It takes two to tango...
Both in-air and buried-target tests are needed to properly evaluate a detector. The basic sensitivity of a detector with a given search coil can be assessed by determining the distance at which a nickel, e.g., is first detected. If the sensitivity is found to be too low--the detection range less that ten inches--there's no need to perform any other tests...put it back on the rack or sell it on E-Bay, if it's yours...
If a nickel is detected at 15-16 inches, the performance in soil should be evaluated. A standardized test can be performed by using pure magnetite (black sand). A wooden box filled with black sand is placed over the target and the change in detection depth is recorded.
As a general rule, the sensitivity of the detector increases for PI machines and decreases for detectors with sinusoidal coil drive.
Some detectors with an improperly designed input circuits can not tolerate much black sand and emit a high-pitched noise which is intended to signify "coil overload". This euphemism tries to convey the impression that a piece of wire in the coil just can't handle any more signal.
The fact of the matter is that the detector ceases to function, because it has a limited dynamic range. If you have such a detector,
sell it on E-Bay...
With sinusoidal coil drive, the magnetic domains in the magnetite try to orient themselves in the direction of the imposed magnetic field.
This phenomenon consumes energy and weakens the field in proportion to the operating frequency of the detector. That's why low frequency detectors were developed. Unfortunately, as the frequency is lowered, so is the voltage induced in the target and a reasonable trade-off has to be made.
In a PI detector, the magnetic pulse generated by the transmitter coil is actually concentrated by magnetite in the ground, much in the same way as a ferrite core in a coil enhances the field strength.
(There are contraptions for sale at most prospecting equipment stores that make it possible to extract magnetite form any kind of soil...)
There are second-order effects, caused by hot-rock-type material which absorbs energy also from a pulsed field, but a basic comparison
between detectors can be made with pure magnetite.
I apologize in advance for these frank opinions--no offense intended...
Prospector Al