Minelab Vs. DFX Real World

[MonkeyBoy]

Ok.. the DFX people say they are great.. the Minelab people say they are great.. and then there are the people in the middle that hunt with both.. and have switched form one to the other... having hunted around people with all kinds of machines.. I still think the DFX, properly setup just seems to pop more stuff out of the ground.. by no means every time.. but to average it out over the long haul.. that is what it seems like.. soooo

Who hunts with both? and feels they really understand and can use the fullest extent on both machines? Is this a case of the DFX is a better all around machine but the minelab is better on relics? What? brand loyalty? It is hard to not see this as a "mac vs. PC" argument.. but being a "real" Unix guy they both suck!! so.. who can offer up real world examples of the two machines? Such as..
I hunted this site to death with a DFX, found a ton of great stuff.. but went back later with the Minlab and dug twice as much, twice as deep all over!! or vice versa.. ??

I AM NOT trying to start a flame war... but I am a relic hunter.. and if the minelab is better.. I'm all over it.. but at $1200.. kind of want to hear about it first!!

I'm in Northern VA... if anyone has one they want to let me test.. I have a spot or two.. that produces... just deep.. really.. really deep!
I have been MD'ing 18+ years and have been using the DFX for 6+ years so I am not "new" and looking for a which is better to buy but more along the lines of the opinions of experienced users who have had a chance to really test both machines. I understand that knowledge of the machine is critical!! As well as time in the field using it.. so that is what I am looking for..

I have attached a pic of finds from a camp I have dug... some of the .69 three ringers were at 16" all dug with a DFX, tweaked tot he max using either a DD1400 or a 12" Spider coil...

 

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[Eu_citzen]

Most use/choose a machine that they feel comfortable with the more they use it the better they become no matter what machine.
Look and see if someone can give you a demo on the machine maybe that will help.
It is rather hard to do comparisons if they are not done side by side.(at the same time)

Regards,
Eu

 

[Digger]

I've never owned or used the Minelabs, but I've been detecting for some 30 years and currently own a DFX.

While I am somewhat of a "brand loyal" person I will in no way let that loyalty get in the way of choosing the right detector for me. I looked very hard at both the DFX and Explorer before making my choice. I was quite willing to go with the Explorer if my research convinced me it was the better detector for me. It didn't.

What I saw was much like you mentioned. The DFX users, over the long haul, came home with more. I am quite aware that the Explorer is the "deeper" of the two, all things being equal, but depth isn't as important to me as pulling missed targets at shallow depths.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I agree with Digger, that the Explorer "is the deeper of the two". In some types of deep turf hunting my friends and I do out here in CA, the Explorer has continually spanked the DFX. Even when an Exp. guy marks a "known" deepie whisper (the next 8 or 9" deep silver dime), the DFX guy runs over the same flagged spot, and has to admit, that NO MATTER WHAT HIS SETTINGS, that he wouldn't have been able to have made the judgement call. Ie.: it's all he can do just to hear it, much less make a TID call. Believe me, they tried hard with every adjustment to "bring it in". They end up ditching the DFX and getting an Explorer.

But with that said, I've heard that the DFX is better for low conductors.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I have attached a pic of finds from a camp I have dug... some of the .69 three ringers were at 16" all dug with a DFX, tweaked tot he max using either a DD1400 or a 12" Spider coil...

16 inches..you should write a book! Even in Foster's book he shows charts and graphs for depth...not any coil showing good depth at all... 6 - 8 inches max. consistently....

Also the 16 inch reading could it be possible as you dug the item continued to fall deeper? I am not 100% positive but I do not think the dfx readings go past 13.5....did you have a tape measure with you? The explorer shows around a foot with a clear bar representing past that depth..what was the reading on your dfx seeing it appeared out of the capable depth reading?

I am using both and will let you know what I think as soon as the snow and cold stops.... At this point all I will say is the SE design is more modern with the pushbutton pinpointing and overall quality put into the machine...when I lay them next to each other...the se looks modern...the dfx looks like it could use some updating... I put in around 500 hours with the dfx last year...like the coil choices, fast response, but not impressed with air or depth tests...I will run them in identical situations and run the exact tests in same conditions this year...then I will post exactly the difference...

 

[MonkeyBoy]

I have attached a pic of finds from a camp I have dug... some of the .69 three ringers were at 16" all dug with a DFX, tweaked tot he max using either a DD1400 or a 12" Spider coil...

16 inches..you should write a book! Even in Foster's book he shows charts and graphs for depth...not any coil showing good depth at all... 6 - 8 inches max. consistently....

Also the 16 inch reading could it be possible as you dug the item continued to fall deeper? I am not 100% positive but I do not think the dfx readings go past 13.5....did you have a tape measure with you? The explorer shows around a foot with a clear bar representing past that depth..what was the reading on your dfx seeing it appeared out of the capable depth reading?

I am using both and will let you know what I think as soon as the snow and cold stops.... At this point all I will say is the SE design is more modern with the pushbutton pinpointing and overall quality put into the machine...when I lay them next to each other...the se looks modern...the dfx looks like it could use some updating... I put in around 500 hours with the dfx last year...like the coil choices, fast response, but not impressed with air or depth tests...I will run them in identical situations and run the exact tests in same conditions this year...then I will post exactly the difference...

What do you mean "DFX readings do not go past 13.5"? The pinpointing depth I assume, honestly with the larger coils I have never really paid much attention to the meter depth.. understanding it is calibrated to the stock coil. No, I do not carry a tape measure in the field.. but I have dug holes deep enough that my digging tool, at 11 1/2 inches sat in the hole with 3 or 4 inches inches above it. Also, this was a from a nice clean, looming forest soil with not much else in the area except relics.. and a few shotgun shells. So we dig even the slightest distruption in the threshold. Also, besides this spot, I was digging .58 three ringers at 12 - 14 inches with the DFX and the 12" spider coil at an old horse farm.. nice stable soil.. 6 - 8 inches max is bogus.. I never trust air test as that is not any kind of real world test.. but I dug many relics way, way past that depth.. heck, I got loads better then that with a tweaked White's 6000 and a large coil years ago but usually only on larger relics.. i.e. eagle plates, buckles.. etc.. oh, and no.. the three ringers didn't fall in from the side of the hole.. I use a small shovel in fields and woods.. pretty big holes.. and I dug enough in the 14" range.. Don't take that as I had great signals and it read as what a three ringer normally would... relic hunting at depth has a lot of "what the heck.. just dig it" sort of signals and once you dig one or two and get a feel for the sound.. that is all it takes.. I also have seen 2 plates dug in the last month at a foot plus.. one with a MXT and I'm not sure what the other machine was. I didn't dig anything past that depth except iron.. but got bullets pretty deep there as well.. past the 8" mark I know..

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

One thing that concerned me with the DFX was the programability. While that is a huge plus in the right hands, when some schmoe like me comes along and has 32 decisions to make for optimum settings you can bet 50% of them will be bad, wrong or counterproductive. Granted, most are just preference tweekings, but there are some that could "lurk" having been altered and forgotten. The top two machines in our club are the DFX and the Explorer (but these two could probably out-hunt me with a Prizm II - they're at it a long time and darned good), with the Sovereign GT, MXT, M6, F-1266 and my F-75 (a second one just was added) sometimes taking the lead. On any given day the choice finds may go to any of the pack. For ultimate depth? I couldn't tell you. It would have to be, as Tom_in_CA described, where everyone had a crack at many targets simultaneously and everyone had an equal chance before the target was dug and the ones that detected the targets no one else did would prove the best detector (at least in that person's hands in that day's conditions). I can tell you I'm pulling nickels out that a DFX walked over; but I did not ask if he was avoiding nickels on purpose.

If there was a clear winner we would all be using it.

Making this many decisions would cut into my hunting time.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I have attached a pic of finds from a camp I have dug... some of the .69 three ringers were at 16" all dug with a DFX, tweaked tot he max using either a DD1400 or a 12" Spider coil...

16 inches..you should write a book! Even in Foster's book he shows charts and graphs for depth...not any coil showing good depth at all... 6 - 8 inches max. consistently....

Also the 16 inch reading could it be possible as you dug the item continued to fall deeper? I am not 100% positive but I do not think the dfx readings go past 13.5....did you have a tape measure with you? The explorer shows around a foot with a clear bar representing past that depth..what was the reading on your dfx seeing it appeared out of the capable depth reading?

I am using both and will let you know what I think as soon as the snow and cold stops.... At this point all I will say is the SE design is more modern with the pushbutton pinpointing and overall quality put into the machine...when I lay them next to each other...the se looks modern...the dfx looks like it could use some updating... I put in around 500 hours with the dfx last year...like the coil choices, fast response, but not impressed with air or depth tests...I will run them in identical situations and run the exact tests in same conditions this year...then I will post exactly the difference...

What do you mean "DFX readings do not go past 13.5"? The pinpointing depth I assume, honestly with the larger coils I have never really paid much attention to the meter depth.. understanding it is calibrated to the stock coil. No, I do not carry a tape measure in the field.. but I have dug holes deep enough that my digging tool, at 11 1/2 inches sat in the hole with 3 or 4 inches inches above it. Also, this was a from a nice clean, looming forest soil with not much else in the area except relics.. and a few shotgun shells. So we dig even the slightest distruption in the threshold. Also, besides this spot, I was digging .58 three ringers at 12 - 14 inches with the DFX and the 12" spider coil at an old horse farm.. nice stable soil.. 6 - 8 inches max is bogus.. I never trust air test as that is not any kind of real world test.. but I dug many relics way, way past that depth.. heck, I got loads better then that with a tweaked White's 6000 and a large coil years ago but usually only on larger relics.. i.e. eagle plates, buckles.. etc.. oh, and no.. the three ringers didn't fall in from the side of the hole.. I use a small shovel in fields and woods.. pretty big holes.. and I dug enough in the 14" range.. Don't take that as I had great signals and it read as what a three ringer normally would... relic hunting at depth has a lot of "what the heck.. just dig it" sort of signals and once you dig one or two and get a feel for the sound.. that is all it takes.. I also have seen 2 plates dug in the last month at a foot plus.. one with a MXT and I'm not sure what the other machine was. I didn't dig anything past that depth except iron.. but got bullets pretty deep there as well.. past the 8" mark I know..

Do me a favor...next time you hit a target at 14 inches with the dfx and pinpoint let me know what the depth reading is showing...if you do not mind seeing you do not notice it......thanks! Should be very interesting...

 

[Digger]

I've got to admit some of the claims of the maximum depth of 6" & 8" on the DFX have me scratching my head. With the factory programs I was getting 8-9" from day one. Consistent? is there really such a word in detecting? I owned many detectors including Tesoro, Whites, Garrett and Compus of many different models, and if there is one thing consistent, it's that none will be consistent at any depth greater than 6".

I've dug coins at 8" that rang out loud and clear and a rock solid ID, but then I've had coins at 6" that sounded like crap and bounced all over the VDI. Most of the coins I recover at our city park are in the 9-10" range, and the signals are iffy. I've dug all the easy stuff But I've also gotten signals at 12" that are probably coins, but I will not recover a target that deep in the park.

So when I see people saying they only get 6-8" with the DFX I can only assume they're talking strictly rock solid signals.

If there was a clear winner we would all be using it.

Now there's the truth of it!

 

[MonkeyBoy]

[/quote]


Do me a favor...next time you hit a target at 14 inches with the dfx and pinpoint let me know what the depth reading is showing...if you do not mind seeing you do not notice it......thanks! Should be very interesting...
[/quote]

I'll do better then that.. I'll shoot pictures of the whole recovery, from signal to the dig... including the reported depth on the machine. Maybe it is just me and 18+ years of hunting relics but depth as reported by a machine does not mean anything. A US buckle, made of brass and lead, at a foot in the ground is going to seem like what? A quarter at 8" to the machine? or a chunk of "good" iron at 18"? It is all relative, and, if memory serves, the machines are calibrated to find the average depth of a given item based on the stock coil. Once you add a 12" coil or a DD1400 into the mix it all goes out the window. I bought the 12" at Centreville Electronics, our local White's dealer, and I think the quote was "..the 12" will pick up a buckle at 2 feet if you know what you are doing" when I asked about depth.. I have not dug a plate with it yet, but I have dug horseshoes far.. far deeper then I care to mention...

well.. I guess I need to add a camera and tape measure to my digging bag now ;-) AND I've probably cursed myself and I won't dig crap the next 6 times I'm out... ;-)

Ok.. so I'd really like to see and hear what the SE is digging, depth wise, before I plunk down the cash...

Thanks..

 

[deepskyal]

I just purchased the DFX in Decenber last year.

My decision was based on two things. One, naturally, was depth and the DFX, from reading the posts, was definately in the top of the list of choices.

My other decision was the weight of the machine. There isn't any sense in me going hunting if my arm is going to tire out after an hour of searching.

From what I read, the minelabs are a heavier machine. Maybe not pounds heavier but I have arthritis setting in my hands and wrists and the White's 6000 was enough to make me continually switch hands back and forth. I found that just a plain pain in the arse.

I was looking at a long term investment and the DFX won out based on weight. Otherwise...I might be still wondering which to buy because both sound like darn good machines.
Al

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Do me a favor...next time you hit a target at 14 inches with the dfx and pinpoint let me know what the depth reading is showing...if you do not mind seeing you do not notice it......thanks! Should be very interesting...


Also, to say "I don't look at it" meaning the display is not to be taken literal. I pinpoint just like every other DFX user, but I don't really put much credit on the depth it is indicating... more.. just matching up the strongest overall signal and the current signal when in all metal mode... depth comes when you pop the plug.. it is still in the hole.. or it is not.. so if it is telling "8 inches" well.. that is the "relative" part of a depth reading.. it depends on what you are hitting. The depth reading to me always has been more for coin shooters.. items with more predictable results. This all has got me thinking about that so I think I will start sort of mentally logging what the reported depth vs the actual depth is out in the fields. I will say I remember, from the same site I referenced earlier, that a buddy of mine had me hit a signal he had on his X5 and it was showing a depth of about 4". It turned out to be 2 percussion caps jammed together roughly at that depth.. so that was with the 12" spider coil.. if that helps. That implies it can't be too far off on the shallow side..

 

[MonkeyBoy]

I just purchased the DFX in Decenber last year.

My decision was based on two things. One, naturally, was depth and the DFX, from reading the posts, was definately in the top of the list of choices.

My other decision was the weight of the machine. There isn't any sense in me going hunting if my arm is going to tire out after an hour of searching.

From what I read, the minelabs are a heavier machine. Maybe not pounds heavier but I have arthritis setting in my hands and wrists and the White's 6000 was enough to make me continually switch hands back and forth. I found that just a plain pain in the arse.

I was looking at a long term investment and the DFX won out based on weight. Otherwise...I might be still wondering which to buy because both sound like darn good machines.
Al

That I agree with that!!! The weight and balance is nice.. wears you a little with the 12" or DD1400 after awhile.. but I can still remember how bad the 5900 and 6000s were..

 

[BuckleBoy]

I'll do better then that.. I'll shoot pictures of the whole recovery, from signal to the dig... including the reported depth on the machine. Maybe it is just me and 18+ years of hunting relics but depth as reported by a machine does not mean anything. A US buckle, made of brass and lead, at a foot in the ground is going to seem like what? A quarter at 8" to the machine? or a chunk of "good" iron at 18"? It is all relative, and, if memory serves, the machines are calibrated to find the average depth of a given item based on the stock coil. Once you add a 12" coil or a DD1400 into the mix it all goes out the window. I bought the 12" at Centreville Electronics, our local White's dealer, and I think the quote was "..the 12" will pick up a buckle at 2 feet if you know what you are doing" when I asked about depth.. I have not dug a plate with it yet, but I have dug horseshoes far.. far deeper then I care to mention...

well.. I guess I need to add a camera and tape measure to my digging bag now ;-) AND I've probably cursed myself and I won't dig crap the next 6 times I'm out... ;-)

Ok.. so I'd really like to see and hear what the SE is digging, depth wise, before I plunk down the cash...

Thanks..

DFX Gregg,

I hate to say this, but I think you're out of your league here. CW Relics are a whole different ballgame. If you get ANY partial signal on a new site, you dig. You don't look at the depth meter, or thumb the knobs, or expect an ID, because that wastes time. You just Dig, because some of these relics are WAY DEEP in the ground. If you have a machine that has a threshold tone, every time that tone wobbles, you Dig. Catch my drift? It ain't like coinshooting--where you can expect an ID to be correct most of the time. With so many types and sizes of CW lead "keepers," you have to just dig it up. So over a foot of depth doesn't surprise me--heck, I've dug minieballs with my Fisher at a foot before. And it certainly didn't sound like lead. So yes, it is all relative. Until you get on the site and learn what the bullets and buttons sound like for that site.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[MonkeyBoy]

I'll do better then that.. I'll shoot pictures of the whole recovery, from signal to the dig... including the reported depth on the machine. Maybe it is just me and 18+ years of hunting relics but depth as reported by a machine does not mean anything. A US buckle, made of brass and lead, at a foot in the ground is going to seem like what? A quarter at 8" to the machine? or a chunk of "good" iron at 18"? It is all relative, and, if memory serves, the machines are calibrated to find the average depth of a given item based on the stock coil. Once you add a 12" coil or a DD1400 into the mix it all goes out the window. I bought the 12" at Centreville Electronics, our local White's dealer, and I think the quote was "..the 12" will pick up a buckle at 2 feet if you know what you are doing" when I asked about depth.. I have not dug a plate with it yet, but I have dug horseshoes far.. far deeper then I care to mention...

well.. I guess I need to add a camera and tape measure to my digging bag now ;-) AND I've probably cursed myself and I won't dig crap the next 6 times I'm out... ;-)

Ok.. so I'd really like to see and hear what the SE is digging, depth wise, before I plunk down the cash...

Thanks..

DFX Gregg,

I hate to say this, but I think you're out of your league here. CW Relics are a whole different ballgame. If you get ANY partial signal on a new site, you dig. You don't look at the depth meter, or thumb the knobs, or expect an ID, because that wastes time. You just Dig, because some of these relics are WAY DEEP in the ground. If you have a machine that has a threshold tone, every time that tone wobbles, you Dig. Catch my drift? It ain't like coinshooting--where you can expect an ID to be correct most of the time. With so many types and sizes of CW lead "keepers," you have to just dig it up. So over a foot of depth doesn't surprise me--heck, I've dug minieballs with my Fisher at a foot before. And it certainly didn't sound like lead. So yes, it is all relative. Until you get on the site and learn what the bullets and buttons sound like for that site.

Regards,


Buckleboy

I could not have said it better myself, BuckleBoy!! I was hoping another relic hunter was going to come out.. understanding what I was talking about.. thanks.

MonkeyBoy

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Do me a favor...next time you hit a target at 14 inches with the dfx and pinpoint let me know what the depth reading is showing...if you do not mind seeing you do not notice it......thanks! Should be very interesting...
[/quote]

I'll do better then that.. I'll shoot pictures of the whole recovery, from signal to the dig... including the reported depth on the machine. Maybe it is just me and 18+ years of hunting relics but depth as reported by a machine does not mean anything. A US buckle, made of brass and lead, at a foot in the ground is going to seem like what? A quarter at 8" to the machine? or a chunk of "good" iron at 18"? It is all relative, and, if memory serves, the machines are calibrated to find the average depth of a given item based on the stock coil. Once you add a 12" coil or a DD1400 into the mix it all goes out the window. I bought the 12" at Centreville Electronics, our local White's dealer, and I think the quote was "..the 12" will pick up a buckle at 2 feet if you know what you are doing" when I asked about depth.. I have not dug a plate with it yet, but I have dug horseshoes far.. far deeper then I care to mention...

well.. I guess I need to add a camera and tape measure to my digging bag now ;-) AND I've probably cursed myself and I won't dig crap the next 6 times I'm out... ;-)

Ok.. so I'd really like to see and hear what the SE is digging, depth wise, before I plunk down the cash...

Thanks..
[/quote]

Sure once my ground thaws..I will give you an honest opinion....and some answers...we run into clay qite often here after 5-6 inches...so it will be a good indicator if I can tell you the se is going deeper here....give me a few months to learn....

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

From what I have heard...have not weighed my dfx or se...but I heard the only real difference is the battery weight of the se, if you are getting 8 or 9 inches with the dfx...I would be happy.

I just purchased the DFX in Decenber last year.

My decision was based on two things. One, naturally, was depth and the DFX, from reading the posts, was definately in the top of the list of choices.

My other decision was the weight of the machine. There isn't any sense in me going hunting if my arm is going to tire out after an hour of searching.

From what I read, the minelabs are a heavier machine. Maybe not pounds heavier but I have arthritis setting in my hands and wrists and the White's 6000 was enough to make me continually switch hands back and forth. I found that just a plain pain in the arse.

I was looking at a long term investment and the DFX won out based on weight. Otherwise...I might be still wondering which to buy because both sound like darn good machines.
Al

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I'll do better then that.. I'll shoot pictures of the whole recovery, from signal to the dig... including the reported depth on the machine. Maybe it is just me and 18+ years of hunting relics but depth as reported by a machine does not mean anything. A US buckle, made of brass and lead, at a foot in the ground is going to seem like what? A quarter at 8" to the machine? or a chunk of "good" iron at 18"? It is all relative, and, if memory serves, the machines are calibrated to find the average depth of a given item based on the stock coil. Once you add a 12" coil or a DD1400 into the mix it all goes out the window. I bought the 12" at Centreville Electronics, our local White's dealer, and I think the quote was "..the 12" will pick up a buckle at 2 feet if you know what you are doing" when I asked about depth.. I have not dug a plate with it yet, but I have dug horseshoes far.. far deeper then I care to mention...

well.. I guess I need to add a camera and tape measure to my digging bag now ;-) AND I've probably cursed myself and I won't dig crap the next 6 times I'm out... ;-)


Ok.. so I'd really like to see and hear what the SE is digging, depth wise, before I plunk down the cash...

Thanks..

DFX Gregg,

I hate to say this, but I think you're out of your league here. CW Relics are a whole different ballgame. If you get ANY partial signal on a new site, you dig. You don't look at the depth meter, or thumb the knobs, or expect an ID, because that wastes time. You just Dig, because some of these relics are WAY DEEP in the ground. If you have a machine that has a threshold tone, every time that tone wobbles, you Dig. Catch my drift? It ain't like coinshooting--where you can expect an ID to be correct most of the time. With so many types and sizes of CW lead "keepers," you have to just dig it up. So over a foot of depth doesn't surprise me--heck, I've dug minieballs with my Fisher at a foot before. And it certainly didn't sound like lead. So yes, it is all relative. Until you get on the site and learn what the bullets and buttons sound like for that site.

Regards,


Buckleboy

I don't think it is a matter of being in or out of a league as you say.... I would really like to know and see someone dig a 14-16 inch signal with a dfx...not a picture a video... Also I have heard of fishers, explorers getting past a foot...but not to many people claiming 14 to 16 inches with a dfx! I was flooded with e-mails from other dfx users who also reported getting only 6 to 8 inches.... I tried the programs...if anything my dfx just became more unstable.... I am sure soil conditions play a role...but before I claim my soil is bad...and just to mineralized let me learn the se and report back....

 

[Ant]

It all boils down to conditions. I have dug dimes at 9" and quarters at 13" or so. That's with my GB-2, but that’s not the norm. Deep targets are signals that are whispers or broken signals. I have found that finding deep coins on my machine requires that I hunt on quit smooth operating nights, and in sand. Most of my targets are in the 2” to 4” deep zone and I’m stoked when I dig a 6” or 7” gold item.

The GB-2 is not known as a deep diver by any means, but I have detected coins at the depths that I previously mentioned.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

It all boils down to conditions. I have dug dimes at 9" and quarters at 13" or so. That's with my GB-2, but that’s not the norm. Deep targets are signals that are whispers or broken signals. I have found that finding deep coins on my machine requires that I hunt on quit smooth operating nights, and in sand. Most of my targets are in the 2” to 4” deep zone and I’m stoked when I dig a 6” or 7” gold item.

The GB-2 is not known as a deep diver by any means, but I have detected coins at the depths that I previously mentioned.

Ant 6 or 7" is not a problem even for my dfx...even with the small coil in certain contains..I was able to hit a silver ring at 7.5 inches but 14 to 16 inches would truely amaze me with any detector...my luck it would be a pop/beer can!