Minelab Etrac vs Whites DFX

[iflyone2]

Here is a loaded question, but thought I would ask anyway. I recently sold my Tesoro Cortes and thought I would be satisfied with a White's DFX. What I don't like about the Whites is the battery box. I think I like the sleekness of the Minelab. Would I be making a mistake to sell the DFX and get a Etrac or would I notice much difference in how they pick up items buried beneath. I mostly coin shoot and will be doing some relic hunting on an old farmstead.

 

[Southwind]

I have and use both. The E-Trac is hands down the deeper machine for high conductive targets like silver and copper, but the DFX will hit on the small gold better.

I use the E-Trac in our city park where the coins are extremely deep and my DFX everywhere else.

 

[iflyone2]

I was afraid you were gonna say that! so maybe a thought would be I keep my DFX, get a smaller coil for gold and then go ahead with the Etrac?

 

[Phillip_in_NM]

Let me suggest an alternate solution: Sell the DFX to get an M6 with the 4x6 coil (use the $ difference to buy gas to go to your detecting spots!) Get the Etrac for all the deep silver and then go through and get all the gold with the M6. Plus with the M6, you never have to worry about having all the settings right!

 

[iflyone2]

I'm new to this, are you referring to a White's M6? What price should I expect to pay for one?

 

[iflyone2]

disregard the price, I just found it if you are referring to a Whites.

 

[Southwind]

If you're squeamish toward the DFX you don't want the E-Trac. Both the E-Trac and the DFX have factory programs you can load and start swinging with no problems. Both are also very adjustable. The best of both worlds in my opinion.

I had the M6's big brother the MXT and didn't find it to be any more sensitive to gold than the DFX. Now that being said, the M6 I'm sure is far more simple to operate.

 

[iflyone2]

actually I enjoy the programming aspect of the unit. I'm kinda thinking I should hang onto my dfx as it offers 3 frequencies, by the time I buy an M6 plus a new coil I think I could accomplish what I want. I just don't want to miss out on the gold which I have been reading the etrac is not too fond of. The only reason I would get rid of my dfx is that crazy battery box that I think is awkward.

 

[Larry (IL)]

The DFX is a two frequency detector.

 

[iflyone2]

oops, typo. I hit the incorrect number. I know you use the DFX Larry, would you suggest keeping it and just getting a smaller coil and if so, what coil? There are so many sizes to choose. Lots of gold in NC and will be nugget hunting.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Wrong forum for DFX talk, I'll be glad to respond on the DFX or V3I forum.

 

[silversweeper]

I have a dfx packed up and in a box, with thoughts of selling, and am hunting with an etrac. I just dug my second gold ring in less than a week with it so I wouldn't say that the etrac doesn't like gold.....mine's almost as fond of it as I am! I have a lot less problems with feedback and chatter with my etrac than I did with my dfx. Plus I find it easier to work with the programs, too much work setting up special settings and saving them on the dfx. But that's just my opinion, I know a lot of people love their dfx machines and I'm definitely not knocking it, just saying that I prefer my etrac. HH

 

[iflyone2]

I really appreciate the feedback. You know the worse thing in the world would be for me to sell my DFX, get an Etrac and then regret it. It is encouraging to hear you found some gold with your etrac!

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

E-Trac wins hands down!! Its the best silver hunter on the market!

 

[Goes4ever]

well I can tell you this, I have NOTHING against whites at all, but 3 of my buddies had DFX's and I would walk behind them with my etrac and get coins constantly they missed, it didnt take long of that to frustrate them entirely, and now 2 of the 3 have etracs, the 3rd guy is just too stubborn...lol

 

[Ray-Mo.]

Just do not want it to get out of hand as has happened several times in the past on this and several other forums.