Quiet vs Chatterbox.....any advice on finding a good AND quiet machine?

[marco]

About two years ago I bought the Ace 250 after not having a detector since I was about 14...Im mid 40's now. I had fun with the Ace, no problems...a big pile of clad, but no old silver. A few months ago I upgraded to the ATPro. Seems like a pretty good detector and my pile of clad and a few rings is growing...BUT...I'm getting pretty tired of hearing chatter and chirps pretty much every single swing, no matter where I go...no matter what mode or frequency. Weeding thru the chatter for the repeatable signals is obviously what its all about....when I get a repeatable I double check it with Iron Audio, then see what Ive got. But I just cant help but wonder...is there another brand...or specific model...that will give me a nice, quiet detecting experience...and then ONLY sound off when I hit a target within my Disc settings? Ive read some pretty conflicting statements here about which detector is better for this or that...everyone has preferences. I just want to be able to stop off at an old park after work...swing away for 30-45 minutes, and relax. I can afford a machine in the $500-$700 range...and in that range what I really want is something that gives me the chance to pull some old silver or gold...but not have to listen to a chattering bird in my ear.

 

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[rws51]

You might want to check out the Tesoro Vaquero if you want a nice quiet machine. It is smooth and deep and loves nickels and gold. I got a new Vaquero earlier this summer
and absolutely love it. It amazes me how sensitive it is to tiny deep targets. I think you would be impressed if you could try one out.........HH.

Roger

 

[TabWhisperer]

There are obviously a lot of variables. Soil conditions, the locations you hunt and amount and type of trash, EMI problems are challenging. For some good coin hunting and a quiet experience I have found the Omega quiet (but may have to reduce gain due to EMI). The quietest ones I've used are the G2 or Gold Bug Pro (clones except for rod design). They seem to have little to no trouble with EMI and work very well for coins and have a bias for gold (jewelry). I find many coin dumps and coins on edge with my GB Pro that probably looks like trash to other detectors. I have also found the V3i and Etrac to be very quiet but those are in a different price class and more complicated.

As for your current machine have you tried a smaller coil or reducing the gain? Smaller coils reduce the amount of work the detector is doing and may help you work through the trash more efficiently with respect to falsing.

 

[Sandman]

Jimbog did good with his answer. A smaller coil helps a lot, but reducing sensitivity helps even more. I find the AT Pro still works very well at only half setting on sens.

As for quietness and depth you should try a Sov GT. It runs on 17 frequencies and is extremely stable. I have a Sunray S-1 inline probe mounted on mine. It is like having a 1" coil as it runs off the detectors circuits. Ten inch DD coil and a true all metal mode, Iron mask on/off and many other features. Makes my AT Pro seem like Chinese toy.

http://www.losttreasure.com/content/archives/sovereign-gt

http://www.losttreasure.com/content/archives/minelab-electronics-sovereign

 

[marco]

Thanks for the replies. One thing I have to state again...I do still think this Atpro is a very good detector, however, that doesnt mean it will ultimately be the best one for me. I have read many many posts here where people list 4, 5....even 10 different detectors they have used over the years. That must mean something....people have a hard time sticking with just one and the desire to try other detectors is a strong pull! Of course there is the issue that one detector might really be a better relic or gold prospecting detecor than another, ect...but swing style, weight, and personal tolerance for certain tones seem to play in also. Ive heard many people say they hate the garrett bell tone....I dont mind it at all. But...I guess I do have the desire to try something different...and see if another machine will give me a calmer experience for my detecting style and local conditions.
I dont think I have ever read anything negative about Tesoro performance. I have also read many good things about Minelab old-silver capabilities. I have read a lot about the Omega and have glanced at the G2. Maybe since this is a comparison forum.....Id love to hear more feedback on say....Sovereign vs Tesoro vs newer Fisher and Teknetics for stability, tones, and deep coin ability. Maybe i should start a new thread like that?

 

[TabWhisperer]

Speaking for myself I have been through several detectors based on what I want for personal preferences and the conditions I work in. Detectors I've sold have not necessarily been bad or inferior but just not quite right for me. For another person and hunting conditions they may be perfect. Continue to browse or search the Head To Head Comparisons area for some or the pros and cons of various models you are thinking about. Visit local dealers or hook up with a local club and chew the fat a little. They will probably have information and experience relevent to your local conditions. Remember there is no perfect do all detector.

 

[Keppy]

Visit local dealers or hook up with a local club and chew the fat a little. They will probably have information and experience relevent to your local conditions. Remember there is no perfect do all detector.

Could be he is in a area like mine no clubs close by now.............. But that's ok with me never did care for them like every thing else to much politics in them.............

 

[Keppy]

As for quietness and depth you should try a Sov GT. It runs on 17 frequencies and is extremely stable. I have a Sunray S-1 inline probe mounted on mine. It is like having a 1" coil as it runs off the detectors circuits. Ten inch DD coil and a true all metal mode, Iron mask on/off and many other features.

Well Sandman is right there ...... If you do not want a chatterbox and want a nice quiet detector that is deep That is the Sovereign..........

 

[marco]

Thanks again for the advice. I have to admit I have always secretly lusted after minelabs....not sure why. Some people really dont like them, but they do seem to have the qualities i am looking for. I am curious...what about all the other models? Is there that much of a difference between the knobs-and-tone of a sovereign and any of the other models with a nice big screen for information? I do like seeing numbers along with tones to help me make dig decisions. That said...with the At I do often go by tone sound vs number readout...Iron Disc especially helps. I run with it off...but double check any decent repeatable tone with it...if it grunts...I keep walking.

 

[bigtim1973]

One thing you can try and this has helped me in the passed a few times on different machines, is to take and unwind your cable from the control box all the way to the coil. Then go and get some electrical tape and tape the cable straight to the shaft, starting at the bottom near the coil and going up toward the control housing about 1-1/2 foot or so not coiling it around the shaft but keeping the cable straight in line with the detectors shaft. You do not have to tape it like your never going to take it off but make sure there are enough wraps of electrical tape to make it good and secure with no slack in the cable. Your goal is to make the cable as stationary as you can. Then coil the remaing length of the cable as tight as you can, around the upper part of the detectors rod and get it good and snug before you screw it back into the housing. You may even want to wrap a couple of times around the coiled wire on the shaft with the electrical tape also. What this does is keeps the cable, which is very sensitve to movement from giving falsing chirps and chatter. You would be surprised at how much just tall grass and weeds will make a detector chirp when rubbing against the coil wire while out swinging your machine. Also it will even allow you to run the sensitivity up more too if needed. This worked very good for me on a garrett ace 250 I once had. It was a cheap and easy fix for an annoying problem.

 

[marco]

Thanks for the advice I should try that.
I did learn something today. Part of the problem was that I was simply in a park completely saturated with trash. You could literaly see half a dozen pull tabs and pop tops every few feet...there must be thousands a few inches under. I found a schoolyard...and suddenly...QUIET! Well not completely...but it was a completely different experience. Every repeatable hit was a coin...in 2 hours I didnt see or dig a single pull-tab. No silver...but for once I could really start listening for faint signals. There is one thing that hasnt really gone away though....I almost always get a chirp at the far right and left of each swing.

Several of you suggested I try a Sovereign. I have seen several used on ebay. I am also seeing Explorers for roughly the same price....any of you Minelab guys have feedback on Explorers vs Sovereign?

 

[lookindown]

Did you know some of the early model AT pros had a falsing problem? People complained they falsed at the end of each sweep. I can run mine on 7 bars sens and it makes only 1 or 2 falses an hour. You should call Garrett and talk to them. Many people sent theirs back in and were very happy when they got them back.

 

[CoilFisher]

F-75 is a great detector, BUT I notice it chatters like a gossip-queen if you dont run it at a dime/quarter DISC (=65 VDI).
It seems to want to tell you everything it is noticing but not going to give you that high tone until it hits the coin.
I imagine alot of the digital detectors do this. Still kind of a new thing to me. I kind of like the old way better.

 

[coincutter]

my at is quiet as a mouse and if there is something there it really sounds off

suggest you play with the freak and drop the sensitivity down
sounds like you are over amping it

different soils different responses

i pulled a space rock at ten inches on two bars

maybe i just got lucky and got a perfect one

dont be afraid to do a full reboot - and see if that doesnt help

and, if you dont have the coil wire tight and held in place with velcro that can lead to noise

learn the mxt ( not saying buy one just read the info on the net) and you will be able to run the pro
its a mini knock off with different controls

now i gotta see what that minelab etrac does

not hijacking but i thought Sovereign service was over and the same for many minelabs - i read it here some where
service is a major consideration - if you cant get it fixed its a bummer

after thought - are you very sure you have the connector tightened down as far as it will go??
One loose connection can drive you nuts. Especially when you look at the pin configuration of the system they use. It has to be well seated and clean.
There can be a difference in the way you wrap the staff (left to right or right to left)
do the numbers jump when you arent swinging - thats emi
do you have a propointer turned on with good batteries within 2 foot of the machine? that will do it too.
do you have your digger on the same side of your belt as your swing arm. that will do it
do you have a big metal buckle on your belt? Same.
What you may be hearing is coming through the control box when you have it too high on sensitivity
i went through that bing on the swing stuff too
rearranged my belt and it got real quiet
it picks up alot more than you think
not only below the coil but from above too

try running it naked and see what happens - do that at night

 

[lookindown]

When I first got my AT pro it was falsing when I used it in the water. I taped the coil wire at several places up the shaft and it was like a different machine. I went from running 4 bars sens with falsing, to being able to run 7 bars and quiet as a mouse. I couldnt believe it.

 

[TabWhisperer]

Did you wind the cable the common way and then tape it? Or did you run it straight up, tape it, and wind the excess at the top? I don't have a ATP but it is interesting to see if it might help other machines. Do you think it's low grade cable with inadequate shielding?

When I first got my AT pro it was falsing when I used it in the water. I taped the coil wire at several places up the shaft and it was like a different machine. I went from running 4 bars sens with falsing, to being able to run 7 bars and quiet as a mouse. I couldnt believe it.

 

[lookindown]

Did you wind the cable the common way and then tape it? Or did you run it straight up, tape it, and wind the excess at the top? I don't have a ATP but it is interesting to see if it might help other machines. Do you think it's low grade cable with inadequate shielding?

When I first got my AT pro it was falsing when I used it in the water. I taped the coil wire at several places up the shaft and it was like a different machine. I went from running 4 bars sens with falsing, to being able to run 7 bars and quiet as a mouse. I couldnt believe it.

I wrapped it the common way and then added electrical tape at four spots up the shaft, the first wrap is at three inches above the coil. I dont think its the cable, I think the machine is that sensitive. I found a very thin gold chain the first time I used it with the cable taped tight.

 

[TabWhisperer]

Did you wind the cable the common way and then tape it? Or did you run it straight up, tape it, and wind the excess at the top? I don't have a ATP but it is interesting to see if it might help other machines. Do you think it's low grade cable with inadequate shielding?

When I first got my AT pro it was falsing when I used it in the water. I taped the coil wire at several places up the shaft and it was like a different machine. I went from running 4 bars sens with falsing, to being able to run 7 bars and quiet as a mouse. I couldnt believe it.

I wrapped it the common way and then added electrical tape at four spots up the shaft, the first wrap is at three inches above the coil. I dont think its the cable, I think the machine is that sensitive. I found a very thin gold chain the first time I used it with the cable taped tight.

Thanks. I normally velcro that same way on all of my detectors. Actually on one I used self-adhesive velcro at a few spots to keep it from sliding around. But if you do that you have to make sure it isn't placed where it might inhibit the rod movement. Now that I've said that I need to get busy on all of them with that setup.

 

[marco]

Thanks for all the replies and tips. After a few more weeks out there I have learned a few things. Pro mode in coins in a very trashy park is just going to be a bit noisy. There's a lot of crap down there and the junk gives of sputtery chirps. If I want to keep the mids in there for gold...I just have to listen for the solid tones, high or low..that dont have that static-sounding sputter. For the most part...good solid tones have been good targets. I have disc'd out all the way to dimes and sure the chatter reduces...and I have dropped the sensitivity to 2 bars and that helps also...but I dont want to miss that first gold ring! I also found that at the beach and tot lots...properly balanced...the machine quiets WAY down. So I think it really is just the high trash environments and tons of bad sounding targets. As I also mentioned...pro mode is noisier...when I go into standard mode its also quieter regardless of environment...but I want to learn pro mode..so therefore I will just learn to ignore the trashy sounds and concentrate on those sweeter targets that stand out.
This could probably be a new post....but are there any minelab 705 owners who switched from AT to 705 and liked the 705 better?

 

[underarock]

Did you know some of the early model AT pros had a falsing problem? People complained they falsed at the end of each sweep. I can run mine on 7 bars sens and it makes only 1 or 2 falses an hour. You should call Garrett and talk to them. Many people sent theirs back in and were very happy when they got them back.

This is true but I don't like that garrett put out an iffy product knowingly just to meet there own needs… good customer service or not i'd rather have a solid machine from jump street. You shouldn't have to pay a company to be their product tester.