All the main manufacturers have capable machines. It comes down to personal preference as to it's weight, features, it's feel, the tones, and the coil options. Here are my thoughts on the major companies.
Nokta/Macro: first time I heard of them was when the Racer came out. Had big hoopla, but i do not know anyone who still swings one. I hear great things about the Impact though.
Whites: The only brand detectors I have used that required the arm strap. Huge following and have some good machines. The MX Sport is waterproof and I know a dedicated MDers' who swing's it. The MXT Pro is also a good machine, If you like a complex machine, maybe the V3i series is your cup of tea.
Garrett: The AT Pro has a huge following. I do not care for the bell tone that Garrett uses. The Max came out for $200 more with a lot of hype. To me it's an AT Pro running a better freq (IMHO) and has wireless capabilities. Is it worth the additional $200? They are waterproof so if you want to get wet, up to 10ft deep than you might want one of these.
First Texas:
Bounty Hunter: Low end machines for the beginner or those who have a smaller budget. Very capable machines, most without the bells and whistles. I must admit that I still think the Land Ranger Pro is the best bang for the buck.
Teknetics: To me a good brand, but very similar to Fisher Labs almost like a stepchild, similar machines as Fisher or vise versa.
Fisher Labs: I must be honest, I am biased. My 2nd machine is the F4 you own. It was an easy jump to the F75LTD from the F4. To me the best single freq VLF detector on the market for land hunting. I am content with pulling quarters at 10" and dimes at 8-8.5". The F4 would have hit on a majority of my good find since they were only between 4-7" deep. With over 3 years experience on this machine I have fun hunting with those that swing the Deus and CTX, we all find something. I also have a Fisher F70 which is just as capable as an F75SE. Since it runs the same freq as the F75. I have them set up with different coils just in case I need to change during a hunt. It's way easier to simply turn on another machine than to take time to swap coils. I must be getting lazy. Heck all of my coils have their own shafts already mounted.
Minelab: The CTX 3030 is the best coin shooter around, many of my friends use one with great results, also killer on the beach, just a little pricey and weighs 4 lbs. The E-Trac is also a good coin shooter, I hear it likes a slower sweep and is also heavy. The 705 is a great buy for the buck. I am used to a target range of 1-99 and I like Fisher tones in lieu of the bwoop bwoop that minelabs make. I am interested in seeing what the Equinox series brings to the table.
Deus: The XP Deus is all that and a bag of chips, ultra light, 4 separate freqs, wireless, allows you to tweak the settings more than most machines. I had one but sold it. It never hit an anything my current machine would not hit on. I have a hard time accepting change in certain technologies, I do not need those additional tweaks nor to have to remember to plug it in to charge. I prefer that if my detector dies during a hunt, that I have the ability to swap out batteries and continue swinging in lieu of having to quick charge it using a USB port in the lighter of a vehicle. Many users love their Deus and pull some great finds, In the few months I swung it, I found a gold class ring, a silver ring and my only capped bust coin. Many of my friends swing one. Again it's all about preference. The cost of additional coils run at a premium though. Eventually batteries will fail and need replaced which means a trip to the factory or authorized repair facility.
Tesoro: They have a great following, durable with lifetime warranty, but one tone, The one tone is a killer for me. I like to hear multiple tones. Great machine for those who like to Beep and dig hunt.
Final Thought: I see many other MDers continue to switch machines year over year, chasing extra depth and better performance switching out machines before they really understood them. I was caught up in that for a little and have owned a few detectors, many I bought because of their low price, wanting to experience other makes and models, knowing I would not lose any money and could play with it and then sell. I am very happy with my machine and it's capabilities and the selection of coils I have for different site conditions. Some folks are very proficient and can master many machines and have the money to invest in a multi machine arsenal. I am mainly a coin shooter who likes cool relics and some bling, but my passion is finding old coins and sometimes an occasional cladfest.
Take your time making a decision though. Our ground will probably be mostly frozen over for the next couple of months, and that Equinox might be worth waiting around for.
