is it worth it?

[Tasmorn]

Hi all ... I have a minelab 705... I have a chance to get a Minelab Explorer SE for $500.00 ... Minelab stop making these... is it still worth the price and is it a upgrade from my 705. thanks in advance for the input.

 

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[cudamark]

Depend on what type of detecting you do.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Yes

 

[DiggerinVA]

If you dont like it....i dont think you will lose any money on it at that price.....go for it.

 

[Hobojo]

Yes, my wife has just purchased a Safari and after watching her use it , I would say it is a better machine than my Xterra. Although the Xterra is a fine machine too. FBS is an upgrade for sure!

 

[bzbadger]

Only problem I can see with this is minelab last year said they will no longer be providing warranty parts etc for machines that hit the 10 year mark and on machines they no longer manufacture. Not saying this machine has but look at how many more years you have with this machine before sinking money into something that if a problem does arise how would you fix it. I'm sorry to say this but minelab has been one of the worst companies to deal with on customer service in my experience and just about every person I know who owns one.
Is it a good price?..sure
Is it a good machine?..yes
Would I worry about future issues?..yes

 

[dirtscratcher]

Only problem I can see with this is minelab last year said they will no longer be providing warranty parts etc for machines that hit the 10 year mark and on machines they no longer manufacture. Not saying this machine has but look at how many more years you have with this machine before sinking money into something that if a problem does arise how would you fix it. I'm sorry to say this but minelab has been one of the worst companies to deal with on customer service in my experience and just about every person I know who owns one.
Is it a good price?..sure
Is it a good machine?..yes
Would I worry about future issues?..yes

You say minelab is so bad to deal with but I don't see one on your list. I have 4 minelabs and to tell you the truth I know nothing of their service because I've had zero problems, if you add their ages they have worked perfectly for 41 years. I see people repeating your claims but ones who own them have written of positive experiences. Back to the question the explorer is imo a huge upgrade over the 705. I prefer the multifreqencies over the 705.

 

[Longhair]

I have and use both the 705 and Explorer SE. I would not call the Explorer a huge upgrade......only different. The difference is distinct between the two technologies, but in average normal soil conditions the Explorer is no deeper than the 705 with equivalent size coils. In more heavily conductive mineralized conditions the SE has an advantage, but in more magnetic mineralized situations the Xterra running 3kHz (or sometimes 7.5kHz) performs better on high conductors.
If I had to choose between the two, where I hunt I'd pick the 705. It remains my "go-to" detector. I don't have any saltwater beaches to hunt, but I do live in a state that has both iron mines and the world's largest salt mine, so conditions here can vary greatly, which is why I justify having both machines for where each excel.

 

[fmerg]

i have two explorer se pros and i would not sell them for $500

 

[Mach1Pilot]

Like Longhair said, it's going to be different and not necessarily better depending on the hunt conditions. Some days the Explorer will be better, other days you would want the Xterra.

That price is very good, it will not last long at that price. Grab it quick if you want it.

 

[dirtscratcher]

I'll stand by the explorer being a huge advantage over the 705. I don't believe its even close. Only time I would grab the 705 would be prospecting.

 

[cudamark]

I'll stand by the explorer being a huge advantage over the 705. I don't believe its even close. Only time I would grab the 705 would be prospecting.

I don't think there is much advantage using the Explorer over the 705 when it comes to relic hunting either. The Explorer is a definite upgrade on a salt water beach however. Coin/jewelry hunting in stable ground, flip a coin.

 

[dirtscratcher]

I don't think there is much advantage using the Explorer over the 705 when it comes to relic hunting either. The Explorer is a definite upgrade on a salt water beach however. Coin/jewelry hunting in stable ground, flip a coin.

I can find coins deeper and in trashy environments with my explorer. I'm not talking shallow clad or jewelry hunting. Around here on public land that had been detected for years the fbs detected work best for finding old coins. I can't get the same result with the 705 and I do have the 10.5 dd coil. I also have a friend who has had his since they came out and he digs less than a quarter of the old coins that I do with my explorer or another buddy does with his sepro. Comparing signals the explorer is defiantly better at iding deep coins. After showing my one buddy numerous deep targets and him calling them trash but digging wheat penny after wheat penny with signals he had been passing for a couple years he posted on the other big forum about deep coins giving negative numbers and was told by the experts the 705 won't do that. I've seen it too often to be told otherwise. If your hunting modern drops its a wash. If your after deep old coins it's not even close.

 

[Longhair]

I can find coins deeper and in trashy environments with my explorer. I'm not talking shallow clad or jewelry hunting. Around here on public land that had been detected for years the fbs detected work best for finding old coins. I can't get the same result with the 705 and I do have the 10.5 dd coil. I also have a friend who has had his since they came out and he digs less than a quarter of the old coins that I do with my explorer or another buddy does with his sepro. Comparing signals the explorer is defiantly better at iding deep coins. After showing my one buddy numerous deep targets and him calling them trash but digging wheat penny after wheat penny with signals he had been passing for a couple years he posted on the other big forum about deep coins giving negative numbers and was told by the experts the 705 won't do that. I've seen it too often to be told otherwise. If your hunting modern drops its a wash. If your after deep old coins it's not even close.

Remember though, you can only speak of where you hunt. The OP might have very different conditions than you have, so the technology that would perform the best might not be the same as you have. Without knowing where Tasmorn is we can only speculate what would be an upgrade.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Only problem I can see with this is minelab last year said they will no longer be providing warranty parts etc for machines that hit the 10 year mark and on machines they no longer manufacture. Not saying this machine has but look at how many more years you have with this machine before sinking money into something that if a problem does arise how would you fix it. I'm sorry to say this but minelab has been one of the worst companies to deal with on customer service in my experience and just about every person I know who owns one.
Is it a good price?..sure
Is it a good machine?..yes
Would I worry about future issues?..yes

Kellyco Minelab repair is still working on them and will continue to do so... they are still repairing the old Minelab sword and it is 20 years old..

 

[Detector Wars]

No, it is not worth the SE. I had one, (now I have the Explorer 2), nothing is worth the SE, save your money.

 

[dirtscratcher]

No, it is not worth the SE. I had one, (now I have the Explorer 2), nothing is worth the SE, save your money.

The only thing wrong with the se is the coil, same as the 705. They both need a coil change for optimum performance.

 

[J hoss]

Hunting here in Western Kentucky I don't think you would gain enough to justify the money JMHO