Yes, the discrimination thing is not real good on any of them. But some do let you know a "range" of conductivity on the target, but still it is not a definite. Both meters and sounds, dont go by them until you are certain you know what it is saying, and still then you should dig it all if in a new area or target rich area. Gold jewelry can sound just like an aluminum pull tab, the pre 1972 type-especially if it is folded over, which there are still billions of them out there, and foil, aluminum bottle caps, all sound like gold rings, so you never know. Plus gold jewelry is all over the board, so are coins, they are alloys or differing amounts, with the conductivity, or what they sound like or meter like is all over the place, depth can effect that too. Most detectors work worse in conductive soils-the opposite of a PI. But Minelab makes some that will actually let you know there is iron under the coil. Explorer, Soverien, Excalibur. Fisher makes some that also disc well-the CZ lines. What kind of soils will you be working? Saltwater, salty wet sand, iron soil(Red clay), black sands, or regular sand and soil? That might help us get you closer to a good unit. What ever unit, you will need to get used to how it is set up, ways to work different soils, and what it is saying to you. That all takes some time and field work. Also, there is no single detector that will do it all, just like there is no single purpose auto, or fishing rod, or TV, or clothes, or shoes, that can do it all. You will most likely, like most of us here, own several metal detectors, and use them all. I own 4 PIs, an Excal, and a single band VLF. I have owned TRs, other VLF detectors in the past. 2 of my PIs, actually 3 of them are not good gold jewelry finders, but do work for other types of work.
