IN MARKET FOR NEW HIGH-END DETECTOR --- SEEK OPINIONS

[Desert Detective]

I am new here. Registered to do a bit of research. I am in the market for a new high-end detector. I have been hunting, mostly relics and mostly in the southwestern Utah desert. I hunt with my Teknetics T2 SE that I bought almost exactly one year ago. To me it seems to get great depth, has fast recovery, decent separation and accurate target id. I have tried coin shooting in my area and frankly, the area I live in sucks for it. So I normally hit the desert searching for targets. My area is not far from known gold bearing ground but far enough that I haven't tried it.

Up until last week I was certain I would be buying the Garrett ATX w/Deepseeker Package and an additional 8" Monocoil. I want to try some Nugget Shooting... Gold Basin Arizona is less than a 4 hours drive (Vegas 90 minutes). I also want to try some beach hunting as we have a local large lake (Lake Powell) which is becoming a popular local hot spot. I would also like to achieve greater depth and have better stability on hot ground around EMI and RFI. Because of all my wants, the ATX seems like a great fit.

However, in the back of my mind I have wondered just how much better than my T2 SE is a XP Deus or CTX 3030? Could I actually find success with one of these detectors coin shooting, unlike I have experienced with my T2 SE??? I don't have $3000 to spend twice anytime soon so I really want more versatility and hunting options than what my T2 SE offers. I wish I could find older coins here but to the extent and limits of my T2 SE... I have local friends with AT Pros and they all agree that most of the public places around are hunted out and no more old coins.... But would an XP or CTX prove us wrong??? Not sure... Would hate to invest in one to only be proven right, that the advantages of the XP and CTX over my T2 SE just aren't enough to have dulled out all of the money and loose out on the clear advantages of the ATX which is what I feel I need.

I am keeping my T2 SE... I have learned that the XP Deus is officially releasing their v4 update, new coil at higher frequencies and 2-box system in a week which adds to my dilemma of decision. I really want everyone's opinion, especially anyone who has experience and or owns both a T2 SE and any of the 3 detectors I am considering.

 

[Desert Detective]

-- moved topic --

 

[Elton]

Since your asking for opinions, and somewhat ,comparisons. I moved your post.The Metal detecting forum is where comparison of detectors is allowed on Finds Treasure Forums.
I hope all your questions are answered and welcome to the forum..

 

[Desert Detective]

Thank you.... Yeah I had a ton of choices and couldn't figure out where to post it. Thank you so much for the assist!

 

[MI-AuAg]

Hello Desert Detective,

Your T2 is a pretty good all around detector. It has nugget shooting ability, but, it won't find the small stuff the dedicated gold machines will. You can't get the control box wet, so you must be careful with beach use in or near the water. It has a good reputation for depth among relic hunters. It also has good ability in the coin/jewelry area.

I've owned a CTX for three yrs., it's the best all around detector I've used, but, it's NOT a nugget shooter. FBS machines don't do well in that domain.

The ATX should do very well for nugget shooting, beach use (both in the water and out), and relic hunting. Coin hunting wouldn't be a good fit, since it's a pulse induction machine, it's pretty much a dig all targets, that could drive you nuts in an environment such as a park, with every form of trash imaginable. I believe it does have an iron ID system, not sure how accurate that is?

I would think, for your preferred applications, nugget shooting, beach hunting, and relics, the ATX would do very well for you. The T2 can pick up the slack, where coin/jewelry hunting in trashy areas. It would be a pretty good combo for your situation.

 

[Desert Detective]

Thank you so much. Your opinion is most confirming. I was real excited and certain over buying the ATX, but spending that kind of money and having some great options out there... I began to have second thoughts LOL...

I had posted this on other forums and Facebook and so far everyone who owns the XP has stated the very same as you just did and until now most who own the CTX had only replied with a, "get a Minelabs, they are the best." LOL... I do get their sentiments but I given my needs and already having a T2 SE I am looking to maximize my return on $3000. I am sure that the CTX would out perform the T2 SE one on one in most areas as would the XP for that matter, as they should, as they cost so much more.

But you get it as some others have as well... I really don't know by just how much I would improve my hunting abilities going with a better all-around detector such as the CTX or XP and this is where I needed some opinions by others who do know. Going with a PI to broaden my hunting options verses slightly improving on my current abilities is why I was originally set to buy the ATX and I think this was the context of my question. Thank you so much! You laid out your points very well and helped my confidence in whether I am making the best decision or not.

 

[calabash digger]

check out a deus its got a new nuggett program coming out the 18th with a new coil too, its the best all round relic machine made imo and you will get others .I have videos using the deus under Calabash Digger on youtube go check them out and you will see it perform. 12 inch coins in my area no prob your soil maybe different ,its fast ,it weighs 2.2 lbs and it will be a new nugget machine too the 18th.

 

[calabash digger]

[video]https://youtu.be/hwJDgQ6vGkg[/video] heres one of it hitting a 1 ft coins and I have some on recovery speed too.

 

[MI-AuAg]

Thank you so much. Your opinion is most confirming. I was real excited and certain over buying the ATX, but spending that kind of money and having some great options out there... I began to have second thoughts LOL...

I had posted this on other forums and Facebook and so far everyone who owns the XP has stated the very same as you just did and until now most who own the CTX had only replied with a, "get a Minelabs, they are the best." LOL... I do get their sentiments but I given my needs and already having a T2 SE I am looking to maximize my return on $3000. I am sure that the CTX would out perform the T2 SE one on one in most areas as would the XP for that matter, as they should, as they cost so much more.

But you get it as some others have as well... I really don't know by just how much I would improve my hunting abilities going with a better all-around detector such as the CTX or XP and this is where I needed some opinions by others who do know. Going with a PI to broaden my hunting options verses slightly improving on my current abilities is why I was originally set to buy the ATX and I think this was the context of my question. Thank you so much! You laid out your points very well and helped my confidence in whether I am making the best decision or not.

I'm glad I could be of some assistance. I based my opinion on your described situation.

ALL detectors have some limitations, the CTX and Deus are no exceptions. The CTX is not a nugget shooter, the Deus is not a water machine, both areas you expressed interest in. The ATX will work well in both areas. It's built like a tank (weighs almost as much ) It would stand up well to the rigors of nugget hunting, plus, give you the ability to search gold bearing creeks with no concern of water damage to the machine. Between it and the T2, IMHO, you would be very well served. As you've mentioned, most known coin areas are pretty well picked over. Sure, a Deus or CTX may pull out another coin or two, but, the investment wouldn't give you the diverse use of the ATX, coupled with your T2.

I like the fact that you're doing some serious research in making your choice! I am cut from that same cloth. When you look at all the variables involved, you can have confidence in your choice. Good luck in whatever that choice is.

 

[sprchng]

I have all the machines you mention except the ATX , although my 1st Texas machine is a F75se2 instead of the T2se. I would trade the XP in on an ATX in a heartbeat if water and nugget hunting in highly mineralized ground was in my future. My ground is horrible and the single frequency VLF machines struggle while the CTX copes much better(as does the lowly etrac) ) The Deus' water proof set up is a PITA and I see nothing in the coming update that will change that although the issues with the CTX and water do not instill great confidence in this owner. You are giving up only marginal quickness to the Deus with your T2 , especially with the 5" coil , and the Deus doesn't have a true sniper coil in the future it appears , just a midsize gold hunting coil. If you find a Deus with the 11" coil to test swing you will immediately notice how much less ergonomic and nose heavy it is when compared to your T2 , probably with the 9" coil as well.
The only advantage I could see for the hunting you are thinking of doing is that you can find used CTX and Deus' at a substantial savings whereas I see few ATXs around , which probably increases their resale value down the road as well.

 

[dfmike]

[video]https://youtu.be/hwJDgQ6vGkg[/video] heres one of it hitting a 1 ft coins and I have some on recovery speed too.

Impressive how clear the audio is at that depth. No half tones with the negative ground balance as well. Did you try negative balance on the T2 you had a while back ? Does it work to clarify deep signals on that one as well ? Thanks.

 

[Desert Detective]

I am impressed with MI-AuAg in both how well he gets my needs and concerns as well as can lay-out his points that perfectly address my needs and concerns. I also appreciate everyone's input and value all opinions. Thank you everyone and I am definitely going with the ATX as I will be keeping my T2 SE.

In regards to the video showing negative ground balance, I find it most curious. So the T2 SE also has a factory default of 90 GB and runs at 13 kHz. My area, desert ground balances most often around 78-84. I will have to try it to see what gains if any I get.

My understanding of the 3 all around detectors we are referring to, the CTX has the superior target ID accuracy... The XP has the fastest recovery and best separation and my T2 SE, with comparable coils and mode settings would have the superior depth in most ground conditions. So when it comes to coins, perhaps the CTX and the XP would perform better than my T2 SE. For now, I think I am going to not worry over coins as frankly my area is terrible for it and with very little public places to go coin shooting as well as all of them have been worked over for years and anything good is long gone with any exception not being worth passing up on the advantages that the ATX provides and none of these three detectors offer. Especially since I am keeping the T2 SE which is at the very least a very worthy all-around detector.

I may eventually sell my T2 SE for a Garrett AT Gold or Pro down the road if the ATX works as good as some say it does for relic hunting. I have also read some who claim to have mastered it's use well enough to use it effectively as a great coin shooter too but I haven't found any videos showing this yet. One of those things that I would need to see to believe, hunting with very limited discrimination, unless it's in a area not as trashy as the areas I hunt when coin shooting.

 

[calabash digger]

please post a update in a month or so and let us know how it works . hh

 

[kingcladnv]

Good luck desert d let us know how it goes. Sounds like we are in the same are so Ill be curious to hear how you make out.

 

[UtahRich]

Another thought for you. Any reason you have to have 1 expensive detector that is a do it all, rather than a few less expensive ones that are job specific?

Welcome to the forum and best of luck selecting your detector(s).


Rich (Utah)

 

[REVIER]

I believe the ATX plus your T2 would make a wonderful team and would cover pretty much all your bases.
Waterproof, water hunting, super mineralized soil and nugget hunting would be the ATX's job, the T2 for everything else.
Two completely different systems both good at some things and not so good at others but by choosing the right tool for the right task you will be successful.
I also believe that most detectors have two languages, an obvious in your face one and a more hidden language that you can discover if you experiment, delve deep enough into the settings and have some good observational skills.

Using my F70, which is a cousin to your T2 and built on the same platform along with the F75, I have used it with great success in both good and bad soil at ridiculously crazy iron infested sites that sent others screaming into the night in search of easier places to hunt and now here in the SE. with not only some heavy mineralization but extra heaping amounts of iron pieces everywhere and even tiny nodules infused into most of my dirt.
All of this presented severe masking problems plus proved to be extremely limiting in depth but I succeeded in finding setting, techniques and ways to unmask the most hidden of great targets and get deeper into my current hot soil and notice and recover the good stuff than most others I have heard of or talked to.
It took hours of practice, some way out of the box thinking about settings and learning a new language and set of target behaviors to do all that but my F70, just like your T2, was up to the task.

This is where you hunt....
HUNTING LOCATION TYPES: Desert, Wagon Trails, Lost Treasures, Gold Fields, Ghost Towns, Homesteads, Camp Grounds, Beach, and occasionally Parks.

I have enough confidence in my director's skills and abilities added to the knowledge I have worked hard to gain to believe there are few sites you mentioned that our tools could not conquer easily and efficiently.
The gold fields or going deeper into the water are the exceptions.
A PI would find a ton but using that sort of unit in the trash and iron infested sites I hunt would not be fun for me at all with so little discrimination abilities...I quit digging it all a long time ago and the challenge for me now is to dig much less but still find more and I have done that to my satisfaction.
Now in the gold fields would be a different matter, that and using something I could get deeper into the water with a PI might make more sense for me.
You have to adjust to your circumstances and conditions and use the right tool for the right job when you can.

I hunt public parks that have been declared hunted out by most of the hunters around here after being scoured by so many since the 60's but found plenty they all missed over the decades because the great stuff left is not so obvious any more.
Hunted out, hardly, easy to find, no, still existing targets for those that learn how to do it....I have plenty of older coins, flat buttons, jewelry and other treasures that have proved this to be true.
All those public places that have been worked over for years that have no more coins that you mentioned, well, I would love a shot at them...I live for overcoming challenges just like this.
I have found many of my best treasures at sites just like that I was warned off of by well meaning hunters that scoured them for years and really believed that stuff.
For them they were hunted out, for me it was just the beginning and perfect sites to experiment and gain more knowledge and use that knowledge to succeed far beyond my wildest dreams.
Those public areas you have might be sparse but I believe no sites are ever completely hunted out and there still might be more there than you or everyone else suspects...if you can figure out how to get to and notice them.

You have one of the best all around tools out there already.
Adding those others you mentioned, as great as they are, featured rich with such great abilities in my opinion might not bring as much to the table over what you already have in your hands as you think.
I am a big fan of using what you have but going above and beyond and learning to use it to extreme levels to succeed and you have a tool already that fits into that mold.
Adding the ATX would bring a whole new dimension to your hunting I would think, and expand your range into new areas.

That is what I would probably do if I were in your neck of the woods with all of your options.

 

[amberjack]

buy a mid priced detector then if you like detecting more will follow.

AJ