Minelab Vs. DFX Real World

[Kas]

Problem is most people look at the depth numbers and think coins first. The coinshooters here far outweigh the relic hunters, and their thinking runs in the coin area when people start talking depth.

Yep, I have power lines buried underground for my house, and they're 36", and I can detect them, Charlie.

Deeper relics, now there's a hole nuther ballgame. You have to figure out the strata year for CW relics. How much have they sunk in 140+ years.

Pull tabs appeared in 1962, and they' re found at 9.22" depth in '05, with the sink rate. These are the first tabs lost in '62. Of course there are different soil conditions so things can sink faster or slower. So, in conclusion, Neither the DFX or SE will find most relics. Now, A pulse machine will. I think the SE goes deeper than the DFX, hands down, at least for coins.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Problem is most people look at the depth numbers and think coins first. The coinshooters here far outweigh the relic hunters, and their thinking runs in the coin area when people start talking depth.

Yep, I have power lines buried underground for my house, and they're 36", and I can detect them, Charlie.

Deeper relics, now there's a hole nuther ballgame. You have to figure out the strata year for CW relics. How much have they sunk in 140+ years.

Pull tabs appeared in 1962, and they' re found at 9.22" depth in '05, with the sink rate. These are the first tabs lost in '62. Of course there are different soil conditions so things can sink faster or slower. So, in conclusion, Neither the DFX or SE will find most relics. Now, A pulse machine will. I think the SE goes deeper than the DFX, hands down, at least for coins.

You know.. I almost start to look at it as "an art" more then a science sometimes.. having heard a few hundred thousand signals by now.. you remember the odd signals that produced relics in the past.. plus.. usually.. not everything is so deep. A lot of the camps around here were in fields so the strata has been disrupted by years of plowing.. so some things are at and inch and some thing are at a foot.. all form the same age.. case in point.. the two spots were I have had great luck digging really deep were both great producers before.. thousands of relics so when I walk back out now.. I have the luxury of knowing that 40 plates were already dug from this site so.. if it beeps.. if it show the slightest disruption in the threshold I'm digging it!! That is not true for other sites... you would only get about 20 feet in a day if you did that everywhere!! So it is .. location location location!!

I have a buddy who has arranged for me to try a ML SE this spring before I plunk down the cash.. sooo see what happens.. I'll keep the dfx.. it is outstanding at the house sites I hunt.. old yards etc.. but if the ML pops the relics out of the ground deeper with a better signal.. then I'm all over it!!!

I actually started out as a coin shooter a long time ago.. early on.. like the 3rd or 4th time I was out.. I dug a nice 1864 CN IH and then dug a US Buckle in the same yard.. the buckle just blew me away and I was hooked on the relics ever since!! Don't think I don't love the coins too!! I just dug two 1774 Brit coppers out of an old house site that was also producing lots of CW relics.. so that is the best of both worlds.. one signal is a nice old carved pewter button the next was an eagle button.. so hopefully I'll end up with the best of both worlds!!!!

MonkeyBoy

 

[Digger]

so that is the best of both worlds

I agree. I do like hunting around town because of more concentrated areas, less walking per find, but when I'm after something old I just head out to one of our fort sites. I know every thing I find will be at least 130 years old, unless a farmer dropped it. I may do a lot of walking to find that coin, but I have never found a coin newer than the 1860's, and the buttons, buckles and bullets aren't so bad either.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I talked to a ton of people before I decided to add a Minelab Se. I made sure in private messages that they either owned both or had at one time had both. There was not a single person out of them that said the dfx went deeper than the se. They preferred to talk in private to avoid the rambling back and forth. I figured someone would say the dfx was deeper...nope...I decided at that point....sounds interesting let me get one...I would take 2 if it made sense! At this point I am up to page 55 in the se owners manual. I think I just got past the dry or harder parts. Also just completed a trade to add a smaller coil, picked up a 8 inch, hopefully will arrive within a week, so this way the testing will be fair. I will run the se with very close to the same size coils I ran the dfx...over the same ground...should be an interesting summer...

 

[Born2Dtect]

That is interesting, Gregg. A couple of questions. Is the SE a lot like the EXP II? What are the main differences? My impressions through experience and observation is the DFX, XLT and Whites in general are lighter and can be swung faster than the EXP II and SE, Any comment?

Ed D.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

That is interesting, Gregg. A couple of questions. Is the SE a lot like the EXP II? What are the main differences? My impressions through experience and observation is the DFX, XLT and Whites in general are lighter and can be swung faster than the EXP II and SE, Any comment?

Ed D.

Sure Ed..I believe the weight of the Se is 4 pounds 6 ounces....that includes the 9.3 ounce battery pack... I think the dfx with battery pack is extremely close! Probably at least 4 pounds... As far as sweep speed...I know the dfx has an adjustable sweep speed where the se does not. But I think the se is going to work out nicely because I sweep extremely slow. Also the se does have a fast and or deep setting that can be used alone or in combination. The fast setting does offer a quicker response in trash, and obviously the deep setting as name implies would be used for deeper finds. You probably know this...more of a point for just dfx users. I at this point have been getting tremendous response on another forum from se users... They have loaded me up with..charts, settings, and I have been going thru the manual at the same pace I swing the coil...extremely slow and taking notes. I by far am no expert on the se...I have taken up learning everything in the manual though by March...we are still in a deep freeze here...but I am extremely busy swinging trades and purchasing and what I am going to need.

As far as the differences from the ex11..I never used the ex11...so I would not be the one to answer that.. I think the se is slightly lighter... and I believe there was no vco pinpointing on the ex11, which I am used to...because the dfx also has vco...so not much difference for me there...

 

[Digger]

Can't wait for your opinion/comparison once you've put the SE to the test.

I'm still tossing around the idea of adding the SE to my arsenal. My only concerns have been reports of a need to swing slow and I like having the VDI and Graph on at the same time. But for a few extra inches and more sensitivity, if proved, I would be happy to pay the price.

I can get pretty much all the depth I care too with my DFX, but those targets deeper than 9" don't give a good ID and can sound bad. If the SE can give a more accurate ID and better sound beyond 10" I'll be getting one. If not, then I'll be looking to get a good PI unit for better gold recovery at the swimming hole.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Can't wait for your opinion/comparison once you've put the SE to the test.

I'm still tossing around the idea of adding the SE to my arsenal. My only concerns have been reports of a need to swing slow and I like having the VDI and Graph on at the same time. But for a few extra inches and more sensitivity, if proved, I would be happy to pay the price.

I can get pretty much all the depth I care too with my DFX, but those targets deeper than 9" don't give a good ID and can sound bad. If the SE can give a more accurate ID and better sound beyond 10" I'll be getting one. If not, then I'll be looking to get a good PI unit for better gold recovery at the swimming hole.

It will be interesting... right away some of the things I do like better on the se...the pinpoint button instead of the little breakable toggle switch. The workmanship and quality, as well as the general look... One thing I like better on the dfx is the depth reading being shown in inches...on the se something they can improve on that... I just want to give honest opinions for those interested in one or the other.. up to now this has been a great thread without the smart comments...well except for one or two..will not get into that..to bad all the posts here do not always stay on this level...all it takes to ruin a good post though is one or two knunkleheads! Very enjoyable reading guys..girls...past that I cannot really comment till I get out there for a few hundred hours...won't take long!

 

[Digger]

I hear the new DFX 300 is roughly 20% deeper than the old DFX?

Of course a bigger coil probably has a lot to do with that.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I hear the new DFX 300 is roughly 20% deeper than the old DFX?

Of course a bigger coil probably has a lot to do with that.

I think the problem of just adding a bigger coil and saying ok its deeper now....is not a good idea... That large a coil would be a nightmare in most of the areas I hunt.

 

[RaptorSE]

I agree, a nice, mostly civil discussion. Im interested in what you discover between the two.

About the Toggle pinpoint switch... your nuts !!!! That thing is the greatest detecting gizmo
ever invented ! I would be lost having to stop and push a button and exit every time. I toggle
into pinpoint and out probably 3 or 4 times per target ! (Sizing, ID'ing, pinpointing, checking depth etc)

Thats just a preference thing though.

I will say this about any "bonehead " or "KnuckleHead" comments you find now and again in these posts. Some dont really like being called liars , after they bothered to participate and enter their remarks. I read a bunch of other forums and you cant really deny it ,you "do not" in the slightest bit, believe those guys are telling the truth in this post, finding buckles and relics at 16" . They explained politely like 4 times each what and how they hunt in detail, with tests and experiences, and you demand video proof LOL.

"Those" guys have my respect completely, as I dont know how they keep their cool so well. I dont think I could have held back as much.

No offense at all, really ! Read this in a light-hearted tone of voice and mood. Sure there are lots of exagerrations and fibs told on here, but everyone isnt lying

I believe the areas you hunted being littered with clad and trash, are probably the primary reason you didnt seek too deep with the DFX. No machine is gonna go deep in trashy spots. And if you hit clay at 5 or 6 inches, well, there isnt gonna be any coins past that.

Id like to see you prove otherwise, but I have a feeling your going to have similar results with the SE , but at a much slower pace.... which may in turn , result in a few deeper finds. A slow deliberate gridding with a DFX will produce too. Its just hard to discipline yourself to do it. If your forced to, then maybe that will help !

Good luck !

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

This year I am not going to go back and forth in petty arguments....and obviously there was a very good video shown here...which of course I saw and believed.... Everyone here seems to understand and have clearly stated their opinions which has made this a great post...Lets keep it that way! My goal is simple...have the se pay for itself within a year...just like the dfx did... Oh and raptor...best of luck to you this year too...hope to see some great finds.

I agree, a nice, mostly civil discussion. Im interested in what you discover between the two.

About the Toggle pinpoint switch... your nuts !!!! That thing is the greatest detecting gizmo
ever invented ! I would be lost having to stop and push a button and exit every time. I toggle
into pinpoint and out probably 3 or 4 times per target ! (Sizing, ID'ing, pinpointing, checking depth etc)

Thats just a preference thing though.

I will say this about any "bonehead " or "KnuckleHead" comments you find now and again in these posts. Some dont really like being called liars , after they bothered to participate and enter their remarks. I read a bunch of other forums and you cant really deny it ,you "do not" in the slightest bit, believe those guys are telling the truth in this post, finding buckles and relics at 16" . They explained politely like 4 times each what and how they hunt in detail, with tests and experiences, and you demand video proof LOL.

"Those" guys have my respect completely, as I dont know how they keep their cool so well. I dont think I could have held back as much.

No offense at all, really ! Read this in a light-hearted tone of voice and mood. Sure there are lots of exagerrations and fibs told on here, but everyone isnt lying

I believe the areas you hunted being littered with clad and trash, are probably the primary reason you didnt seek too deep with the DFX. No machine is gonna go deep in trashy spots. And if you hit clay at 5 or 6 inches, well, there isnt gonna be any coins past that.

Id like to see you prove otherwise, but I have a feeling your going to have similar results with the SE , but at a much slower pace.... which may in turn , result in a few deeper finds. A slow deliberate gridding with a DFX will produce too. Its just hard to discipline yourself to do it. If your forced to, then maybe that will help !

Good luck !

 

[MonkeyBoy]

This year I am not going to go back and forth in petty arguments....and obviously there was a very good video shown here...which of course I saw and believed.... Everyone here seems to understand and have clearly stated their opinions which has made this a great post...Lets keep it that way! My goal is simple...have the se pay for itself within a year...just like the dfx did... Oh and raptor...best of luck to you this year too...hope to see some great finds.



Not sure I would call it a petty argument.. I too have just simple not responded when it seemed I was being called.. "less then truthful" but hey.. it's cool.. I am bumming a digital camera I traded a buddy that shoots MPEGs.. and will setup and shoot this weekend... so we will have more video coming.. clear video "proof" as asked for.. if the weather allows for it.. outside..

..and my offer will always stand... I'd rather drag someone out into a field and let them see it.. hunt in the same conditions.. see the stuff come out that deep.. on the flip side.. not sure how much is left out at my deepest digging spot.. after finding the State of New York buckle.. I have pounded it day after day.. and have taken in some other friends.. I will say.. I was really impressed with the Shadow X5!! My buddy was popping 3 ringers out all around me!! and deep too.. he seemed to be doing really well on the smallest piece on brass at great depth!! So it still goes back to one simple thing.. no matter what machines you have.. no matter how good you are with it.. the coil of the machine has to pass over the object in the ground!!

so.. believe me.. don't believe me.. it's all good.. does not change the fact that I was popping big hunking .69 three ringers out 14"+ inches n the ground ;-) If a lot of others do not have that kind of luck then it just tells me the time I have spent learning my machine was well spent and they are leaving more stuff in the ground for me ;-) I think "knucklehead" and "bonehead" are based on perspective.. I think my favorite part of all of this was the "how do you know it was 14" or 16" when the depth reading only goes to 13.5" that is funny to me.. but it all comes back to.. I'll shoot video.. and I am going to start taking a camera that shoots short MPEGs with me.. post them on my website when I get it back up.. I agree completely that a "claim" like that needs video proof.. so time will tell..

Anyway.. enough of that part of this..

People with Minelabs need to get out and hunt!!! I have already listed one of my favorite coins, not dug!!!, on ebay to get some "hobby cash" going in case I decide to buy one... I have not looked yet.. but is the MineLab SE manual online anywhere? I have a chance to borrow one soon so I guess I should read the manual first!!!

MonkeyBoy

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Monkeyboy good point... this is a hobby and hopefully an enjoyable one for all of us.... I will respond to the depth debate...but nothing else ... But I wonder when someone earlier basically called me a liar in this post saying my dfx was only air testing at 6 inches... (was that edited and deleted now?)... I did not start a 3 paragraph long rant! Very interesting how people only take in what they want to and I am not talking about you..... The 6 inches I mentioned was with a coil Whites claimed was defective! They did send another one which as said air tests with a nice signal up to 8 inches... But the garden tests were still a failure! There are at least 4 people here that mentioned the same problems as me.... and in private messages and other forums at least another 50. Dewcon would be a perfect example of someone that takes the time to totally learn the machine...Read all his posts and we bounced ideas back and forth...it did not work for us...I see he took the same route as me...the sending of coils back to whites...whites claiming defective coils...a machine that needed recalibration... Then it came to me direct a message from whites stating a 6 to 8 inch air test is the norm! Some of these users are not just beginners, some long time white's users who finally gave up. Then what does whites do to change this image...nothing...they put a larger coil on the dfx and mxt and call it the 300 series....
oh they did paint the box a different color too!

 

[teverly]

That is interesting, Gregg. A couple of questions. Is the SE a lot like the EXP II? What are the main differences? My impressions through experience and observation is the DFX, XLT and Whites in general are lighter and can be swung faster than the EXP II and SE, Any comment?

Ed D.

Ed,
The SE recovers faster than exp 2. So it it take a little more practice and a slower swing to hear the target seperation.Navigating between screens was made a little easier also. I dont really notice any depth difference yet,but i have not had a chance to do a side by side of the 2 and the SE.
As for swing speed,i believe that any detector that you swing quickly will miss targets.This has more to do with the recovery rate of the signal from the detector itself.When i hunt i generally swing slower and take my time.It is not a contest to see how much i can find quickly.And i can say pretty safely that if you swinging quickly you will miss deep targets..period.
As for the weight factor,i dont know about the DFX,but an explorer with stock coil is no heavier to swing than any other detector i have used.Now if you start adding a 12 or 14 inch coil then it gets heavy....
Hope this helps.....

 

[Digger]

I agree but there are exceptions. My old Eagle Spectrum loved to be swung fast. In fact I got the best depth using a whipping of the coil. Of course the Eagles processor I think was much faster then the DFX or SE's.

I've also seen where people don't like the DFX's pinpoint toggle switch. Heck, I always thought that was one of it's best features. Being able to flip it forward to stay in all-metal mode is great, and I've never had one go bad.

 

[RaptorSE]

Gregg, if you were meaning me.. I simply said the same thing you did, that I wanted to see
your DFX on video getting bad airtests. And no its not deleted or edited, its still there, I just
looked. ( unless you meant another poster that said something and did delete it)...

Unless its defective, I could pick it up, crank a few settings up, and air test 13+ inches on a Quarter
with no difficulty with a Super 12 coil. If you are using Best Data, then I can see maybe some loss of distance in an air test. I lose some too with Best Data or Correlate. A single frequency air tests
quite a bit further for me.

Hey MonkeyBoy, when you shoot some video, throw in a quick All Metal DC mode test, with DC cranked
up past 60. I dont think alot of people realize how far that will detect... which makes Mixed Mode awesome.

Again, Gregg, dont take anything Im saying as insulting or fighting words. I "really" want to know how the SE does in your areas , finding deeper coins. I think everyone does. Ive contemplated getting an EX2 for quite a while now for the same "self proof". Im in Western PA, and there is nobody around here detecting ever. A few folks I know have Tesoros or other Whites models, but Ive never even seen a Minelab. There are just no big parks or anything like it, around here. Plenty of old homes and yards though, so thats what I do.

I would love to have the opportunity to rent a ML for a couple weeks. Until that day comes, I have to read about it. Im gonna try contacting a sorta local club about 20 miles away, and see if any of them use ML to maybe try one.

So to end, I love my DFX, but Ill sell that sucker in a minute if another machine proves better in my hunting areas. Im solely after old coins when I go out. As others have said, I havent gotten any proof yet though, but Im working on it !

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

well I do not see the post anymore but going back and forth is silly. Also some may not realize that a lot of us live in areas where there is a ton of clad....often just going thru a park after a weekend of drunks it is easy pickings! Of course I would rather find older coins too! I am going back to the same wooded areas with the se that I hit with the dfx. Both will be in the trunk when I learn the se enough for side by sides. I am going to call the local Whites repair center and see if they think recalibrating might help.... Then the testing will be done...my first tests I will show will be depth wise with se... First air, then garden and out in the field. These will be conducted in the same places I hunted with the dfx. Also I understand on the Whites home board I am disliked by a few for buying the SE.... Well I hate to tell the 6-7 who think it is a crime.... That a whole bunch of forum users there have sent me messages laughing about it...saying they own a Minelab, Fisher and other brands also!

 

[Kas]

I've used my DFX for quite a few years, and as I said, in dirt it just isn't that deep. I'm sure with the thousands of sites I've hunted there had to be deep coins. I've been detecting for 25+ years and the deepest coins I've found have been at 8" with the DFX. I've gained more depth with it in air tests. My test garden isn't just a dug hole with a coin in the bottom. I dig a plug and then a hole in the side of the plug, inserting a dug coin still in dirt from the original dig. cover it, using the undistrubed ground above the coin to test, along with saltwater in the hole. This gives the best real world test.

Now, I've tuned my dfx six way to Sunday and tried to hit a coin at 10" with the stock coil. I've never heard it even blip or seen the screen id anything.

What sold me on the fisher was trying it in my test garden on this 10" deep buried coin, in the ground now for 10 years, may have even sunk further. Turned on the Fisher Cz and swept over the 10"er, and it came through loud and clear, and ided properly. Sent the DFX to sweet home and they said it worked fine.

I have no doubt that the DFX will ID a larger target deeper, which is what this thread is about. DFX and old coins= 8" with 9.5 coil. Fisher with 8" coil= old coins at 10", easily. From experience this is what I've found to be the truth. SE, have no idea, and like Gregg, I've seen videos of deep digs.

My 2 $