Question about Quattro

[Anonymous]

I am just curious. Minelab advertises the Q as a more "user-friendly" version of the Explorer....or that is my interpretation. I've owned a couple of Explorers, and kinda liked them, but got rid of them just as I was starting to "get the hang". Wish I hadn't done that. I've always desired a more user-friendly Explorer. Why is the Q cheaper in price than the Explorer? I would think it should cost more, if it is easier to use.......Will it go just as deep?, I.D targets just as well? I may be lookin' for a good used one.........

 

[nick hunter]

As far as I know, the Quattro has a little less depth than the explorers, and the ferrous audio id shows conductive numbers, so the target ID is always digital.

I find euro coins (larger than US ones) till 14" down.

But at those depths, they are not so frequent (beach).

HH

Nick

 

[JW]

Meaning you must be more deliberate with the swing, in other words move slower. Depth is comparable to the Explorer.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

I've only used a Quattro once. I own an older explorer though. The Explorers' have a more subtle audio system than the Quattro. The tones are somewhat different. If you can, get to a dealer and try them side by side. Take a mix of targets with you to compare notes. the Quattro seems like it is a fairly easy unit to use and I think that folks overstate it's slowness in recovery. I found it to have a better recovery speed than my X-Terra.
Mick Evans.

 

[Golden]

I am just curious. Minelab advertises the Q as a more "user-friendly" version of the Explorer....or that is my interpretation. I've owned a couple of Explorers, and kinda liked them, but got rid of them just as I was starting to "get the hang". Wish I hadn't done that. I've always desired a more user-friendly Explorer. Why is the Q cheaper in price than the Explorer? I would think it should cost more, if it is easier to use.......Will it go just as deep?, I.D targets just as well? I may be lookin' for a good used one.........

Gidday Tesoronut, the Quattro goes as deep as the Explorer 2. (I own both), Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The three advantages the Explorer has over the Quattro is that it sees objects in the ground 2 dimensionally, has quicker recovery and you can discriminate more finely for specific targets. My understanding is the Quattro was manufactured after the Explorer 2, and I believe it's computer is a little more refined, but you'd be best to ask MInelab themselves. Most dealers here in Australia don't seem to know much about either detectors, unless they've used them extensively themselves. However, don't underestimate the Quattro. It is a complex machine nevertheless that takes time, patience and lots of practice to master, in hunting different types of ground conditions. As for the slower recovery rate, I can't see what the problem is if you're not using it in detecting competitions where you might be racing against time, but even then, I don't believe it's such an issue, if you've learned to master it. I use the Quattro extensively on old goldfields where the ground is heavily mineralised in places or very rocky or the undergrowth is very dense. I also use it at the beach, hunting on the sand, or in very shallow water. Once noise cancelled, next to another detector you won't have any trouble with interference from the other detector. Same said for the Explorer on the noise cancelling. Again however, I personally prefer the Quattro over the Explorer, less fussing around, less chance of interference from changes in weather conditions, and a little more simplified form of detecting that rewards as good as, if not better than the Explorer in certain types of ground conditions. If you take a look back to some of the posts over the past two years, you'll pick up alot about how the Quattro performs.
HH Golden

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

I was wondering if you could answer a question for me if you could. I remember in a post that you wrote in regards to our gold coins and screw caps, you indicated that the screw caps give a slightly higher sound than a $1 or $2 coin. When I played around with a quattro the other day, I got quite a surprise, when I put a number of screw caps under the coil, and they all gave a higher number and pitch signal than the Goldie's. Some of these screw caps show up as Goldie's on the Explorer (XS). Does the Quattro do this with all screw caps, or was it just an unusual coincidence?
Thanks.
Mick Evans.

 

[nick hunter]

Hi all !

I still think the depth of the quattro is a bit less than that of the explorers. This info was given on the minelabowners forum, and here is an easy way to check it on the beach :

While sweeping on the beach, you sure already got one "false" signal, the beep starting but immediately cut off (so it is very short), and the signal does NOT repeat.

When that occurs, look at the display. If the displayed number is one you'd normally dig had it been repeated, well just pinpoint above the place the "false" signal occurred. If you see an -even tiny- pinpoint signal increment, then remove some sand until the pinpoint signal increases in intensity and audio.

Now you will get a two-way signal in the search mode, and, most important, there is a target indeed !

Could verify this a lot of times . So I suppose the Q has the depth capacity of the EXPL., but it is held back to make it less attractive.

HH

Nick

 

[Golden]

Hi all !

If you see an -even tiny- pinpoint signal increment, then remove some sand until the pinpoint signal increases in intensity and audio.
Could verify this a lot of times . So I suppose the Q has the depth capacity of the EXPL., but it is held back to make it less attractive.
HH
Nick

Giday Nick, it's also what I've found with the Quattro, many times on the goldfields and on the beach. You don't have to have an all out signal. The tiniest and slightest pinpoint increment can tell you that there's a possible target in the ground and removing the sand little by little, the signal increases in intensity and audio. It's also the case on the goldfields here. So true. But how many might have not noticed this feature or walked away out lack of patience ans may think they're chasing a ghost?.
Also, for what it's worth, my hubby and I have tested the Quattro and Explorer 2 against each other at the beach, and found the two of them will hit targets at same depths. We've tested this over and over, burying sinkers and other objects, only to have both detectors pick up signals. In saying that though, the Explorer does have the advantage over the Quattro in that it sees two dimensionally, and this could give the Explorer a little more edge, you could say when hunting targets. But one thing I did find is that, if you rely too much on finer discrimination, or numerical readings, you're likely to walk away from targets specifically when RELIC hunting. Relics can fall under a myriad of readings and audio tones. and same type relics will give a variety of readings if the composition of the metals are effected by a variety of ground conitions.
A perfect example of this is:
when hunting for chinese coins on old goldfields that were minted in the same year, and made from the same metals, when I found the coins in a variety of different ground conditions, they gave off different number and audio readings. For example: some coins found in damp, black soil gave off lower tones, and the number readings were between +19-+24, and occasionally +29. In dryer, more compact ground where the same type coins were dug from, the audio tones where clearer and higher pitched, and the readings were usually around -2 to -5. Same coins overall, but different audio and number readings. And all within the same building site. So when hunting with the Explorer, you can't afford to be too picky and choosey with your discrimination and number readings.
The Quattro is a great machine in that, when relic hunting, if you hunt in All Metal using no discrimination of course, and learn to go by tones and signal alone, it's the best way to detect when RELIC hunting. With the Explorer, there seems to be a tendency of relying too much or the finer points of the machine, than learning to go by the audio tones and signals alone, and this may cause the detectorist to walk away from potential targets, or a nulling over targets that could very well be there, and discrimination may be against certain relics that are there. I don't believe the Explorer, whatever the advantages, can possibly account for every type of relic or artifact. In beach or park detecting for coins, the finer discrimination and two dimensional aspect of the detects is great when it comes to hunting for specific targets, like your coins, etc, but when it comes to RELIC hunting you're in a totally different ball game. Just like the Quattro, you're best bet would be to learn to use the Explorer in much the same way: GO BY AUDIO TONES AND SIGNALS ALONE.
Golden

 

[Golden]

I was wondering if you could answer a question for me if you could. I remember in a post that you wrote in regards to our gold coins and screw caps, you indicated that the screw caps give a slightly higher sound than a $1 or $2 coin. When I played around with a quattro the other day, I got quite a surprise, when I put a number of screw caps under the coil, and they all gave a higher number and pitch signal than the Goldie's. Some of these screw caps show up as Goldie's on the Explorer (XS). Does the Quattro do this with all screw caps, or was it just an unusual coincidence?
Thanks.
Mick Evans.

Hello Mick, it doesn't do this with all screw caps but I don't believe it was coinincidental either. I think you just happened to stumble across a spot where the screw caps of that type from those bottles give off slightly higher signals. What gets me going is, when I hunt in ground with a variety of modern screw caps from a heap of bottles where some will gice off slighlty higher signals to gold coins, and others will gives off what sounds like similar signals to gold coins. Sometimes, it's a hit and miss affair, and you've just got to dig everything. But in the situation like yours, you were lucky to experience that little difference for yourself. What really gets me a little crazy is detecting in trashy ground full of pulltabs, that are made from goodness know how many different metal compositions like aluminium, titanium, steel, etc. All makes for some interesting learning experience! And I'm still learning!

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Thanks Golden. I know what you mean about learning.I've got a couple of detectors that I have hundreds of hours on (each) and I find that I'm still learning.
One good thing about pull tabs, is they tend to bounce around on the numbers. They often give you some rapid hits on the coil when they are close to the surface (more than a coin will).
Mick Evans.

 

[Goodrat]

Does anyone think the Quatro has the same audio circuit as the Exploreres?
Do they basically sound the same? I was thinking of getting an SE for some audio/headphone experimenting, but maybe the Quatro will be good enough for that.

 

[nick hunter]

it's also what I've found with the Quattro, many times on the goldfields and on the beach. You don't have to have an all out signal. The tiniest and slightest pinpoint increment can tell you that there's a possible target in the ground and removing the sand little by little, the signal increases in intensity and audio. It's also the case on the goldfields here. So true. But how many might have not noticed this feature or walked away out lack of patience ans may think they're chasing a ghost?.
Also, for what it's worth, my hubby and I have tested the Quattro and Explorer 2 against each other at the beach, and found the two of them will hit targets at same depths. We've tested this over and over, burying sinkers and other objects, only to have both detectors pick up signals. In saying that though, the Explorer does have the advantage over the Quattro in that it sees two dimensionally, and this could give the Explorer a little more edge, you could say when hunting targets. But one thing I did find is that, if you rely too much on finer discrimination, or numerical readings, you're likely to walk away from targets specifically when RELIC hunting. Relics can fall under a myriad of readings and audio tones. and same type relics will give a variety of readings if the composition of the metals are effected by a variety of ground conditions.
A perfect example of this is:
when hunting for chinese coins on old goldfields that were minted in the same year, and made from the same metals, when I found the coins in a variety of different ground conditions, they gave off different number and audio readings. For example: some coins found in damp, black soil gave off lower tones, and the number readings were between +19-+24, and occasionally +29. In dryer, more compact ground where the same type coins were dug from, the audio tones where clearer and higher pitched, and the readings were usually around -2 to -5. Same coins overall, but different audio and number readings. And all within the same building site. So when hunting with the Explorer, you can't afford to be too picky and choosey with your discrimination and number readings.

Golden

Hello Golden !

Well, glad we share the same experience from opposite parts of the world.

I will trust you and your hubby in considering that the quattro will equal the explorer as far as depth is concerned. But tell me, the coins you're speaking about (giving different signals) are they electro-plated steel coins?

The can behave foolish, those ones. Just because they're magnetic !

HH

Nick

 

[Golden]

Hello Golden !
Well, glad we share the same experience from opposite parts of the world.
I will trust you and your hubby in considering that the quattro will equal the explorer as far as depth is concerned. But tell me, the coins you're speaking about (giving different signals) are they electro-plated steel coins?
The can behave foolish, those ones. Just because they're magnetic !
HH
Nick

Hello Nick. The coins we usually pick up in the sand at the beach are current currency: 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and $1 & $2 coins. The lower denomination coins are usually made of mixed metals of nickle & copper, with nickle being the greater percentage. With the $1 & $2 coins, I belive they are largely made up of copper, with aluminium and nickle mixed in for measure. If they are electroplated, it's with a gold coating of some sort, as when I've put them in a silvo solution to try getting grime off them, the coating disappears, leaving behind a pale greyyellow colour.


As for the older chinese coins that gave different readings, they date to around 300 years of age and are largely made of bronze and some copper. the reason for the changes in audio and numeric readings is the changes that seem to have occured with the coins. Some were damp, black, grimey and very worn. others were dry, brown to green in colouration and not so worn. From what I can gather, the damp coins moved about it the soil much more so over time, and were dug from more damper ground conditions where the water tends to get trapped, mostly on the down side of the hill. Whereas the dry coins where dug from compact soil with litle or no movement over time, and some of the rubbish found on this site, like your typically iron rubbish, may have come into contact with these coins at one stage, and we got some coins tainted with a greenish hard encrustation. but not always the case, and not always for the same reason,
Golden

 

[Golden]

Does anyone think the Quatro has the same audio circuit as the Exploreres?
Do they basically sound the same? I was thinking of getting an SE for some audio/headphone experimenting, but maybe the Quatro will be good enough for that.

Hello Goodrat, the audio responses of both detectors differ from each other, but you can set the Explorer to behave in much the same way as the Quattro if you want no-fuss detecting. My hubby is thinking about up-grading from the Explorer 2 to the SE. Have you tried the Explorer Classroom forum? A few of the guys there are very knowledgable, and even first helped me with the Quattro when I first bought it 4 years ago!
Golden

 

[Goodrat]

I'm asking more about the way is sounds. More specifically, does it seem to have the same circuitry.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Goodrat. I have only used a Quartto once. From that limited use, I would say that they have different circuitry. The Quattro's sound seems to be more of a preset set sound, more like an X-Terra, while with the Explorer's audio you seem to be able to hear the bumps on a target ie a screw cap. Coins tend to give a smooth flat sound, while a screw cap seems to have a more undulating sound (that seems to raise and fall as you hear the sides of it) It's not perfect as coins can give an uneven tone at times as well and visa versa ( depending on whether you are getting other targets that are nearby or bad ground that may cause some trouble). I don't have a large amount of time on an Explorer ,(about 40hrs) so the overall detail of what I am saying to you is a bit limited. junk targets give uneven tones.
If you can, get yourself to a dealer and try them out side by side with a mixture of targets and listen to them for yourself.
Mick Evans.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for those very informative posts. My most 'sophisticated" machine currently is a White's MXT. But, I may want to get back on a Minelab in a few months.