I understand you totally! Been around for a long time and see a lot of what you're saying and If I let my ego get triggered, then I react.
But usually I just laugh it off. It's like the little guy who buys a big monster truck.....
If someone brags about their possessions there's often insecurity behind it.
Not to mention a lack of knowledge also. I've seen those real expensive detectors "null" right to sleep, out in my iron infested sites.
They get royally spanked!
You see, there's a small handful of people who truly understand what's going on in the ground.
You'll notice that some here, even though they're using the most expensive detectors, still go and sift their relic sites.
Why are they sifting? Because they know that NO DETECTOR could ever get it all. There's millions of variables in the ground.
I laugh at the ignorance when they boast about their machine after how many times I've gone down to a dump site in the river, and EYE-BALLED more cool metal objects in a few hours than anyone could ever find with a detector all day!
I have no problem with those who bought expensive models and are simply pleased and want to share why they like it.
The age old argument......The detector versus the individual.
Hands down, it's the individual.
You want see innovation? Watch me out in the plowed field dragging a bar full of magnets, filling up pail after pail of iron.
Not only can I get through the masking but I also get some cool iron that one normally wouldn't unearth.
I've had plenty of opportunities to "Upgrade" but why, when I know my machine so well and it has proven it's capabilities time and time again.
The "beep and dig" club are a bunch of hard working, blue-collar folks who get the job done.
I would want to belong to any other club!