Which Explorer do you guys like the best? why?

[Bling]

n/t

 

[Hotcz70]

n/t

 

[John - Maryland]

n/t

 

[Elton]

It works best for me.

 

[wildherre]

My personal choice is the XSII with a updated coil. Its advantages that matter to me over the XS are the faster processor ,1/4" jack & built in stand . Never took a liking to the SE. Comparing my XSII & my SE, the SE was noisier & not as deep as the XSII by a smidge. Great care was taken during testing making sure both were at same settings ,channel etc & using the same coil as my 2 Pro coils vary a bit. The VCO pinpointing on the SE is nice when using the SR probe but am willing to give that up for the right feel of the XSII.. IF you read between the lines you will see lots of SEs for sale at bargain prices & XSIIs bringing premium prices.. Long story short my order would be XSII, XS, SE...wildherre

 

[amc rulz]

I like the E2, bought it from my buddy who has used explorers, out hunted me every time. Thats when I came over to the "dark side". amc

 

[Howard Berry]

I like the SE with the pro coil. I feel it gives me an edge over the other guys.

 

[Dennis 2]

I have the SE & ET now . But the E2 just had a better sound on coins. I've been using the ET this year, but still don't see it out hunting the EX's . I dig allot more junk then good targets with it. Also the depth meter is way off. The only thing I see ( like I said ...I see ) that's any better is the pin-point mode, Which I don't use anyway.

 

[sasquache]

Well i cant comment on the e-trac or SE but i do know that the Explorer XS is by far the best i have ever owned it just does a better job of sniffing out the goodies at a snails pace and thats fine with me also i have used most top end brands and i can say one thing im not going back

 

[C&RHunter]

I agree with Bryce about all the Explorers being good machines. I have an XS and an Etrac (looks like, but isn't an Explorer, but still Minelab). Really like them both, and won't part with either. I've had the XS for 8-9 years and the Etrac 1 year. (Had to have a new toy) My hunting partners use Minelabs. One and ExII the other an XS. The XS user and I have had them about the same amount of time, The ExII user a couple of years less. We all do very well on our finds, but my XS partner and myself usually battle each other to see who comes out on top for the month in the silver count. I know there are a lot of variables here: experience, knowledge of machine, number of times out, and just plain ole "lucky enough to walk over a target". etc. He doesn't change settings on his machine and still uses the stock 10" coil. After 8-9 years, this equates to him knowing what his machine is telling him. (He is also primarily hunting silver, and doesn't have the machine opened up as much as the other two of us do). I never used an ExII or an SE, so can't personally comment on them. Between my XS and Etrac, strictly for ME, I would probably go with the Etrac over the XS, based on things I've recovered with that particular machine in the first year of use. DON"T read anything into that, because I am NOT trying to start an argument between which machine is best!!!!!!!!! I found a lot of nice silver and misc other things with the XS in the 8-9 years as my primary machine. I have found some really nice things in the year with the new machine. Both machines are good for nickels (for you nickel hunters), for me the etrac has more fine tune ability and I find more nickels with it. This month I have a, dated (1867, 1883, 1936. 1971) Grand Slam on the 4 styles of US 5-cent pieces. A first (and probably the last) time for this. Judging from the replies, I would say that whichever machine an individual thinks is best, is based on their finds and how comfortable they are using a particular model. They know the responses and after hours of use, what a target "may" be. There are always surprises in those finds: in 2008 I was using my XS in an old area that used to have a college building on it, but is used for overflow parking for ball games now days. I wasn't having a good day, and got a 26 signal. I thought another zinc penny, but decided to dig it anyway. I dug about 4-5 " and in the hole was a Buffalo nickel, a Barber half, and a bent rusty nail, and NO zinc penny....I still don't know why I got a 26 reading....anyway there is probably no definite answer to the original question...One tends to blame the machine when they aren't being very successful with it....but as the old saying goes "the equipment is only as good as the operator". Whichever machine you chose will be a good choice.

 

[Ohio Coinhunter]

I've never had the XS. I had the EX II a few years back and sold it due to arm/elbow problems. Owned other Minelab machines (X-Terra 70, 705, Quattro) and sold them, bought another EX II, sold it, tried a buddy's SE for a bit and then bought an E-Trac. All good detectors in my opinion, but I am back to the EX II again. I don't know what it is about this machine, but I have found more silver coins and good stuff with the EX II and the 1050 coil than any of the other machines. This is hunting most of the same spots again that I've searched with the other detectors for years. I like the audio, digital display, smooth operation, etc.. For me, it has been the best FBS detector I have ever used. After detector hopping all of these years and no more arm/elbow problems, I have finally settled back to the EX II and X-1 probe. I may get a Pro Coil for it or I may just leave the stock coil on, I don't know. But what I do know is that it will be a good long while before I ever get another detector.