Not many votes but it is what I thought it would be. The 540 Pro has been ordered and should have in a few days. Already sharping my old digging tools. Need to find a cheap pinpointer all money has been spent on the vanquish. Thanks for your votes.
'cointroll', how has it been working out for you. I am also tardy noting and following up on this post. I saw it after you ordered so I didn't offer a post or suggestion, but I will now.
Of the three Vanquish models we see three available search coils (when dealers get them) and my preference was to check out the Vanquish 540 Pro Pack. I knew it lacked a few adjustment features that could make it more versatile, but for the dollar, it looked like it had enough potential.
It arrived and I really like the 540 Pro Pack. In 10 minutes or so I confirmed it had a design glitch, but I also found that I can work around it quite handily. It also comes with the 5X8 DD and 9X12 DD which were a perfect 'team' f detectors for me. I mainly hunt trashier places, especially older-use Relic Hunting sites and the 5X8 DD is my primary-use search coils.
It also comes with the NiMH batteries and charger, plus the excellent ML-80 headphones. These are about the best wireless headphones I have ever used and they pair up well, are comfortable and the audio quality is great.
Due to age, health issues and limited mobility I have had to trim my Detector Outfit to lighter-weight and more comfortable detectors, and the Vanquish 540 Pro , and with both coils, is an excellent fit in my group of detectors.
I sent my V-540 to Minelab USA to check for any correction for the glitch, and as soon as I sent it off, 1 week after I got it, I ordered a 2nd V-540 Pro Pack detector. My first one keeps the 5X8 DD mounted full-time for the bulk of my detecting needs, and the second 540 Pro keeps the 9X12 DD mounted full-time for open-area searches, such as a wide-open grassy park, a beach, a plowed field or rangeland search, etc.
It offers much more in the way of value, with the Iron Bias adjustment, backlight, NiMH batteries, and unbeatable headphones plus two search coils to make it a remarkable value over the 440, at least in my opinion. That 'opinion' is based on a very avid 55 years of detecting so I think it holds some merit.
Mind you, I am not one who only hunts on a random basis and gets by with only one detector or two. I hunt as often as possible, and a variety of places and site challenges. There is no such thing as a 'perfect' detector. I have a Tesoro Bandido II microMAX and Silver Sabre microMAX and they have their assigned duties.
I also have a Nokta FORS CoRe and FORS Relic which have proven to be about the best I can find for hunting the toughest ferrous-trash ghost towns and other older-use places I prefer to visit. I also have a Nokta / Makro Simplex because it offers a lot for the dollar. Impressive.
But I have been thinning out other detectors and have now decided to trim my newest two detectors and extra coils because the two Vanquish 540 Pro's made such an impressive team. I only added one more detector to my Outfit, mainly based on the results I enjoy from the V-540's, and that is an Equinox 800 which will likely keep the 6" DD coil mounted full-time because that's what I will need to use most often.
But even the EQ-800 won't be getting all the use as the V-540 is handling most day-to-day applications well. I keep the 540 w/5X8 DD in my vehicle 24/7 with one or two other detectors just to be ready should I encounter a renovation site, building tear-down or come upon some other 'right-now' opportunity.
You haven't responded back so I am curious how you like the 540 Pro and if you've had a chance to get out hunting much with it.
Monte