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Minlab Explorer SE Thought......

J

Joe of South Jersey

New member
The Minelab Explorer SE . . . . . . one man's observations .
. . . .

There have been improvements made to the Explorer in the new SE . . . . . some needed and some not depending on your point of view and needs.

Most noticeable from the start when you turn the SE on is that it now takes about 3 seconds to boot up be ready to start hunting. Is this a big deal...well not really since most users turn it on at the start of their hunt and off when they are ready for a break or go home. But it goes to show the speed that the new microprocessor is capable of. The screen and menu scrolling is perceptively faster. In addition, the Target ID does a better job keeping up with the Tone ID.

Detect Button functions; Unlike the XS and II models where pressing the Detect touch pad resulted in the 4 screens appearing in sequence (SmartFind, Digital, Edit & Learn), on the SE only the SmartFind and Digital screens cycle through. The Learn and Edit options are now accessed from the Menu option. This change is nice for the new user, but was it needed. Not really. The same can be done on the Explorer II by switching back to Quick Start once your programming has been selected rather than remaining in the Advanced mode.

Iron Mask; Now it covers the entire Ferrous scale running from 0-32 plus AM. This feature is one of the most popular for beach and relic hunter's alike. This new numbering is going to take a bit of getting use to. Since the old 0 is now 15, -15 is 32 and the -16 is AM. This will be a challenge to overcome old habits if you are a use of the previous models and have the digital numbers memorized.

Coil; New FBS Slimline. This is a very welcomed improvement. The coil is a solid coil (similar in design to Sovereign Tornado). Not much to say, but finally . . . . . hopefully it will be available as an option for existing XS and II models . . . . . it should be very popular!

Response; Changing the tones labeling and refining of sound is an improvement. The choices are now Normal, Long, Smooth, Pitch Hold. This will make it easier to select which fits where you are detecting. In the previous model(Explorer II) by using these feature there were gains in hearing smaller low conductive targets. Hope this still holds true. The Pitch Hold option mimics the response found on the BBS models which some users may appreciate.

Pinpoint; This is right up there on the top of the list in improvements that has been needing. Most do not use this feature on the older units although it is really easy to zero in on targets even with a WOT coil. , I have talked with many that find they needed a better system especially when recovering deeper targets. I would add that in some case's the pinpoint is another good feature of a good detector.

Battery Life; Increased by about 2 hours, I have a hard time running the battery to the point that the detector quits in any one outing. Nice to know it last longer, but I hope I do not hunt long enough to find out how many hours it really lasts.

This is just my take on the Explorer SE.
 
Joe,

Sounds like what I am seeing too on the little I have tested one here in the shop. I do notice the visual ID is much faster then the older Explorers and updates the info faster then before. One of the thing for those that like to switch between digital and smart find to check target may notice that when you switch over and go over the target it will ID it right away. My experience with the older Explorer seem like you would have to wait a while for the numbers or cross hairs to update the switch over.
I think when we get a few field reports of actual hunts with the SE they will be very positive and a lot of XS and XS II going up for sale.

Rick
 
So I assume that on the audio functions that Long = Audio 1, Smooth = Audio 2, and pitch hold = Audio 3 compared to the EX11??

Thanks for all the good info on the new SE!!

Bart
 
The Audio 1,2 are similair.
Pitch hold is a new feature that is nice from hitting the smaller items and deeper items that are on the edge of detection depth.
 
Thanks to all that asked for it. It took some doing...but it is up.

It is a sound file that is a sample of target. Just follow the link.

http://Explorer-SE.com/html/minelab/ExplorerSEUpdate.html
 
WOW THANKS!!!

Thanks for going the extra mile for us "skeptical guys" on the new SE. Sounds like it "holds" the same tone and doesn't flutter as the target goes over the coil. Am I correct?

Again, Thanks for all your work!

Bart
 
It tends to be more stable. I am willing to help get the correct information out.
Now any one that has questions about the sound can be directed to the page. I will be working on The pinpoint and other tones as I get free time.
 
Hi Joe,

Are you saying the iron mask actually covers a wider scale now or that there are just that many more adjustments on it?

I get 9 or 10 hours out of my EXII battery on one charge so if you run that puppy out in one hunt your sure putting some time in!

Thanks and might see you in Wildwood this year,
Neil
 
More of a real numbering system with 0-32 conductive(up) and 32-0 ferrous(across) if using Smart.

So a quarter is Con 29 and Fer 00 versus Big iron Con 32 and Fer 32/30, Nickle Con 06 and Fer 10, Dime Con 27/29 and Fer 03.

Hope this helps
 
Yes this is the problem with many as they condemn a detector as it is different then what they have used before and don't like a change. Then there is those the feel a new detector should get the good and reject the bad with good results and no learning the detector. What we need to do is get a SE in the hand of a person that does well with the XS or the XS II and willing to spend a good 30-40 hours with the new SE and see what they have to say about it.
I am hoping to get mine in and have James use it as we see he knows his Explorer and does well with it, I have others too that don't post their finds that know the Explorer well too and they would like to try this new SE.
I think if most that do well with the Explorer had taken it out the first time and gave their opinion of most would have sold their Explorers, but once they spent the time to learn it they found out how good it really is. This is what I feel will happen with the SE too as those that spend their time with them will like them, those that want a miracle detector and like to pick them to pieces will not like them as we have seen in the past.
Lets just see what is posted in the next month or so about the new SE, we might just be surprised what Minelab did for us with the new SE.

Rick
 
Hooray......for you Rick.....finally a sensible post on this subject!:jump::thumbup: :clapping:I applaud your honesty and your courage....not to mention our intelligence!:clapping:
 
so far it's all good. :biggrin:
 
Rick, I respect your opinion, but I think you are misinterpreting what some of us "pooh-poohers and nay-sayers" have been saying about the SE. It's a great machine and an improvement on the XS and II, however the XS is a great machine too! If I were buying my first Minlab it would be a no-brainer to go for the SE! The problem is that the improvements on the XS seem to be relatively minor such that the propensity to upgrade from an XS (or II) to an SE is just not all that great as far as I can tell. I, myself, did it because I was curious and took a lot of heat on this forum for expressing my opinion - it was also my Birthday last week and I thought "what the heck!" I decided to put my money where my mouth was (and well it's not really that much money anyway) and shell out for and use so that I could substantiate my opinions here and say "I own both." I have many, many hours logged with the XS and feel I'm pretty good with it (that's not to say that I have access to some of the wonderful spots that some here do at this time, so I hope no one here says "OK, show me your ultra-rare Civil War belt plates like mine or something like that"). I will continue to use the SE in the hopes that I will find that it is a much better detector than the XS. The XS was a blockbuster and I think some of us were wishing for another bold move by Minelab, but it may just be that the XS is very difficult to substantially improve upon.
 
I don't care what they say i am very happy with new improvements on the SE. It was worth selling my EX II to buy one. Pinpointing works great, like the tone hold like my SOV., easier navigation jut to name a few good points. Oh and it seems more stable. That black finish looked so nice i hated to take it out of the box. This only my thoughts. Frank in NH
 
n/t
 
and see what it can do. Some thing may not be real noticeable right now, but after you have used them for a while you may see some bigger improvements. I think a few are seeing them already as some posts suggest.
I want to get James to try mine out for a weekend and see what he thinks at one of his sites and maybe do some side by side signal comparison with the XS II.
I feel we will see some good reports on the new SE and some good improvements over what we are using now, just going to take time for people to use them and notice some of them.

Rick
 
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