bobinyelm
Greenie
- Nov 5, 2022
- 19
- 13
- Detector(s) used
- Nokta Legend, Whites MXT, Whites TDI
- Primary Interest:
- Prospecting
Hopefully I am in the right forum for this question, but being new to the forum I may have chosen poorly, but that said...
I've owned an MXT (original) for quite a while but have very little time actually using it. It came with the standard 9.5" concentric coil ("950 Coil") which from lots of reading was an odd choice since I read the MXT was designed around the 6X10 DD coil and DD coils in general and work much better with them. I did some searches here and on other detecting forums, and read perhaps a hundred or more posts, but cannot say I got any definite answers.
I've used the 9.5 for coins and stuff, and it was fine, but I recently moved to Arizona and plan to spend time with a friend looking for small gold (tiny flakes or fine gold perhaps 1/4th of a rice grain), mostly in crevices and around boulders in dry stream beds where my friend does well with the Gold Bug.
We tried my MXT/9.5" on some test objects he made up and uses to calibrate his machines, and the MXT was VERY disappointing in comparison to his favored Fisher Gold Bug 2 on the small stuff. The MXT was only usable on the small stuff if I used the samples to fine tune everything and even then I suspect if I was in the field I'm doubtful the response would catch my attention enough that I would ID and dig them as they were subtle to say the least, where as his Gold Bug was sharp and very obvious.
The MXT/9.5 was obviously head-and-shoulders better on other things (both desired and undesired), like a thin 1/2" steel brad 4" deep in the test area the Gold Bug couldn't even "see," but of course that isn't the point for the use I intend. I read that the MXT and the "right" coil is half-decent for gold, though not sure what "half-decent" will get me (vs the Gold Bug).
First question: For small gold, even with the "best" coil is the MXT worth spending the money for such a coil?
Second question: What coil would be the best one at giving the MXT a shot at being "useful," and with such a coil would it be in the same league (meaning possibly inferior, but not so inferior as to be not worth using, as I see the 9.5 Concentric to be)?
The coils I have read about being useful are the 5.3 Concentric Eclipse, the 4X6 DD and the 6X10DD. Obviously smaller is easier to maneuver around obstructions but better performance on small gold would be paramount considering the MXT is probably marginal as a gold machine to begin with.
My friend suggested I keep the MXT as-is and reserve it for coin/relic hunting and find a used Gold Bug 2 (not the Gold Bug 1, or the Gold Bug Pro for some reason). I won't know how well the MXT will work with a better coil and either does he), so it's hard to know whether my money would be better spent on the MXT Coil, or a used GB 2.
Thanks-
Bob
I've owned an MXT (original) for quite a while but have very little time actually using it. It came with the standard 9.5" concentric coil ("950 Coil") which from lots of reading was an odd choice since I read the MXT was designed around the 6X10 DD coil and DD coils in general and work much better with them. I did some searches here and on other detecting forums, and read perhaps a hundred or more posts, but cannot say I got any definite answers.
I've used the 9.5 for coins and stuff, and it was fine, but I recently moved to Arizona and plan to spend time with a friend looking for small gold (tiny flakes or fine gold perhaps 1/4th of a rice grain), mostly in crevices and around boulders in dry stream beds where my friend does well with the Gold Bug.
We tried my MXT/9.5" on some test objects he made up and uses to calibrate his machines, and the MXT was VERY disappointing in comparison to his favored Fisher Gold Bug 2 on the small stuff. The MXT was only usable on the small stuff if I used the samples to fine tune everything and even then I suspect if I was in the field I'm doubtful the response would catch my attention enough that I would ID and dig them as they were subtle to say the least, where as his Gold Bug was sharp and very obvious.
The MXT/9.5 was obviously head-and-shoulders better on other things (both desired and undesired), like a thin 1/2" steel brad 4" deep in the test area the Gold Bug couldn't even "see," but of course that isn't the point for the use I intend. I read that the MXT and the "right" coil is half-decent for gold, though not sure what "half-decent" will get me (vs the Gold Bug).
First question: For small gold, even with the "best" coil is the MXT worth spending the money for such a coil?
Second question: What coil would be the best one at giving the MXT a shot at being "useful," and with such a coil would it be in the same league (meaning possibly inferior, but not so inferior as to be not worth using, as I see the 9.5 Concentric to be)?
The coils I have read about being useful are the 5.3 Concentric Eclipse, the 4X6 DD and the 6X10DD. Obviously smaller is easier to maneuver around obstructions but better performance on small gold would be paramount considering the MXT is probably marginal as a gold machine to begin with.
My friend suggested I keep the MXT as-is and reserve it for coin/relic hunting and find a used Gold Bug 2 (not the Gold Bug 1, or the Gold Bug Pro for some reason). I won't know how well the MXT will work with a better coil and either does he), so it's hard to know whether my money would be better spent on the MXT Coil, or a used GB 2.
Thanks-
Bob
Last edited:
Upvote
0
