Explorer XS Settings

[godisnum1]

So I'm reading through the Sabisch book for the XS... but I'm wondering if anyone has any good setting suggestions or tips for using the Minelab XS. I can't wait until this weekend to get out and give it a shot!


Bran <><

 

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[Don in SJ]

Explorer XS Settings

SETTING RANGE

Detector mode Quickstart, Advanced

Sensitivity mode Semi-Auto (manual can be over sensitive)

Sensitivity Value 26-32 usually closer to 32
16 or lower if in very thick iron, after trying higher sensitivity first

THRESHOLD I PREFER NO THRESHOLD ON XS, but do use lowest I can at times)

DISCRIMINATION FUNCTION Iron Mask mode ON

Iron Mask value I prefer no discrimination, so -16 is what I usually use

Noise Channel I hit the Noise Cancel button to do it automatically

Display Type SMART screen (Crosshairs)

Display Size Normal

Display contrast Factory Preset 6

Audio Volume Max limit Factory Preset 10

Audio Volume GAIN I use 10 which is max, if lower, the deeper targets sound softer, but then you can miss a target

THRESHOLD Tone Factory preset 5 ( usually do not use threshold tone)

TONE VARIABILITY This is important, try coins and other items, the higher the number the more high pitched
sound you will get for a coin, and a big difference in tone then between a silver/copper
target and a more ferrous target, so I would start with 7 or 8

Audio tone limits Preset 10

Audio SOUNDS I use FERROUS and love it and tried CONDUCT several times but too flutey for me (IP loves it, whatever works for ya)
Options Response Normal at first but then recommend trying AUDIO 1

Recovery FAST OFF On, gives too many false readings in my opinion

Recovery DEEP ON All sounds will be same, but at least deep sounds can be picked up better.

I believe most never use digital on XS, the do on the XSII but the XS, the Smart screen with the crosshairs is superior in most opinions.
Some hunt in manual, but semi auto works great and I am sure the vast majority use semi-auto
Threshold - On the XS, Threshold at a low sound was hard to get, the XSII improved on that, so I got used to hunting with no Threshold and
because I use max Gain, that makes Threshold tone harder to get at a low background hum.
Iron Mask mode, well, that is what the Explorer is about in my mind, and to discriminate out sort of defeats the purpose of having a
detector as great as the XS is. Maybe a little bit of discrimination until you get used to it, like start at -12 instead of -16. But I like to hear
non-diggable Iron hits so I know when I am on a hot spot in the woods. No NULLING< that won't happen with high GAIN and no discrimination

Do not swing the coil fast!!! This is not a Whites !!!

 

[godisnum1]

Thank you SO much Don for all that great information!!! I can't wait for the weekend to get here so I'll be able to tweak the settings and get the best performance out of this detector! Guess the rest will just be trial & error as I learn the nuances of the XS...

Thanks again Don!

Bran <><

 

[stasys]

threshold is possible to get nice,but you have to use headphones with volume regulator, increase freshold up and in the same time increase volume up too in metal detector, after turn volume down in headphones and maipulate all until you will get nice balance, headphones without volume control would be impossible to use--to to loud .
I use iron mask -15 ,but -12 when start is ok, recovery fast,but possibly deep better,i still not get it., display contras by situation. day hunting and night different. Sensitivity mode manual allways,but all the time sensitivity going up and down-by situation. beach hunting can be easily max. Audio SOUNDS Options Response Normal - AUDIO 1 still to complicated for me.-to much swimming sounds. use best headphones, you will safe your hearing.

 

[Don in SJ]

Want to add, been using Grey Ghosts NDT's for many years and the sound they produce with the XS is tops!

I would not worry about threshold, unless you have headphones that are intermittant, then threshold comes in handy, just let you know the headphones are working Also, if you use the SunRay X-1 probe and leave the switch in the wrong position after a dig, with no threshold you might walk around for a bit and wondering why no signals, of course I have never done that!

Don

 

[godisnum1]

Well I've got the Sunray X-1 probe & the Sunray Stealth X-12 DD coil... along with the Sunray Pro Gold headphones, with high output 150 ohm (nominal impedance) speakers, dual multi-position "segmented" volume controls, the Enhanced Limiter Circuit with on/off switch, and the mode selector (detector compatibility) switch. They seem to be pretty good quality headphones, according to the website and all the reviews I've read on them so far.

I haven't been able to get out and try the detector yet, because I'm working 12 hours every day this week. But come this weekend, I WILL be doing some detectin!! Thanks for all the advice, thus far!

Bran <><

 

[Cuerno]

Well I've got the Sunray X-1 probe & the Sunray Stealth X-12 DD coil... along with the Sunray Pro Gold headphones, with high output 150 ohm (nominal impedance) speakers, dual multi-position "

Well, now that you have the X-1 probe, you will have an issue with setting high gain (10). a setting of 8 gain or lower is better because after you dig your hole and put the probe in to locate the object it will sound off everywhere in the hole (five inch diameter hole) with high gain. I used a 6 or 7 gain setting and switch back and forth between pinpoint mode and detect mode and the probe will be dead on target everytime. In ferrous mode a -16 or -15 Iron Mask is fine but you will dig rusted crown caps that sound great, it's better to make a pattern in Discriminate Mode that looks just like -15 or -14 in iron mask then black out the bottom right corner to stop the crown cap signals and you can black out other unwanted signals. The more you black out the more the unit will null, but even in a null if you learn to stop and start your swing at the right time you will hear the signals that are not blacked out just jump out of the nulls. The slower you swing the more you will hear the deep ones that other have missed, and keep the coil as close to the ground as possible. When you think you hear a good signal raise the coil about 5 inches or more and swing again and if you still hear it, it's junk or something big. It's late now so bye for now and Happy Trails 2 U...

 

[Don in SJ]

Cuerno, must be your probe or other settings that does that with high gain, NEVER have had that problem, been using the same XS since 2000 with many hours of operation.

 

[Cuerno]

When I'm in the field and using a shovel for a 8" or more diameter hole the high gain is no problem but in parks or lawns with 6" diameter or smaller holes is when I have the problem. All three X-1 probes I have used (one a Explorer XS, Explorer II, and now E-Trac) seem to be this way. Maybe it's the Texas soil thats so rich, Happy Trails 2 U...
Ex-Minelab and Sunray dealer.

 

[Don in SJ]

I just remembered that one of our infrequent posters, but a member of TNet who is in a class of his own when it comes to knowing the Explorer and getting all of the old silver from all the parks in the Mid-West! Anyway, I am not sure this will help much but check out what is on this website that is still out there for informational purposes for new Explorer users...............

http://www.frontiernet.net/~jvokes/exscreens.htm

Don

 

[godisnum1]

Thanks Cuerno & Don for your insight. Any info helps...

And thank you Don for that link! I'm a very visual & hands-on person when it comes to learning, so those graphs should serve me well.

Unfortunately, the weather hasn't allowed for me to get out and detect hardly at all.
It's pouring down rain right now here in St Pete, and I'm about to fly up to Missouri this afternoon after I get off work, to spend Valentine's weekend with my girlfriend. Hopefully I can get out with a guy here on the forums (gold eye) from Tampa next week when I come back, if the weather improves any that is....

Bran <><