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2 years with MXT time for a Minelab?

Steve, I am just getting back into detecting after a 20 year lull and the market is so opened up from what it was in the early 80's. I am and have been looking at purchasing a new detector and am having trouble finding one (mid-range price) that would be good for my use here in Oklahoma. Since we have little gold here, I am interested in coins and relics,,,what machines would you suggest???I have looked at most brands and am leaning towards either the X-Terra 50, Whites MXT, CZ-3D or the Minelabs Quatro...Any input would be appreciated
Thanks...
Danny
 
Hi Danny,

My MXT is one of my favorite all-around units, but that is partly because I emphasize gold in my hunting. It is a tad noisy for coin detecting and so I usually use my DFX in town.

I have a new X-Terra 50 and am really enjoying it so far. I'll know more in a week as I am off to use it on a trip so will have more to say about it next week.

But White's just released what may be the machine you are looking for - the Matrix M6. Basically a two knob MXT with 7 tone target id aimed strictly at the coin and jewelry market. No relic or prospecting modes. Only $699.95 MSRP. It essentially replaces the recently discontinued XL Pro.

I'd not buy anything for about 30 days unless you really have to. Too many brand new units right now, and do not trust any one opinion on any of them. Best bet is to weigh the opinions of many people on the internet and average them out. Discard the best report and worst report on any unit, and consider what the average comments are.

Unfortunately there are a few people with specific agendas on the net. Some will relentlessly hype units. I'm not talking about saying nice stuff. That's ok. I mean making promises about units that are not true. That is my idea of hype. On the flip side there are those determined to trash a unit.

So let it all settle for a bit as right now we have the Fisher ID Edge at $799, Minelab X-Terra 50 at $699, and White's Matrix M6 at $699. All will end up at a street price very near $599. It will make for a nice three way battle, and you can bet a few folks will get pretty excited over it all. It should be fun to watch.

Last comment - they all work. Does not really matter in the end what detector you have these days. Learn it well, use it a lot, and you will do well. It is 90% operator, 10% machine as far as I am concerned. So do not sweat it too much!

Steve Herschbach
 
If you've waited 20 years then 20 more days might not hurt. I wouldn't necessarily toss out the best and worst posts about a unit, but I would definitely suggest reading all the posts you can and then wading thru them to eliminate the 'hype.' I agree with Steve that, too often, we read about claims that just can be proven to be true. Hype!

The Fisher ID Edge might be 'OK' but I know I haven't tried it yet. I have been and am using the Minelab X-Terra 50 a great deal lately because it is quite simple, comfortable, and works well. It does have some nice selling points to it.

I don't know of any other soon-to-come releases, but I know White's Matrix M6 is going to get a workout as soon as I can get one in my hands. I just got an XL Pro back in my arsenal today that is a choice, as new unit. A discontinued unit that works very well and, I can guarantee you, will hold its own against the competition to include its alleged 'replacement.'

I just read a dealer's post about the new Matrix M6 that states it is "proven" and that, for example, falls in the category of HYPE to me because any new detector needs to get production units into end consumer's hands and worked afield before it even begins to be 'proven.'

However,m it is in the very familiar Classic rod/trigger-toggle pod/housing configuration and THAT alone is enough to grab my interest. I like headphone jacks at the rear of a detector and a control housing under the forearm. It will use the same coils as the MXT & DFX which was an important and wise decision, and it appears to be an easy-to-use unit.

Now, if it performs in the field, and if the autotracking works well, and if the 7 audio tones are functional, and if it is much quieter than the MXT, then it will be a unit I'll likely keep in my arsenal. I try to maintain a personal battery of 3 or 4 detectors to handle the variety of hunting environments and desired targets I find myself hunting in and, perhaps, the new Matrix M6 will bump a long-time favorite?

Visit several forums and read up on comments about those models that interest you. E-mail several people and ask them directly to discuss them and answer your questions, then make a decision.

Happy Shopping and, later, Happy Hunting!

Monte
MonteVB@comcast.net
 
Hey Steve/Greg I really appreciate the information. it's really hard to beat experience and it's good to talk candidly rather than just reading manufacturer's information or trying to decipher if some local rep. is just wanting to make a sale rather than have a life-long customer. I most definitely can and will wait for a month or two to see how the new machines pan-out.
Thanks...
 
Hi Monte,

I'm kind of liking what I see on the M6, but am disappointed a $699 has a single turn disc knob in this day and age. That seems so 20th century to me. I'd be happier if the knob started at the top end items first and let me shut off the high tones to concentrate on the low end! I do like how the tones break out on the low end, so there does seem to be a leaning towards jewelry with the M6. But to go for jewelry the disc knob will be left at zero or close to it and so the disc knob is fairly useless for me.

What I would like to see is a waterproof M6 to replace the Surfmaster II. White's needs a new freshwater unit and this could fit the bill very nicely indeed. Put interchangeable coils on it like Tesoro does and I'd have one unit that would do quite nicely for a lot of above and underwater uses.

Anyway, I just wanted to expand my comment on the M6 replacing the XL Pro. I did not mean that to mean the M6 is better than the XL Pro. The machines are quite different. I made that comment strictly on the basis of the XL Pro being discontinued and the M6 now occupying that empty slot in the price range between the Prizm V and the MXT. In that sense the new "M" series may end up replacing the discontinued "Pro" series.

Steve Herschbach
 
I like the way you think Steve. How about something like this that has been bouncing around in the back of my head for awhile.....

Suppose you had two pots with a 3-way switch in the center. Switch left, you had a regular progressive discrimination control from low conductivity to high conductivity. Switch right you would have just the opposite, discriminating from the upper range to the lower range. But at center, you could do both, meeting anywhere in the middle as a completely variable notch function by adjusting the left knob UP and the right knob DOWN. You could notch either very narrow ranges or very wide ranges anywhere on the scale.

Sound viable ?

Ralph
 
that makes at least 2 customers in line for one. :thumbup:

Tom
 
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