Etrac vs Safari

[Southwind]

I am not wrong and how dare you Southwind. Also,

How dare I not agree with you? No one has said you're lying, and frankly claiming such does nothing to support your stance.

Depth can be measured in many ways, not just your narrow view of the magnetic field. Thats is nothing more than one way that depth can vary depending on the detector. As already has been suggested, in a trashy environment as faster processor has everything to do with depth ability. In really bad soil a detector (A) may only get a few inches if it doesn't handle bad soil well, while detector(B), designed to handle bad soil, may get 4-5" more inches. Is it fair to claim Detector(B) has better depth? You may well be completely wrong. Detector(B) may well not get good depth at all in another condition compared to Detector(A).

I find it a bit odd that you choose to believe all these people who have tried both and say they believe the ET gets better depth are wrong, and that people are spending $400 more for a detector that is no better.

 

[jspeedy]

Southwind , you really have not read a thing I wrote. Magnetic fields have nothing to do with ones view. And I am done with your unfriendliness.

 

[kered]

jspeedy, the Etrac is superior to the Safari end of story, like it or not and BTW thanks for the VLF explanation, pity were talking FBS here

Doesn't matter how big or powerfull the magnetic field is if you can't handle the returning info in good time it is lost, Deep targets take longer for the signal to return(microseconds) and register, therfore with a faster procesor more data can be handled quicker and hence the deeper signals in the que will not be missed. By slowing down your swing you are in efect giving the processor more time to process the signal and the deeper signals will be found, swing fast and they will be lost as a null or greatly delayed. Hence a faster processor helps depth in the sense that the signal gets processed rather than lost

 

[jbow]

I notice that people ask about depth on every forum and about every detector. Frankly, I don't think that depth is a major concern when comparing any detector that isn't an entry level model. Most decent detectors will get all the depth that most people will ever need.

The real question is how is the seperation? How well will it unmask targets? Will it give you a hint that there is something good mixed in there with the trash and iron? Most will give you a good TID on a good target that isn't masked by trash or iron... and that is where the difference lies. Plus, there is the human factor involved in using the detector so much that it is like an extension of your arm and brain. I think there are some people who can out hunt many people using their 15- 20 year old machine because they know everything it does. I know people who can swing a Tejon and find minnieballs well over 12" deep that I cannot hear. There are people who use a Sovereign who can dig really deep targets that I would never notice using the same machine, with the same settings, and swinging at the same speed.

In my opinion, when you get over 8" deep on a lot of targets, most of what a detector tells a new user goes out the window. However, experience with most any good detector will make good finds not only deep but shallow. I find many good targets in the 4" range that have had a coil passed over them more than once but were left in the ground because the detector wasn't understood or the user was just digging targets that had a high probibility of being good according to the TID/VDI and tone... I love "hunted out" sites. There are always some really good targets there.

Most places that are worth hunting are so because of extended human acticity... which means many times more trash and iron than coins and buttons and other goodies. All this trash and iron makes the issue of depth a non issue until the junk that is masking the goodies is removed or until someone comes along who knows their machine so well that they can hear the little hints of that their machine gives of a good target in the trash.

If depth is the issue just buy a PI detector and dig everything or maybe a Tejon and run it in all metal VCO... or a SovereignGT and run it in all metal pinpoint... you'll dig deep but you'll also spend most of your energy digging and toting around iron and trash.

Depth is not the issue... seperation, unmasking, and TID is much more important and the E-TRAC is unparalled in this respect... plus it will go DEEP, like most other good machines if you are willing to deal with some falsing and noise. You can get depth without becoming unstable but you can usually get deeper with unstability BUT... until you really know your machine, running it on the edge of insanity will be unproductive because you wont know the falses and chatter from the good things the machine is telling you.

anyway....

Julien

 

[MXTerer]

n/t

 

[jspeedy]

Ok, one more time the E-Trac is a more advanced machine. It has a separation superior to the Safari and I never contested that fact. YES THE E-TRAC IS A BETTER MACHINE WHEN IT COME TO SEPARATION. KERED and JBOW your explanations are excellent but VLF and FBS are the same thing. The coil does not see a difference between how many freq. are passing through it. KERED, it was not necessary to state "like it or not". Again, I never said the Safari was a better machine so take it easy.
Most of you have stated the same thing I have. It seems like we are going in circles here.
Depth is a constant when all things are equal. When it comes to machines all things are not equal and we are not talking about equal machines.
I am an archaeologist so I know each site needs to be examined differently. Digging a site with a pick axe and sifting with ones fingers will surly result in a loss of much information. Excavate with the proper tools and valuable information can be gathered and reported. Throw in human error and of course that will change the outcome. The E-Trac and the Safari are both adequate tools to do the job but there are many factors that can change the results. I would trust an experienced archaeologists with a trowel and a sifter over a wealthy banker with a back hoe.
Know your machine regardless of it age or cost or you will have an expensive jacket hanger.

 

[Barry NY]

This same argument has been going around and around since man first walked the earth - their woman have argued about how "big" it is and if it is better....
The answer as we all know now is:
It's not the sword - but the swordsmanship......
I just bought an E-Trac WHY (haven't gotten out yet) - Because I could afford it and i wanted a machine that will hopefully not be out-tech-ed by something better all that soon PLUS as has been stated here at length - most sites are well hunted and well littered and one needs a "different" and "superior" instrument to extract whatever remains...
I'm sure an experienced detectorist can capture targets using almost any reasonable machine out there.
As was just proven in England - you don't need the newest to make the greatest find.
You do need to swing the machine over it tho....
This is an awesome sport/hobby. If a Safari brings someone into it and they enjoy - then Minelab's job was accomplished. If an Ace 250 gives someone frustration and they are disgusted then that machine didn't do it's job.
As in golf, there are hundreds of clubs and drivers and balls that all claim they get the most distance - but if you don't know how to swing a golf club (like me) you're not hitting anything. It's been said that Tiger could score better with just a 7 iron than most could score with the best/top set of equipment there is.
In the short time i have been detecting i have learned one thing well:
The bottom line in this sport is - buy the best detector YOU can afford and spend as much time as you can using it.....

 

[kered]

This same argument has been going around and around since man first walked the earth - their woman have argued about how "big" it is and if it is better....
The answer as we all know now is:
It's not the sword - but the swordsmanship......
I just bought an E-Trac WHY (haven't gotten out yet) - Because I could afford it and i wanted a machine that will hopefully not be out-tech-ed by something better all that soon PLUS as has been stated here at length - most sites are well hunted and well littered and one needs a "different" and "superior" instrument to extract whatever remains...
I'm sure an experienced detectorist can capture targets using almost any reasonable machine out there.
As was just proven in England - you don't need the newest to make the greatest find.
You do need to swing the machine over it tho....
This is an awesome sport/hobby. If a Safari brings someone into it and they enjoy - then Minelab's job was accomplished. If an Ace 250 gives someone frustration and they are disgusted then that machine didn't do it's job.
As in golf, there are hundreds of clubs and drivers and balls that all claim they get the most distance - but if you don't know how to swing a golf club (like me) you're not hitting anything. It's been said that Tiger could score better with just a 7 iron than most could score with the best/top set of equipment there is.
In the short time i have been detecting i have learned one thing well:
The bottom line in this sport is - buy the best detector YOU can afford and spend as much time as you can using it.....

Agree 100% and add practice makes perfect(with a tad of patience too)

 

[Southwind]

I also gree 100%. But then give Tiger Woods the very best club and see what he can do.

 

[terrywl]

I went from a DFX to the ET and have not regretted it one day. My silver count is 4 times higher in less than 6 months with the ET than it was in two years with the DFX. Some of the silver I have found could have been picked up by any machine it is true. Other coins needed the separation ability of the ET. The above statement about depth and getting a PI machine is right on the money. Depth is important but is less so than being able to separate a coin from all the trash. There are so many experienced THer's singing the praise of this machine that it is not likely there is another machine that can match it for coins, just like no other machine can match the 4500 for finding gold flakes. So what do YOU want your machine for? answer that and buy the best for that job. IMO.

 

[TURNMASTER]

I run an Xterra but If the Etrak is more tunable that alone should alow it to get more depth. Or so I would think.

HH
Jeff

 

[tony c]

I also have both machines both, the safari and the e-trac are good machines ,i dont know if the e-trac is deeper or not but it does have a big advantage in tweaking it to make the signals sound better and clearer and if that means that a iffy signal on the safari is not dug and is dug and heard better than the e-trac is deeper, tony c

 

[buckeyetreasurehunter]

I have both machines and just guessing but would have to say there is no difference in depth. matter of fact I would say that the X-terra's can probably go as deep as the E-trac and there are probably other brands on the market that can go just as deep.

What sets the E-trac apart from ALL other machines is it's ability to find DEEP targets and properly identifying that target even in some of the toughest ground including very trashy areas. Using both machines I can say that the Safari doesnt seem to process or handle trashy ground as good as the E-trac and the E-trac can provide you a lot more clues on wether or not to dig on deep targets.

Open ground with no trash, I bet you could line up a bunch of machines that could find a silver dime at 6 inches, now put a pull tab on one side and a nail on the other, you just eliminated about 90% of the machines, now put a nail in the same hole and add some other targets around it... your probably only going to have the E-trac left standing and thats why I personally prefer the E-trac, where you find old coins you will find silver.

With all that said, the Safari kicks butt!! it is a great machine and like someone stated, it is like an Explorer without all the bells and whistles. I would take a Safari over any other brands best detector. they are very good in trash and all around a great machine.

 

[BootyHunter]

Chevrolet made a Chev-ette and a Corv-ette, both are cars, which one is better?? If you are happy with your Safari and finding things then great, but don't try to tell me the Safari is the same as the E-trac. I get so tired of this same thing, someone gets a lesser than top of the line detector and then tries to claim it is just as good as the top of the line. I started with a cheap detector, moved to a midline then the E-trac. My finds say all that need to be said, and yes I still have the lesser detectors and have used them on the same day at the same site and they just do not perform like the E-trac. Bottom line, You get what you pay for!! And your replies do have you coming off as a smart@@$%$ Mr. Jspeedy, I'm sure you're not but your defensive replies and all the baffling B.S. make you seem that way. By the way you need to get your T key fixed on your keyboard, keeps coming up a C "E-Crack??" Try this slogan, "Get an E-Trac and Never look Back!!!"

 

[aritos]

just go with the trac bud,,, dont listen to the guy that doesnt own one,,,, if the guys that actrually own one,, love the etrac,,, then listen to that,, i have one,,, and i am glaD I DO..

cheers