CTX performs!

[RustyGold]

I went to the beach today and started the hunt with the Eurotek Pro! Although the ETP was doing ok I decided to break out the CTX 3030 and was immediately blown away at the increase in finds from coins to tabs!
Amazing what a great detector will do and take you to another level of hunting.

 

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[lookindown]

Confidence in a machine is important and it sounds like you have confidence in your 3030...great finds to come...good luck.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Maybe yes, maybe no!

Need to know specific conditions where you hunted, configuration of equipment.
For instance, was the same size coil used with both detectors, sweep at the same speed, and direction.
Did you sweep over the same ground - if not you may of just walked into a more target rich environment.

For instance, spent four hours with 3030 detecting 2/3 of a saltwater beach and only found one clad dime.
However, the last 1/3 of the beach yielded a pinkee size carved ring (looked like silver - not marked) , and a diamond ear ring (junk), plus 2 freshly dropped quarters and four corroded zinc pennies (deep).
With same detector, coils size - 17", and sweep speed - slow shuffel.

Picked up usual amount of junk (bottle caps, pull tabs, foil) on each section (1/3 of beach).
Rule of thumb: I all except iron tones/VID numbers - where it is easy to dig and there is no competition.

 

[RustyGold]

Maybe yes, maybe no!

Need to know specific conditions where you hunted, configuration of equipment.
For instance, was the same size coil used with both detectors, sweep at the same speed, and direction.
Did you sweep over the same ground - if not you may of just walked into a more target rich environment.

For instance, spent four hours with 3030 detecting 2/3 of a saltwater beach and only found one clad dime.
However, the last 1/3 of the beach yielded a pinkee size carved ring (looked like silver - not marked) , and a diamond ear ring (junk), plus 2 freshly dropped quarters and four corroded zinc pennies (deep).
With same detector, coils size - 17", and sweep speed - slow shuffel.

Picked up usual amount of junk (bottle caps, pull tabs, foil) on each section (1/3 of beach).
Rule of thumb: I all except iron tones/VID numbers - where it is easy to dig and there is no competition.

True, all good points Sir Gala Clad!
Same beach but different area and coil sizes are close but different configurations!
Quite honestly, I was just happy to be finding stuff.
Best of Luck out there!

 

[el padron]

I went to the beach today and started the hunt with the Eurotek Pro! Although the ETP was doing ok I decided to break out the CTX 3030 and was immediately blown away at the increase in finds from coins to tabs!
Amazing what a great detector will do and take you to another level of hunting.

Its a very expensive cheaply made machine.
I never will understand the loyalty people have to equipment that they constantly have to modify or repair. Its just amazing.
On a beach and for a comfortable level of discrimination a well used XP Deus will outperform it every time. Very sensitive and deep. There are several different learning curves but there is no comparison.

As of this date for standard conditions below the low tide lines nothing had improved on a Garret ATX. If it was garbage, I would say so.
Its a professional treasure machine.

 

[jyt2017]

Ctx 10x more rugged then the excal. You need to mod the excal not the ctx it requires no mod at all.

Its a very expensive cheaply made machine.
I never will understand the loyalty people have to equipment that they constantly have to modify or repair. Its just amazing.
On a beach and for a comfortable level of discrimination a well used XP Deus will outperform it every time. Very sensitive and deep. There are several different learning curves but there is no comparison.

As of this date for standard conditions below the low tide lines nothing had improved on a Garret ATX. If it was garbage, I would say so.
Its a professional treasure machine.

 

[dewcon4414]

Dont go beating up my Xcal now. Even moded i can buy two of them...... and ive not flooded one yet. The CTX is a good machine..... is it better than the Xcal IN the water maybe, it depends on whose using it? There are some nice adjustments to the CTX..... the selling thing to me is its still over priced. As far as MODs...... not many machines we wouldnt like to see tweaked...... some you can. The CTX initially was a hard sell....... but look around on the beach now...... awfully lot of um out there. BUT you really want to know what the MEAT AND POTATOES machine is...... take a look at the finds.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Ctx 10x more rugged then the excal. You need to mod the excal not the ctx it requires no mod at all.

Not true: The Excalibur is designed for diving at depths that scuba divers can operate at and is far more rugged than the CTX 3030 which has a 10 foot limitation (unmodified CTX 3030). The Excalibur is frequently modified because it is relatively easy to modify it since it has a modular design. In contrast the CTX 3030 is difficult to modify as its designs are integrated.

Except for known leakage problems at the seals. the CTX 3030 is more reliable as it is repaired by removing and replacing parts at the subcomponent level (circuit cards) and is mostly a digital design. In contrast the Excalibur is designed to be repaired at the component level and uses discrete components which wear thru usage (switches, rotary knobs, O ring seals at bot ends of the pods, as well as over each knob). Most problems encountered with the Excalibur are pulled wires especially between the battery and control pods, and insulation on the outer cables which deteriorate over time both from ozone when in storage and flexure while using as they are exposed. The cables to the ctx 3030 are more protected as they are inside the shaft, only time will tell how well they hold up in storage.

The CTX 3030 is a well made machine, ideal for finding smaller targets (hammies), as it is more sensitive as well as selective.

With the integrated GPS, it is great for archiology or detecting near leased wreck sites as you can prove where you have been if you use the geo map option.

In my opinion, it is not a matter of which machine is better (Xcal verses CTX); It is a matter of which detector is more suitable (they have different engineering tradeoffs) at the location you are detecting as well as how you use it. As I primarily shallow water hunt for health reasons, I use an Excalibur (only modification is a tall man shaft) more often than the CTX. Plus I am especially carefull with the CTX 3030 limiting its usage to detecting in protected waters and only submerge it when necessary to get the sand off (has lots of sharp edges).

It should be noted that I may of caused the two repairs that I experienced on the Excalibur.
The pulled pins broken connections at the helco connector and the control pod latter were most likely the result my result of pushing theese exposed wires against the sand (Control Pod was mounted with the head phone wires, which were short for the longer shaft down) each time it was necessary to remove the accumulated sand between the skid plate aka protective cover and the search coil (approx two hours).
when cleaning out the sand between the protective cover/scuff gard and the search coil).

 

[RustyGold]

I love the Excalibur and have had zero problems with the two that I own.
The CTX cheaply made? Not in my opinion! Everyone that's complaining about the price just doesn't know they can purchase a CTX for less than the advertised list price.
The Deus is also quite expensive and close to the mark when comparing costs also, I have personally seen broken body parts on the ATX.
I believe all detectors suffer from the same maladies! Just like some people do!

 

[jeepGold]

I regularly go hunting with my Excal 1000 (modified with RPP, a WOT and Grey ghost head phones) and keep up just fine with my buddy who has a 3030 and a 17" coil. We go back and forth with who wins. His detector does win the sexy award though. No wires, better tones and a display...

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Its a very expensive cheaply made machine.
I never will understand the loyalty people have to equipment that they constantly have to modify or repair. Its just amazing.
On a beach and for a comfortable level of discrimination a well used XP Deus will outperform it every time. Very sensitive and deep. There are several different learning curves but there is no comparison.

As of this date for standard conditions below the low tide lines nothing had improved on a Garret ATX. If it was garbage, I would say so.
Its a professional treasure machine.

What people are you referring to exactly? Never had a problem with mine, or the other 5 guys who swing a CTX whom I hunt with. And we use ours on the beach and in dirt. Im sure the Deus is a great machine but what frequency are you choosing to use on the beach? Not the higher frequency because it won't work on the wet salt sand, maybe a lower frequency but then you lose the gold. C'mon the op makes a post about his like for his machine and you basically tell him it's garbage?

 

[RustyGold]

What people are you referring to exactly? Never had a problem with mine, or the other 5 guys who swing a CTX whom I hunt with. And we use ours on the beach and in dirt. Im sure the Deus is a great machine but what frequency are you choosing to use on the beach? Not the higher frequency because it won't work on the wet salt sand, maybe a lower frequency but then you lose the gold. C'mon the op makes a post about his like for his machine and you basically tell him it's garbage?

No Doubt! Thank you MMJ!

 

[el padron]

No Doubt! Thank you MMJ!

No I didn't say it was garbage. No disrespect intended. Its all relative. The CTX is great machine until you hunt with a well made, well thought out platform.

Someone has to be the voice of reason. This is a very expensive metal detector with a lot of issues.

Mostly with its composition but even when you get past that issue, I never noticed any performance improvement even over its predecessor the Sovereign GT.
In fact, I'm not sure it works as well as an SGT at all.
I Think I know people that do well with it but they typically hunt for days at a time.
Its amenity heavy, while purposely underbuilt. Purposely.

Those seals leak needlessly. The typical repair issues pandemic to CTX's only exist because it's manufacturer has no respect for its customers. Its really plain and simple. At that price point most of these issues should not be occurring.
I don't think it's particularly well thought out.

Not after using the two other machines I mentioned above.

It's like using a MAC computer for the first time and realizing that the "inherent" PC issues you've been dealing with all your life perhaps not need be inherent at all.

I mean look at this thread.
About the most positive thing that the CTX's PROPONENTs have to say here is that they intend to "unload it" before the warranty runs out. Isn't that ridiculous?

 

[el padron]

I love the Excalibur and have had zero problems with the two that I own.
The CTX cheaply made? Not in my opinion! Everyone that's complaining about the price just doesn't know they can purchase a CTX for less than the advertised list price.
The Deus is also quite expensive and close to the mark when comparing costs also, I have personally seen broken body parts on the ATX.
I believe all detectors suffer from the same maladies! Just like some people do!

I'm sorry, all due respect, but the ATX is far, FAR better built then a CTX . It's really not possible to have that argument.

Not that Garret is so great, The facts are the ATX was designed with great respect for it's end users.
In fact the government rejected the basic platform down over a dozen times before awarding Garret that contract.
(You expect our people to carry this thing through deserts in its present form? It's five feet long!)

As far as the deus goes, yes it also is expensive, but not
as much in its most basic form. Its very well thought out.
It works very well.
I don't typically advocate equipment, but I have to say it really does.

Its easily collapsible, very very portable. Thats a big deal, yeah and amazingly enough even in 2015 that particular feature is still almost unheard of. (Yeah, I know)

But you know what? The clincher? Its wireless!!! Yeah between three key components its completely and flawlessly wireless. No seperate components are needed for that feature,
I'm frigging spoiled!!!!!!
How difficult was that!!!! Huh? In simple electronic equipment that costs Thousands of dollars?

How many coil and headphone cables are you going to negotiate in your lifetime?
How many seals are you going to replace?
How many times are you going to send it in for warranty work?
How many times are you going to get it "modified"? How many??

 

[bigscoop]

I think lookindown said it best....."confidence" makes a huge difference. The CTX has two great features that set it apart, this being great target separation capabilities and a built in signal boost that all but eliminates those faint returns. A customized program application is also a nice feature. Not the best choice for rough water conditions, perhaps, but in fairly flat water, in the shallows, and up on the wet sand it's a tough competitor to beat.

 

[el padron]

What people are you referring to exactly? Never had a problem with mine, or the other 5 guys who swing a CTX whom I hunt with. And we use ours on the beach and in dirt. Im sure the Deus is a great machine but what frequency are you choosing to use on the beach? Not the higher frequency because it won't work on the wet salt sand, maybe a lower frequency but then you lose the gold. C'mon the op makes a post about his like for his machine and you basically tell him it's garbage?

If you want my custom DEUS beach settings, You are going to have to ask a lot nicer then that.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I'm sorry, all due respect, but the ATX is far, FAR better built then a CTX . It's really not possible to have that argument.

Not that Garret is so great, The facts are the ATX was designed with great respect for it's end users.
In fact the government rejected the basic platform down over a dozen times before awarding Garret that contract.
(You expect our people to carry this thing through deserts in its present form? It's five feet long!)

As far as the deus goes, yes it also is expensive, but not
as much in its most basic form. Its very well thought out.
It works very well.
I don't typically advocate equipment, but I have to say it really does.

Its easily collapsible, very very portable. Thats a big deal, yeah and amazingly enough even in 2015 that particular feature is still almost unheard of. (Yeah, I know)

But you know what? The clincher? Its wireless!!! Yeah between three key components its completely and flawlessly wireless. No seperate components are needed for that feature,
I'm frigging spoiled!!!!!!
How difficult was that!!!! Huh? In simple electronic equipment that costs Thousands of dollars?

How many coil and headphone cables are you going to negotiate in your lifetime?
How many seals are you going to replace?
How many times are you going to send it in for warranty work?
How many times are you going to get it "modified"? How many??

I have had an ATX and went only in the surf with it: had 2 leaks. i was also very disapointed by this detector and resell it nearly 3 month after.

Concerning the CTX, when you have saltwater around, it outperfroms the XP Deus. Now for inland detection, XP is a killer.

 

[OBN]

Dont go beating up my Xcal now. Even moded i can buy two of them...... and ive not flooded one yet. The CTX is a good machine..... is it better than the Xcal IN the water maybe, it depends on whose using it? There are some nice adjustments to the CTX..... the selling thing to me is its still over priced. As far as MODs...... not many machines we wouldnt like to see tweaked...... some you can. The CTX initially was a hard sell....... but look around on the beach now...... awfully lot of um out there. BUT you really want to know what the MEAT AND POTATOES machine is...... take a look at the finds.

I agree with Dew, both are great machines. Get to know either and you will be the best one can be...

Dew I love my MEAT AND POTATOES ...