SHOULD I UPGRADE TO A Minelab Explorer XS???

[MONTCOPATIM]

Hi. I was thinking of purchasing Minelab Explorer XS and I am pretty new to the game. Unfortunately, I bought a fairly cheap first metal detector and have outgrown it very quickly. I am shopping for a new one and was thinking of a Minelab Explorer XS. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

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[taropatch]

I'm a so new to the hobby that I don't even own a metal detector, but I've done a fair amount of research in the last couple of weeks. The word on this machine is it's a "little on the heavy side" and there is a "tough learning curve".
Spoke to a dealer and he verified what I found, but the XS is a very good detector. Check out the Excalibur II.

But don't take my word for it read a few reviews yourself:

http://metaldetectorreviews.net/

What kind of machine do you currently own now?

 

[Jeff of NH]

Go for the Explorer SE

 

[Tin Nugget]

If you truly have the patience to learn it (unlike me) so as to get the full potential out of it then you should get it. That's not just an upgrade, that's a pretty good leap. The rewards will be worth it.

 

[johnnycat]

Tin Nugget said it all. I started with a XLT, went to an Explorer and finally settled on an MXT. The MXT is noisy but it fills my expectations and the real learning curve (for me) was about two months. After almost 2 years I have truly learned what the machine is telling me when it sounds off. I have to admit that I have really applied myself the last year and couldn't be happier. Anyway...I found the Explorer a bit heavy and lots to learn. The Explorer is a good machine. The question is...How much are you willing to accept the learning curve?

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

I say go for the XS. It's nowhere near as hard as people make the Explorers out to be. Let's face it, some people are stuck on one method. The Explorer is like learning to detect in a different method. Like any other detector, give yourself a month to learn it and even more months to get good with it. If you're going to buy it and expect to be proficient in three or four days, forget about it. Remember the saying, anything worthwile does not come easy, but that is not to say this comes hard, and learning an Explorer is worth it. The ONLY thing I say is a bit hard and takes time to learn on the XS is Pin Pointing. Weight? What weight. I swing that thing for hours non stop without the strap. You go figure. The first week you'll be taking a little rest here and there. After that it starts feeling lighter. Give the XS a chance. I'm willing to bet once it shows you what it can do, you will not look back. You'll probably be looking forward to getting a II or SE.

Ricardo

 

[MONTCOPATIM]

thanks for the advice

 

[mastereagle22]

If you can find the Explorer II I would say get it. It is slightly newer than the XS but not as expensive as the SE. I think the EX II is an awesome machine.

 

[EasyMoney]

That's not an upgrade, it's more like a bad headache that you had to pay for.

My cz-70 beats ALL Explorers (so does the cz-7) for depth in bad soil, and so does my Sovereign by about 1/2", and so does my Compass R&C by 1", and in mild soil the Tejon beats and Explorer like it's a red-headed stepchild, by a whole 2".

Why not get something really good, like an Infinium or an F-75? Someting that you can run fast or slow. An Infinium or F-75 goes really deep and doesn't cancel so much stuff when operating them too fast? Even though the Infinium likes iron a bit, it beats almost anything anywhere on black sand/ salt beaches for coins and jewelry depth. The F-75 beats the Explorer for depth too and certainly discriminates better when run fast.

The MXT would be a good nugget hunter or relic hunter but it's 950 coil LOVES hot rocks. The DFX does too, but with a different coil it would be a better bet over an Explorer too, unless of course you like to carry around a heavy dinosaur that you like to run real s-l-o-w-l-y.

I won't mention any names, but at White's main factory I was told that a Nautilus beats the MXT and the DFX for depth. They seem to think it is the deepest VLF made in America. That could be.

 

[MONTCOPATIM]

So, I guess an SE wouldn't make a difference either?

 

[EasyMoney]

I think you need to test drive a few detectors before making a decision. These forums are mostly for chit-chat. You wouldn't buy a car without test driving it first, would you?

Go check out a few. Check out a lot of them, and remember that every detector is different than it's clone or twin brother.

I will say this just to clerify that statement. When I put one DFX or one MXT or one GMT or one of any other detector against another one the exact same model there is NEVER the same performance coming out two identical ones working side-by-side, no matter which ones I check. No matter which brand I test.

Everybody needs to try at least two of the same detector if at all possible before buying. We old guys know this too, or we should by now.

BTW, the reason I bought my Sovereign is because it went deeper than any Explorer I tested. No other reason.

 

[Caleb in TN]

I have an Explorer 2, Have previously run ALL the new and old whites and the tesoros and thay are great machines. The explorer does have more to learn than others, but it is one of the hottest machines you can buy.
On the explorer anything you think is a good signal no matter where it hits on the meter or anything that will hit at more than one angle is a must to dig. The machine is a slow learner but it is excellent.
You will really learn to love this machine when you goto hunted out sites and bring home the good stuff everyone else missed. The key to this machine especally in trashy areas is to SLOOOWWW down.
At a slower speed you miss nothing. This Macine is not for everyone, but it is awesome.
The new SE is also supposed to be alot faster than the older ones.