My Thoughts on the CTX3030

[Gonehunting]

First off I want to say until Minelab Metal Detectors releases the rest of the info, this is just to voice my opinion on what is coming. For me I can't wait for it to be released on the 28th. I like the stability of their last release(E-Trac), and use it regularly, and if the CTX3030 is an improvement in depth and target identification over the Minelab E-Trac then I definitely want it.. Price well, I think you get what you pay for. Minelab, in my opinion, has never struck out when it comes to tech. There may be things that you don't want in a detector like the Gps, comp link, but Minelab Metal Detectors put in a lot of what the consumer's were asking for. If all of those features are not what you are wanting, don't fork the extra cash, buy something that does, E-Trac, F75, AT-Pro, Xp Deus, ect. If you want it all then maybe, just maybe they have something for us to look forward to. The other thing to think about, is when Minelab releases a product, it goes through a rigorous testing stage. I have seen other companies that rushed their product into production to "beat the other guy" and a lot of problems were left untested, and was left up to the purchasing user to find them.. More like your paying to test their product... I don't like the idea at all. Yes, there may be still a few bugs, but I think with the testers that have had this machine already and are proving it with it's use, I believe the finished product will be one of the greatest machines Minelab has put out, I expect no less and neither should the rest of you.

Whenever Minelab releases something, it is usually tech that others haven't touched. This time Minelab opened the door to other tech's that are in other brand's machines. Color screen-Whites, waterproof-Garrett, Fisher TBA, wireless(sort a)-Xp.. But most of them can't touch the depth and ID, at the same time, and remain stable as in the Full Band Spectrum Advancement. Some readers are already complaining about price and weight when that information hasn't been released. Again, on price, you are going to get what you pay for, and from what I have seen, a lot more. Weight, alot of rumors are flying, but if the machine balances well in the hand it can make the difference. I use all types of detectors and welcome any new tech, especially from the "Lab"...I can remember when the E-Trac came out how there were bad things said like it's too expensive or too heavy. Now if you ask someone what is the Deepest Coin/Correct ID machine, you will hear 9 times out of 10, E-Trac. This statement has been proven by thousands of users. Most will agree with that, even if they don't own one. That is a powerful statement about a machine. On the other hand, there have been other brands that have come out and the hype was high. People said "this is going to be the best thing and it will have the other companies scrambling". Then when the machine was released, they fought the first 6 months of release with technical/build issues or the machines are still not what said to come.

So until the CTX3030 has the coil on the ground in the hands of one of us, it is only pure speculation. I for one can't wait and be assured as soon as it is released I will be trying to get one... and as soon as it arrives at my door a video or 2 or 3 will be made. Just my 2 cents. GfH

 

[Rick(ND)]

I agree with you are saying and also on the Sovereign, then the Explorer and the E-Trac so many complained about it when they first got it or read other peoples post so they said it was bad. Now those that stuck with it and learned all about it and how to set it for their hunting loves them. Sometimes I think some of these people expect it to do well the first time out with it and if it don't they don't like it and feels the detector should work the way they want it too without learning what the detector is telling you.
It going to be interesting and myself feel it is going to be the Minelab built for us that are serious about detecting and will separate the men from the boys and do feel it is going to cost $2000 or more which will separate those that feel they can make a lot on money by detecting.
I will probably get on if it is not over $2700 just to see what it can do even though I love my Sovereign GT and my E-Trac as the only way I will know how good it will be is by trying one and learning all what it can do for me.

Rick

 

[CDDZ]

Well said!
I plan on getting one regardless. Already have one reserved with my dealer. I know what worst case price is going to be and I am happy to pay it

 

[hershey1]

Great information and you are right about Minelabs testing of their products. When it goes public it will do everything they say it will. I will have one as soon as my friendly dealer gets them. Hopefully soon. HH

 

[Southwind]

There are two factors that will decide whether the 3030 is for me.

If it gains 2" or more over the E-Trac I'll pay up to $3,000 if it can tell gold froaluminumum I'll pay up ti $5,000. Other than that I'll probably just stick to my E-Trac.

 

[Daniel Tn]

I've been following the threads of the UK folks that seem to know more about it than us in the States....they are still being tight lipped til the 11th but have at least got to be using the pre-production models and have leaked what they can.

#1 most interesting thing they've said thus far is that the CTX is being a lot more accurate on IDing to its depth. The eTrac and other VLFs will start lumping high conductive targets into the iron category if they are near iron and or are deeper signals. They say the CTX addresses this issue and in their testing, they were finding deep targets the CTX was reading correctly and the eTrac and others would read as iron.


If they got that part of it right....then all other features aside, that is a major plus and will account for a lot more goodies in your pouch at the end of the day, that you otherwise would have skipped over thinking it was iron.

I just hope it has a true motion all metal mode. That would be a big buying point for me....even if it can't handle red iron dirt well in disc mode, if it has a true motion all metal mode I can work with that.

 

[Critterhunter]

I just hope it's not such a leap in technology in terms of depth and unmasking targets that it makes it pointless for people to hunt public sites with their other Minelabs or other machines that this machine has already covered. That will shrink the hobby down to a very few people who can afford to buy one.

 

[hershey1]

ML's minesweeping technology has the ability to use a search halo that extends around 4 feet beyond the coil and deep. Hit the GPS button and zero in on the target. Now just a touch of that with color coded target ID's. Maybe they are selling this machine too cheap. Just a thought. HH

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Great post Gone!!

BTW... what the heck do you know about metal detectors??? lol

 

[coinnut]

I'm getting mine one minute after midnight At least that is what I am telling my dealer. Minelab has been spot on in its technology. I love the E Trac and will probably love this one too!! $2000.00 is about my limit though. Any more than that and they will have to throw in some cookies and milk!!

 

[D&P-OR]

There ya go!----I like the way you think coinnut.

I'm getting mine one minute after midnight At least that is what I am telling my dealer. Minelab has been spot on in its technology. I love the E Trac and will probably love this one too!! $2000.00 is about my limit though. Any more than that and they will have to throw in some cookies and milk!!

 

[bcoop]

There is no way any 1 company is going to make the perfect machine that will satisfy everyone's needs. What is the ideal perfect metal detector. My opinion there is not one and there will never be one made. Why?, because if a company could install every want need or option requested who could afford it? I think they say 4% of the country owns 90% of the stuff. I don't think even 1% of the 4% have ever picked up a metal detector or ever will for that matter.

It would be interesting to know what the average annual income is of an avid metal detectorist. Several years ago I read that the average Hockey Fan made 75,000 dollars a year.

I remember back when I purchased my E-Trac, the E-Trac forums were full of disbelievers and Minelab Bashers. I remember one guy stated his Bounty Hunter was a better machine than his E-Trac and he wish he had never purchased it. They all have their place and will do as designed no matter what manufacture.

There is no need for product or company specific bashing. A lot of work goes into building these machines and research and development costs money, especially when back to the drawing board you go because this or that will not function correctly.

Talking about stability, anyone that has ever taken a single frequency machine to a salt water beach and detected for any amount of time to speak of knows what they will NOT do on salt water beaches. Take the E-Trac with FBS to the beach and watch it purr, you will wear yourself out digging deep holes but the rewards are in the bottom of the hole.

CANT'T WAIT TO SEE FBS-2 WORK THE BEACH

BCOOP

 

[Digger]

I've been following the threads of the UK folks that seem to know more about it than us in the States....they are still being tight lipped til the 11th but have at least got to be using the pre-production models and have leaked what they can.

As I said in my introduction, my NDA is very strict for this product. Once the fog has lifted, I think you'll be hard pressed to find someone who has logged more time with this detector than I have. HH Randy

 

[bcoop]

Going back to my question yesterday when I asked about how many hrs you have spent with this machine and how well it does on Salt water beaches. Again I understand what you can and can't say.

Your avatar, which is a picture of you on the beach. Your holding the CTX 3030 aren't you!





BCOOP

 

[earthmansurfer]

I've been following the threads of the UK folks that seem to know more about it than us in the States....they are still being tight lipped til the 11th but have at least got to be using the pre-production models and have leaked what they can.

#1 most interesting thing they've said thus far is that the CTX is being a lot more accurate on IDing to its depth. The eTrac and other VLFs will start lumping high conductive targets into the iron category if they are near iron and or are deeper signals. They say the CTX addresses this issue and in their testing, they were finding deep targets the CTX was reading correctly and the eTrac and others would read as iron.


If they got that part of it right....then all other features aside, that is a major plus and will account for a lot more goodies in your pouch at the end of the day, that you otherwise would have skipped over thinking it was iron.

I just hope it has a true motion all metal mode. That would be a big buying point for me....even if it can't handle red iron dirt well in disc mode, if it has a true motion all metal mode I can work with that.

And add to that, it looks very clear that you can run TTF in a sort of a mixed way with conductive. Read that on another forum from a tester, though not his words, but clearly implied. I think this means something along the lines of TTF giving high tones according to the CO number and NOT the Fe number. Did I get that backwards, still confuses me! Something clearly lacking on the E-Trac.

I have to say, the E-Trac ID's targets down almost as deep as it audios on them. Except at the "thunking" stage. No problems for me with depth of VID, but in my iron mineralized ground I can imagine going quite a bit deeper.

 

[Digger]

Yea, I avoided that question on purpose. Darned NDA! But if it means anything to you, I measure time by the calendar, not the clock. HH Randy

P.S. What avatar?

 

[bcoop]

n/t

 

[D&P-OR]

Randy------I've known you a long time (thru the Forums) and you have ALWAYS been one of the guys that is a "straight shooter" and tells it like you see it.------Soooo, once "the fog lifts"----get ready to stay up at night answering questions because I and everyone else has a "ton of 'em" regarding the CTX. -----You've really got me interested in firing questions at you now that I know you have considerable time logged in with this CTX! ------------Del

I've been following the threads of the UK folks that seem to know more about it than us in the States....they are still being tight lipped til the 11th but have at least got to be using the pre-production models and have leaked what they can.

As I said in my introduction, my NDA is very strict for this product. Once the fog has lifted, I think you'll be hard pressed to find someone who has logged more time with this detector than I have. HH Randy

 

[Gonehunting]

Great post Gone!!

BTW... what the heck do you know about metal detectors??? lol

lol jerk.. Thanks man.. Man you better save one for me.. done talked the wife into it... she says no more after this one....

 

[Digger]

I appreciate your comments and look forward to the questions. HH Randy