It's not the detector that people hate......I think it's SOME of the people that that have AT's that get on the "haters" nerves.
I think the AT is a great detector- I almost got one. But some people that have AT's, go on, and on, and on, about them?!? It tends to bug people when a person never shuts up about how "their detector is the best" and " why did you buy that piece of crap? - you should have got a Garrett" etc....
I been swinging only like 2 months now, and I've even had to hear it already. It gets old.
AT's and SOME (not all) people who have them, are a lot like SOME of the people who drove new Mustang GT's in the early 1990's- "this is the best"- " it doesn't matter what you have , it sucks"- " you should have got this"- "my whatever is better than your whatever" and blah blah blah.
I think everyone should be happy with what they have..... OR..... try something different that a friend, or guy in your club, or acquaintance, or who ever has- Most people who are into this hobby are more than willing to let you check out their equipment.....If you try it and like it better than what you are swinging now, sell yours and get that.
Seems simple enough to me, no matter what brand it is. No one should give anyone else a hard time because they don't like another individuals choice of MD. And think about this- What if everybody on the planet had an AT, or F75, or E-Trac? You'd probably want something different- just for the sake of being different?!?! It's a ridiculous matter that goes to ridiculous lengths.