Ralph Bryant
New member
Received the Ace 250 this morning, and thought I would do a quick comparison between the two just to see if there was really any difference in basic performance capabilities.
Well, they are pretty darn close. The 250 does have a noticeably higher gain range that gives it a slight edge, but it's not by much. Here are some basic air tests with both the 4.5 Sniper coil and the stock 6.5x9 on each machine:
<center>[attachment 16220 Ace150250AirTests.JPG]</center>
While the stock 6.5x9 coil is solidly built and works well overall, I think the 4.5 Sniper coil really makes these machines something special, if for no other reasons than these:
1. No pinpointing concerns with the smaller coil. Target signal is at the center in either lateral or heel-to-toe direction. No second guessing.
2. No concerns with how high you set your sensitivity in most instances, since the smaller coil allows higher settings without as much exposure to external RF interferrence or the larger surface area of ground mineralization detected with the larger coils.
3. A smaller coil concentrates the electromagnetic field of the coil, allowing for better sensitivity to smaller targets and targets at fringe depths or on the edge of notched discrimination ranges.
4. Very little concern with target masking, and the ability to get very close to metal obsticles by adjusting to the required sensitivity level. Very tight target separation.
5. The smaller coil size almost forces you to SLOW DOWN AND LOOK CLOSER.
6. Provides for a much lighter weight and better balanced machine overall. Very little fatigue involved.
7. (I like this one !
) Those little coils make the "BIG GUYS" think you are using a toy, so they don't take your seriously. BIG MISTAKE !
All of these reasons make a smaller coil a good learning tool for kids to, as it helps teach them coil discipline, pinpointing, target sizing, and so on.
As an example of number 3 above, I did some testing with a new nickel on the 250 and noticed that in the coin mode, the new coin would break up and jump between the nickel icon and the next higher closed notch (low pull-tab) giving it a very questionable broken signal. In the same mode, but using the 4.5 coil, the same coin, same location, same detector settings produced a much stronger "no-questions" nickel signal. This was not really a problem on higher-end coin range signals or when the notches either side of the nickel notch were opened up on the 250, just something that helps to show the differences between coils and how the more concentrated EMF of the small coil can provide some benefit. The same thing is not even an issue with the 150 because of it's wider individual notching ranges, and in some regards the simplicity of the 150 can have it's advantages.
Still finding very little NOT to like about these machines, from construction quality to features and performance. They won't be replacing my other favorites, but they will definately be adding to them.
Ralph
Well, they are pretty darn close. The 250 does have a noticeably higher gain range that gives it a slight edge, but it's not by much. Here are some basic air tests with both the 4.5 Sniper coil and the stock 6.5x9 on each machine:
<center>[attachment 16220 Ace150250AirTests.JPG]</center>
While the stock 6.5x9 coil is solidly built and works well overall, I think the 4.5 Sniper coil really makes these machines something special, if for no other reasons than these:
1. No pinpointing concerns with the smaller coil. Target signal is at the center in either lateral or heel-to-toe direction. No second guessing.
2. No concerns with how high you set your sensitivity in most instances, since the smaller coil allows higher settings without as much exposure to external RF interferrence or the larger surface area of ground mineralization detected with the larger coils.
3. A smaller coil concentrates the electromagnetic field of the coil, allowing for better sensitivity to smaller targets and targets at fringe depths or on the edge of notched discrimination ranges.
4. Very little concern with target masking, and the ability to get very close to metal obsticles by adjusting to the required sensitivity level. Very tight target separation.
5. The smaller coil size almost forces you to SLOW DOWN AND LOOK CLOSER.
6. Provides for a much lighter weight and better balanced machine overall. Very little fatigue involved.
7. (I like this one !
) Those little coils make the "BIG GUYS" think you are using a toy, so they don't take your seriously. BIG MISTAKE !All of these reasons make a smaller coil a good learning tool for kids to, as it helps teach them coil discipline, pinpointing, target sizing, and so on.
As an example of number 3 above, I did some testing with a new nickel on the 250 and noticed that in the coin mode, the new coin would break up and jump between the nickel icon and the next higher closed notch (low pull-tab) giving it a very questionable broken signal. In the same mode, but using the 4.5 coil, the same coin, same location, same detector settings produced a much stronger "no-questions" nickel signal. This was not really a problem on higher-end coin range signals or when the notches either side of the nickel notch were opened up on the 250, just something that helps to show the differences between coils and how the more concentrated EMF of the small coil can provide some benefit. The same thing is not even an issue with the 150 because of it's wider individual notching ranges, and in some regards the simplicity of the 150 can have it's advantages.
Still finding very little NOT to like about these machines, from construction quality to features and performance. They won't be replacing my other favorites, but they will definately be adding to them.
Ralph
thank you for that report.Got the ace 250 yeller feller and a bonus from my son the sniper coil at xmas.
The "Famiglia" now know that at father's day i get the other coil 12" and the collection will be completed.
Guess where the OLD man will be this spring
Ciao.Anthony
Such floors are usually reinforced with quartz or igneous gravels and tend to be mineralized just slightly negative - more of a real world matrix than vacuous air. 