tone ID detectors

[rodbuster]

I am a tone ID detector fan, no meter for me . I been detecting 30 + years and for me tones are the way to go. Is there anyone out there that feels the same, if so what do you feel are the top choices out there. I am looking for tone ID only, no meter.I am using a Golden UMax, are there any other choices. Thanks

 

[dan b]

I'm not a fan of meters either. I don't have the self-control to NOT rely on the screen. Consequently the quality of my finds goes down. Before I got a machine with a meter (Garrett GTA1000 in the early 90's) I had found 20 or so rings with my Garrett Freedom 2, which was back when Garrett made awesome beep and dig machines. I didn't find any rings for years until I got a Tejon. Then I bought into the hype that I needed a screen again. Stopped finding rings again.

Here is why: We all know that you have to dig pull tabs to find rings. But when a screen tells you it's a pull tab and you dig it up to find the screen was right, well that's just pretty cool. Repeat that 20 or 30 times in a row and eventuality you (or maybe just me) stop digging them. Therefore your finds end up being just clad. Then those zinc pennies are the next candidates to be ignored. Along with that comes more missed good targets.

For those with screens who can truly ignore them and hunt by audio only, well, my hat is off to you. You're a better man than I am. But...I can't help but wonder that if it's necessary to ignore the screen to be more successful, than why do I need one?

Anyway, that's my perspective and that's why I stick to Tesoro.

I think the other player in the no-screen detector business is deep tech. They seem to have very impressive depths, multi-tones and light weight. Unfortunately I don't think they have discrimination quality close to a Tesoro. At least that's what I've read.

 

[Oldguy]

I too am a fan of tone detectors, my first "real" metal detector was a Whites TR Discriminator sold under the Sears Ted Williams label. It still works, and I used it up through last year when I bought a Tesoro Tejon. I understand the language of the "beep" so the transition was fairly easy. With this type of machine you never really stop learning, so it never gets boring. I chose the Tejon because I can adjust the pitch of the audio tone. Exposure to siren noise from 35 years in the fire service has left some tonal gaps in my hearing. After using the Tejon, I really like the two separate discriminators controlled by a trigger. Whoever designed this machine is a genius.

 

[tab-nabit]

Have 6 non-meter detectors (all Tesoro's), then my Cortes and other detectors have meter display.
I always use headphones (SunRay Gold Pro) and focus on tone(s). If I like what I hear, then I have made (or not if I don't like what I hear) my descision to dig or not via tone(s). If I'm using a meter detector, I have made my descision via audio,and will usually look at the display after my audio descision. I've had times I got a deep faint audio signal and no display change from it.
Guess from the start years ago (detectors with no meters) and just depended on audio and that's where it's at.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

for park hunting I prefer one of my metered machines..... for beach or farm field hunting I prefer my sovereign gt or excal.i started out with a gta=1000 with meter and it was a great starter unit...found lots of silver with it but it wouldn't hit on gold very well at all in the disc mode... like dan said the meter mentality tends to keep you from digging the iffy targets ... but at sites with colonial potential its non metered all the way and dig all signals other than iron .....ive never used a Tesoro yet but I can tell you the gt is no slouch when it come to depth..... theres a reason those guys swinging the minelabs on the beach carry 8 inch scoops-- very deep targets and vague pinpointing... just saying...

 

[rodbuster]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the replies, it's good to know that I am not the only one that enjoys a detector that relies on the operator's hearing and adventuring spirit to dig or not. I have used detectors with meters, and although they do give you probable information on the target, I myself rely on the meter too much and not my gut feeling to dig or not. I have found more with sounds then ID numbers, but this is only my opinion. I started detecting in 1972 with a Whites coinmaster TR unit and over the years have used most of the major brands. There is one beep and dig detector that's sticks out in mind, in the 80's Garrett came out with a AT4, waterproof to 10 feet and 3 tones. In 1985 lake Michigan near Chicago was at a all time high and had eroded all the beaches,most of the sand was gone leaving the lakes blue clay bottom. Boy did I clean up, seated, barbers merc's, jewelry, what a time. I better quit with the stories or I will go on for hour's. Good hunting to everyone and Happy Holidays.
Ben

 

[mudpuppy]

Just to beat this subject a little more,! I have a F70, it has a meter, but what it also has is the ability to have 99 tones and modulated/proportional audio...Set up in the 99 tone feature, a fellow does not look at the screen, the tones tell you what the target probably is, and the proportional audio tells you how deep and big it may be, and where it is under the coil, so stabbing with a screwdriver is no problem...you can tell a rotten zinc from a fresh one, and a token from a zinc, a Q from a D, tab from a nickel, etc...if a fellow is sweeping for freshies, set up with a low sens and 99 tones, you can flat clean up targets in the 5" to surface range without looking at the screen or even pinpointing, its a machine somebody who is blind (or in the dark) could run entirely hunting heads up and audio alone. I agree that if a person has to use their eyes on a screen, its too fatigueing and takes too long. The more audio feedback and faster a guy is on retrieval cements all those sounds in a fellows internal CPU to the point of ping to pouch time is greatly shortened. A person jewelry hunting should not decide whether to dig or not, just ping, dig and move. No matter what machine you have, the faster a fellow can concentrate and acquire targets, the quicker the learning curve, and thats where tones make for some fast hunting. gotta go hunt, Good Luck everybody!
Mud

 

[ken ward]

I agree with every one. I also had meters and screens. I would look at it and it would say pull tab ,, After digging a bunch , I did not dig them. One time the signal sounded a little different. It said pull tab.
I dug any way. It was a small gold ring. After that I put an sock over the meter and went by sound. Didn't take me long to change. I have been using Tesoros for many years. Now I have a pile of them.
The sounds will give you a very good idea of what it is telling you. I also turn the disc knob. That helps a lot... KEN

 

[Nauti]

Since the good old single tone beep and dig machines,detector manufacturers have brought out new technologies such as vdi and multi tones to help us avoid digging unwanted targets.However,these technologies have also given us the opportunity to avoid digging good targets also.Both vdi and tone id can be unreliable under certain conditions......it is no good testing targets on the surface and hoping a certain detector will accurately replicate certain tones and vdi numbers on buried targets.
Anybody who relies solely on either tone or vdi to identify targets will,under certain conditions,miss good targets.

 

[BillF]

For almost 40 years I've been a beep and dig user. B&D will definitely find more goodies, but obviously you will dig waaay more trash.
Last year I bought a Vaquero after using a Silver Sabre for 28 years. I found a lot of great coins and rings, but it drove me nuts. I found myself always getting angry with it instead of enjoying it. I probably would have gotten a Golden if they were available.
I don't care what anybody says, trying to determine what a target is based on some perceived slight difference in a tone is the same as using a meter to tell you to dig or not.
This year I bought an X705. Either 4 tone or 99. I love it. I do use the meter but not to tell me whether to dig. Because they don't always tell the truth, but the tones, ahhh, that's different. Most garbage gives a tone that you just know is trash. When you hit a good target the tone wakes you up.
Don't get me wrong, my pouch is always filled with junk, but having a machine with tones has put the HAPPY back into my hunts. Wish I would have gotten one years ago.

 

[chuck ky]

most of the metered machines now also have audio i.d. but they are the same. what is on the meter as a coin or ring also audio i.d.'s as a coin or ring. if you only dig the high sounding or meter readings you will only find coins. you can dig it all with either type of machine or use the meter and audio to help eliminate some trash.

 

[dan b]

but having a machine with tones has put the HAPPY back into my hunts.

Then you've found the right machine. It's all about having fun. I have fun with my Vaquero but it made you angry. You did the right thing finding the machine that you enjoy.

 

[BillF]

Dan,
The Vaquero, for me, just wasnt what Rusty(Tesoro)made it out to be. My biggest issue with the Vaquero was hunting in highly trashy areas, otherwise it was great at the schools and parks I hunt. My other Tesoros don't seem to cause me the same problem.
I actually look for trashy areas to hunt with the X705 and hunt them in all metal, something I could never do with the V.
I'm glad you like your Vaquero. You're right, its all about enjoying this great hobby.

 

[reddirtfisher]

I am also a fan of tones ID and most of my detectors have tones. The tones on my Golden uMax are not that great,...but since I use Tesoros exclusively , ...this is better than no tones at all. I can swiftly scan any area with tones. A meter will slow you down. Having said that, ..my recommendation for tones ID detectors will have to be Bounty Hunter. I have found a lot of stuff with them and the tones on them are pretty accurate. If First Texas would improve quality control their tone ID detectors would just about take over the industy. I know they always get a bad rap from hobbyists ,... but I really enjoy using the Bounty Hunters. I may go back to using them if things don't change soon with Tesoro. Tones are definitely the way to go

 

[Southwind]

I love my tones, but I also like a bit of visual confirmation thanks.

I think the Minelabs have the best tone ID I've used. It seems to have more character/information than some of the others. I use tone ID on my DFX and my AT Pro to keep me from having to look at the display on every signal but I still look at the numbers just to verify what I think the tones are saying. I will recover a target regardless of the display, if the tones say so, and I will recovery a target regardless of the tones if the display says so. Why limit the amount of information your detector can give you by not using it?

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

In My opinion. The Sovereign GT is the best beep and dig machine.
It has 16 different tones that can really identify the different alloys in a metal target.
It sings on silver and gold vs Aluminum and junk

 

[chuck ky]

wouldn't the gold have a lower tone than the coins. thanks

 

[JimmyCT]

Jason,
I hear a lot more then 16 different tones with the Sov GT. You sure your unit is ok? I have severe high-pitched hearing loss and know I have heard a lot more then 16 tones. Even gold rings and pull tabs make different tones. Gold is real smooth and pull tabs are (to me) raspy sounding. Zinc Lincoln's sound different then a copper Lincoln. Silver and pure copper make an extreme high pitch over clad. Depending on the amount and mixture of alloys (even if it is slight) will raise or lower the tone and will also be smooth or raspy. Maybe other people that use the Sovereign hear the tones differently than me but this is what I have experienced.

Chuck, yes gold will come in with nice smooth low to mid-tone(s) and clad, copper and silver coins comes in with a high pitch tone(s). The exception are nickels as they come in with mid-tones like the gold.

My opinion is with Jason's - the many variable / multiple tones will alert you to the different alloys.

In My opinion. The Sovereign GT is the best beep and dig machine.
It has 16 different tones that can really identify the different alloys in a metal target.
It sings on silver and gold vs Aluminum and junk