If you had $700 to buy a detector...

[Turtleman]

Everyone,
If you currently owned an Ace 250 and had about $700 set aside for a better detector what would you buy? I primarily shoot for coins and jewelry and am most interested in gaining depth and picking between the iron signals. Would you buy a $700 detector or save for another half year or so and get a DFX or SE?
I would appreciate your thoughts and opinions.
Thanks,
Turtleman

 

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[erikk]

I would save a couple of more $ and buy either a SE or a Fisher F-75Both will go much deeper than a DFX (sorry Greg)

 

[Kentucky Kache]

New xlt, or used dfx. Then save a little more and get the 15 or 25" coil.

 

[joya_dorado]

I'd vote in favor of a White's MXT. Been very happy with mine and I think it's the best multi-mode detector out there for the money. Plus if you are not happy with it they are easy to sell on ebay. They go like hotcakes.

 

[rommelvon]

I'd get an M6, IMO the best detector out there in that price range

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

I'd buy a used Explorer. Matter of fact, that is what I just did a few days ago. Check my post further below. I got myself an Explorer XS for $476.00. The thing came in minty and is a monster. I took it for its first work-out last night and muscled a quarter that was down 8 solid inches. A monster I tell you.

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Explorer II or SE, Read the posts about people hunting for months or years with other machines and then magically start finding deeper silver coins on their 1st or 2nd trip out with the new Minelab.  It takes some getting used to, but hand down the Minelab Explorer Series finds the deeper targets.

Here are two examples just in the last week of MD'er that have been swinging for months with other machine make the switch and start recovering deep target and silver coins. Don't just take my word for it,  PM them and ask what they think of the machine!!!!


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,103601.0.html

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,102924.0.html

Also on that note...If you are hunting newer parks, dont expect older coins to come out of the ground just because you have an explorer LOL. You have to do some research to find the older places, then the older coins will come out of the ground.

 

[weasel606]

the minelab xterra 70 is in that range and seems to be a good one for me that is, i like it alot

 

[Tin Nugget]

Buy the MXT now and don't look back! You will have no regrets. No hype here, just a great detector for the money.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I would save a couple of more $ and buy either a SE or a Fisher F-75Both will go much deeper than a DFX (sorry Greg)

Depends what you are looking for...save an extra couple hundred and...ok a dfx...

 

[Bavaria Mike]

I agree with Weasel, the Minelab X-Terra 70 is a real nice machine and they are coming out with the small 6" coil for it. It gets some good depth as well and is fairly lightweight. HH, Mike

 

[kindafoundabuckle]

I would look at the XLT for a good all around machine. If you are hunting for relics I would buy a Fisher 1266 or 1270 and pocket the rest for what ever you want. Coils, pinpointer, headphones, strip club.

I put my XLT to the Pepsi challenge with a Minelab in Virginia and got smoked! You put it to the test here in Kentucky and I will beat the Minelab everytime. Why? There is just that much difference in the ground. VA very sandy soil. KY a lot of red clay. So if I moved to VA I would EBay my Whites for sure and get a Minelab. But for now I will stick with my XLT it has not let me down much in the red clay of hill billy country. (Yes my sister is hot) One last thought is when I hunt the civil war camps I do use a Fisher 1270 because you cant knock out iron totally like the XLT will do. I found a canister shot last year with my 1270 and if I had been using my XLT it would most likely still be in the ground! They all have there plus and minuses that is a fact! I dont care how much you spend $700.00 or $2000.00. NONE OF THEM WILL DO IT ALL.

Just like everybody else this is just my opinion! Go to a local dealer and play around with a few different ones in your price range and take your time in choosing. So many people buy mail order from a big company in Florida without ever seeing a machine. Thats why again in my opinion that so many machines end up on an on line auction. They get one and have no customer service. A good local dealer will spend time with you and show you the ropes and some will even go out on a hunt with you. Its worth it to me for that to spend a few extra bucks and buy local. Hope this helps!

Tom

 

[desertfox]

I must agree with Kindafoundabuckle Mike. I own an XLT and the Minelab EXP plus Tesoro and a few other brands. I love them all but each one has its limits. You need to buy a detector that "you'll" be happy with in your area and for the hunting you do. If I only could have one detector though, I'd save a bit moreand buy the Minelab EXP2, but tht's just me.... HH and good luck.

Desertfox

 

[jeff of pa]

If I had $700 to buy a detector...

I'd see about buying 2 Back-up
Sovereign XS-2 's

SORRY.

But I would

 

[joya_dorado]

I think a lot has to do with your experience level too. I chose the White's MXT for several reasons, one of which was my relative inexperience. I have an old Radio Shack detector from 1982 and believe it or not I have found quite a lot of stuff with it.... but it was waaaay past time to upgrade. With the MXT you get a lot of visual info displayed on the LCD screen which is very helpful feedback for a novice. I have found tht after awhile I relied less on the visual readout than on the nature of the auditory signal. The MXT has 3 distinct modes... coin/jewelry/pulltab, relic/pulltab and prospecting/pulltab (A pox on the inventor of the pulltab) As I understand it, the prospecting mode is superb as it is derived from White's other machine whose name escapes me, that is specific for gold. As far as depth goes I have been impressed. Even with the standard 9" search coil I have detected pulltabs waaaay deeper than I would have suspected :P It's interesting to set a 5 gallon metal bucket on the ground and do an sir test on it. The MXT seems to pick it up 4-5 feet away. I would imagine using a 12" coil something the size of a manhole cover should be detectable at about that depth or deeper depending on soil conditions. I ain't diggin no deeper without some help or a backhoe. Well that's just my 2 cents worth. For fun go to eBay and see how the MXT's have sold recently. I bought mine new because I got a BETTER deal than what I found on eBay for used units! My dealer threw in a 12" search coil for 75 bucks and them things ain't cheap.

 

[joya_dorado]

not enough coffee... I meant to say "air test" not "sir test"

 

[thompy]

depends on what you want, everyone has there favorites, mxt, m6 xterra 70 and my fav. T2, all good units

 

[Nickel_Buff1935]

Just about 2 1/2 months ago I planned to purchase an Ace 250 and get my feet wet in this wonderful hobby.

After speaking in person with my local Garrett/MineLab/Tosoro dealer for a couple hours...

I spent a little less then $700 for my brand new X-50 with an extra coil and lower rod.

Turns out it was a great choice for me, I wanted to hunt everything!

Old coins, relics, jewelry and clad on occaission.

It's light and easy to swing, I could detect ALL day long and not wear my arm out.

I couldn't be anymore pleased with the finds it has produced!

Good luck with your descision,

Nickel_B

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

not enough coffee... I meant to say "air test" not "sir test"

Next time you can just click on the word modify...top right corner of your post and change the word...I do that all the time...I work overnight and sometimes cannot believe some of the mistakes I make...

 

[Green1]

MXT hands down..... short learning curve compared to the others,,, turn on and go and not worry about tweaking, bumping,, none of that stuff,,, just go out and start having fun,,,,

easiest question ever.......