Garrett AT Pro vs Whites M6 ... Question from a newbie .....

[Martin R]

Hello to the group from a newbie . I've searched your forums trying to answer my own question first before posting to the group . I really didn't find the answers I was looking for so maybe someone would care to help .
The topic is Garrett AT Pro vs Whites M6 . I own both machines but looking to maybe sell the M6 to purchase another AT Pro . You see , I first purchased the M6 after doing some research on the machine . I was looking for a easy to use well know machine made in the USA . I've had a Whites Surf Pulse machine in the past and knew they were a very well made good machine . Knowing that my wife wanted her own machine I wanted it to be a user friendly machine so we started with the M6.
Only owned the M6 for about two weeks when I found it's downside ( for me anyways ) , it's not made to be taken out in the rain or in the water ( other than the coil ). Didn't think about that when I purchased it . So I went on the hunt for a water machine .
Then I ran across the Garrett AT Pro . After using the AT Pro I found that I liked using it more than the M6 . I like the features like notching and the different pre programmed push button settings over the M6's two twist knobs and no notching . Plus I can take the AT Pro into the water , nice !
So here's the thing , I'm thinking of selling the M6 so as to purchase another AT Pro for my wife . Then we both would have the same machines with the same capabilities for notching and for the water . But I don't want to sell the Whites if it's actually a better machine over the AT Pro . It may be that the M6 works much much better at coin shooting or has better depth . I really don't know which machine is better than the other so if anyone would care to offer up what they know I sure would be thankful .
Martin R

 

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[worldtalker]

I have well over 3000 hrs. on my M-6 and I am not looking to soon for an upgrade,quite the machine,simple,highly effective! God Bless Chris

 

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[Watchman]

The Garrett AT Pro and the White's M-6 are both high end, quality machines. One is not better than the other, they are just tuned a little differently from each other in order to be stronger in a given area where the other is lacking. I have heard the M-6 is quite a coin charmer and decent gold prospector, but this does not necessarily make the M-6 "better" than the AT Pro, it simply offers users a different approach at finding coins a little easier than other machines..... whereas the AT Pro is waterproof, but it will take some extra learning on your part to get used to the AT Pro's settings to get it to do what the M-6 may do with greater ease. You can't have an omelet without breaking a few eggs, it's all a trade off with these machines. You will have strong areas, and you will have areas that require more effort on your part to make it perform like other machines in different areas of hunting. The AT Pro is highly versatile, and will detect coins and relics just as well as any other machine out there, but there is a a learning curve that is unique to itself. The difference between machines mostly are their range of frequency. You have your Very High Frequency (VHF) detectors and your your Very Low Frequency Detectors (VLF). Both ranges have different reactions to the various metals in the ground, and each range has it's "sweetheart" metal that it really gets in tune with. The difference is the machine's settings, options and learning curve in order to fine tune what you are looking for, but even with all the settings, tuning, and I.D. screens..... we still get fooled. Some people get sooooo much into searching for silver dimes, that they Discriminate out nickles and anything else below that, and end up missing GOLD! Gold will often register as a nickle on any given machine. It's all a matter of what you want your machine to do, and how easily you can become as "one" with your machine, it's like buying a gun....you have to be absolutely comfortable with it or else you aren't going to hit crap with it. For me personally, I love detectors that are highly versatile and that give me a broad range of detecting options, even if the learning curve can be a real P-I-T-A. I personally just bought the AT Pro this week and I love it. I love having the option of taking it underwater to 10 feet, although this depth is nothing compared to the Garrett Infinium L/S that I had once owned, the L/S had a 200 foot depth..... but then again, I am not diving shipwrecks, I'm searching rivers that are at best, 4-5 feet deep in isolated pockets. The L/S was confusing to the ear trying to tell the difference between high-tone-to low-tone and the low-tone-to-high-tone reactions between ferrous and non-ferrous metals, that machine sounded like a hyper-active 2 year old with a harmonica when it came to trashy areas. This didn't make the Infinium L/S a bad machine or inferior to other machines, it just didn't mesh well with my ears.... it just wasn't my style. I personally like to have distinct, clear and separate tones to identify different metal classes. To me, the 3 tone range in the AT Pro is the ultimate in "target I.D." Many will disagree with me because they love those screens that are always pointing to a dime, a dollar or a ring on a digital scale..... but when it comes right down to it, you have to dig it to find out for sure, and in many cases, it's something else that has a metallic content that mimicked what the screen was identifying it as. At the end of the day with all the bells and whistles a detector has to offer, it's a crap-shoot, you have to dig the target to know for sure what it is. Go with whatever machine best works with your style of learning curve.

 

[gleaner1]

This is a great post the op has a question that seems he may have answered. But no question has been asked. The only question that has been asked is the one I posted, in reply, with my own question concerning the alleged question. I have four question marks in that reply. I ask what was the question? So now, I have all the questions, and all the question marks, 8 and counting.

 

[Trackerman]

Both are pretty good machines. I have an m6 and its a pretty good coin machine and has decent depth and so far no luck on gold but i hear its ok with gold too. Id say the main complaint on the m6 is its main speaker is too dam loud to hunt without headphones. Also its id display is not very accurate and jumps around a lot. It also gets overload signals at times wich the manual says it does at times. Garrets are decent i have a ace 250 and its not a bad machine at all.My only gripe with garret is there coil shapes i prefer standard round coils because i find them easyier to pinpiont with. Now the At pro given its weather proof abilities and a better id display than the m6 in my opinion should make it a very good all around detector.

 

[spartacus53]

Gleaner1, and you think you got the short end I gave several qualified answers including a coin flip, various other machines, and a good lead who he should contact and I'm called a wiseacre Funniest part is the one that mentioned he was given crap advise, gave no advice, or input at all

 

[ticm]

Gleaner1, and you think you got the short end I gave several qualified answers including a coin flip, various other machines, and a good lead who he should contact and I'm called a wiseacre Funniest part is the one that mentioned he was given crap advise, gave no advice, or input at all

Your more of a trouble maker then even me. LOL

 

[ticm]

Thank you Sandman . But I must first say that I came to this forum for advise and the very first response I received was an attack on me . If someone attacks me they will receive much more than the bargained for either on a forum or face to face . Lighten up is not in my creed . Sorry about not doing a " PM " ... I don't know what that means .
I thank you for your advise on the topic of metal detectors . And I totally agree with you on the quality of the AT Pro over (or under) other water machines . At this stage of the game we're just scratching the surface on metal detecting and the direction we want to go . If we decide to move to Florida full time then a much better water machine would be in our future . But if we stay in New York then most of our hunting will be on dry land . We are new to this hobby and learning by our mistakes . The AT Pro may not be the best but it will work in many more conditions than the M6 . But after doing some testing of both machines the last few days I've decided that the M6 does a better job in depth than the ATP by as much as four inches . That's enough in my book to warrant keeping the M6 ..
Thank you to everyone who has offered their help on this topic .

LMAO.

 

[ticm]

This is why I went to the group looking for a " INFORMED " " educated " answer . And this is what I get , " flip a coin " ..... I would bet the folks at Whites and Garrett would hope the metal detecting community out there would be able to provide better answers for folks looking to choose one machine over the other . Thanks for the advice .....I think I'll flip a coin to see if I will take your advice or just toss it in the toilet ........ Well I flipped and flipped over and over until the coin was worn out, and every time it comes up the same ,,,,, TOILET ! The coin must be trying to tell me something about you and your advise .
PS. The nickname isn't " Sparky " , folks for years have called me " BIG BAD HOSS " and there's a reason for that ...... But I think we have found a nickname for you , " NJ TOILET " ..... It doesn't really have a ring to it like " Billy The Kid " or " The Killer " but somehow I bet it fits ........
Don't start what you can't finish Sparky .........

Lighten up sparky. All of a sudden I feel like watching Bonanza.

 

[jeff of pa]

A late welcome & an Apology Martin, sorry some of our Members have attitudes & I hope you don't judge us all by this.

to try & answer your question,
Although I don't have experience with the machines you mention,
I do see an advantage in you both having the same machine.
it would be much easier to give each other tips.

as for getting rid of the whites, I'd say depends on your financial situation

anyway good Luck ! & If you want any of these un-called for comments removed.
hit report to moderator on them .

Jeff

 

[ticm]

This somes it up.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/brands/321662-especially-newbies-detector.html

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

To whom it concerns, our rules cover this as well......

Welcome to TreasureNet Martin...

 

[worldtalker]

Thank you Sandman . But I must first say that I came to this forum for advise and the very first response I received was an attack on me . If someone attacks me they will receive much more than the bargained for either on a forum or face to face . Lighten up is not in my creed . Sorry about not doing a " PM " ... I don't know what that means .
I thank you for your advise on the topic of metal detectors . And I totally agree with you on the quality of the AT Pro over (or under) other water machines . At this stage of the game we're just scratching the surface on metal detecting and the direction we want to go . If we decide to move to Florida full time then a much better water machine would be in our future . But if we stay in New York then most of our hunting will be on dry land . We are new to this hobby and learning by our mistakes . The AT Pro may not be the best but it will work in many more conditions than the M6 . But after doing some testing of both machines the last few days I've decided that the M6 does a better job in depth than the ATP by as much as four inches . That's enough in my book to warrant keeping the M6 ..
Thank you to everyone who has offered their help on this topic .

Dennis is a very knowledgeable wise fellow,certainly steered me in the right direction once or twice.

 

[gleaner1]

I like M6 it has auto ground tracking, beach mode, multi tone mode (7 tone), delightful balance and weight, and has a smashing beautiful circular concentric that goes deep. I like my atpro too. Both machines are different as night and day, but they are both effective.

 

[worldtalker]

I like M6 it has auto ground tracking, beach mode, multi tone mode (7 tone), delightful balance and weight, and has a smashing beautiful circular concentric that goes deep. I like my atpro too. Both machines are different as night and day, but they are both effective.

I especially like the DD 6x10,seperates pretty good,that is what I love about the tones,of course a good pair of headphones don't hurt either.

 

[Normsel]

If ya want witty remarks you don't need a forum. I have had lots of help in here and most guys give very honest opinions. I have an At pro and love it but I only had an Ace 250 before that and I find a minimum of 50% more with the pro and eliminate almost 90% of the trash i dug with the 250. I have had it 4 weeks and learning but in 4 weeks i found more with the pro than I did with the 250 in 2 months and i go out everyday over 50 degrees

Can't help with your question because i know nothing about a White M6

 

[spartacus53]

Witty remarks I have an Ace250 and have found good stuff and crap too. I'll even wager a bet that someone that owns a minelab will have the same results. By what you call canceling out the "bad" tones, only means that you just may miss some good stuff

Witty No Just the simple facts

Understand, any machine that beeps at metal is a winner