DFX and Explorer SE

[The Beep Goes On]

Hi All,

Since I have been a DFX user and now own an SE as well, I wrote down some thoughts...

http://www.thebeepgoeson.com/display.asp?page=DFXvsSE_1

HH!
TBGO

 

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[99Brown]

Wow Beep. Great article. Thanks for the overview.

99Brown

 

[Treasuredawg]

Thanks Beep for this comparrison. I purchased an Exployer in October and have been trying to get through the learning curve since. I have thought a few times I made a big mistake chosing the Exployer over the DFX but maybe I just need some help. How do you have yours set up? I have started to understand the Advanced features and I know this is where this machine stands out compared to others.....but it takes awhile to learn. Any help will be appreciated.

Treasuredawg

 

[The Beep Goes On]

TDawg - I use a few different modes. On the beach I set the all metal pattern (Clear) and ferrous tones. I dig everything unless it's obviously iron. Sometimes I will use this mode on old sites and parks too...otherwise I select the coins pattern (default). In the coins pattern I will usually use conduct tones.

If you swing this machine too fast you will go right over good targets and not even know it...especially surface targets. This machine is not for the impatient. I have the standard coil, a 4x7 coil and an 8" Minelab coil is on the way. The smaller coils do help when hunting trashy sites.

One thing that may help is to choose fast recovery if you want to speed things up. I have done some bench testing and need to do more. I think experimenting with this machine under controlled conditions is key to understanding it's behavior.

The display behaves differently than what I'm used to. For instance, if you go over a target and the machine locks on to it and displays the box or the numbers and you go over another target, the display does not change. You seem to have to disengage from the target, get a threshold tone, and re-engage the new target to get it's box/numbers. This is kind of annoying and it slows things down, and I think I have missed some targets because of this. You have to listen to the tones (which are in real-time, unlike the display) and then make sure you get a successful lock on the target you want so you can make a dig/no dig decision. I have to experiment some more with this.

I'm going to write up Part II in a week or two.

HH!
TBGO

 

[Born2Dtect]

Real nice article, BeeP. You have done well with a comparison. I have a Whites IDX Pro and an EXP II, I also hunt with others who have EXP,s and all Whites, DFX, XLT. For you to state that the EXP SE was the deepest detctor, made me do a double take. When you read post by Whites users they tend to balk at EXP,s claim to better depth. You have stated what I have know a liilte over a year. If you can add to this article when you get more data.

Thanks,

Ed D.

 

[King-John]

Great Article been looking for just this. I have been looking at up grading from my 6000 and been unsure as to which one the DFX or EXP II, now I know, I better start saving, its going to be expensive to buy both and their accessories

 

[p-pcker]

I have used a DFX and an Eplorer 2. I would have to say that the EXP was deeper right from the gitgo. I am currently playing with settings to get a better feel for the machine. I would have to say that I did not get to be an expert on the DFX, but feel the frequency range of the Minelabs is the way to go. The DFX has a lot of functions the EXP has, the same is true the other way around. If I could only swing one in each hand at the same time!
ppckr

 

[erikk]

I have them both and the EX-2 is deeper. The way I overcome the slow response ( in not too trashy places) is I swing a WOT and always at the beach where I dig it all .02

 

[rjw4law]

I am an experienced DFX user coins and Relics....I now am seeking to have a second backup detector. I have narrowed the choice for relic and coin hunting down to the explorer se and xterra 70. My concerns are . learning curve from dfx to minelab, 2. screen size on the minelab explorer. I do occassionally use the visual id on the dfx...but mostly tone id. Some with minelabs have told me the rarely look at the screen and the explorer is the best choice......Advice, comments before I take the plunge?

 

[bigscrub]

i can say ive never seen an se...but i do have an ex 2..had it a couple months...did take awhile to get used to it for sure....today a friend and i hunted together at a local park...he has used his dfx for a couple yrs i guess...and hates it the way he talks...complaining it dont get any depth, and losing signals ect...i found silver the last 2 times we hunted together...as well as some older wheats...he found no silver or wheats..! all the silver and older wheats i found were in the 9 to 10 inch range...useing the stock coil the first time...and my new joey today...when i found one of the deep coins...i had him come over to check it..then another one....one he couldnt read at all...the other he said was iffy and sounded and appeared like junk...i happened to have an old deepseeker 2 , garrett, in my truck and offered him to use it...he had one himself many yrs ago..he tried it...but .because of the weight...he put it back after only a few minutes..but did say...that damed deepseeker goes at least 2 inches deeper than my dfx....i have never used a dfx....and so im not knockin them....i do have a 6000 di pro at home...and its an ok detector! im just giving some of my thoughts and recent experience as to the 2 different detectors....take it for whatever its worth! I did buy a wot a few weeks ago...wow that things heavy...lol...and the pinpoint wasnt too good for me either...tried it at the same park for a few minutes without good results...im sure i need more time with it in the parks...or maybe just use it at the beach and relic hunting...all this is just my view...happy hunting...!

 

[rjw4law]

Thanks for the info

 

[Chris Clark MO]

The Explorer is the way to go. Take the time to learn it.

n/t