Detectors

K

Kentucky Kache

Guest
m bryan said:
What determines a good detector other than depth? Excluding the user factor(not knowing the md)but the machine..........depth seems to be the most popular issue but what are the other things you look for in a md?

Quality discrimination, especially if you're coin hunting.
For some people, weight is an issue.
For me, ground balance and depth gauge is important. Not all machines have it.
 

Coin Digger

Sr. Member
Jul 13, 2008
328
47
Williams County Ohio
Detector(s) used
Whites Classic 3 SL
Fisher F2
Bounty Hunter Platinum
Whites XLT
Nokta Legend
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I have gone through a whole slew of detectors and I can tell you the best detector is the one you like and enjoy.
You should ask yourself what kind of person are you and what do you plan to hunt.

Example: I drove myself nuts with a high end menu driven detector just hunting clad. Needless to say it was frustrating for me.
I get the most enjoyment out of my lowly F2 and it can find keepers just like the rest.
 

Old Town

Hero Member
Aug 18, 2010
517
6
Key West
Detector(s) used
Fisher, Whites, Tesoro
For me depth is number 1, but after that stability. This means a quiet machine that does not sound on every tiny thing. A constant background of clicks and pings wears me out mentally. Some makes are better than others in this department.

OT
 

UncleVinnys

Bronze Member
Dec 27, 2007
1,150
170
Hancock Street, Folsom, CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600
I agree with Kentucky K,

A good discriminator will help you tell the difference between a pull-tab and a nickel,
between a dime and a penny.

Here's a good video which shows different levels of discrimination.

Enjoy! :icon_thumleft:

 

OP
OP
m bryan

m bryan

Hero Member
Jun 12, 2010
691
49
east texas
Detector(s) used
Delta 4000 and Garrett 300 Teknetics T2 Minelab Explorer SE Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The guy in the video says the more expensive the detector the better the disc.....true?
 

Old Town

Hero Member
Aug 18, 2010
517
6
Key West
Detector(s) used
Fisher, Whites, Tesoro
m bryan said:
The guy in the video says the more expensive the detector the better the disc.....true?

Not always true. But I'd rather over-spend than under-spend.

That said, my all-time favorite detector is a 340 dollar Tesoro Cibola. Great disc. and frightful depth. More than my E-Trac at one fifth the price.

OT
 

Deftone

Hero Member
Jan 10, 2006
793
1,034
oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero, Tejon
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
"But I'd rather over-spend than under-spend."
Its still a hobby but hey spend spend spend!
 

Old Town

Hero Member
Aug 18, 2010
517
6
Key West
Detector(s) used
Fisher, Whites, Tesoro
Deftone said:
"But I'd rather over-spend than under-spend."
Its still a hobby but hey spend spend spend!

Deftone, isn't this thing we do crazy? I love my Cibola but cannot resist the lure of all the fancy crap that comes along by the makers. I see something shining in the sun I gotta go drag it back to my nest. I'm like a silly raven or something. In the end I go hunting with my Cibola. MD companies count on idiots like me.

OT
 

deepskyal

Bronze Member
Aug 17, 2007
1,926
61
Natrona Heights, Pa.
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster 6000 Di Series 3, Minelab Eq 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Depth can be altered on most detectors by larger coils rather than the stock coil that comes with them.

My 2 main requirements are good ground balancing and good target ID.

I don't like wasting my day digging zincolns and pull tabs and I have had occasion to hit areas where I fought to keep a machine ground balanced. Of course, that was my very first detector which was a TR, not a vlf.

The vision has multiple ways to Id a target so I don't dig zinc pennies or that many pull tabs. And it works great under power lines. Never had a machine that didn't sound off once I got near transmission lines. It was like it opened up a whole new area to detecting.

I got out for the first time in over a year last weekend. With that much limited time, I don't want to waste it.

Al
 

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