MX Sport Unhappy report

[Ed Osmar]

I purchased the MX Sport because I had a old MXT that needed to be replaced. The first Sport was sent back because it didn't work well and with the second I purchased a small 6 in coil to use with it. I keep hoping that I will figure out how to use and trust this detector but am thinking it is just a waste of time. I hunt the beaches near St Petersburg FL and my go to machine is a Minelab Excalibur 1000 as most of my hunting is in the water. Today I took 5 gold rings(3 14k white gold mens wedding bands of various sizes, 1 14k yellow gold mans ring and 1 womans 14k yellow gold ring with yellow stone) that I found with the Excal 1000. and placed them in my back yard and swung the MX Sport over them. not one ring was IDed as gold, numbers from 08 foil to 38 pultab. The only good thing is that it found all the rings. So what I have is a metal detector that I must dig every signal because I can't trust what the screen tells me, what a waste.

 

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[Tpmetal]

I purchased the MX Sport because I had a old MXT that needed to be replaced. The first Sport was sent back because it didn't work well and with the second I purchased a small 6 in coil to use with it. I keep hoping that I will figure out how to use and trust this detector but am thinking it is just a waste of time. I hunt the beaches near St Petersburg FL and my go to machine is a Minelab Excalibur 1000 as most of my hunting is in the water. Today I took 5 gold rings(3 14k white gold mens wedding bands of various sizes, 1 14k yellow gold mans ring and 1 womans 14k yellow gold ring with yellow stone) that I found with the Excal 1000. and placed them in my back yard and swung the MX Sport over them. not one ring was IDed as gold, numbers from 08 foil to 38 pultab. The only good thing is that it found all the rings. So what I have is a metal detector that I must dig every signal because I can't trust what the screen tells me, what a waste.

its just like any other detector, gotta learn it. Sorry your not enjoying it, i love mine but I don't hunt beaches much. the difference i've found with a ring was the target id was super solid and repeatable. where the foil and junk even when wadded up in a flattened ball is jumpier signal. It really is not a beach machine but it still holds its own. All in all you should dig all repeatables with any machine.

 

[wingmaster]

Gold easily comes in those VDI's depending on the size of the band and the metal it's mixed with, your MXT might have had those same VDI's or real close for those rings. Why did your MXT need to be replaced? If I might ask, they are built like a tank and should be able to be repaired at the factory and I wouldn't want to be without mine. HH

 

[Ed Osmar]

Things got loose, I did some repairs, sent it in once, It still worked but was afraid to count on it so purchased the Sport because it ws supposed to be the next inprovement to the MXT line, water proof and updated.

 

[wingmaster]

I've had my MXT since 2009 and bought a used one a year later for a spare/backup, never had a problem reliability wise but did have a couple coil problems that White's took care of without any problems. I never want to be without my MXT though. HH

 

[Tpmetal]

the sport really does some great things, i would give it another go before discarding it.

 

[Ed Osmar]

Why say it's not a beach machine when it comes waterproof down to 10 feet underwater. If all you need to dig is repeatable signals then get rid of the screen there is no need of it, just add a toggle switch for differn't hunt modes.

 

[louie41]

First I don't have one but was planning to buy one this fall after reading tons of reviews and info. It is a single frequency machine which are known not to handle salt water that great but it will work. Reports say with the stock DD coil lower sensitivity to about 3 (where it's stable) and with the optional 950 concentric coil you should be able to run sensitivity at about 7. If I had the excal then that's all I would use in wet sand and surf (salt water) . Gold id numbers can be all over the place anyway. I read where one guy found a ring gold ring that rang up with a zinc penny ID. So at beach dig it all, it's easy there anyway

 

[chub]

First I don't have one but was planning to buy one this fall after reading tons of reviews and info. It is a single frequency machine which are known not to handle salt water that great but it will work. Reports say with the stock DD coil lower sensitivity to about 3 (where it's stable) and with the optional 950 concentric coil you should be able to run sensitivity at about 7. If I had the excal then that's all I would use in wet sand and surf (salt water) . Gold id numbers can be all over the place anyway. I read where one guy found a ring gold ring that rang up with a zinc penny ID. So at beach dig it all, it's easy there anyway

+1

Do you have another detector or detecting buddy to compare VDI's with?

Chub

 

[louie41]

No I typically hunt alone. For now I use a bhid in salt water/sand and an ace 350 for land and dry sand. I am not a fan of the ace 350 and it's bing bong tones but then it was free, I won it in a club hunt so I can't complain. Neither have vid. I was referring to what others have reported about gold and the wide range of vdi numbers. I've been saving up for the mx sport but am now waiting to see the minelab 600 and 800 come out. $650 and $900 respectively. Incredible features that will be great for anywhere. Waiting to see initial reviews and experiences

 

[George (MN)]

Detectors IDs are relative conductivity and not types of metal. If you detected for coins the ID for a zinc, copper penny/dime, or quarter would be different. So usually you can know what denomination you have. Because gold rings are different sizes and different percentages of gold, no detector that I know of will give the same number on all gold rings. Saint Pete had 38 parks by 1942, so it might be possible to find silver coins, and usually IDs on coins will tell you the correct denomination.

Foil, nickel, and pulltab are most common gold ring IDs, maybe a few large ones would ID as zinc, and for very small gold rings rarely is a iron ID gold, at least on the detectors that ID accurately on coins. The MX Sport has a good reputation for somewhat above average depth, and suppressing unwanted noise.