You can't go wrong with any of the Sovereigns....
Here is an old post on the differences in the Sovereigns. they added a hot link for the Sovereign GT, but the link is broke.
***THE BASICS*** (
http://www.geocities.com/sovereignmods/index.html)
The Minelab Sovereign was introduced over 10 years ago but remains one of the most powerful detectors available .With its BBS 17 FREQUENCY TECHNOLOGY & DOUBLE D COILS its a serious detecting weapon. Over the years a few changes have been made to the Sovereign . Ill try to describe some of the differences. But most everyone agrees , any of them will get the job done..
Sovereign This model is known as the original. It differs from the newer models by being the only Sovereign with a switch to turn iron mask off & on. It has a battery with a plug in connector .. Some say this is the deepest seeking Sovereign when used with the iron mask turned off. This Detector came with the solid , white Coinsearch Coil that remains a favorite of many Sovereign Owners yet today.The Coinsearch coil is NOT waterproof.
Sovereign XS The XS was the next Sovereign. The big difference between this XS & the original is the lack of the iron mask switch. It is always in iron mask mode. It also uses the plug in battery & came with the same 8" Coinsearch coil as the original. At some point during the XS production a RF shield was added to help keep the unit from picking up unwanted interference.
Sovereign XS2 Pro The XS2 Pro used a new drop in battery & came with the new 8" or 10" black BBS coils.These coils are waterproof.
Sovereign XS2A Pro The XS2A Pro is the same as the XS2 Pro except for the addition of a tone switch to select the multiple tones for which the Sovereign is know for or the fixed tone mode which makes the Sovereign give the same tone for any target. Some people , mostly beach hunter prefer this mode because they dig everything anyway. Most Sovereign users find this switch worthless.
The Sovereign Elite It has a new streamlined case & mount like the Advantage, a new nimh battery system that eliminates the somewhat troublesome battery door used on all previous models. It has a 2 position noise cancel switch that may help some & has a lighter coil mounted on a 2 piece shaft . The same old 550 meter is used with a new decal ,still no remote all metal switch & due the new battery & mount system it is even heavier than the old style. The only features that appeal to me are the lighter coil & the spiffy arm rest ..The only reason I could see for buying one is the noise cancel , I like the old lightweight V-clip system , SR has the battery situation covered & you can buy at least 2 nice used XS models or 1 & a gob of accessories for what the Elite will cost you. If you don't need the noise cancel & the need to have the latest model of every gadget you own ,stick with the old model..
On the GT I like having the advantage of turning the iron mask on and off if I want to and I also like the silent search mode. I dont use it all the time, but I do use it at times. I set a good threshold tone, then switch to silent mode.
At the beach depending on the conditions and how many targets I am running into I wiill use the all metal mode with the 15 inch WOT coiil which makes it a deep hunter, then I switch to disc when I find a target to see if it is a good target.....
