at max verse a teknitics !

Kodiak43351

Bronze Member
May 6, 2013
2,279
1,091
NW Ohio
Detector(s) used
At Max,Xp deus,At pro, At gold, pro pointer, ace 350 bounty hunter. Lesche hand and t handle digging tools, Sask kustom digger, Garrett edge digger and Garrett retriever, Garrett classifier made into
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Only thing this video showed me is what I've known for years. I would never use the big coil in a iron infested site. That's not what it's designed for. Guy in video seems but hurt about something lol. If I wanted to hunt a littered site I would put on small coil or if real bad bring in the xp deus. I hunt with an AT series detector because I'm not worried about hurting it and it can get wet too. Another reason is because in my opinion Garrett has the best customer service by far. I never had any problems finding good stuff with the AT gold or pro so I'm sure the max would find stuff too. Tell your buddy to take a Xanax and go hunt. Lol

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TheHunterGT

Bronze Member
Feb 2, 2015
1,246
1,847
Central California
Detector(s) used
Anfibio Multi - T2 Classic - F75+ - G2+....and MANY more tested and reviewed.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Smaller coils...use a Deus...customer service...AT Gold finds stuff....

And I am butthurt need the meds? :thumbsup:
 

Kodiak43351

Bronze Member
May 6, 2013
2,279
1,091
NW Ohio
Detector(s) used
At Max,Xp deus,At pro, At gold, pro pointer, ace 350 bounty hunter. Lesche hand and t handle digging tools, Sask kustom digger, Garrett edge digger and Garrett retriever, Garrett classifier made into
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just seemed guy in video was all mad about something. I've hunted many littered sites with the pro and gold as well as deus. They all find good stuff but can't get the deus wet easily and still wouldn't trust a $800 control box in a plastic bag. I have fun no matter what machine I use. I love river detecting most.

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xr7ator

Gold Member
Sep 2, 2011
5,185
7,171
Denver, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, AT Gold, ATX, MH7 (oldie!) Minelab Explorer SE Pro, EQ800
I swing the coil, the big one, slower than that when in a nail bed. I pick out the keepers by listening to everything. That Teknetics looks to be a great machine! If your into swinging fast when in iron, it might be the go to machine.
 

darktower007

Sr. Member
Feb 21, 2017
455
854
Chattanooga Tennessee
Detector(s) used
Xp Deus/Vaquero/At Max/fisher f70/carrot pen pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Nice video. I always like seeing these tests and how they perform.


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vferrari

Silver Member
Jul 19, 2015
4,910
8,377
Near Ground Zero for Insanity
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with HF/x35 Coils and Mi6 Pinpointer/ML Equinox 600/800/ML Tarsacci MDT 8000 GPX 4800/Garrett ATX/Fisher F75 DST/Tek G2+/Delta/Whites MXT/Nokta Simplex/Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just seemed guy in video was all mad about something. I've hunted many littered sites with the pro and gold as well as deus. They all find good stuff but can't get the deus wet easily and still wouldn't trust a $800 control box in a plastic bag. I have fun no matter what machine I use. I love river detecting most.

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Agree with you re: the claptrap you have to add to the Deus to make it "safe" in water so I understand the desire to be able to just grab your detector without concern for the water. That is why I am waiting to see if the Equinox delivers on it's press and will likely pick one up, On paper it has some features that eclipse the Max at the same price point (multifrequency; fast, adjustable recovery (should help with the nails); and one feature I know I need vs. the Max, lighter weight and better balance (I have actually confirmed this as I had the opportunity to swing both machines).
 

OP
OP
Calabash Digger

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That at max was lacking in the separation department and audio really imo was lacking too and that's putting it mildly. I know some will love it though...
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,430
54,807
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That at max was lacking in the separation department and audio really imo was lacking too and that's putting it mildly. I know some will love it though...
Sorry, link removed, members can not post detector videos that also direct members to competing websites.

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OP
OP
Calabash Digger

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
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Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
sorry about that didn't realize that. This would have made a great thread though!
 

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Kodiak43351

Bronze Member
May 6, 2013
2,279
1,091
NW Ohio
Detector(s) used
At Max,Xp deus,At pro, At gold, pro pointer, ace 350 bounty hunter. Lesche hand and t handle digging tools, Sask kustom digger, Garrett edge digger and Garrett retriever, Garrett classifier made into
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have my eye on that one as well. Never owned a minelab would be interesting to see how it does. It would take some time to get use to the noise they make.

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Loco-Digger

Gold Member
Jun 16, 2014
11,827
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Northern O-H-I-O
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F75 LTD, 1280X Aquanaut, & a Patriot (back-up/loaner)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Knowing TheHunterGT personally I do appreciate his reviews of First Texas products and also his head to head comparisons. I met him here a few years back and maintain contact with him. He tries to be non-partial, heck his 1st machine was a Garrett. I believe he is an asset to our community as he relates well with noobs who just entered the hobby. I have directed many to his videos when they ask about a specific model or are curious and want to see a head to head review of detectors that they are interested in purchasing.
 

Kodiak43351

Bronze Member
May 6, 2013
2,279
1,091
NW Ohio
Detector(s) used
At Max,Xp deus,At pro, At gold, pro pointer, ace 350 bounty hunter. Lesche hand and t handle digging tools, Sask kustom digger, Garrett edge digger and Garrett retriever, Garrett classifier made into
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That's good. But I don't put much thought into air tests or side by side. Real dirt fishing is where the detector either shines or not for me. I did have a first Texas for a short time. It was light and seemed to be a decent detector but def wasn't what I wanted to use in the situations and places I hunt. It would have made a great park machine but in the last 5 years or more I can count the number of parks I've hunted in one hand. There are other detectors I've had my eye on so I'm not a Garrett fan boy like you may think but I was really mean to my at gold and pro and it never missed a beat. I can say the deus can take a rough hunting day as well but it's not waterproof. I'm going to go ahead and get the at Max and be happy as I would be with any other detector that works for the type of hunting I do. The new minelab looks very interesting as well. May end up with one of those as well soon. Who knows. Good luck everyone.

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vferrari

Silver Member
Jul 19, 2015
4,910
8,377
Near Ground Zero for Insanity
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with HF/x35 Coils and Mi6 Pinpointer/ML Equinox 600/800/ML Tarsacci MDT 8000 GPX 4800/Garrett ATX/Fisher F75 DST/Tek G2+/Delta/Whites MXT/Nokta Simplex/Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have my eye on that one as well. Never owned a minelab would be interesting to see how it does. It would take some time to get use to the noise they make.

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Kodiak - there is a reason you went back to Garrett. You probably learned most of everything about detecting with the AT Pro and AT Gold, therefore, it just makes sense to go back to the AT Max. They fixed a lot of the AT Pro shortcomings with the Max and since you know the platform well, should probably stick with it as your primary. True for just about any detectorist, stick with what you know. It's nice to have your niche detector too, not just as a backup but because it can do things your primary cannot (in your case, Deus). I told Truth this in another thread, if you are comfortable with the Max, then there is probably no need to go to the Equinox vs. the Max + Deus. I don't have a max, so Equinox makes sense for me. Not saying you can't spend your money on an Equinox, if you want to, though. Lol.
 

TheHunterGT

Bronze Member
Feb 2, 2015
1,246
1,847
Central California
Detector(s) used
Anfibio Multi - T2 Classic - F75+ - G2+....and MANY more tested and reviewed.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Knowing TheHunterGT personally I do appreciate his reviews of First Texas products and also his head to head comparisons. I met him here a few years back and maintain contact with him. He tries to be non-partial, heck his 1st machine was a Garrett. I believe he is an asset to our community as he relates well with noobs who just entered the hobby. I have directed many to his videos when they ask about a specific model or are curious and want to see a head to head review of detectors that they are interested in purchasing.

Thanks man, I appreciate that! :)
 

OP
OP
Calabash Digger

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
anybody got a at max I can rent for a week to test?
 

beep1971

Jr. Member
Jan 3, 2015
75
87
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I thought the video was a fair test, being waterproof is the only selling point i see with the Max, looks well below par in the video.
I know folk will say 'it's only a test, it's different in ground', well it is different in ground, it's much harder, and if it can't do it above the soil it ain't going to do it any better under the soil.
Personally i think once the Equinox appears it will be the death nail for the Max and many of the other average machines.
 

Kodiak43351

Bronze Member
May 6, 2013
2,279
1,091
NW Ohio
Detector(s) used
At Max,Xp deus,At pro, At gold, pro pointer, ace 350 bounty hunter. Lesche hand and t handle digging tools, Sask kustom digger, Garrett edge digger and Garrett retriever, Garrett classifier made into
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Beep put the small coil on the max then try the test. Slow your swing down as well. I've pulled IH cents and half cents out with at gold in nails and trash with small coil. Not everyone likes Garrett because it's popular and they are a Target for everyone. It's funny to see the lengths people will go to say the at series are junk. Lol

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beep1971

Jr. Member
Jan 3, 2015
75
87
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I wouldn't say any detector is junk, it's just that some perform better than others in certain situations.
But you'd expect a manufacturer to improve more on a unit than Garrett has with the AT Max, there's other detectors out there like the Rutus with 11" coils on that can outperform many others with small coils fitted, i think Europe are leading the way to be honest.
Try this in-ground test with the Max using a similar size 11" coil, it will highlight what i mean, listen to the audio as it very clearly sounds iron-nail-iron.



Beep put the small coil on the max then try the test. Slow your swing down as well. I've pulled IH cents and half cents out with at gold in nails and trash with small coil. Not everyone likes Garrett because it's popular and they are a Target for everyone. It's funny to see the lengths people will go to say the at series are junk. Lol

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vferrari

Silver Member
Jul 19, 2015
4,910
8,377
Near Ground Zero for Insanity
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with HF/x35 Coils and Mi6 Pinpointer/ML Equinox 600/800/ML Tarsacci MDT 8000 GPX 4800/Garrett ATX/Fisher F75 DST/Tek G2+/Delta/Whites MXT/Nokta Simplex/Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Let me say this: Garrett has excellent metal detecting technology, no one can argue about the performance of any of the AT series detectors, frankly. I think where Garrett has fallen short is on ergonomics and user interface. Here is a rundown of some other brands and how I think they compare from a US user's perspective.

In that regard, I think First Texas does a great job without sacrificing performance that is on par or exceeds the AT series in some respects.. Their F75/T2 interface and shaft/stem balance are excellent, however, they apparently have no interest in making a high end submersible detector.

Minelab has perhaps the best metal detecting technology out there with multi-frequency and stable target ID algorithms - their user interface, however, with all the submenus and unnecessary settings. We'll see if the Equinox bucks the trend on terrible

Whites has good advanced technology machines, but again, their user interface leaves something to be desired on their high end machines. Very good mid-level machines, the MXT perhaps being the cream of the crop for a workhorse detector in its price range.

Tesoro - simplicity and no frills performance at its finest.

Makro/Nokta remind me of a foreign First Texas with some innovations. Still no submersible machines though.

Deteknix/Quest - Their Quest series detectors are worth looking at. The Quest Pro may give the Equinox 600 (but not the 800) some competition.

XP Deus - just a different animal altogether. Performance is excellent. Ergonomics is great (feather weight, completely wireless). User interface could use some improvements but overall a great package. Not so great wet salt beach performance and kludgy add-ons required to make it somewhat submersible. Perhaps went too far with wireless technology (submersible challenges and coil cost) but it does have its operational advantages.

#1 In detecting technology - Minelab (CTX 3030)

#1 In Performance and Ergonomics Technology - XP (Deus)

#1 In User Interface and Performance - First Texas (F75)

#1 In Grab and Go - Tesoro

#1 Workhorse Performance and Value (Submersible)- Garrett (AT Series) [Equinox could steal the crown, we'll see]

#1 Workhorse Performance and Value (Non submersible) - Whites (MXT) and First Texas (Teknetics Patriot Series)

Up and coming detector manufacturers making a dent in the US: Makro/Nokta and Quest/Teknetix

Again - the best detector out there at the moment is the one you have swung the most with your own hands.
 

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