Thinking about the Explorer XS

[silvereagle78]

I would like to get another detector to either be a back up or my main. I have used Whites my entire life and would like to try something different. I don't have alot of money to spend so I obviously will buy used. I have been looking at the Explorer XS. The reviews I have read are confusing. I understand the machine is difficult to use but does it really work well? I would like something that is can multitask ie: nuggets, beach, relic, and coin hunting. However the primary use will be coin hunting in high iron/junk soil. Is this the detector for me? Or would you reccomend something else? Thanks

 

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[stasys]

hello. buy xs or II try it, its not so expensive.after all, you can always sell it again

 

[Iron Patch]

Great detector but if it's only as a back up and will get limited use, don't bother. You'll never understand it well enough to get the benefit the regular users do, and talk about. I would only buy one going into it thinking it would be my main unit, and used as such. The problem is if you try and split the time you'll use it like a Whites and not be happy because XLT, DFX, MXT etc. lessons do not apply.

PS... Explorer II is a better choice. (updated XS)

 

[dogcaught]

It would be great if they built a machine that truly excelled in all areas. Unfortunately most multi-purpose machines don't really excel in any categories compared to the dedicated machines. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having success nugget hunting with an Explorer but I could be wrong. The Explorer series are a leading contender in all other categories. I guarantee an Explorer would make all your old, pounded coin hunting spots new again. You may also want to consider a ML Sovereign, ML X-terra series, or MXT if you're after a multi-purpose machine. JJ

 

[silvereagle78]

I definitley appriciate the comments. I think I will take my time and look into purchasing the Explorer II, now, if I can fit it into my price range. I guess it is time for a new main unit even though my Whites has been so reliable. I think it is good to have two detectors that are totally different and hopefully it will make my old spots new again. Thanks!

 

[Trashpicker]

I agree with the others...if you buy a Minelab and dont plan on using it all the time, you will evenutally leave it in the closet and use the whites or fisher...The Explorer has a very steep learning curve and alot of people have them but dont use them because of that. When I bought my first ever detector it was a Minelab Explorer xs. My hunting friends thought I was nuts and told me to try their whites and fisher machines. i made a decision to not touch another detector until I learned the Exp. and it has been 6 years and this is the only machine i will use. I have gone to the II a couple of years ago, but still have the XS as a stand by. I have gotten to the point that I will hunt rusty can areas of NM ghost towns and find things others will not because they cannot deal with the iron and trash. I think the detector is superior in that area, others think different, but everybody has their opinions. The proof is in what you find and the area it is found in. When people tell me they are going to buy a Minelab, I tell them there are others that are way easier to use and learn and if they are not willing to work hard to learn it, dont waste their money. they will just get frustrated and end up talking bad about a very good, but hard to learn detector. It is mostly information overload with the minelab and that is the major problem with them....until you learn it.
So......that is probably more than you wanted to know and this is just my opinion. All I hunt is ghost towns, and old trash dumps. I have done very well, and I am not worried about areas that are "hunted out", because I still find good things there. Check a couple of my posts, there are some photos of my recent finds....
Thanks for looking and good luck hunting
Trashpicker

 

[Keppy]

It would be great if they built a machine that truly excelled in all areas. Unfortunately most multi-purpose machines don't really excel in any categories compared to the dedicated machines. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having success nugget hunting with an Explorer but I could be wrong. The Explorer series are a leading contender in all other categories. I guarantee an Explorer would make all your old, pounded coin hunting spots new again. You may also want to consider a ML Sovereign, ML X-terra series, or MXT if you're after a multi-purpose machine. JJ

You put the Sovereign as a multi purpose detector it is not... It is a ...... dedicated Jewelry and Coin.... detector the GT stands for Gold jewelry not nuggets and the t for treasure . You don't have to take my word for it call or email Minelab and they will tell you the same thing i just told you.It is not a gold nugget detector.. But it is the best beach and inland detector you can buy..........AND THE SOVEREIGN IS JUST ABOUT TURN ON AND GO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A YEAR TO LEARN HOW TO USE IT...

 

[dogcaught]

It would be great if they built a machine that truly excelled in all areas. Unfortunately most multi-purpose machines don't really excel in any categories compared to the dedicated machines. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having success nugget hunting with an Explorer but I could be wrong. The Explorer series are a leading contender in all other categories. I guarantee an Explorer would make all your old, pounded coin hunting spots new again. You may also want to consider a ML Sovereign, ML X-terra series, or MXT if you're after a multi-purpose machine. JJ

You put the Sovereign as a multi purpose detector it is not... It is a ...... dedicated Jewelry and Coin.... detector the GT stands for Gold jewelry not nuggets and the t for treasure . You don't have to take my word for it call or email Minelab and they will tell you the same thing i just told you.It is not a gold nugget detector.. But it is the best beach and inland detector you can buy..........AND THE SOVEREIGN IS JUST ABOUT TURN ON AND GO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A YEAR TO LEARN HOW TO USE IT...

Sorry to insult your Sov's intentions but it is kind of funny how a die-hard Sov user like yourself is CLUELESS to your own machines capabilities. No, it is not the first choice of many prospectors, but its not really hard to find evidence to support the Sov's prospecting abilities as I have read about people using them to prospect for years. Good luck finding someone using an explorer to prospect with. SilverEagle is looking for a machine that can do it all and the Sov is just that. Don't be a D!@K, your machine is good. No one is insulting you or your machine. JJ

http://metaldetectorreviews.net/detectors/162-1-minelabsovereigngt.html
"Alan Jagger in Riverside ca - best
The Minelab Soverign Gt is now my main detector after using all of the top detectors up to 2008. I've been detecting and prospecting since 1973 and with this detector I've found everything including gold nuggets. This detector is great for coins,jewelry and prospecting, it makes many other detectors feel like toys.

I really like the great sounding tones and incredible sensitivity, with the ability to add the 18" excelerator coil for searches up to 24 inches. Wow!

The sun-ray Digital display and having the BBS-Broad Band Spectrum while most detectors operate at a single frequency the Sov Gt operates at 1.5hz up to 25.5hz, this allows for greater depth and sensitivity but being able to add that awesome 18inch coil along with the multi Frequencies makes for one very powerful detector that just can't be beat for this price range..

Nov 07, 2008"

 

[Keppy]

You can find gold nuggets with any detector even a garrett ace 250

 

[dogcaught]

You can find gold nuggets with any detector even a garrett ace 250

That's all you got? Really?

 

[extractor]

Hi silvereagle78, Dude ya started a good topic.. Pm me if ya want to try my MXT.

 

[Keppy]

You can find gold nuggets with any detector even a garrett ace 250

RThat's all you got?eally?

That is it unless you want to spend all night arguing but i have better things to do like count my silver & gold !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kando]

I am with you keppy you know what your talking about like your attitude >< ><> >< <>

 

[Iron Patch]

I definitley appriciate the comments. I think I will take my time and look into purchasing the Explorer II, now, if I can fit it into my price range. I guess it is time for a new main unit even though my Whites has been so reliable. I think it is good to have two detectors that are totally different and hopefully it will make my old spots new again. Thanks!

When I bought my first explorer in 2000 there was probably not another user in several hundred miles, so it was up to myself to figure it out. I was going from a GTI 1500 which was fairly different, and I did buy the explorer with the intentions of it being my main unit, being better, if I didn't think that I wouldn't have spent the money. (Cost me then what an E-trac cost now!) I was very frustrated the first few hunts, but that's because I just cranked the sense and went out to my fields to dig all the super deep stuff my Garrett had missed, of course it doesn't work that way. I'd say the pinpointing was the most frustrating being my first experience using a DD coil, but in time that it started to get better. The depth, hitting targets on edge, and avoiding iron was so much better than my GTI I knew even if it took some time it was going to be a better detector for the old sites I hunt. Maybe you'll also see an advantage or two like I did which will motivate you to keep using it.

PS... You always hear about the learning curve and people always make the mistake either saying or thinking it's about settings and programs... It's not! The Explorer is no different, you just use as high a sense, and low disc. you can tolerate with it making sense. The learning curve is getting used to the sounds, and how targets in iron sound with the null. Basically the same thing you would have to know for any detector you've never used before. Also, your game somewhat changes from chase em fast, to sneak up on em. Other than that it's still just detecting.

 

[Keppy]

Iron Patch........... I know when you talk about the minelabs you do know what you are talking about. I know when some one puts up a topic like this i am going to see that ....SUPER MINELAB SUIT....keep up the input you know about Minelabs.......... I see some come on here and say it will take you 6 months or a year to learn the Explorer and i even seen some say it would take that amount of time to learn the Sovereign. I bet i knew all my Sovereign could do in 2 days it is what you make it to be .If you want to take a long time to learn like every one tells you it will take you a long time . If you say i am going to learn this thing fast and really want to you will.................

 

[relic lover]

Had mine 2 weeks love it already. made great finds first trip out!

 

[Keppy]

Had mine 2 weeks love it already. made great finds first trip out!

Nice finds are you down by Pittsburg or up by Erie?

 

[dogcaught]

You can find gold nuggets with any detector even a garrett ace 250

RThat's all you got?eally?

That is it unless you want to spend all night arguing but i have better things to do like count my silver & gold !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keppy, I seriously wasn't trying to argue with you or insult you. You undoubtedly have a great machine and you know it well. I have little time on a Sov, but some. The only point I was trying to make is that the Sov is also a known and proven prospecting machine. Don't really care what the GT stands for or what minelab swears it can't do. In the right hands I believe it would be a better machine than the x-terras or the MXT in all catagories. JJ

 

[lastleg]

I would like to see some photos of sub-surface gold nuggets actually found
with (1) Sovereign
(2) Explorer
(2) Ace 250

I bought the first Explorer on the advise from a well respected dealer who said
a couple of California nugget hunters had found nuggets with the new Explorer.
My buddy got one too and we took them to Arizona goldfields in proven ground. No nuggets. We didn't do proper research. Photos please?

lastleg

 

[Iron Patch]

I would like to see some photos of sub-surface gold nuggets actually found
with (1) Sovereign
(2) Explorer
(2) Ace 250

I bought the first Explorer on the advise from a well respected dealer who said
a couple of California nugget hunters had found nuggets with the new Explorer.
My buddy got one too and we took them to Arizona goldfields in proven ground. No nuggets. We didn't do proper research. Photos please?

lastleg

Can't imagine you'll get too many replies because anyone serious about nuggets I doubt is using any of the above detectors which would only find bigger nuggets. (big still meaning still fairly small, I don't know if there's a gold term when smaller than a nugget) I'm not sure how gold compares to lead for conductivity, but I do find very small pieces of lead with the explorer, and that's using a little discrimination. Im guessing you'd need a good gold detector to get any type of depth as well. Will be interesting to see if anyone has some pictures, but as I said if I'm serious about gold .... it's all gold, big and small, and I'm investing in something made to find it. Lastly, I don't think someone posting a big nugget really means much, any detector would probably hit it.

PS... I'm about as far as you can be from a gold hunter if you seen the pathetic amount I've found in ten years. It's just not where I hunt (in any form)