The imaging feature is a very strong discriminating feature well worth retaining, but if it could be set up like a 1350, it would be compatible with any coil. It's the GTI's strongest feature but also it's Achilles heal in that it badly effects it's recovery speed. The audio system can do with some significant improvements as well. As far as the Ace is, I found that it's audio is far to harsh and that when I often encounted a trashy spot, it caused me sensory overload and I glazed over and probably left a lot of good targets in the ground. It is the primary reason I sold it, which was unfortunate, as it had some other really great qualities. Although the audio on the GTI is far more pleasant, i think that it could be greatly improved. With the Scorcher coil on, it becomes far more animated in that if you listen to the width of the signal, you have a better clue as to what the targets are. It would be good if Garretts could improve this feature even more and have it available on all coils. If the signal width could be even more refined than are what are already on the Scorcher coil, then it would be similar to listening to a modulated tone. I find that this tone that is already on the Scorcher coil doesn't allow you to hear past a certain width, which maxes out on large coins, screw caps and bigger items (they sound to be the same width).
The battery pack needs some serious redevelopment on the heavier Garrett. After wearing mine on my hip for just 6 weeks, I found that the connecting cable is too short and vulnerable and where the battery pack slides on to the unit, it must have worn down, to the point now that if I'm carrying the detector horizontally and I should point the handle end towards the ground more than say 25 degrees, my battery pack falls off to the ground. Very poor.
I think that the 24 notch system is perfect. 12 notches on the Ace is also very effective. I find that detectors that go much over this, ie 99 are far too unstable to be useful. Having a back light on all detectors is a major advantage, when late afternoon hunting or doing night beach hunting.
I'd like to see the tone system improved with a tone assigned to each notch as this would make hunting by ear much easier. At the moment, it is effectively a single tone machine, as I hunt most from pull tab to the screw cap range.(3.5-7.5)
A light weight detector has major advantages over the heavier units. Yes some folks are able to handle the heavier detectors, however it is far easier to swing a lighter unit without fatiguing, which comes back to the comfort/enjoyment factor in a big way. Doing away with 8 batteries and using 4 would be a good idea.
I'm sure that Garrett may have something altogether new in their R and D department now, so it will be interesting to see how things pan out.
Mick Evans.