Legend a good choice?

[Billinoregon]

I am running my old Tesoro De Leon and it is good at finding newer coins. But it isn't waterproof, doesn't have beach settings and the company has been out of business for three years.
I'd like more options/search modes, a newer design, greater capabilities and a good warranty. The Legend looks like it delivers on all points.
However, as I read through the threads here I can sense there are more bells and whistles than I would likely be comfortable with at first. And then there is this business of updating software to correct previous deficiencies. This is no doubt the way of the detector world in 2023.
So is this a pleasant machine to work with out of the box or is there a lot of headscratching, rereading the manual, etc? I went to the simple De Leon after being frustrated by one of the Minelab Xterras. I realize that getting maximum capability out of a detector means mastering all the adjustments available to the user. But at 70, even though I have an iPhone 13, I still struggle just scanning dang QR codes ...
(The younger users here are muttering, "geez another clueless fossil Boomer ...")

 

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[Sandog]

Yes, you can detect out of the box, but you'll of course want to know some of the basics to start with. Sensitivity, ground balance, pinpointing. Then add to your adjustments as needed or desired. Before you buy read the manual, follow the Nokta Forum here, and although it is probably an update or so behind I suggest watching Quarter Hoarders Legend basics video. By the way I was 72 when I bought my Legend. Good luck, have fun.

 

[Billinoregon]

Thanks Sandog! I do of course adjust threshhold, sensitivity and discrimination level on the De Leon. Having owned detectors from Garrett, White's, Tesoro, Compass (good old X-70) and Minelab over the past 30 odd years, I sorted out pinpointing a while back -- not that I would be without my Garrett "carrot" of course. But I'll often go for long stretches between bouts of detecting, so it has been easy to miss the continual technological gains. Will read that manual and watch some Youtubes (and of course some episodes of "Detectorists" to keep the fire lit ... :-).

 

[nuggetshooter323]

I still use my Tejon sometimes. What a relief it is when you just want to turn-on-and-go! Not having to stare at a display is something I've always liked about tone-only machines.

Once you get the basic settings where you want them, using the Legend can be just a turn-on-and-go proposition. The main difference you're going to notice is that newer detectors are more subject to EMI (electromagnetic interference.) When you get familiar with the features of the Legend you can mitigate the effects of environmental conditions on it with various features, but there are factory default settings so your adjustments when you first start using it only need to be minimal.

 

[oldkoot]

Thanks Sandog! I do of course adjust threshhold, sensitivity and discrimination level on the De Leon. Having owned detectors from Garrett, White's, Tesoro, Compass (good old X-70) and Minelab over the past 30 odd years, I sorted out pinpointing a while back -- not that I would be without my Garrett "carrot" of course. But I'll often go for long stretches between bouts of detecting, so it has been easy to miss the continual technological gains. Will read that manual and watch some Youtubes (and of course some episodes of "Detectorists" to keep the fire lit ... :-).

You will end up finding that the threshold in the Gold mode on the Legend is the only beneficial threshold that the Legend utilizes, this is of course just my opinion

the threshold in park, field, and beach mode is totally different from the threshold in gold mode

the threshold in park,field and beach mode is a reference threshold, and the threshold in Gold Mode is a true threshold or live threshold and trust me there is a difference between the two thresholds being utilized in the Legend

if you are one like myself whom detects in all metal the threshold in park,field and beach modes is pretty much a mute point what the reference threshold does in those three modes is to alert you when you have swung over a target that you have notched out, so if you detect in all metal the threshold in park,field and beach mode is pretty much useless

the threshold in Gold mode is what most of us are accustomed to, and the gold mode is a threshold based mode, just like your Xterra was in gold mode

I also owned and still do the Xterra 705 which it took a good bit of patience to learn the Xterra 705s language, it took me almost two years for the light bulb to finally turn on when I was learning the Xterra 705 but when the Lights finally turned on the Xterra 705 became my favorite detector to use, the Xterra 705 was one of the most under rated detectors to have ever been produced and I still feel it is one of the most under rated detectors to have ever been produced still to this very day, I still use my Xterra 705 occasionally and it is one detector I will never part with because of its capabilities

the Legend can be as easy to learn and use as you want it to be, or as difficult to learn and use as you make it, with the factory default settings the Legend is pretty much a turn on and detect detector, and if Nokta ever straightens out the latest software version I feel it will be a force to be reckoned with, but not with the current software 1.11 it still has issues, in my opinion, and the reason I state this, is because I tested the 1.10 Beta test versions which were the pre cursor to 1.11 the 1.10 beta test version 3 is what the 1.11 version should have been but just before the 1.11 was released to us I feel something was changed in the final version just before release, if 1.10 Beta Test Version 3 would have been left alone then the Legend would be a fantastic detector, and it still can be a fantastic detector but Nokta is going to have to take a hard look at 1.11 and re adjust everything back to what I seen in 1.10 Beta test Version 3, before I will ever say the legend is fantastic to anyone or a finished product, and I am not the only one that feels this way, there are many many reports from Legend users that will tell you the same things I have just stated, and there are others that will tell you there is nothing wrong with the Legend, just like there are Equinox 600 and 800 users that will never admit that those two detectors had water leakage issues, I just happen to be one that calls things as I see them

 

[Billinoregon]

Thanks Oldkoot. I have read most of your posts here and respect your considerable depth of experience with this machine. What does it take for Nokta to update its software? It seems if they were so close with 1.10 Beta 3, it is within their grasp? Are they harder to work with than it would seem?

 

[oldkoot]

Thanks Oldkoot. I have read most of your posts here and respect your considerable depth of experience with this machine. What does it take for Nokta to update its software? It seems if they were so close with 1.10 Beta 3, it is within their grasp? Are they harder to work with than it would seem?

Please do not take me wrong Nokta is a very good company when it comes to customer service

When I tested the three 1.10 Beta test versions they all worked great but 1.10 Beta test version 3 i was seeing things in my Legend I had that version installed in that quite frankly were unbelievable, my depth was deeper then all the previous versions the stability on that particular Legend was better then it had ever been and the target IDs were spot on, I stupidly installed 1.11, thinking it would be the same as 1.10 Beta Test version 3 but 1.11 is no where close to the same, I have regretted it ever since, nothing other than features are the same but everything else went out the window my stability is non existent, target IDs are all over the place and my depth is just not there since I installed 1.11, in 1.10 Beta Test version 3 I was digging targets at 8-14 inches deep almost every day, with 1.11 I am lucky if my Legend is seeing a target over 4 inches deep now, and 4 inches may be stretching it

I can not explain to you what it is that is wrong, but what I can do is tell you what I feel is wrong

What I believe happened is just prior to the release of 1.11 I believe the engineers did a little more tweaking of a few things in the 1.10 Beta Test Version 3 and it completely backfired on them (do I know this to be fact absolutely not) but something changed in the 1.10 Beta test version 3 just prior to it being finalized to 1.11

Yes the Legend can be a great detector I seen that in 1.10 Beta test version 3 but not with 1.11, there are many many Legend users that I converse with on Facebook that is seeing the same things as myself, but there are other Legend users that are saying it is fantastic and perfect the way it is in 1.11 and that is where the issue lies is those of us that are saying there is issues nokta will not listen to because they do not want to admit they messed up when they (Nokta) changed what ever they changed

I was one of those that recommended the Legend to everyone but I can not in good conscious recommend the Legend any longer until nokta takes a deep dive into the software and fixes what is not correct what ever that may be

I am currently running a version 1.80 on my Legend which was never released to any of us and my Legend now is running really good with that 1.80 version, it is the same as 1.09 as far as features and yes you read that rite 1.80 not 1.08

 

[Billinoregon]

Hmm. Well until this software issue gets sorted out my jets have definitely cooled with regard to the Legend.

 

[nuggetshooter323]

I am currently running a version 1.80 on my Legend which was never released to any of us and my Legend now is running really good with that 1.80 version, it is the same as 1.09 as far as features and yes you read that rite 1.80 not 1.08

Isn't that the version given to the field testers? I know the version that they got wasn't the same as the final version. I can tell that the VDI isn't as stable in 1.11. There's always the possibility that 1.10 was too good and they want to be able to come out with another itineration of the Legend so they left themselves some wiggle room for improvements.

 

[oldkoot]

Isn't that the version given to the field testers? I know the version that they got wasn't the same as the final version. I can tell that the VDI isn't as stable in 1.11. There's always the possibility that 1.10 was too good and they want to be able to come out with another itineration of the Legend so they left themselves some wiggle room for improvements.

PM Me and I will give you some answers but not all LOL

 

[nuggetshooter323]

Hmm. Well until this software issue gets sorted out my jets have definitely cooled with regard to the Legend.

The Legend is still better than anything else out there except for the Deus II and the Manticore which both cost $1600 a piece versus $500-$600 for a Legend.

 

[oldkoot]

Isn't that the version given to the field testers? I know the version that they got wasn't the same as the final version. I can tell that the VDI isn't as stable in 1.11. There's always the possibility that 1.10 was too good and they want to be able to come out with another itineration of the Legend so they left themselves some wiggle room for improvements.

As far as 1.10 Beta test version 3 is concerned you may be correct in your thinking but why would they do that, 1.10 Beta Test version 3 is what 1.11 should have been but for me and many others 1.11 is no where close to what I seen in 1.10 Beta Test version 3, it is like 1.11 was dialed way back to under perform, which your statement makes me wonder even more now, but again why would Nokta do that instead of making the Legend the best it can be.

I have thought about purchasing a third Legend, the new version for 2023 just to see if there is much difference in the new Legends and the old Legends, with 1.11

here is something else and this never sat well with me at all, and still does not set well with me
All prior updates including the three Beta test Versions we all had to go to Nokta Site which was Nokta/Macro at the time and we all had to download, and extract the files for what ever version we were going to install if you remember.
When 1.11 was released to all of us I booted up my PC that I was going to do the install of 1.11 with, but instead of just going to Nokta's site and downloading the 1.11, I elected to open the installer tool that was already on my PC, 1.11 was already on my PC in that installer tool with out me having to go to Nokta's site and download it, it just magically appeared out of thin air in the updater tool, that has never sat well with me it not only appeared in one PC in the updater tool but 4 with out me having to go to Nokta's site and download it not only that but all the files for 1.10 Beta test versions 1,2, and 3 were gone and replaced with the 1.11 files, when this happened I could no longer revert back to 1.10 Beta test version 3 or 1 and 2 they were just completely gone from my PCs and like I said it was not 1 PC but 4 PCs, I could revert back to 1.09 which I have done several times but it is like you are never actually reverting back, if that makes since to you, the only thing reverting back to 1.09 seems to do is loose a few features that are in 1.11 but capabilities wise both my legends on 1.09 seems to run like crap its like it says I am running 1.09 but feels like I am still running 1.11, its like it never actually reverts back if you understand what I am stating.

Again this has never sat well with me.

its Like I told

Billinoregon I do know what the Legend can actually do and be I seen that in 1.10 Beta Test Version 3 but it can not be in the current state of 1.11​

 

[oldkoot]

The Legend is still better than anything else out there except for the Deus II and the Manticore which both cost $1600 a piece versus $500-$600 for a Legend.

if they get 1.11 correct then I will agree with you but not until

 

[jmc24]

I am running my old Tesoro De Leon and it is good at finding newer coins. But it isn't waterproof, doesn't have beach settings and the company has been out of business for three years.
I'd like more options/search modes, a newer design, greater capabilities and a good warranty. The Legend looks like it delivers on all points.
However, as I read through the threads here I can sense there are more bells and whistles than I would likely be comfortable with at first. And then there is this business of updating software to correct previous deficiencies. This is no doubt the way of the detector world in 2023.
So is this a pleasant machine to work with out of the box or is there a lot of headscratching, rereading the manual, etc? I went to the simple De Leon after being frustrated by one of the Minelab Xterras. I realize that getting maximum capability out of a detector means mastering all the adjustments available to the user. But at 70, even though I have an iPhone 13, I still struggle just scanning dang QR codes ...
(The younger users here are muttering, "geez another clueless fossil Boomer ...")

Hi,
I have owned a Legend since March of 2022. It had 1.04 software. Being a longtime Equinox 800 user, the Legend was very easy for me to operate since almost all of the features, settings names and basic operation characteristics of the Nox 800 are virtually the same on the Legend. So I didn't need to learn a bunch of new stuff and I was able to dive right into the menus and submenus. I was able to be a field tester for the beta version of 1.09, the threshold software changes and of course the Beta versions of 1.10 like many others. Version 1.11 at least for me did not create any major changes in the operating characteristics of the two Legends that I own and regularly use. I have no problems with version 1.11 software or the way that my Legends behave while running it.

I have read oldkoot's posts on this forum and many of his posts about his Legend experiences on other forums. I have seen some other posts by Legend owners that believe that 1.11 has degraded the performance of their Legends. I simply don't know what to think, since that has absolutely not been my experience.

If you decide to move from the Tesoro DeLeon to the Legend, you will not need to employ the threshold unless you choose to do some gold prospecting or some micro jewerly hunting with the Gold Prospecting mode just like oldkoot explained. Most of the newer detectors do not use a threshold tone to help boost weaker signals. They employ an Audio Response or Audio Gain feature that does something similar by controlling the amount of audio modulation desired by the user. A minimum audio response/gain setting will make shallower targets sound louder and deeper targets of the same or smaller size sound much softer. Turning up the audio response/gain will boost those weaker deep signals to make them easier to hear.

The Legend is stuffed full of features that dwarf those on your DeLeon. That may be hard to deal with in the beginning but as some have already said, it is very possible to run the Legend in Park M1 right out of the box, while learning how the preset discrimination patterns function in relation to iron targets and maybe lowering the preset iron filter from 8 to around 3.

The Legend is a highly sensitive detector that is capable of detecting extremely small targets in the sub 0.1 gram weight size depending on the modes and settings being used. It is also highly sensitive to EMI when being run inside a house, in an urban backyard or near power lines or WiFi sources. Expect some chatter and turn the sensitivity down while practicing with it at home.

 

[oldkoot]

Hi,
I have owned a Legend since March of 2022. It had 1.04 software. Being a longtime Equinox 800 user, the Legend was very easy for me to operate since almost all of the features, settings names and basic operation characteristics of the Nox 800 are virtually the same on the Legend. So I didn't need to learn a bunch of new stuff and I was able to dive right into the menus and submenus. I was able to be a field tester for the beta version of 1.09, the threshold software changes and of course the Beta versions of 1.10 like many others. Version 1.11 at least for me did not create any major changes in the operating characteristics of the two Legends that I own and regularly use. I have no problems with version 1.11 software or the way that my Legends behave while running it.

I have read oldkoot's posts on this forum and many of his posts about his Legend experiences on other forums. I have seen some other posts by Legend owners that believe that 1.11 has degraded the performance of their Legends. I simply don't know what to think, since that has absolutely not been my experience.

If you decide to move from the Tesoro DeLeon to the Legend, you will not need to employ the threshold unless you choose to do some gold prospecting or some micro jewerly hunting with the Gold Prospecting mode just like oldkoot explained. Most of the newer detectors do not use a threshold tone to help boost weaker signals. They employ an Audio Response or Audio Gain feature that does something similar by controlling the amount of audio modulation desired by the user. A minimum audio response/gain setting will make shallower targets sound louder and deeper targets of the same or smaller size sound much softer. Turning up the audio response/gain will boost those weaker deep signals to make them easier to hear.

The Legend is stuffed full of features that dwarf those on your DeLeon. That may be hard to deal with in the beginning but as some have already said, it is very possible to run the Legend in Park M1 right out of the box, while learning how the preset discrimination patterns function in relation to iron targets and maybe lowering the preset iron filter from 8 to around 3.

The Legend is a highly sensitive detector that is capable of detecting extremely small targets in the sub 0.1 gram weight size depending on the modes and settings being used. It is also highly sensitive to EMI when being run inside a house, in an urban backyard or near power lines or WiFi sources. Expect some chatter and turn the sensitivity down while practicing with it at home.

I was also one of the ones that went the Pre order route and received my first Legend from the first ones to hit the shores of the U.S
I have talked to so many people that are on both sides of the coin when it comes to the Legend, and 1.11, and all I can do is state what I have experienced with my two Legends

as I stated I tested the 1.10 beta test versions all of them and found 1.10 Beta Test Version 3 to be the best version of all the ones released to us
when 1.11 was released to us I thought it would be like the 1.10 beta test version 3, I was actually looking forward to the 1.11 and if you look back in some of my earlier post I even stated that as long as nothing changed in 1.10 beta test version 3 that the Legend was going to be a great detector that I would have recommended to anyone but something did change and it was not for the good
in fact I have recommended the Legend to many people, but after what I have gone through with my Legends since installing 1.11 I can no longer recommend it to anyone, and again I am speaking from my experiences with the Legend and 1.11

there is a new video up on Facebook just today with someone having the same issues as myself, where the guy is swinging over a target above ground the Legend hitting solidly on that target, so he drops that target in a hole that is around 6-8 inches deep and does not bury it swings over an open hole with a silver coin in it flat and his Legend will not give a peep on that silver coin, above ground he is getting a tone at 8-10 inches above that silver coin, below nothing he literally shows this in a video, and what do you think some of the recommendations are (set the silver up so it is on edge in the hole) if the Legend is not hitting that coin while laying flat how does anyone think it is going to hit it on Edge, that is the kind of stupid replies you get (WHY) because people want to be smart asses instead of trying to actually help

those of us that are having the issues I truly feel and believe it is something to do with the way a PC downloads the files or the way the older Legends accept the update, again I never had one issue with either of my Legends that was concerning to me but 1.11 is totally different and very concerning to me, something is off with some of the Legends and 1.11, and no I do not feel it is all the Legends just some of the Legends and mainly the first runs of the Legend, honestly it is hard to explain what those with issues are seeing with out witnessing it first hand

Something that has never sat well with me is how 1.11 ended up on my PCs and not one PC but 4 different PCs, and I have brought this up many many times, but will state it here again

When 1.11 was release to all of us prior to 1.11 every update that was released including the three 1.10 Beta Test Versions we had to go to Nokta's site which was Nokta/Macro at the time we had to go there and download each and every version that was released to us, but with 1.11 it just magically appeared in my PCs, without me having to download 1.11.

the Morning 1.11 was released I went in to my PC that I was going to do the 1.11 install with, I just happened to open the updater tool on that PC prior to going to the Nokta/Macro site for the Legend connected my Legend and 1.11 was there and had replaced the 1.10 Beta Test versions and not only that all the files for the 1.10 Beta test versions were completely gone without me having to do anything how this happened I will never know but it is actually what happened

again if you recall back each and every update that was released to us we had shut our firewalls down and anti virus protections and then go to the Nokta site download what ever version was new, then extract the files and it would then install a new updater tool on your PC, this was not the case with 1.11 and in hine site it probably was not the smartest thing for me to do but I went with it and installed 1.11 on my test Legend and I have regretted it ever since because it has never been the same since, I honestly feel that the way 1.11 ended up on my PCs is what started the ball rolling so to speak of my Legends having issues.

 

[jmc24]

I saw a similar test today posted of a Nokta Legend Facebook site except that the tester was using a large copper coin, his Legend was in Field M1, sensitivity was around 24 and the custom discrimination pattern looked like it was rejecting up to target ID 20 or so. The target on the surface gave a 41/42 target ID. The same target at the bottom of a freshly dug hole gave no response. No mention of what the iron bias setting was or if the hole itself was fully checked with the Legend using discrimination pattern A or G so that any iron target masking from iron targets or the freshly disturbed ground could be ruled out.

If I do a similar test in the highly mineralized dirt I hunt in with iron rejected along with the first 10 target IDs of the non-ferrous range my Legend may or may not detect that coin at the bottom of an 8” freshly dug hole especially if I leave iron filter on 8.

 

[oldkoot]

I saw a similar test today posted of a Nokta Legend Facebook site except that the tester was using a large copper coin, his Legend was in Field M1, sensitivity was around 24 and the custom discrimination pattern looked like it was rejecting up to target ID 20 or so. The target on the surface gave a 41/42 target ID. The same target at the bottom of a freshly dug hole gave no response. No mention of what the iron bias setting was or if the hole itself was fully checked with the Legend using discrimination pattern A or G so that any iron target masking from iron targets or the freshly disturbed ground could be ruled out.

If I do a similar test in the highly mineralized dirt I hunt in with iron rejected along with the first 10 target IDs of the non-ferrous range my Legend may or may not detect that coin at the bottom of an 8” freshly dug hole especially if I leave iron filter on 8.

Jeff if you go back and read the replies on that post on facebook and the OPs comments you will know he went through every mode and every multi,and SF settings in his Legend and he states nothing he did worked. I have also tried similar test with various clad coins and I have ended up with the same results as that video, that is the whole strange part of what I am seeing in air test I see good results but in ground targets are a different story and I have also tried everything

I am happy for you that you have had zero issues with your Legend, I wish I could report the same as you but I am not going to sugar coat what I am seeing and what I am seeing is not good at all

I have no reason to tell anyone that there is something off with my Legends or things are great with my Legend I have no skin in the game other than being an end user just like you, when my Legends were working great I let people know, how great they were working, but when they are not working so great i am also going to state that also, I just want my two Legends to be back to what I was seeing in 1.10 Beta test version 3 at this point I would settle for remotely close and what you are seeing in your Legend, and 1.11 is not even close to what I seen in the Beta test versions, not trying to ruffle feathers or anything else, I just want two great working detectors like I seen in the final beta test version, I paid good money for both of my Legends just like you and I expect them to work correctly, especially when with in a few months of making my purchase of both my Legends the price dropped considerably.

 

[jmc24]

Your Legends have a 3 year warranty. The detector behavior you are describing would definitely make me fill out a repair ticket on the Nokta USA Repair Center website.

I would also directly contact Dilek via private message over on DP or Friendly.

 

[Billinoregon]

I sent a link to this thread to Dilek over at friendly and hope she responds and can provide a bit of clarity.

 

[cudamark]

If Nokta has this supposedly great customer service, why won't they let you download the 1.10 beta 3 to use? I'm sure they still have that version stored somewhere. Not being able to revert back to a stable or preferred version would be a non-starter for me.