Detector "A" vs "B"

[Normx2]

Usually proves to be a personal preference in the choice of a detector. I've yet to come across a signal that most any other brand of detector would not also sound off on so what's the deciding factor?

Color? Weight? Accessories? Style? Brand loyalty? Screen? Beeper? Water? Gold? Price?

Sure, all of the above can be reasons to make a choice but it's important to remember that a signal from a $2500 dollar machine can likely be heard with a $200 dollar machine as well. So, I believe "personal preference" really rules the day

 

[Hoser John]

Ground balancing capabilities are #1 as that's where it matters who and what. Gold especially. Beach/park etc the discrimination and still gb reign supreme in that situation-John

 

[doc holiday232]

"my Daddy can whip your Daddy"??

 

[Normx2]

Pretty much what it amounts to

 

[Trashfinder]

Actually i have seen this very often, i test a lot of detectors , i had 12 up to last month i am down to 6 now. Now take a target and place it in a clean spot and yes a properly set up detector can find the target. Mix iron , or even a piece of can slaw or pulltab in the same plug in close proximity to the target and things really start to happen and separate the dads. But i also hunt some of the trashiest spots around cause it is easier for me to gain permissions there. I drool when i get a chance to get in a clean older yard!

 

[Dave_E]

That may be true when clad stabbing or tot lotting, but I agree with Trashfinder.

For one example, masked targets are a whole different ball game. Take a coin and lay it next to a rusty chunk of iron and run your detector over it.

Some simply can not detect the coin, but some can with ease.

Look up Tom Dankowski’s article on target masking. Some folks worry about detection depth because they have to on their sites.

My best sites are riddled with trash so recovery speed and target separation are the most important detector features to me.

Some folks need a semi truck for work, some need a pickup, and some need an economy car that gets 40mpg.
Regardless of the users driving preferences, those tools serve completely different functions.
One could indeed use a semi to deliver pizzas, but if they pretend it’s as efficient as using a car......

 

[vlad]

If you had a coin garden you can easily find big differences, such as recovery speed in a detector in an iron saturated environment. Or even conductive targets in proximity.
Monte's nail test can demonstrate this, and there are many other good comparisons on youtube. Some units are very good on bottlecaps, others are not.
Compare some of the units like a Red Racer, Deus or a Deep Tech against some 2 or 3 frequency detectors in iron-the results are startling and hard to dispute. Yet some units that are great in iron
would not be a good choice in more open areas where targets are often so deep they are at the edge of detection. And hunting wet salt is another area that can really separate detectors in performance.
I've used & sold detectors since the 1970's and can speak from experience. Before you make such an easily disputed blanket statement, get some experience.
(You ever hear of a Compass Yukon 77B, a 100kHz TR and seen what it can do in nails?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXxhIVZIrpg

 

[vlad]

Trashy sites need different detectors (and loops)-every situation can have a major effect on a unit; and while some may perform to a certain extent, other detectors can stand head and shoulders above.
Often average performance will find you goodies, but a unit specialized for a situation will reward you far better: its all about the ratio of treasure to trash.
And there are few more knowlegable, or dedicated (or nicer) detectorists than Tom, and he answers emails too.