Ctx or etrac!!

[tjbrown1990]

Hello all I am considering an etrac or ctx 3030 and need a little help in my purchase. I mostly hunt for coins at home places and fairgrounds, trashy and not so trashy and deep coins in these areas. I also never hunt in water especially with these more expensive detectors. How do the etrac and ctx compare in seperation with small coils and is the ctx worth the extra money verses performance. I have previously owned a ctx but had to sell it and I loved it but I have never owned a etrac I'm just not wanting to dump that kinda money into it again if the etrac can do the same or is close enough to its performance. Thanks in advance.

 

[roadapple]

Many many people have had the CTX and switched back to the E-Trac so that should give you your answer.

 

[nalc472]

I own the etrac. I think it is a great detector. It is a silver coin sniffer. I also own a F75ltd2. If you are hunting trash infested areas its recovery is super fast under FA processing. I have never owned a CTX but hear good things about it. However, the price difference between the Etrac and CTX might be the deciding factor. If U want $$$ info I know a person who sells all mentioned at amazing prices Send my a PM. I am not a dealer just a detectorist.

 

[daddyflea]

I bought two etracs so that it would be easier to change coils quick. I have not owned the CTX but I don't feel outgunned. I have hunted with a Guy that has one. I find much more than he does but I have much more experience and hunt more often. Just was reminded by this post that I wanted to measure how deep a Coin was when I found it. I marked it on my digger.

OK I found a Penny at 8" in the ground. This means I would have had to detect it at 9" while swinging. This was while using my small Coiltek 10X5 coil. Maybe my Coiltek just happened to match my detector real well and I found this one by sheer luck. But this little coil does an excellent job for me.

 

[IDXMonster]

I've got 2 identical Explorer2's for the same reason! I have one decked out with the x-1 probe and big coil,while the other is the "small coil" machine. Being as that may,I have the opportunity through a recent windfall of my wife's to buy whatever the heck I want. I'm not trying to sound snooty,so don't think that....she offered to get me a CTX or whatever I wanted,but I'm not so sure I want that. I'm getting to know my Explorers really quite well and I think throwing the CTX into the ring is going to cause problems. It is SO imperative to KNOW your machine,I don't want that to be hampered by yet another learning process from the beginning. Like Daddyflea said,he was able to do better than the guy with the CTX because of experience,which simply trumps a lot of stuff. Machines and coils are certainly a factor but it's the driver that needs to be good at operating the equipment.

Speaking of equipment...the CTX rods and coils are EXPENSIVE! I like the eTrac in the regard that coils interchange with what I already have. But then again,I have 2 Explorers,so I'm not sure I need anything...

Good luck getting another machine!

 

[Southwind]

Simple answer is: If you can afford it, go CTX because it is a better detector. The only reason I, and I'll a lot of others, went back to the E-Trac is price. If I had my choice it would be the CTX.

 

[sprchng]

I agree with Southwind.
I have both and continue to use both depending on the whim of the day but the CTX is the better detector.
I still prefer the tones from the etrac , a more pleasant accent for the same language , but the CTX's features , better balance , better ID , better recovery , better ground compensation , all make it the better choice over all.

 

[nalc472]

Would a person who has an e-trac just wait a little longer for a new Minelab model to come out? When was the CTX first introduced?

 

[amberjack]

4 years in may the ctx has been out, with one software upgrade so us ctx owners would hope the money we paid would get us some software up grades before a new FBS2 etc.. machine is released.

which one is better personal choice I would guess, for me after using the ctx the etrac went by by's , doesn't mean I am right or wrong just what worked for me.

so really if a person had access to both for a week think that would give an idea, but there are so many ways to set these machines up that well it could take awhile to make a decision on which one, ctx has more detect options for differing situations.

having said that I set the 5 tone bins and tones near on 4 years ago and haven't changed them no need too but i am still learning what's going on with that little sound shifts and bleeding tones etc like all detectors the ctx has its little quirks that once learnt helps find more goodies, that being said ya still have to stick ya coil over it hear it and dig it, nothing has changed in that area.

they both have good and not so good points, nothing is perfect.

time behind the wheel and thinking about a site etc.. after spending some time in it is as hard to come by as the right detector.

but if its a ID.ing at depth machine for silver you are after either one will do the job

AJ

 

[petew]

Isn't the 3030 even heavier than the etrac?

 

[amberjack]

dead lift it is heavier , balance wise it is better.

AJ