Yes, I agree. But let's not forget that at least some of us (or a few, which ever way you want to phrase it, but for sure not all) believe Iron Mask on the Sovereign is very unique in it's ability to pull non-ferrous signals out of ferrous (iron) ones when they are both being washed in the detection field at the same time...Thus being at the same depth and so close to each other that they are probably touching, because a detection field can only really "see" one target at a time, especially if they are at different depths, but when at the same depth and laying on each other somewhat...That is when Iron Mask on the Sovereign can make you scratch your head and say "Hmmm..."...After you've dug a silver dime that had iron laying on it that even left a rust stain.
Now, I'll add this important counter note...That even if they are overlapping like that, with a good sharp detection field on a DD coil (such as the 10" Tornado but even more so with the 12x10), it's still rather easy to wiggle over and isolate one from the other, and thus ID one seen only and not need to rely on any extra ability to see the other. Yes, even a slow machine like the Sovereign, using a DD coil, in particular a good DD coil such as the stock 10" Tornado or especially the 12x10, can wiggle over and isolate one from the other. That's why even super fast machines I've owned, using a less "sharp" detection field such as a concentric or perhaps a "less sharp" DD coil, could not see those kinds of "paired" targets as well as my GT can.
Now, here is where I'm getting even a bit more controversial (Where is Neil to bust my chops?
)...But I feel Iron Mask on the Minelabs has two very different meanings between the models. I've adjusted Iron Mask on certain "unnamed" machines in the past and found it to be just simple iron rejection adjustment levels, with no real seeming "unique" abilities to pull non-ferrous signals out of at least high iron rejection. On the other hand, despite the high built in iron rejection of the Sovereign, I've dug way more coins in iron than any machine I've ever owned, low or no iron rejection or not, and fast machines or not. That's just my view from experience and I know others will strongly disagree with that. But, after all, if I can't give my opinion based on my actual personal experience then why give an opinion at all. I know others feel different and I understand that, and am very sure their personal experience has told them otherwise. Just have to agree to disagree...
The way I look at it is this...Why built in high iron rejection on the Sovereign or Xcal??? No other machine, at least that I'm aware of, has ever had that. So, as others are prone (including myself) to give Minelab credit where it's due in being very smart about technology, I personaly believe Minelab built in (as they say in so many words in their description of BBS) some kind of ability to pull non-ferrous signals from ferrous with the Sovereign. I have read detection field technical articles that say this ferrous/non-ferrous ability is possible, and indeed we see that in the ferrous/non-ferrous ID ability (although the ferrous aspect is highly unreliable and can vairy wildly) in certain Minelabs that ID targets on a 2D scale. But, as said, I feel the iron rejection adjustments on certain unnamed machines I've owned still don't seem to "cry" coin on a target in iron *for me*, unless I've set them to low or no iron rejection. The Sovereign, on the other hand, seems to see and sound off to coins in iron like no machine, adjustable in iron rejection or not, that I have ever used. And keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who is used to hunting with NOTHING discriminated out, including iron, on my prior machines. As I'm prone to like to listen to iron chatter, and felt that was also the best way to find good targets in that iron. However, these days, after various in field tests, I now feel that a sharp detection field will yeild the same identical results using high iron rejection as low iron rejection will but using a less "sharp" coil than that of say the 12x10.
Man, I can only think of the days with Crazyman and all the back and fourth we had on Iron Mask on the Sovereign. He brought up some good points, and many valid ones that many others hold. But, again, I can only give my opinion based on all the machines I've owned, and that's included many makes, fast and slow, and several Minelabs. To me, the Sovereign is the one I'll take for unmasking, even more so with the 12x10, in a field of iron or not.
I'm just hunkering down now for the response from Neil or perhaps a few others. But hey, it wouldn't be the same if we didn't have that back and fourth, now would it. After all, if we all agreed in these forums it would make for some dull conversation, now wouldn't it?
