Infinium or surfmaster dual field

[grumpyolman]

scrooge your last comment was good news to me. My Excal is in the classifieds and I found a used Tiger Shark and a Dual Field arrived at my home last week. I think I have tamed the Tiger Shark. I am afraid to let the Dual Field out of the cage...but I'll get there. Jim

 

[diggindirt]

I had the Surf PI Pro (great detector) but haven't owned the DFand now use the Infinium.

The Infinium is the deepest PI I've used and I really like having the iron check and reverse disc functions with the high/low -low/high tones. While not perfect, it does help in finding less junk over a single tone unit .

The amount of available coils also opens up more options for different areas and types of hunting! The Infinium IMHO with the right coil combo and adjusted correctly will find smaller gold over most beach/water designed detectors and easily handles bad black sand in my area too!

However, I do think that the White's is the best bang for the buck and will definitely find deeper targets than most detectors!

Check out the "Garrett Infinium Forum Classroom" on this site to read about the pros and cons of the machine. While it does have a bit of a learning curve, this detector in skilled hands will be able to locate very deep targets while walking behind other hunters.

Thanks!

 

[scrooge]

When the Infinium works it works great but there are many issues one being quality control. Most Infinium users have had to send the unit back at least once for repairs. I got mine back 3 weeks ago after the second repair trip took it to the beach yesterday into the water was unable to keep the unit stable again HEEEEEHAAAAW sound unless the discrimination is up past 4. Called Garrett spoke to the LS tech who stated the problem is known and is being worked on but I should still not have to set the discrimination above 3 so I should send it back for a third time.....When I get it back it will be sold........................This unit make work well on land but was not designed for the surf......

 

[diggindirt]

When the Infinium works it works great but there are many issues one being quality control. Most Infinium users have had to send the unit back at least once for repairs. I got mine back 3 weeks ago after the second repair trip took it to the beach yesterday into the water was unable to keep the unit stable again HEEEEEHAAAAW sound unless the discrimination is up past 4. Called Garrett spoke to the LS tech who stated the problem is known and is being worked on but I should still not have to set the discrimination above 3 so I should send it back for a third time.....When I get it back it will be sold........................This unit make work well on land but was not designed for the surf......

I do really feel bad for you and the issues that you've had with your machine!!! It's unfortunate that its been nothing but a problem for you!

If I experienced the issues that you've had I would sell it too!

However, there's a bunch of the recent purchaser/hunters that were having similar issues and ready to bail and have since gone on record on the Infinium classroom forum section stating that the problems have now been resolved and their machines are working perfectly and great at that!

I and plenty of others have never had these issues (luck I suppose) do to a good run/batch I guess, but my machine and many others are so smooth and stable in the surf and water!

I hope that what ever has been causing this finally gets resolved!!!!


Thanks!

 

[grumpyolman]

I can say exactly the same has happened to me with the Excalibur. Also, if you read the Sovereign Excal part of the forum you will find a similar pattern with the Excal users. Some have zero problems and they run for years. I've had mine a little over 2 years and it has been back twice. Once is fine. Twice is not bright on my part. Cost pretty good dollars both times. Maybe the underwater units just get subjected to more thrashing from the environment they work in. To contradict myself I haven't seen the same pattern with the Tiger Shark, the White's, or the Headhunters expressed in the forums.

 

[diggindirt]

I can say exactly the same has happened to me with the Excalibur. Also, if you read the Sovereign Excal part of the forum you will find a similar pattern with the Excal users. Some have zero problems and they run for years. I've had mine a little over 2 years and it has been back twice. Once is fine. Twice is not bright on my part. Cost pretty good dollars both times. Maybe the underwater units just get subjected to more thrashing from the environment they work in. To contradict myself I haven't seen the same pattern with the Tiger Shark, the White's, or the Headhunters expressed in the forums.

Good point!

All the brands of water machines that you've listed except the Tiger Shark, that I know of, have had issues at one time or another that were eventually resolved. Perhaps the companies get different components at times or make subtle changes to improve their machines and end up screwing them up?

Who knows, I've heard about the Excal ones you're talking about too. Maybe the techs don't have the old time pros to show them things that take years to learn?

Another thing to consider is the higher amount of water machines that have been sold as lets say in the recent past? I would have to believe that with the economic downturn, less staff of highly trained techs, and MORE water machines coming in for service might have something to do with this?

Thanks!

 

[Willee - Texas]

It has some discrimination capabilities....HIGH-LOW / LOW-HIGH. HL = gold & iron & LH = silver & iron.

So iron sounds like gold and iron sounds like silver?

Every time my cheapest detector beeps it is either trash or treasure.

Willee

 

[diggindirt]

It has some discrimination capabilities....HIGH-LOW / LOW-HIGH. HL = gold & iron & LH = silver & iron.

So iron sounds like gold and iron sounds like silver?

Every time my cheapest detector beeps it is either trash or treasure.

Willee

That's why you use the "Iron check & rev. disc" to know if it's gold range or iron. Anyway, between using those functions and the different tones, the Infinium does have some disc to help dig much less junk!

Also, tell me about another PI that's waterproof with those functions, can swap out different coils, can use land or waterproof phones, is a decent nugget hunter, is used by relic hunters successfully in bad ground, and provides all that at a fair price!

Thanks!

 

[HawaiiMDer]

Diggindirt you made one really good point. Why is it that Garrett has forsight and the other manufactures didn't? What i mean is, why didn't the other manufactures make their machines able to swap coils and headphones? I would absolutely pee my pants if the excalibur had alternate coils and headphones straight from the manufacturer. These companys in my opinion would make much more money doing so. Just my two cents.

Ken

 

[Craig-PI]

I never had a problem with my Excalibur or any metal detector I have owned...after every hunt I wash my detector in fresh water I make sure all the connections are tight... I have seen people use their detectors as a crutch or walking stick and these detectors aren't made for that... they bang around in our transportation.. I secure them.. who knows what causes them to fail at times but I bet a lot of it could be eliminated if we treated the machines with more care... in all my water machines I place a couple of those silica bags to remove any condensation...

 

[thinkin2]

The Tesoro Sand Shark has a few interchangeable coils but I think the headphones are hard wired. But I've read some posts that say it doesn't go as deep as most other PI's. I've never even seen one so I can't comment on that.

Jerry

 

[deerman]

thinking about getting a water detector as i use my fisher edge now and don't want to float test it

 

[djbutch]

Well hee we go. I have a Surf PI pro Dual Field I think it looks like a big yellow banana. I am about ready to throw this dam thing out in the driveway. Will this book I am reading about give me some tips on useing this machine at beaches? I also need to know where I can purchase this book. Sience I bought this machine I do not have to go to the gym anymore all I do is dig but nothing of real value or just a few coins. I have no idea what I am doing wrong I sure hope this book helps. Anyone need any fishing weights or bobby pins. Thanks for the help.

 

[Reggie]

The book will help you a LOT. Read the book before you give up on the banana. You might change your mind! HH

 

[djbutch]

ok where can i get a copy of the book?

 

[Reggie]

You can reach Clive at cliveclynick@ rogers.com . I would suggest you ask for expedited delivery of some kind, as it took me a week or longer to receive my copy in Louisiana. Bon Chance!

 

[wolfenzie]

I have an Infinium and am very happy with it. I have taken it to San Diego, Holland and Belgium. I used it on the sand and on the grass. I have used it in fresh and salt water with very good results. I still have not yet mastered the machine, but I can tell you that it works very well and I am not a seasoned veteran like John from Edmonton. I don't find it that difficult to work, and the more you use it, the more you will get used to the different sounds it makes. On the beach I dig almost anything anyways, but I do descriminate a bit. Up to about three on the knob. I don't know about the White's machine, but I know they make very good machines as well. Also, I haven't pushed the depth on this machine, but I have probably dug targets at 6-8 inches. Hope this helps and best of luck, whatever you decide. WOLF

 

[thinkin2]

You can reach Clive at cliveclynick@ rogers.com . I would suggest you ask for expedited delivery of some kind, as it took me a week or longer to receive my copy in Louisiana. Bon Chance!

Do you have to have a paypal account to buy this or can you use a credit card?

Jerry

 

[Reggie]

I don't know for sure, so You'll have to ask Clive.

 

[HawaiiMDer]

After you email Clive, he'll send you request for payment through paypal, then you can go from there. Only took 5 days to get to me in Hawaii and Clive is a really nice guy.

Ken

You can reach Clive at cliveclynick@ rogers.com . I would suggest you ask for expedited delivery of some kind, as it took me a week or longer to receive my copy in Louisiana. Bon Chance!

Do you have to have a paypal account to buy this or can you use a credit card?

Jerry