What is the best metal detector ?

[50cent]

I'm going to buy a good metal detector, recommendations, or suggestions as to which may be the "best" ? I hate adding a budget, because it makes people think about what they are going to suggest. Any budget, but I would like to keep it under $1000 (unless there is something that definitely worth the price).

 

[HobbyMan]

Let me explain why by my opinion the XP DEUS is the best all around metal detector:

1. Definitely this is the fastest detector with the best target separation. No competition in heavy iron infested sites at all.
2. It is very deep especially with the big coil, it is deeper then the E-Trac. With the stock coil the detection depth is close, or the same as the E-Trac with the 11' PRO COIL.
3. It is very sensitive to small targets - I personally can detect a 0.2 gram gold nugget at 4-5 inches in the air. So it can be used for gold prospecting.
4. Very ergonomic and compact - you can unfold it for 5 seconds.
5. 10 factory programs - for speed, for depth, for beach (wet, or dry), for gold, several all metal modes, pinpoint, motion, or no-motion - everything that you need.
6. Many settings and adjustments - several speed levels, three TX power levels, several ground balance options, four frequencies, multi notch, so many audio options ... so many adjustment, that no one detector has.
7. Fully wireless - you are free to work only with the headphones, or only with the remote station, or both.
8. A nice LCD display with all the information you need - ground mineralization tracking index, analogue and digital target ID, signal strength, battery level and so on ...
9. Very easy and intuitive navigation in the menu and many many expert settings for almost everything that you can imagine.
10. You can update the software directly from the XP metal detectors web site!!!

Of course there is some cons:
- Short battery life - about 8-12 hours of the coil and 20-24 of the remote station.
- You need an authorized service to change the li-po batteries, but they should survive 300-400 cycles and still keep 80% of the capacity.
- The coil can not transmit under the water, you need a special additional accessory for this
- You should be careful with the coil. All the important electronic is inside, so it is expensive and can not be treated to hard. Of course it is waterproof.

You can check my XP DEUS short videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfckIpI9GcPj_9t9M2WpUFA

 

[tcornel]

If you do not have a detector just get an AT Pro to start and buy the small DD coil. You'll spend perhaps 700. If you need something more then sell it and buy something different. Or keep it as a backup. You may find that it fills your need just fine. There is a reason it is the best selling one in today's market.

No matter what invest in a good pinpointer such as the propointer or pistol probe. It makes the hobby much more enjoyable.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

....When you figure this out...Can someone tell me What is the Best car?...lol

 

[HobbyMan]

....When you figure this out...Can someone tell me What is the Best car?...lol

This is very very hard to say, because the technology in the car industry is on very high level in many companies.

In the metal detectors industry is much easier - the most technological detector, categorically is the DEUS.
Do you know how we say on the DEUS in Europe? - "The Minelab Killer"

 

[kshollywood]

Buy the detector you want, do not complain until you have 100 hours on it, period. If anyone on here hasn't used their machine at least 100 then don't tell people to buy your machine. It takes on average 100 hours to learn a machine, then you can come on here and tell people what to buy.

 

[MetalDetectorDude]

The Etrac is a solid performing detector, no doubt. One of the best performers out there. However, in my experience (which has been a lot), it's the most uncomfortable detector I ever swung. The ergonomics of the machine is awful. I tend to have to take my elbow OUT of the cuff and nestle it along side the cuff to make it more usable/comfortable. That was a huge disappointment for me.

BTW - I'm average height (5'10).

 

[Fletch88]

The Etrac is a solid performing detector, no doubt. One of the best performers out there. However, in my experience (which has been a lot), it's the most uncomfortable detector I ever swung. The ergonomics of the machine is awful. I tend to have to take my elbow OUT of the cuff and nestle it along side the cuff to make it more usable/comfortable. That was a huge disappointment for me. BTW - I'm average height (5'10).

I would agree that the Etrac has terrible balance. The CTX is perfectly balanced and easier to swing for longer periods of time even though it's just slightly heavier.

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

I'm going to buy a good metal detector, recommendations, or suggestions as to which may be the "best" ? I hate adding a budget, because it makes people think about what they are going to suggest. Any budget, but I would like to keep it under $1000 (unless there is something that definitely worth the price).

Hey Four Bits,

Here is the deal on any leading manufacture's equipment. Whether it's a metal detector, fishing reel, or even a vehicle. All leading manufacturer's steal each other's technology. If one manufacture comes up with a new and improved anything, other then a gimmick, you can bet your ass other manufactures are first in line to acquire that new product. Their engineering department will take it apart to see if their competition actually came up with something worthwhile they can use on their next latest and greatest product.
So, in the end, the latest and greatest has a very short life cycle. So why does one manufacture sells more units then others? It all boils down to their Marketing Department, Reputation, and who can give the consumer the most features at a specific price point. .

And that's the name of that tune

 

[atomicscott]

Hey Four Bits,

Here is the deal on any leading manufacture's equipment. Whether it's a metal detector, fishing reel, or even a vehicle. All leading manufacturer's steal each other's technology. If one manufacture comes up with a new and improved anything, other then a gimmick, you can bet your ass other manufactures are first in line to acquire that new product. Their engineering department will take it apart to see if their competition actually came up with something worthwhile they can use on their next latest and greatest product.
So, in the end, the latest and greatest has a very short life cycle. So why does one manufacture sells more units then others? It all boils down to their Marketing Department, Reputation, and who can give the consumer the most features at a specific price point. .

And that's the name of that tune

Not necessarily true, ever hear of Tesoro? They dont seem to be stealing anyones technology! lol. Oh, and you can take that to the bank freddie!

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

Not necessarily true, ever hear of Tesoro? They dont seem to be stealing anyones technology! lol. Oh, and you can take that to the bank freddie!

Okay, Tesoro must be exempt, yeah right!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hey Four Bits,

Here is the deal on any leading manufacture's equipment. Whether it's a metal detector, fishing reel, or even a vehicle. All leading manufacturer's steal each other's technology. If one manufacture comes up with a new and improved anything, other then a gimmick, you can bet your ass other manufactures are first in line to acquire that new product. Their engineering department will take it apart to see if their competition actually came up with something worthwhile they can use on their next latest and greatest product.
So, in the end, the latest and greatest has a very short life cycle. So why does one manufacture sells more units then others? It all boils down to their Marketing Department, Reputation, and who can give the consumer the most features at a specific price point. .

And that's the name of that tune

If there is a patent on the technology you cant steal it, if it isn't patent it is open for anyone to use...

They are not stealing the technology when a technology has a patent, they pay for the right to use the technology, for years if you looked at a Beach Hunter ID, it listed Minelab's patent for multi-freq. I know this is true because I owned a BH ID and read Minelab's name and the patent number right on my Beach Hunter ID, this was before i bought my first excal. I posted a thread on it here back in early 2007...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[MetalDetectorDude]

I would agree that the Etrac has terrible balance. The CTX is perfectly balanced and easier to swing for longer periods of time even though it's just slightly heavier.

I would purchase a CTX3030 but I feel Minelab wants far too much money for it. Granted, I hear nothing but great things about it, but I know it's not2x better than some detectors in the $1200 range. I'm not bashing it, I think it's probably the best performer out there, but the cost can't be justified, for me anyway.

I have my sites set on an MTX Pro. A solid detector that has a history of producing great finds and being a quality machine.

 

[Fletch88]

I would purchase a CTX3030 but I feel Minelab wants far too much money for it. Granted, I hear nothing but great things about it, but I know it's not2x better than some detectors in the $1200 range. I'm not bashing it, I think it's probably the best performer out there, but the cost can't be justified, for me anyway. I have my sites set on an MTX Pro. A solid detector that has a history of producing great finds and being a quality machine.

After only having the CTX a couple weeks I feel it is worth 2X the $$$. The target trace and GPS (a feature I thought I would never use) are worth the money alone. It is faster and deeper than Etrac and I'm not sure I'll ever use my Excal at the beach again unless I'm strictly wanting to water hunt in rough surf. I don't have any experience with the MXT Pro so I can't comment, but for me, salt water hunting 1/2 the time, FBS 2 technology of ML is worth its weight in gold! Good luck and HH!

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

If there is a patent on the technology you cant steal it, if it isn't patent it is open for anyone to use...

They are not stealing the technology when a technology has a patent, they pay for the right to use the technology, for years if you looked at a Beach Hunter ID, it listed Minelab's patent for multi-freq. I know this is true because I owned a BH ID and read Minelab's name and the patent number right on my Beach Hunter ID, this was before i bought my first excal. I posted a thread on it here back in early 2007...


Happy Saturday TH...

You right, the rights to some patents can be purchased by the patent holder. Patents can also be infringed upon legally by just changing certain elements of the technology and usually the change is better then the original patent. Take Apple vs Samsung for example, they both have pretty much the same features and the patent wars continue.

 

[Jeramy_Pal12]

I HATE BUDGET ,TOO. ONLINE SHOPPING IS MY FAVIRITE METHORD.I ALWAYS SCANNING ON (removed by mod, not a supporting vendor)

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I HATE BUDGET ,TOO. ONLINE SHOPPING IS MY FAVIRITE METHORD.I ALWAYS SCANNING ON (removed by mod, not a supporting vendor)

Jeramy stop spamming that detector website, they are not a supporting vendor...

 

[sirusramse]

There is no such thing as a "Best metal detector ever".
It is all relevant to the use and purpose. And above all to personal preference. In my view the best ever digital detector is the CTX3030 and the best ever analogue detector is the Nexus Standard MkII and yet those are two completely different things.

 

[petey1231]

At pro is better than at gold - better in iron by far - I now use the ctx 3030 which is nice but I hear the deus with 11 inch coil is very good - but the ctx is waterproof as is the at pro I used to own

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I glad to see this is an old post.....These threads have to be the most annoying ones I see on here

 

[mouseman60]

According to mine lab the explore II came out in 2003 and is no longer in production.