Garrett Ace 400 park hunt (video)

[TheHunterGT]

Here is the 2nd video of the Ace 400. Thanks again to bowwinkles for letting me use it for a week.

I used the smaller 8x5.5 coil for this one....left the larger 11x8.5 at home so I would not be tempted. Once the smaller coil was on, I knew it was not coming off. Took care of the nose heaviness right away and seems to be on par as far as depth with the large coil. Recovery and separation was great as well. I wish the 5in DD I have on the Gold Bug and LRP were 8x5 like this. An awesome coil IMO...had alot of fun with it.

As far as iron audio...my soil makes iron audio turn into annoying audio. Even on a target by target basis it was difficult to tell a quarter from a bottle cap. Air testing it works great - so in mild or medium soil I think users just might enjoy it. However my soil is far from mild or medium and makes any target sound like iron when turned on. It just goes bonkers right away.

Nickels really travel the ID. Again...perhaps my awesome soil. 4 nickels on the day and each one was basically different than the last. 44-45 on one....45-49 on another....42-44 on the next etc etc. There was really no way for me to tell a nickel from a pull tab at this point with just 15 hours under the belt. Not sure if 150 hours would matter the way they traveled however.

Looking forward to seeing the test bed depth....and Montes nail board test. That review will be up tomorrow after another 3-4 hour hunt in the morning.

If video embed does not work click here ----> https://youtu.be/esNQ5P77n5M

 

[GA_Boy]

Very good report on the ACE400.
Thanks, Marvin

 

[TheHunterGT]

Thanks Marvin. I appreciate it man. John.

 

[GA_Boy]

I have now watched all of your vids on the ACE400 and commend you on the narration and thoroughness of your tests. You mentioned several things that weren't up to par.
#1 Balance----------------You have solved that by replacing the coil with a lighter one.
#2 No Audio adj.----------I think I would be happy with the vol. control on the headphones only. I wear hearing aids.
#3 No ground balance----Not sure but a modification may be possible such as the one done on the ACE350. It will void the Warranty.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/m...ce-350-euroace-manual-ground-balance-mod.html
I'm not suggesting this but someone may do it to the ACE400.
Thanks again for you efforts.
Marvin

 

[TheHunterGT]

I have now watched all of your vids on the ACE400 and commend you on the narration and thoroughness of your tests. You mentioned several things that weren't up to par.
#1 Balance----------------You have solved that by replacing the coil with a lighter one.
#2 No Audio adj.----------I think I would be happy with the vol. control on the headphones only. I wear hearing aids.
#3 No ground balance----Not sure but a modification may be possible such as the one done on the ACE350. It will void the Warranty.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/m...ce-350-euroace-manual-ground-balance-mod.html
I'm not suggesting this but someone may do it to the ACE400.
Thanks again for you efforts.
Marvin

Good info Marvin. I was unaware there was a GB mod for the 350. I will assume it would work similar on these newer machines unless Garrett changed something internally. I would probably go for it if it was my machine. Even if the Ace 400 had a quick "ground grab" button it would be an improvement. I personally think most "ground grab" type buttons where you pump the coil and it adjusts by itself works GREAT. I personally do not need to adjust the GB in single increments manually like on the Land Ranger Pro or other machines. Although I can see the benefit for those that want to run negative or positive. Apparently the new machines adjust by themselves or are completely fixed near 82.

I like having the volume control on the machine itself personally. But kudos to Garrett for including headphones that have it on the wire. I rarely go without headphones so as long as it is somewhere I guess I'm good to go.

 

[soopacee]

I can cosign the iron audio aswell, here in PA, once i turn it on my machine goes nutso.....its annoying but it still finds the targets.....it almost sounds like constant static, but when you sweep over something good and hear that higher ching, its all worth it......was near a trashy playground area yesterday, iron audio on machine nuts.......found only clad, but the 1 quarter, for whatever reason was like 8 inches deep....came in nice and clear over all the audio mess....was even a nail in same hole like 6 inches down........so far, this machine rocks!

 

[TheHunterGT]

I can cosign the iron audio aswell, here in PA, once i turn it on my machine goes nutso.....its annoying but it still finds the targets.....it almost sounds like constant static, but when you sweep over something good and hear that higher ching, its all worth it......was near a trashy playground area yesterday, iron audio on machine nuts.......found only clad, but the 1 quarter, for whatever reason was like 8 inches deep....came in nice and clear over all the audio mess....was even a nail in same hole like 6 inches down........so far, this machine rocks!

Constant static is a good analogy. Not a fan of that constant low tone chatter myself...but can see it's value and how others may enjoy having the feature. It will definitely still hit a good target with it off or on...no doubt about that. It is a very good machine for the $$ no doubt about it.

I wish I had soil that would let me find a coin at 8 inches. Afraid that will cost me a bit of $$ that I probably do not want to spend as of now lol

 

[soopacee]

Constant static is a good analogy. Not a fan of that constant low tone chatter myself...but can see it's value and how others may enjoy having the feature. It will definitely still hit a good target with it off or on...no doubt about that. It is a very good machine for the $$ no doubt about it.

I wish I had soil that would let me find a coin at 8 inches. Afraid that will cost me a bit of $$ that I probably do not want to spend as of now lol

Nah, you wont spend that much.....was using the ace 400 w/ stock coil lol

 

[TheHunterGT]

Nah, you wont spend that much.....was using the ace 400 w/ stock coil lol

Sadly, the Ace 400 with stock coil will not hit a 4 inch quarter or nickel in my Colorado dirt...check the review video I posted a couple days after this park hunt. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/garrett/502487-ace-400-review-testing-video.html

Now take that with a grain of salt...since I did a dime at 5 to 5.5 inches at that park which is about a 20-25 minute drive from my house. So like everywhere...soil conditions change. In general however...my area of Colorado is a terror and really tests any detector to it maximum capabilities. If I want 8 inches in my dirt...I need to spend a little more than $300 sadly. Anywhere else with mild to medium soil and it is a great detector.

 

[soopacee]

I didnt even make the connection lol....im a actually subbed to you and seen both the vids....like them btw👍......its weird because my soil in most places stinks aswell, tons of hot rocks.....like i said, my machin chatters like crazy because of the soil.....guess i got lucky

 

[Andy Nunez]

Nice work!

Thanks for the review! I started with Bounty Hunter in the 80s and the Big Bud Pro with a 10 inch coil helped me get some great old coins, including a half reale and a 1690 Irish shilling, but they really slipped and in my neck became synonymous with Radio Shack as crappy machines. Glad to see they are returning to respectability. I've been using Garrett products again for about three years, first the Ace 350 and now the 400 and your review is valid. I do like the 400 a lot better and I am pretty competitive with a friend who has the AT-Pro. We were hunting together and he got a large cent and I got a 1776 Hibernia penny the other day. Wish the 400 had ground balance like the LRP, but you can't have everything, I guess. My soil is mild enough that the iron audio reject is a big plus except around ruins and real trashy areas. I can also get better depth in my soil. Pulling 6-7 inches with no problem but suspicious when it says 8+ on the meter because its usually something tiny that is shallower. I can hunt all day as long as I take a lunch break, but have to remember to swing slow or the nose heaviness does get to me. Considering a NEL Storm which means I have to hunt slower still, not a bad thing I guess. The cuff length may or may not be working on my shoulder. Your video actually made me think about that, so great job!

 

[soopacee]

Thanks for the review! I started with Bounty Hunter in the 80s and the Big Bud Pro with a 10 inch coil helped me get some great old coins, including a half reale and a 1690 Irish shilling, but they really slipped and in my neck became synonymous with Radio Shack as crappy machines. Glad to see they are returning to respectability. I've been using Garrett products again for about three years, first the Ace 350 and now the 400 and your review is valid. I do like the 400 a lot better and I am pretty competitive with a friend who has the AT-Pro. We were hunting together and he got a large cent and I got a 1776 Hibernia penny the other day. Wish the 400 had ground balance like the LRP, but you can't have everything, I guess. My soil is mild enough that the iron audio reject is a big plus except around ruins and real trashy areas. I can also get better depth in my soil. Pulling 6-7 inches with no problem but suspicious when it says 8+ on the meter because its usually something tiny that is shallower. I can hunt all day as long as I take a lunch break, but have to remember to swing slow or the nose heaviness does get to me. Considering a NEL Storm which means I have to hunt slower still, not a bad thing I guess. The cuff length may or may not be working on my shoulder. Your video actually made me think about that, so great job!

If you throw a NEL on your 400 let me know how it fairs....im considering one, but dont wanna throw that much money til i hear or see review of 1 working on a 400

 

[Andy Nunez]

It will probably be a year. I have to absorb the cost of the 400, asked for a Piranha digger for my birthday (in the mail) and have to pay for some home repairs, so either Christmas or next spring will give you the answer. I am considering contacting NEL to see if they are going to put in any tweaks specifically for the 400 since the frequency is higher than the 350. I will try to remember to post here. After a day of hunting with the Hoover Boys and watching them dig plugs the size of cartoon beehives with their NEL coils, I am thinking I need one for old sites. Look for me in an episode coming up in a couple of weeks and I have an article on my hunt with them coming up in Lost Treasure magazine (as soon as I turn it in, that is).

 

[TheHunterGT]

Thanks for the kind words Andy. Glad to see the Ace is working out for you. My soil really is a worst case scenario for a detector and glad to see your mild soil is producing those deeper finds like that. I fully expect Garrett to have a AT Pro 2 out this time next year to widen the gap again.

 

[Andy Nunez]

I am sure the Bounty Hunter would work well, also. As I said, I had a Big Bud Pro for years. I upgraded it to a 10 inch coil, a set of Depthmaster Superphones and an inline frequency shifter, all of which turned it into a nice coin machine, but I don't know anybody in the club who would buy one now, though several have Fishers or Teknetics. I am certain that there will be a new AT Pro, especially now that the MX Sport seems to have arrived from White's and has a Beach mode that the Pro doesn't. I am not much of a beach hunter, so indifferent to beach performance on a machine. I look for reales, large cents, stuff like that. 7 inches is the deepest object I measured with my 350, a dandy button. I'll measure some stuff with the 400 and try to remember to post it. I find the 400 to be fairly smooth with a slightly better pinpoint ability. I hit an area full of hot rocks, but they all read around the same range, so was able to avoid most of them, but they degraded my ability to find cuff buttons because both read in the 30s on VDI. Since I am hard on machines, though, the sturdier Garrett probably is better for me, especially with the new locking cams. Like I tell folks, most of your ability to recover items of value is based in your skull. The machine just helps you along.

 

[Loco-Digger]

Does the term Gazebo stike a bell? Nice video THGT. Glad to see that Garrett has detectors in a lower proce point that the AT Pro that comes with VDI numbers.

 

[Patrick_Jr]

Here is the 2nd video of the Ace 400. Thanks again to bowwinkles for letting me use it for a week.

I used the smaller 8x5.5 coil for this one....left the larger 11x8.5 at home so I would not be tempted. Once the smaller coil was on, I knew it was not coming off. Took care of the nose heaviness right away and seems to be on par as far as depth with the large coil. Recovery and separation was great as well. I wish the 5in DD I have on the Gold Bug and LRP were 8x5 like this. An awesome coil IMO...had alot of fun with it.

As far as iron audio...my soil makes iron audio turn into annoying audio. Even on a target by target basis it was difficult to tell a quarter from a bottle cap. Air testing it works great - so in mild or medium soil I think users just might enjoy it. However my soil is far from mild or medium and makes any target sound like iron when turned on. It just goes bonkers right away.

Nickels really travel the ID. Again...perhaps my awesome soil. 4 nickels on the day and each one was basically different than the last. 44-45 on one....45-49 on another....42-44 on the next etc etc. There was really no way for me to tell a nickel from a pull tab at this point with just 15 hours under the belt. Not sure if 150 hours would matter the way they traveled however.

Looking forward to seeing the test bed depth....and Montes nail board test. That review will be up tomorrow after another 3-4 hour hunt in the morning.

If video embed does not work click here ----> https://youtu.be/esNQ5P77n5M

Awesome report on the ACE400 very detailed. Happy Hunting!