My Metal Detectors Tests.

[HobbyMan]

Hello friends!

I am opening this thread to share with you some video tests of my metal detectors. I have Minelab E-Trac, XP DEUS, Golden Mask 4 Pro and Teknetics Eurotek Pro and I am familiar with each of them. I have a lot of free time, so making tests and comparing the capabilities of my detectors is one of my hobbies. I will be glad to discus the capabilities of these detectors with you, as well I will be glad to answer on your questions, if you have some.

I am really impressed by the XP DEUS capabilities - very sensitive and fast detector, probably the best all around VLF metal detector, suitable even for gold prospecting. The best detector for iron infested sites.

I also love my E-Trak - it can go very deep, if you set the sensitivity manually. Very sensitive to silver. It is a pretty slow machine, but the discrimination is the best on the market.

Golden Mask 4 Pro is the most famous analogue 18 kHz metal detector in Europe - very robust construction, very easy for operation, sensitive to small objects, a nice two-tone discrimination with adjustable tones. It is not the deepest machine, but it is perfect for iron infested places and performs very well on heavy mineralized soils.

The Teknetics Eurotek Pro /11" DD Search Coil/ is a very nice easy to use metal detector, especially for the money. Very good discrimination. It is not the deepest and the fastest metal detector, but it is probably the best choice for a first machine with more then enough features. By my opinion it is the best metal detector in the $300 price range.

Here are my test videos:

XP DEUS test with gold nugget in the ground:


XP DEUS gold nugget air test:


XP DEUS depth test and deepest settings:


Minelab E-Trac Manual vs Auto Sensitivity:


XP DEUS and Golden Mask 4 Pro depth test:

 

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[Fletch88]

Fletch88, my video is to show the recovery speed of the e-trac, not the best pattern. I understand everything very well, but it seems that some of you do not understand the conception of the two-axis discrimination of the e-trac. The bottom half of the screen is the ferrous area and you can mask it especially if you hunt highly conductive targets like silver! I will expect your video. The nails in mi video are 4 inches.

Yes I know how the discrim works on the Etrac and Explorer. I'm not trying to be negative in any way. To set a machine up with a straight FE line up high, makes this a bogus test and is very misleading to those who don't know any better. Wouldn't your test be more valid if you set only enough disc to knock out nails? I think you should have said if you set your machine up with high and wrong type of disc, its not suitable for iron infested sites.

 

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[HobbyMan]

Yes I know how the discrim works on the Etrac and Explorer. I'm not trying to be negative in any way. To set a machine up with a straight FE line up high, makes this a bogus test and is very misleading to those who don't know any better. Wouldn't your test be more valid if you set only enough disc to knock out nails? I think you should have said if you set your machine up with high and wrong type of disc, its not suitable for iron infested sites.

Lets start from the beginning and please follow my logic very carefully! Which is the best audio mode for heavy iron infested sites? The two-tone-ferous mode, right? OK, now - I made a test with two large nails, so this is a simulation of very difficult iron infested situation. Which audio mode should I chose for my video test by your opinion? I think that the two-tone-ferous is the best choice, because all literate e-trac users would use this mode in heavy infested places. Now, when you are in two-tone-ferous audio, you have a high tone in the "color" upper half of the screen and a low tone in the "ferrous" bottom half of the screen. So, even if you have a wide open screen you will hear a low "iron" tone when the detection is in the bottom half and you will pass it out, so you can reject the whole bottom half of the screen. You will listen only for the high "color" tones. If you see a weak spot in my logic, please let me know!

 

[Fletch88]

Yes I see a very weak spot. First if you know how to use TTF the number one rule is use very little DISCRIMINATION! A quick way to get there if you don't already have a TTF saved is to go to relic mode, then change to 2 tone and you're there. There is a sticky in Etrac section of another forum if you can Find it that explains this clearly. I can't paste a link to another forum as its against the rules. Here's one of many success stories of how good the Etrac is in iron infested sites from ML website.


http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/iron-the-e-trac-laughs-at-iron

 

[Jason in Enid]

Can you explain what exactly is in direct contradiction? I understand the multi-conductive audio very well, it is just not suitable for infested sites at all and it is a real torture, especially in iron infested places. Please, do not twist my words!

I am NOT twisting your words. I am explaining that you do not understand the E-Trac like you claim to understand it. I have been metal detecting for over 30 years. I have been using the E-Trac since it was first released. I dig silver coins out of iron infested sites all the time using conductive audio because I understand the E-Trac.

You claim to fully understand the operation of the E-Trac but then you claim that if a silver ring reads in the bottom half of the target screen that your E-Trac is bad. THIS IS COMPLETELY WRONG!! There are all kinds of situations that cause good, conductive targets to read lower. You seem to think everything will read on the 12 FE line and everything under that is junk. You do not understand this machine! The very fact you are trying to show a heavy iron situation with such a high FE setting shows that you don't understand the target relationships, colocations of targets, and signal response of this or any metal detector.

In your video description you claim that it doesn't make sense that a lower manual sens will sometimes respond better than a higher auto setting. It doesn't make sense to you because you DO NOT UNDERSTAND the E-Trac. This machine uses multiple signal channels. when you select "auto" it take the quietest channel and uses just that. When you select "manual" you are using all the channels at the same time.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Lets start from the beginning and please follow my logic very carefully! Which is the best audio mode for heavy iron infested sites? The two-tone-ferous mode, right? OK, now - I made a test with two large nails, so this is a simulation of very difficult iron infested situation. Which audio mode should I chose for my video test by your opinion? I think that the two-tone-ferous is the best choice, because all literate e-trac users would use this mode in heavy infested places. Now, when you are in two-tone-ferous audio, you have a high tone in the "color" upper half of the screen and a low tone in the "ferrous" bottom half of the screen. So, even if you have a wide open screen you will hear a low "iron" tone when the detection is in the bottom half and you will pass it out, so you can reject the whole bottom half of the screen. You will listen only for the high "color" tones. If you see a weak spot in my logic, please let me know!

Wrong, wrong, and wrong again.
TTF is one option for hunting. It has advantages and disadvantages, but it is not automatically the "best".

"all literate e-trac users"? Well, you've got a ways to go there bud.

The only way you will ever get a pure, high tone using TTF is for a target that could be found by any detector already. It has no iron component to the signal. Using TTF is about listening to BOTH the high and low tones and learning to pick out the good targets. Minimal discrimination, or you are walking away from LOTS of good targets.

 

[HobbyMan]

Yes I see a very weak spot. First if you know how to use TTF the number one rule is use very little DISCRIMINATION! A quick way to get there if you don't already have a TTF saved is to go to relic mode, then change to 2 tone and you're there. There is a sticky in Etrac section of another forum if you can Find it that explains this clearly. I can't paste a link to another forum as its against the rules. Here's one of many success stories of how good the Etrac is in iron infested sites from ML website.


Iron... The E-TRAC laughs at iron! | Success Stories

So, the lack of my logic is not your own logic, but something that you read somewhere. I do not have arguments to beat this ...

 

[HobbyMan]

I am NOT twisting your words. I am explaining that you do not understand the E-Trac like you claim to understand it. I have been metal detecting for over 30 years. I have been using the E-Trac since it was first released. I dig silver coins out of iron infested sites all the time using conductive audio because I understand the E-Trac.

You claim to fully understand the operation of the E-Trac but then you claim that if a silver ring reads in the bottom half of the target screen that your E-Trac is bad. THIS IS COMPLETELY WRONG!! There are all kinds of situations that cause good, conductive targets to read lower. You seem to think everything will read on the 12 FE line and everything under that is junk. You do not understand this machine! The very fact you are trying to show a heavy iron situation with such a high FE setting shows that you don't understand the target relationships, colocations of targets, and signal response of this or any metal detector.

In your video description you claim that it doesn't make sense that a lower manual sens will sometimes respond better than a higher auto setting. It doesn't make sense to you because you DO NOT UNDERSTAND the E-Trac. This machine uses multiple signal channels. when you select "auto" it take the quietest channel and uses just that. When you select "manual" you are using all the channels at the same time.

Of course there is many different conditions and good targets can be displayed in the ferrous area, but if you dig all reads in the ferrous area in highly infested places you do not need a discrimination at all - just start digging all the trash. I can not imagine to analyze all ferrous readings in highly infested sites, where you have a ferrous signal on every 5 inches. Only a masochist is capable of this. And this is the advantage of the TTF mode, because you need to concentrate yourself on the good signals and just ignore the ferrous, because 80% and more of the junk is in the ferrous area. I will make the same test with the relic discrimination pattern and I will admit if I am wrong, but please show some respect and save the harsh tone for your pals, I am not one of them!

 

[Jason in Enid]

No, you are definitely not one of my pals. As for my "tone" I give what I am shown.

I am done with this thread and you. You don't understand the E-Trac like you think you do and you have no desire to learn from people with years of experience on it. Good luck, you're going to need it.

 

[HobbyMan]

No, you are definitely not one of my pals. As for my "tone" I give what I am shown.

I am done with this thread and you. You don't understand the E-Trac like you think you do and you have no desire to learn from people with years of experience on it. Good luck, you're going to need it.

I do not have arrogant persons for friends. I just can not understand how such big "experts" can not make the very simple difference between the recovery speed and the discrimination of a metal detector. Now I am done with you!

 

[hobby]

Hello friends!

I am opening this thread to share with you some video tests of my metal detectors. I have Minelab E-Trac, XP DEUS, Golden Mask 4 Pro and Teknetics Eurotek Pro and I am familiar with each of them. I have a lot of free time, so making tests and comparing the capabilities of my detectors is one of my hobbies. I will be glad to discus the capabilities of these detectors with you, as well I will be glad to answer on your questions, if you have some.

I am really impressed by the XP DEUS capabilities - very sensitive and fast detector, probably the best all around VLF metal detector, suitable even for gold prospecting. The best detector for iron infested sites.

I also love my E-Trak - it can go very deep, if you set the sensitivity manually. Very sensitive to silver. It is a pretty slow machine, but the discrimination is the best on the market.

Golden Mask 4 Pro is the most famous analogue 18 kHz metal detector in Europe - very robust construction, very easy for operation, sensitive to small objects, a nice two-tone discrimination with adjustable tones. It is not the deepest machine, but it is perfect for iron infested places and performs very well on heavy mineralized soils.

The Teknetics Eurotek Pro /11" DD Search Coil/ is a very nice easy to use metal detector, especially for the money. Very good discrimination. It is not the deepest and the fastest metal detector, but it is probably the best choice for a first machine with more then enough features. By my opinion it is the best metal detector in the $300 price range.

Here are my test videos:

XP DEUS test with gold nugget in the ground:
Video Link: http://youtu.be/xVsXLbu8b8M

XP DEUS gold nugget air test:
Video Link: http://youtu.be/jjRFzigNBZQ

XP DEUS depth test and deepest settings:
Video Link: http://youtu.be/EUXoGQ1P2Zo

Minelab E-Trac Manual vs Auto Sensitivity:
Video Link: http://youtu.be/53hOrH74w0I

XP DEUS and Golden Mask 4 Pro depth test:
Video Link: http://youtu.be/qyhcGjkMlJ8

I did air test and ground test with the At pro and the E trac the depth on both about the same so when does the e trac detect deeper ?

 

[HobbyMan]

I do not have AT Pro and I can only speak for the E-trac. If you want to reach maximum depth with E-trac, the first thing is to use it in manual sensitivity, as high as is possible for stable operation. The other important settings are: Recovery Deep - ON, Recovery Fast - OFF, Trash Density - LOW. As well you can boost the audio with Volume Gain close to Volume Limit and you will hear the deep targets louder.

 

[HobbyMan]

Because some e-trac gurus here, for which is hard to make a difference between a recovery speed and a discrimination, attacked me that I "DO NOT UNDERSTAND NOTHING" about the e-trac, I would like to ask other e-trac users for opinion. Please, watch this video carefully and tell your opinion, is this a lack of recovery speed, or just I am stupid and this is because of the bad discrimination pattern? Please, pay attention, that the silver ring is detected, when I swing the coil very slow and right over the ring!

 

[hobby]

Yep, his first 2 statements are direct contradictions. On the video description he says that he uses TTF because he can't understand the noises of multi-conductive.

I agree that Minelab is a high quality metal detector and I love it ,I just asked a question and it seems to turn to a big argument .i have also an at pro witch To me they are equally good .

 

[hobby]

I do not have arrogant persons for friends. I just can not understand how such big "experts" can not make the very simple difference between the recovery speed and the discrimination of a metal detector. Now I am done with you!

I had a question about the E track I am new with the E track but long time experience with garrett so I will be glad to hear from you

 

[hobby]

Because some e-trac gurus here, for which is hard to make a difference between a recovery speed and a discrimination, attacked me that I "DO NOT UNDERSTAND NOTHING" about the e-trac, I would like to ask other e-trac users for opinion. Please, watch this video carefully and tell your opinion, is this a lack of recovery speed, or just I am stupid and this is because of the bad discrimination pattern? Please, pay attention, that the silver ring is detected, when I swing the coil very slow and right over the ring!

Video Link: http://youtu.be/kcrVPw9wlyg

Isn't that what you call slow recovery ?

 

[HobbyMan]

Isn't that what you call slow recovery ?

Hi Hobby! Yes, by my opinion this behavior can be only slow recovery speed - the detector needs more time to recover after a signal, before detecting the next. The recovery speed of the e-trac is slow, because its micro-controller should make time consuming calculations to analyze the Full Band Spectrum multi-frequency signal.
The advantage in depth of the Full Band Spectrum technology can be noticed in highly mineralized soils and salt beaches. I am a little confused by your questions, because you quote my quarrel with other persons.

 

[hobby]

Hi Hobby! Yes, by my opinion this behavior can be only slow recovery speed - the detector needs more time to recover after a signal, before detecting the next. The recovery speed of the e-trac is slow, because its micro-controller should make time consuming calculations to analyze the Full Band Spectrum multi-frequency signal.
The advantage in depth of the Full Band Spectrum technology can be noticed in highly mineralized soils and salt beaches. I am a little confused by your questions, because you quote my quarrel with other persons.

I like the Minelab e track but not confident enough with it easier just take my at pro and go strait forward .however some don't agree but the fact remain .some times the truth hurt .

 

[dirtscratcher]

I like the Minelab e track but not confident enough with it easier just take my at pro and go strait forward .however some don't agree but the fact remain .some times the truth hurt .

What truth are you referring to. You have a lot more time on atp and don't yet understand your etrac. So the atp is obviously better.