It's very easy to have a civil discussion about any detectors pros and cons.

[crazyman]

Quit being so sensitive guys. There is no new technology involved here so why not discuss the features or a combo of features that are new on the AT Pro and how they might or might not be useful for the type of hunting you do. I'll start with a plus. One feature I like on the AT Pro is the expanded iron zone. I wish my Sovereign GT had the same feature because it has to much bias towards iron. This AT Pro would have an edge over other detectors with limited discrimination especially with a small DD coil in iron. Having more resolution and being able to fine tune the iron discrimination will help with iron masking for those like me that hunt iron infested sites regularly. Now a negative. High frequency detectors don't work as well in my bad ground as far as depth so I wouldn't use it for my main machine for deep coin hunting. In the first case I might pick the At Pro for hunting in iron over another detector and in the second case I might pick another detector over the AT Pro. This is just two examples of some of the features on the AT Pro that people will use to base their opinion on as to whether it's a detector that will do it all for them or a detector they need add to their lineup for certain types of hunting. We can still be civil if you think I'm wrong with the first two scenarios. If you think I'm wrong don't just call me me a hack or a Garrett basher give me proof or something that is debatable at least.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

I feel once the AT pro hits the bricks we indeed can have a civil discussion after the pro's and cons start coming in thru feedback....Just like ones favorite pastime one can read many books on the subject but you just don't get the feeling till you do it kind of thing....Really surprised some field testers haven't chimed in so once we have one in our hands and wait for the feedback as always give and takeaways and nothing is perfect and we all have our likes and dislikes so be patient guys and gals....

 

[Pyledriver]

Indeed we can. From a technology standpoint, the basic function may not have changed. I do believe it's possible that the analysis and processing CAN be changed, and that happens as technology improves, research advances, etc. I hope that's what we'll see with the AT Pro! Garrett has been a leader in the field for years, with some machines still in use after many hard years. If we go back to using words like revolutionary and ground breaking, we can definitely say that the AT Pro meets that criteria because of it's waterproofness, the rest will have to wait.

Back to the beach, the AT Pro will likely not top the Excal or PI machines because of it's single freq. However, most machines people swing are single freq., multipurpose machines, so that's the game to beat. My Xterra played in the sand pretty well for what it was, so I know I can at least 'get out there' with that type of machine. Didn't find any gold nuggets with the X but in that same niche the AT Pro should be a player depending on how threshold or lack thereof affect the ability to pick out small targets. The MXT is in this same category of multipurpose, but I'm not as familiar with it so we'll stick to the Xterra. So, IF it's better than the X at both of the above, the rest of the game becomes depth, seperation, and recovery, followed by target ID, which folks may or not care about. If it's equal in performance,it will still win in the market because it can be dunked. The ability to change the target sound will make this detector better than some because it basically can be a beep-dig machine or a bloodhound whose barks tell what critter it has treed. To all this we have a water machine with a speaker! That's worthy of an 'r' word.

I plan to use mine in every possible scenario because I want to see how it rates against the detectors I know well-Xterra, Scorpion, Infinium, ACE, Excal, Silver uMax. As of late, I'm primarily a cache hunter and it may be awhile before I have anything to record in that realm, but it's on the list as well.

Now, an honest question-what other machines get the same type of response as the video shows for the AT Pro? I'm talking about the coin/nail scenario. None of mine have ever done that reliably, the bigger target seems to win!

 

[synthnut]

Here's one that might interest you ....Jim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzmgMIjO7_4&feature=related

 

[NM5K]

I have to wonder what they were thinking when they came up with
the audio for that machine..

 

[oldranger]

Since im till learing about my ACE and GTI ill leave the
pros and cons to the experienced!! but ill srill rea the posts !!

Ron

Rangers Lead The Way

 

[John-Edmonton]

Nobody cares about the machine you are posting about. It is a $1,000.00 machine that is squawking like an injured squirrel. This is a Garrett forum, paid for by the Garrett folks. Nobody knows what you are talking about? settings?, audio? quality build? coils? Color? poor quality? price? water resistant? .............

I bet First Texas would be thrilled if I posted Garrett videos on their forum. Doing these kinds of posts says more about you then whatever point you are trying to raise.

 

[synthnut]

John,
Pyledriver asked a question about nails and coins and what other machines if you read his thread .... I showed him another machine as he asked ..... Just because you don't care about what someone else asked , doesn't meant that NOBODY CARES !!....It just means that YOU don't care ..... and this is a $500 machine not a $1,000 machine .... Thank you for the last comment ....Yes it does say something about me .....I'm showing another detectorist something that he asked about ..... It's called HELPING someone ..... There is mention of many different companies on all the different forums ..... I"m sorry if you are offended .....Jim

 

[widebody]

[size=large]i believe the MXT also shows the iron and non-ferrous connection. you can either go to the whites site and view the differant instrucion manuals or go to the you-tube. it's the 3rd chapter. not far into it either. i'm sure there's a gimmick but i'm not smart enough to catch what it is. all the claims hover around treasures being masked by iron. what about being masked by foil and aluminum pop tops? is the masking by iron that much of a real problem?[/size]

 

[synthnut]

foil and pop tops don't really mask ...They just come in with numbers in the same range as Gold rings and gold jewelry on many detectors .... Iron, on some machines, will mask good targets and the tone and numbers produced will be as if you are hitting iron only, even if good targets are present ...... Machines that can discriminate iron well , will sound off on the good target ..... Some detectors will also sometimes give a number in between the iron number and the good target number .....If I hear an odd tone , or an odd number comes up on my screen , I will dig it to be sure of what it is ....A lot of itmes it turned out to be a coin with a nail not too far away .......Jim

 

[Cliff KS]

I've been impressed by the reports/finds posted on the Omega, and have been close to pulling the trigger several times on a purchase --- but then about that time someone posts a video on it and the grating sound of the machines audio completely turns me off to the idea -- it sounds like I would imagine someone slowly killling a duck by stepping all over it would sound like.

I know people often bash Garrett over " their annoying bell tone". I think a bell tone would sound rather pleasant compared to the sound of the Tek machines.

Then again, sometimes the flutey tones of my Minelabs gets on my nerves as well.

Why can't these companies come up with a digital machine that produces a more pleasant audio?

I mean, the real issue is whether the machine produces results or not, but couldn't they design something that is more appealing to the ear--- that would be relaxing and encourage more time spent with the headphones on? Couldn't hurt.

 

[bearkat4160]

n/t

 

[OzarkTom]

One of the main problems with those kind of see-through tests, now try it with the nails or pull-tabs sitting 3-4 inces above the coin like they are in real life. You will hardly find a detector ever made that will pick the coin up. Mayve in nails, the Compass 77B?

 

[Southwind]

Being able to post your opinion, good or bad, on a particular detector can be problematic when one opinion gets attacked directly. As with the T2 video I've done the exact nail show with pretty much every detector I've owned. It looks impressive but you'll find most detectors will do the same thing as long as they are adjusted properly, and that is the real key.

I've yet to see a single detector pass the trash above the coin test. NONE whatsoever. Luckily, having nails above a coin in "real life" are only a possibility and nothing more. The odds are in favor of a coin being at the same level or deeper.

I personally think the AT Pro is going to rock.

 

[Critterhunter]

High frequency detectors don't work as well in my bad ground as far as depth so I wouldn't use it for my main machine for deep coin hunting.

Well said. Why they would abandon the lower frequency 250's excellent depth in favor of a higher frequency is beyond me. It's not going to hit as good as it could on silver and copper at depth, nor handle higher mineralization as well as a low frequency machine. Yes, many companies get around that obstacle by amping up the gain but that can't compensate for all the differences, and high gain machines tend to be noisy and a bit erratic if you try to ride anywhere near the edge of max stable sensitivity. It's going to hit harder on gold, though, but like I said in another thread I'd rather have a low frequency for my higher mineralized soil, as well as best depth/sensitivity to silver/copper coins to max out the depth on those targets. There are plenty of "gold" targets very shallow in most "worked out" spots where you don't need a high frequency to insure you are seeing those as best as possible, but there aren't nearly as many shallow "silver" signals, so I'd rather sacrifice my depth a bit on gold and use a low frequency to hit hardest/deepest on silver and copper.

Of course neither Crazyman and I don't have to compromise on the frequency/sensitivity/ability to handle various minerals debate, because we both have Sovereigns that offer a broad band of frequencies to insure that at least some will penetrate various ground types, along with being able to hit hard at depth on anything from low to high conductivity targets.

I think you guys saying things like "Best Detector Ever" or "Giant Sucking Sound as people leave other machines for the AT Pro" are over stating things a good bit in making those kinds of claims. I look at it this way...It's a vast improvement from the looks of it over the GTI series, and most other Garretts for that matter (again, from the looks of it). If it's deeper on copper/silver than the Treasure Ace 250 then it'll be a good performer, because the 250 is the first Garrett I've seen to get some respectable depth near that of some competitors.

Mainly though I'd say that even if the depth of the AT Pro is only roughly matching the 250 on silver/copper then that's very respectable, but the REAL reason why I see this machine selling well is because for under $600 you get a light weight waterproof machine that will be equally as comfortable using on land as it is in the water. Meaning, for that price it's a heck of a deal on a water machine, and even lacking that most other water machines are too heavy or can't be transitioned as easily to land hunting. That's were it will sell well- Price and it's light weight land/water use, *so long* as the depth is at least somewhat near that of it's competitors on silver/copper on land and gold in the water.

When I say "competitors" I'm talking in general as compared to most other brands, because being a single frequency detector (and a high one at that), it's not going to keep up with the Minelabs in various types of higher mineral sites, salt, or on both low and high conductive targets. Price alone, weight, and it's dual purpose ability on land/water is going to be it's major selling point.

All that being said, I do like the looks of the screen. Not only that, but it's unique to have a full LCD display on a water capable unit like that. The ability to fine tune iron rejection is a nice feature. I also like the ability to turn off the processed "beep" type of sounds with no target traits and use a more telling audio much like my Sovereign has. I hate machines that process the audio response into a simple beep for the most part. I do not like from the looks of it that it only has 3 or 4 different ID tones. I'm spoiled with the Sovereign, which has more tones than the human ear can even hear (somebody tested that).

Once again, that's an outstanding price in a water machine, let alone a water machine that will be as comfortable on land as it is in the water. Up until now I was found of saying that the best "metal detector" Garrett ever made was the Pro Pointer pin pointer. They hit a home run with that.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

After cleaning out an old yard of silver and wheaties decided to try for a gold ring...Got a nice shallow tab reading in an area I crossed many times and dug a gold plated ring. Filled the hole neatly and went over it again and got a solid quarter reading at 6 inches. Out came a 1850's large cent. So its my feeling over the top top, below or to the side any metal can mask another and it doesn't have to be iron...

 

[John-Edmonton]

Not a problem....I guess I am starting to suffer from HYPE burnout

 

[bearkat4160]

Its definatly NOT a vast improvement over the GTI series! Its different but not better. What are you smokin? You probally never used them if you think the Propointer is Garretts best.

As far as the high freq...we Garrett users have been asking for it on some new releases of their machines besides the Scorpion, for a long time. If you dont like it, dont buy it.

Alan

 

[BuckeyeBrad]

Now it's REALLY time to just wait and see how the rubber meets the road.

 

[synthnut]

I LOVE my Garrett Pro Pointer !!. .... Best pointer in the business !!. ......JIm