I hope I can post this in this forum... Seems technical to me.
I know, I know, any thread that starts with best is subjective, and invariably followed with replies that start with "It depends..." or "There is no such thing". So let's dispence with those and get to the nuts and bolts. And I would like this to be more about the technology of the detectors, than marketing.
I've been dinking around with metal detectors, off and on, for a few years, 99% of what I have ever done (which is limited), is just testing and looking for whatever I can get a beep. I doubt that willl change much in the future. I'm not an MD junkie.
But I plan to occasionally try to see if there is any gold lying around in some of my road trips around the country, in my Jeep.
So, what I'm looking for is a great general purpose detector, that has a good chance of detecting gold, if it's around. So here are some questions:
1) What are the most important factors in a detector that finds gold? Is it the frequency, the technology used, or something else, or both?
2) Is there such a thing as a great relic detector AND a great gold detector, in one unit? I don't want to depend solely on advertising. I'd like to hear from experts.
3) Are there any detectors that can be configured to find just about anything you want to find? Or does the technology of the detecting electronics constrain things to relics or gold?
4) How does the coil type or size factor into this equation?
I've been looking at 3 MineLab units. I'm not particularly fixed on these three. Certainly, I'd consider anything that fits my needs. But these are the ones I have been looking at lately. Prior to this I used a Whites.
1) Minelab Equinox 800
2) Minelab Gold Monster
3) Minelab CTX 3030
I will also say that I don't want a great gold detector, if it's crappy for relics. Relics must be #1, with gold a close 2nd.
Finally, barring the likely reply of "there is no such thing", what are the 2 different metal detectors that can accomplish what I want? I'd like to keep the entire budget for 1 or 2, under $2500.
I know, I know, any thread that starts with best is subjective, and invariably followed with replies that start with "It depends..." or "There is no such thing". So let's dispence with those and get to the nuts and bolts. And I would like this to be more about the technology of the detectors, than marketing.
I've been dinking around with metal detectors, off and on, for a few years, 99% of what I have ever done (which is limited), is just testing and looking for whatever I can get a beep. I doubt that willl change much in the future. I'm not an MD junkie.
But I plan to occasionally try to see if there is any gold lying around in some of my road trips around the country, in my Jeep.
So, what I'm looking for is a great general purpose detector, that has a good chance of detecting gold, if it's around. So here are some questions:1) What are the most important factors in a detector that finds gold? Is it the frequency, the technology used, or something else, or both?
2) Is there such a thing as a great relic detector AND a great gold detector, in one unit? I don't want to depend solely on advertising. I'd like to hear from experts.
3) Are there any detectors that can be configured to find just about anything you want to find? Or does the technology of the detecting electronics constrain things to relics or gold?
4) How does the coil type or size factor into this equation?
I've been looking at 3 MineLab units. I'm not particularly fixed on these three. Certainly, I'd consider anything that fits my needs. But these are the ones I have been looking at lately. Prior to this I used a Whites.
1) Minelab Equinox 800
2) Minelab Gold Monster
3) Minelab CTX 3030
I will also say that I don't want a great gold detector, if it's crappy for relics. Relics must be #1, with gold a close 2nd.
Finally, barring the likely reply of "there is no such thing", what are the 2 different metal detectors that can accomplish what I want? I'd like to keep the entire budget for 1 or 2, under $2500.
