Are New Metal Detectors Really any better than the old ones

[jhen999]

I was wondering what you really think about the new metal detectors of today compared to the older ones of years gone by. I have used the old Whites 5000D of the 1980,s and the Whites Classic 3 of the 1990,s and have recently bought a x-terra 705 and to be honest with you I don't fined the new one any better than an old ones, the newer ones have a lot of bells and whistles and they are a lot lighter to swing, but as far as doing any more than the older models I just don't see it, I was digging up coins back in the 1980,s 6" to 8" just the same as I do today...but really all I can see is the new models are lighter and a lot more hard to learn, I am just talking about machines that cost under $1000....I have never used the higher end models so I cant talk about what they can or can not do.

 

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[Hot zone]

Ok, I always listen to Toms good advice and maybe that's part of my problem...after reading his latest diatribe, I am thinking: yah you dummy, give it another try... Had I spent just two afternoons with an expert, I would like it... But wait, maybe it's not for everyone... Perhaps rock music, chainsaw, artillery destroyed ears and minelab are just not compatible...

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

reply

.... But wait, maybe it's not for everyone... Perhaps rock music, chainsaw, artillery destroyed ears and minelab are just not compatible...

Hot-zone, you are right. I left the impression that it's the absolute given that everyone will love it, and replace their old machines "if only they practiced" or "if only they did such & such learning procedure" or "if only they matched up with someone to trade off flagged signals".

But you're right: there are admittedly some machines, for some persons, that simply will not fit certain users. I can think of people who do very well with certain machines, that to others are unpopular and dis-liked. Even others who tried their durndest in all-the-right-ways to learn it, etc....

So you're right: it's not a given that anyone will automatically like and excell in a certain machine that others like. There are other factors involved. Sometimes people just like and exell in certain machines, sounds, familiarities, etc... better than another set of factors.

 

[jhen999]

Well...Dam now I hear all this stuff about these machines...maybe I should have done a little more research before I bought the minelab...and looked into some machines without the VID...what I am finding is I hear the sound and it doesn't sound quite right, so I look at the VID to see what its saying...so its kind of confusing hearing something and then having to look to see if its telling me something else...

 

[Fletch88]

Well...Dam now I hear all this stuff about these machines...maybe I should have done a little more research before I bought the minelab...and looked into some machines without the VID...what I am finding is I hear the sound and it doesn't sound quite right, so I look at the VID to see what its saying...so its kind of confusing hearing something and then having to look to see if its telling me something else...

jhen999, your machine is one of the best machines made at hunting by sound not VDI. I like the Sovereign GT which does not have a screen, but it has far less tones than the Xterra. As long as I can knock out junk iron and foil, I dig most repeatable targets anyway. You can do the same thing but much more precisely with the 705 without looking at the screen. I find when I'm using a screened machine, I start second guessing a target because of a number I find far fewer nice surprises! It all depends on where I'm hunting too, like a public park or a ghost town.

 

[Produce Guy]

My first detector cost about $65 back in the day,It was a Jetco mustang.It used one 9volt battery and had 1 knob and a speaker.Back in the day(1975),I was the king of kids where I lived.I went out every weekend(like I do now).and found all kinds of junk & very little money.Today I have a Garrett Ace 250,about $225 it uses 4 AA battery's,has touch pads,a speaker,has several different coils,shaft can be made longer or shorter,it's light weight,has a warranty,has several different modes,etc,etc.I think today's are much better than the old ones + we have Treasurenet web sights and Youtube videos to watch/learn.

 

[cudamark]

I do not think you need bells & whistles at a beach ..All you do there is get a beep and dig..

At my beaches, you'll want at least one bell to discriminate out iron or you'll go crazy.

 

[cudamark]

good question... When ever it got to annoying to listen to, I would find quieter dirt... Then a couple years ago, I bought a Tesoro Tigershark and going to places I had given up on, were full of easy finds... Finally the Tejon with duel disc finds even more targets that I missed... After just a week on the Tejon and trying to use the Minelab , it took about 5 min. For me to be so annoyed I wanted to wrap it around a tree! Then I finally knew I had ODed on the koolaid!

Take those machines to a salt water beach and that Minelab Koolaid will turn to wine.

 

[Hot zone]

Take those machines to a salt water beach and that Minelab Koolaid will turn to wine.

my Quattro was more like a muscatel, Tbird, Red Mt, Mad dog 20/20 and ripple cocktail... Actually found guide a bit with it, just not that much better for me!

 

[jhen999]

Well its nice to be able to get feed back on these Metal Detectors from people who have used them..I have gotten a few good ideas on what's going on and things to try...one thing I tried today was putting in a test garden...knowing what was there and how deep 6" gave me a better idea of what was going on...one thing I put in the garden was a penny by its self and I got a solid hit at 34 to 36 and I put another penny with a pull tab next to it, solid hit but the VID was 22 to 26...not sure what's going on there...but the depth was right on, on all targets...I think Fletch88 is right..the more I use the x-terra the more I am going to get away from the VID and just hunt by sound....

 

[cudamark]

Use all your senses. Just don't let any one of them overcome your good judgment!