which machine has the fastest processor, XTerra 705, Explorer, Etrac??

[Blank Planet]

n/t

 

[Digger]

Short of tearing each of them apart and checking the processors themselves, I don't know how you could tell. But if I had to make a guess at which of the three you mentioned had the "fastest" processor, I'd guess the E-TRAC, due the functionality it provides and the fact it is Minelab's most recently released FBS model. But again, that is just a guess on my part. Regardless of the answer, in reference to metal detectors, processor speed isn't necessarily proportional to recovery speed. Much of that depends on how many "internal functions" are required before useable information is provided to the operator. A simple non-TID detector might have a slow processor, but the fastest recovery between targets. Comparing the three models you mentioned, the X-TERRA has a much faster "recovery" than the FBS models. But again, that does not mean it has the fastest processor. It might? But I won't be tearing mine apart to find out. JMHO HH Randy

 

[Blank Planet]

thanks Digger for the good report, maybe i needed to rephrase my question to fastest recovery speed between targets which you have already answered i haven't used the 2 FBS machines so i was not sure on their recovery speeds.

just been doing some research in to the FBS machines and trying to piece together if i want to spend all that money on one to find more old silver coins than i already am with the 705 and as i am still finding them with the 705 maybe the answer is no at this point its like the grass is always greener syndrome.

another question is trashy areas and what would work best there when the coins are deep to the 6" to 8" mark have heard the etrac would work best in this situation ?

i know there are many variables to consider and no one blanket answer covers everything, its hard to gauge from reading forums because everyone believes their detector is the best so without spending 1000 of $ to make my own assessment i guess i have to read between the lines some?

maybe i am already using a very good detector in the 705 results in my finds with it would say its one very nice machine on silver.

Blank Planet

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Short of tearing each of them apart and checking the processors themselves, I don't know how you could tell. But if I had to make a guess at which of the three you mentioned had the "fastest" processor, I'd guess the E-TRAC, due the functionality it provides and the fact it is Minelab's most recently released FBS model. But again, that is just a guess on my part. Regardless of the answer, in reference to metal detectors, processor speed isn't necessarily proportional to recovery speed. Much of that depends on how many "internal functions" are required before useable information is provided to the operator. A simple non-TID detector might have a slow processor, but the fastest recovery between targets. Comparing the three models you mentioned, the X-TERRA has a much faster "recovery" than the FBS models. But again, that does not mean it has the fastest processor. It might? But I won't be tearing mine apart to find out. JMHO HH Randy

Good post and I agree. I know for a fact the Minelab E-Trac has a faster processor than the Minelab Explorer SE Pro.

The Minelab X-Terra 705 recovers pretty darn quick!

 

[Old Longhair]

I don't know why so many are posessed with the need for faster processors. Sure, the machine has a lot of information to process, but transmitting and receiving information takes time too.Faster processors than what MineLab uses exist, but aren't used, at least in part because you eventually reach a point of diminishing return.


Go ahead and get the fastest machine you can find.....then some guy going slow will come along behind you and pick up what you've missed.

 

[Digger]

Funny you should mention finding one or two more coins with the ETRAC as that is exactly what I've found with mine. TWO! Long story short (as I've posted it a couple times before), I put my 705 and ETRAC up against each other "head to head" in actual field use. I used the 6-iinch EQ2 and the Coiltek Joey on the ETRAC. And the 6-inch DD and 5X10 eilliptical on the 705. Both are HF coils and I would prefer to use the 3kHz for coins. But there is not any 9-inch concentric for the ETRAC and I wanted to use similarly sized coils of the same design. Anyway, I would grid off an area and hunt it with one detector, marking each target found with a colored golf tee or poker chip. (depending on how high the grass is). Then before digging anything, I'd dectect the same area with the other detector,confirm each target located previously, and mark any additional targets with a different colored tee or chip. Once again, before digging any of the targets, I would rescan the area with the initial detector, just to see why I might have missed the additional targets on the first pass. The results of my hundreds of hours of testing were two coins found with the ETRAC that I could not (or did not) find with the X-705. One of them was a deep silver quarter that was literally surrounded by old rusty nails. The 705 simply could not get a high tone hit with all the adjacent ferrous properties. The other was a dime that, even though the 705 made a chirp, I would not have "normally" dug it due to the intermittent response.

So I guess I don't really have an answer to your question. If you can afford both detectors then the E-TRAC makes a great companion to the 705. I call mine the dynamic duo! On the other hand, based on my specific tests, it was only two coins out of hundreds and hundreds of targets, that the 705 did not locate.

In summary, depth is not the "measuring stick" I use when chosing to sweep the ETRAC. Either detector will hunt as deep as I need around here. I'll use the ETRAC in areas with an abundance of trash, where I need the additional TID information. Or I'll use in areas that are so congested with targets that a super slow sweep is the only way I am able to isolate and separate targets. Slower than a VLF is capable of operating, and still providing TID. (I could use Prospecting mode on the 705 but wanted a TID mode to make my comparisons) The extremely slow sweep allowed by the ETRAC allows me to get "in between" the junk. And the slower response between targets becomes irrelevant with that slow of sweep. If I had to chose between the two detectors...............that would be a tough call. But for the sites I typically hunt, I like the performance of the X-TERRA. For the relatively small number of additional coins that I might find with the ETRAC, the X-TERRA allows me to cover twice as much ground. So at the end of the day, I figure I'm digging more coins in a given period of time when using the X-TERRA. JMHO HH Randy

 

[Blank Planet]

Randy thanks for the in depth report.

the more i use the 705 the more it impresses me, i expect to find silver with it, am running the 7.5 DD and depth is not a problem as you said, only thing is getting the silver from super trashed up spots modern on top and others with deep iron having said that i found it 705 works better in the iron than the modern trash with the 7.5 anyway.

that's why i was asking about the little 3 kHz concentric on another thread thought it might do OK, but i like DD coils better so that's out.

one thing i didn't consider was the 18.75 baby it was not on the hit list but from your tests they work well on silver which is some what of a surprise and being DD it would work well in trash better than the concentric. if you were to make a coil for silver in trashed up spots how would it go?

wish they would make a low freq small DD coil i would buy one of those in a flash.

will keep learning the 705 because it sure is one under rated machine, if a etrac pops up at the right price i will grab one but for now i think i have a very good detector to gain experience on just need a low freq small DD coil and well maybe not need a etrac.

seems that is where the etrac is better than the 705 for going super slow in super trash from your reports and from others that use them. so that coil is all we need?

Blank Planet

 

[Digger]

I would have high expectations from a small, 3kHz, DD coil. The problem seems to be convincing the manufacturers that there are enough of us out here who would buy one. JMHO HH Randy

 

[Blank Planet]

maybe we could start a list of people who want one?

so far we have 2 so speak up if you want one?

Blank Planet