Deus/CTX 3030

[Indiana Mark]

Is there anyone here that is proficient enough with both the 3030 and the deus to list strengths and weaknesses of each of these detectors? From what I have been reading on the detecting forums, it would appear the two compliment each other. Opinions?

I've had the deus since last December and have been amazed with it on occasion. Other times I have the urge to wrap it around a tree. At times wished I had purchased a 3030 instead. (It was my first choice but talked myself into the deus)
I have become addicted to detecting to the point of the idea of another higher end detector in addition to the dues seems like a good idea. (My wife and bank account might disagree)

What does the 3030 do well that deus doesn't, and. vice versa.

I prefer to coin shoot and relic hunt 1800s home/school/church sites. Some are now nothing but corn fields with little modern trash while others have been inhabited for 150 years and enough modem trash to drive one nuts.

 

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[jadocs]

Calibash digger has a good video comparing the two. Until I got the Deus I thought it would be like gun collecting, but I honestly have no desire for another machine. I take that back, I did purchase a second Deus for my wife. Have you taken the time to really learn how to adjust the machine on your own or are you still running the pre programmed settings with little tweaks here and there? Nothing wrong with that, but until you fully understand all the settings and how they react with each other and its effects on what the machine does, you are not maximizing its capabilities. If you do understand all that it could be that site selection based on research (targets you are searching for) is the problem.

 

[toasted]

Only reason I would own a CTX over a Deus is if I did a lot of freshwater but especially salt water detecting. I see no other reason to own a machine that is more expensive, a lot heavier, and at best only equal to the abilities of a Deus while land hunting

 

[Calabash Digger]

well said toasted , my buddy got his ctx back from me last week. There is no way I could ever buy a ctx unless I was a beach hunter. The ctx had no advantage over the deus on land that I could tell. MAYBE the id and thats a maybe when I put in the trash with modern clad the id went out the window with the ctx. I hear all the minelab guys but I didnt see it. 2 pounds verse 5.5 pounds.

 

[TheHunterGT]

I'm not a Minelab guy...definitely a First Texas guy. But I think the CTX could do better that what you show in the videos. That is NOT a knock on you whatsoever. The same is true for me and the 3 short weeks I had the Deus. It failed to hit a 5 inch quarter/dime/nickel in my terrible backyard soil in every stock program...and the programs I tried off the internet. I am optimistic a year long owner could have set it up to hit them....but also skeptical as my T2 won;t touch them at 5 inches either....so perhaps not user error and just badass evil soil.

My point is....I'm a skeptic of my own review....and made it clear in the video that I thought somebody with more experience "might" hit them. I know you said something along the same lines in your video about the CTX calabash.

Anyways...that is what I think is happening here. I think a CTX "guru" or whatever you would call them could make it perform much better that what is shown in calabash's video. Not really sure if it is a machine you can use for a few weeks and expect to have it dialed in like a Deus you have had for a year now. I know I needed a good 3 more weeks with the Deus...and I would not consider it a complicated detector....just something one needs to really learn the intricacies of to excel with it.

 

[Indiana Mark]

Thanks for the replies!
I guess I should have added that I have read Andy's book, navigated through the menus hours on end when the temps outside would not allow detecting, been to a boot camp and somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 hours or so swinging the Deus, but don't consider myself a master of this machine by no means. Was just wondering if CTX has any features that would be a distinct advantage, like the multi frequency operation and more coil choices.
A little better deep target id would be nice as I have worked in heavy manufacturing for nearly 30 years and my hearing isn't what it once was.

 

[Calabash Digger]

I agree hunter gt test would have been better with someone who is skilled with the machine. I did talk to a man who is skilled with the machine and write reviews for kellyco. He said the test I did in the test garden was Very fair. He had already tested the machines himself and said 30/30 beach king and Deus king of the land. I will say this and it s the bottom line NO WHERE can I find anything that shows the ctx having a performance edge over the deus on land that would make me spend 2500.00 and swing 5.5 pound machine. The Deus is deeper on land than the ctx . If a man needs to id a coin hey I get it but when you put trash and iron in the mix the numbers went crazy and how reliable are they? This is where there are disagreements among ctx users themselves I had one guy tell me you had to rely on tones at that point and another say wiggle it tight (I tried) and it didnt work.I will say this if guys are digging on the id alone I would love to hunt behind them. When I bought my at pro when I started I was taught if a signal breaks its junk (false) and if you cant spin on it and get it its junk (false). The moral of that story is TEST IT and keep whats good and chunk the rest. btw im on the lookout for a CTX guru in my area because I cant wait to see how it ids in the iron and trash. Really would love to have it on a video.

 

[Chuck Wilder]

You folks are providing here exactly the kind of evaluation/ advice I have needed, especially regarding the CTX and the Deus. Thanks very much!

 

[Indiana Mark]

You folks are providing here exactly the kind of evaluation/ advice I have needed, especially regarding the CTX and the Deus. Thanks very much!

I will second Chuck's statement. Looks like I bought the right detector after all. Perhaps the thing for me to do next would putting together a test garden of some sort. Deeper, faint tones is what I need to focus on at this point.

 

[Calabash Digger]

a test garden is a great thing! some will say its not like the real thing and thats true but its close enough to show you how your machine will react. Buy some silver coins off ebay if you dont have any and get some targets like you like to find. I bought some square nails but if you got some small iron from your sites that would be great.

 

[adamBomb]

What does the 3030 do well that deus doesn't

Water hunting, beach hunting, and GPS...but its also heavier and more expensive. Depends on your uses. CTX is an awesome machine and so is a dues...tons of guys have both of them but it sounds like for your use the dues is enough.

 

[Indiana Mark]

a test garden is a great thing! some will say its not like the real thing and thats true but its close enough to show you how your machine will react. Buy some silver coins off ebay if you dont have any and get some targets like you like to find. I bought some square nails but if you got some small iron from your sites that would be great.

Good idea on the square nails, I wil implement some I have in my 'collection'. I also have a decent amount of 1800s trash I could use as well. The last site I hunted produced a fair amount of copper slaw and a ton of hot rocks.
The coin shop I frequent to drool over capped bust silver has a bargain box, usually with a decent selection of damaged and/or cleaned coins.