I want to learn

[Mezrein503]

So I was thinking about it today. I know a little about how the metal detector works. I know that its partially based on the frequency and what not, but here's what I don't quite understand.

What is it exactly that makes one detector better than another? Remove the human factor though. What is it about the specific detector that will make it better than one with the exact same features and specs?

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[Tom_in_CA]

what makes one better than another? Depth is the usual standard of our wishes. But even within that arena, is loads of "buts" and "if's" and "although's". I mean, there are detectors that can detect a quarter to a good 16" or more with ease!! But they will be practically useless in all but the cleanest white dry sand environments, because they're just too plain squirrely (squeel off over every little grommet or nail, with no tell-tale way to tell the difference). Or perhaps they get this deep, with reasonable ID's (reject iron, etc...) yet they falter when they get over mineralized ground. Or perhaps they get deep AND work well in moderate minerals, AND retain fairly reliable TID down to their deeper reaches, however: maybe they mask with junk targets nearby? (the common compromise of the power-house machines).

So you can see, that to answer "depth", as a factor is "what is the best detector", can itself, be a loaded answer. Perhaps you'd take this supposed depth demon power house machine to a nail/junk riddled ghost town, or set of ruins, or urban demolition sidewalk tearout, and get your sorry little *ss kicked by a 2 knob little 2-filter shallow seeking wimp machine, simply because he can effortlessly see through and around small iron? Which machine is "better" in that case? The machine that went deeper, or the machine that wasn't as deep-seeking?

So your question is sort of like asking: What is the best car, and what makes a car the "best"? A person would just turn around and ask you: "do you want speed? Consider a corvette". "Do you want low end torque to pull out tree stumps? Consider a low geared truck". "Do you want to carry kids to soccer practice? Consider a mini-van". "Do you want great gas mileage? consider a honda accord", and so forth. Your question is too nebulous.

[truckinbutch]

Tom,
As fair and good answer as any of us could give
Jim

[Marc(NB)]

Actually its the end user that makes or break the hobby.An experienced hunter with a low end machine can outhunt a newbie with the high end dector.Experience is the key factor.

[Mezrein503]

That makes total sense, however what I am more curious about is what exactly it is that makes one machine a deep digging hog, and another machine a shallow surface sifter. What is in the circuitry that allows a detector to go deep? Is it all just the frequency, size of coil? Also like I said in the orignal post, take out the human factor. Get two machines with same features and same specs but from different companies, put them side by side, and one proves to be better than the other. How is that made possible?

[liftloop]

"MYTHBUSTERS" should do a test on detectors wood that be cool....

[Bum Luck]

Well, different manufacturers have different answers to the basic questions they all face, and I'm sure there are differences in circuit sophistication, discrimination algorithms, and so on. I can't speak much to that.

Coil size is a biggy, though, the larger coils will see deeper but tend to lose smaller objects and the ability to tell close objects apart.