't be giving
it back anytime soon, and could care two sh*ts less as to how it works! I'm just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.

Whatever, Mr. Badazz. Just sayin'...
 
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