Which Compass metal detector series went deeper in heavily mineralized ground?

[straker]

Some will say Challenger X-90/100 and others the Earle Vari-filter scanners with 'European' switch(including the Challenger X-200). I will try to elaborate as what is stated in Compass literature and owners manuals. The Earle Vari-filter(3 filter) scanners are the XP series,Coin Scanner,Gold Scanner series and AU-52/2000.
The Challenger X-90/100 has a 'normal' and 'sharp' filter response. The owners manual states that the 'normal' setting pulls a target through mineralized ground better by scanning a larger area during the analysis of the target. The 'sharp' setting for low mineralized areas analyzes the target for a short duration which provides better separation of multiple targets.
The owners manual also states that the 'Power Level'(circuit front end sensitivity) control should only be used at the higher settings if ground conditions are favorable. In areas of high mineralization,'Low' or 'Ultra Low' is recommended. Meaning higher settings above 'Preset' can not be used in high mineralized ground. 'Max' or 'Ultra Max' settings in high mineralized ground may give false signals.
The Challenger X-90/100 is not a Varifilter design and is offered in a 2 or 4 filter selection. Ground balancing is adjustable in the All Metal mode only and then switched over to GB Discriminate mode.

The Earle Vari-filter scanners are a 3 filter design that will operate in both low and high mineralized areas with a slow to moderate sweep speed. The Payne Coin Scanner Pro series are a 2 filter design. The 'European' switch added around late 1990 to the Earle scanners allowed for ground balancing in both the All Metal mode and GB Discriminate mode. The European switch to allow for ground balancing in GB Discriminate and Vari-filter combined made for deeper detection through highly mineralized ground while operating in the GB Discriminate mode.

Based on this conclusion,the Challenger X-90/100 will only go deep in highly mineralized ground by using the All Metal mode in 'Normal' filter and 'Power Level' setting of 'Ultra Low' to 'Preset' settings.

One other clarification is that the black box Challenger X-100 has an aluminum control box housing and is not plastic. The meter pod may be plastic,but not the control box. The same goes for the Challenger X-200.

 

[calibil]

So what exactly does the European switch do?
For mineralized ground? Change the ground phase to a different shift?

 

[straker]

So what exactly does the European switch do?
For mineralized ground? Change the ground phase to a different shift?

Allan Cannon quote;

The American /European switch allowed the operator to set the GB/Disc mode to operate in a fixed factory preset operation (AMERICAN) in the Disc mode. By switching to the other side (European) Then the discrimination works along with the All Metal mode and has to be Ground Balanced first. If you don't tune out the ground first, then the ground balance may give false signals in the discrimination mode.
The reason Compass added this feature was to give the operator more control over the detector and hunting the ground. For the average person starting out, the American side was the turn on and go hunting. However the European discrimination can give you more depth on deeper targets while discriminating, BUT you will dig more trash targets...like some hot rocks.
Later scanners (XP Pro) also had a trim pot to allow the operator to adjust the pin-point mode to the ground.

I own a late model XP PRO PLUS and it has this feature. The switch is located behind a plug on the back of the control box near the headphone jack.

John Earle quote on the Vari-filter;

Scanner Filters
The Scanner filter system consists of more than 2 section filters for better ground elimination than other "turn on and go" machines that almost exclusively use the 2 filter section type of simple filter. But, Compass has some additional proprietary electronic processing that eliminates the ringing that normally results from a higher Q filter. Therefore, the Scanner gives better ground elimination while maintaining good close target definition in the motion mode or Trashout mode. Compass refers to this electronically modified filter system as the 'Vari-Filter'.

 

[calibil]

Thanks for the clarification, I recently picked up a gold scanner with mods and had seen that small switch behind the box plug

 

[straker]

Thanks for the clarification, I recently picked up a gold scanner with mods and had seen that small switch behind the box plug

The early gold scanners(late 1980s) did not have the European switch. You can tell by 2 methods,but only if the rod system and coil are original.
If it is a gold colored arm cup and the coil has a gray cable,then it is early. If you look behind the plug,you will see 2 wires going to the circuit board and no switch.
The latter gold scanners(early 1990s) had a black arm cup and the coil had a black shiny cable. These had the European switch.
If the rod system or coil was replaced,still look behind to plug to determine whether or not the switch was added.
I once owned an early gold scanner and it did not have the European switch.

 

[vlad]

and ahead of its time. In mild to moderate ground I ran it (inland) set at sharp, sens high, power level maxed, and used the 16" loop. At the beach I went with the 8", sharp, and
power level set to norm-this cut down on falsing and was good in wet salt too--sensitivity to small gold was great. It had TID in all modes, including TR-disc. and had auto tune as an option.
The X-200 may have been made after the company sold and had basic X-100 features; added some good ideas, like 2 separate frequencies and 1/3 filters, with more of the controls mounted on the meter
with tactile switches, but it just never met expectations (Monte can confirm this too.)
If its really bad ground I'd recommend a detector at a much lower frequency for more depth. (Jerry Tyndall recommended the DMC-4 as better in bad ground that the DMC-2's.)
The Relic Magnums were around 4kHz but were TR-disc; another series were were Magnum 420, 320 & 240 but were TR's also--do not recall the frequency. Low freq TR's can still get better depth using
reverse TR discrimination---but it is slow.
The Coin Magnum was different; not motion, or a TR, but ground balanced and disc. with a surface blanker feature. It was an analyzer and was not as fast as a TR. (after Teknetics hit the market
it died a fast death.)
Compass was an innovative company, that pushed the envelope--wish they were still around.
Youtube has some models.
https://www.losttreasure.com/Home/FieldTestDetail/6079
https://www.losttreasure.com/Home/FieldTestDetail/6166
https://www.losttreasure.com/Home/FieldTestDetail/6004
http://www.treasurehunting.co.uk/uploads/fieldtests/Test_70.pdf
Andy Sabisch and Monte are active at Finds if you have questions; Reg Sniff may be retired by now.
(there is the Compass site, Karl's, and NASA Tom also)

 

[HaroldILL.]

The Gold Scanner Pro with its Manual GB was No slouch when it came to depth in any ground.
A couple Years back when Vintage detectors were red hot I saw one NOS with original box on the bay fetch a Grand. No kidding. Probably a longtime user who knew how good they were.

 

[goldust000]

The x200 was the deepest was probably one of the deepest machines in its day.I thought the European switch was just to help id forien coins but I might be wrong was a heavy beast .