ATpro showed up finally! Yes, I did some testing too.

[Monte]

I will be hunting fresh water beaches this weekend if the weather permits. I won't be getting in the water here in Missouri! Maybe I'll have some more info?

I do hope you have good weather by then, but what I saw on TV didn't look promising.

OK, It could be larger no doubt. They are more the size of the m6, mxt's but a little thinner. But I can see them well as they are crisp. The iron disc numbers are smaller.

I thought the Iron Disc. numbers were too small, and actually wish the VDI numbers we a bit larger. I'm quite comfortable with the VDI number size on my Teknetics Omega, T2 and G2 and the F-75 I borrowed. My eyes aren't what they used to be and bigger-and-bolder are better (for me).

It GB'd at 68 in black Missouri soil. It only took 3 pumps and it was set.

I'm glad to hear Garrett went the way of the rapid auto0-balance circuitry, like the MXT, M6, T2, G2, Omega, and similar offerings, A GB setting of '68' is a lower number than I have been seeing from many who have reported. Quite a few report a GB read-out in the 80's or even into the lower-90's.

I have swung the V3i, mxt, m6,IDX, IDX pro, Classic 3, 3900 CM, cz5, compadre, ss umax, prizms, xterra 30, 50 70, F2 over my garden that I can remember. The cz5 was the only other machine that really tried to lock the TID on my nickel. All other TID machines failed.

Of the models you listed I have had good depth of detection with a couple of CZ-5's I've owned, but the best performer were the 6000 Pro XL/XL Pro models. I've put them against a couple of Minelab Explorer II's, Teknetics T2, CZ-5 and CZ-3D, and in late March thru May of last year it was side-by-side against the new V3's. No match in overall performance there, which is why I parted with the new V3's I had in favor of the XL Pro. A dealer friends will get another AT Pro in and I'll borrow it for some comparisons here in NW Oregon.

Inside and outside tests were only about 20 minutes total. But I can tell that this machine really sings if you listen. Plus having all those features at your fingertips without scrolling through a menu is a plus for me. No knobs to get out of adjustment too. One thing that I would have liked to see was a bulging epoxy fill on the coil. This way it would slide over the ground better. I've never like coil covers but I may get one? Time will tell? I can say that the coil is feather light though. The other thing is the arm cuff length. I could be longer but the Gizmo fixes that. So there you have it as honest as a 20 minute test drive can offer.

Like you, I also am not a coil cover fan. I do like the lighter-weight search coils of the past 6+ years, like the 11" BiAxial coils on the Tek. T2 and Fisher F-75, and now all the coils for the Teknetics and current Fisher 'F' models, and other manufacturers seem to be working at better balance and lighter weight. I'm not into "Gizmos" but I like the benefit it provides for you. The AT Pro uses a short-length upper rod between the hand-grip and arm-cup like the Ace 150/250/350 that I find to be a bit too short.

Again, thanks for your reporting and I wish you the best of weather in the coming weeks.

Monte

 

[John-Edmonton]

I remember back a few years, when we were all begging Garrett to waterproof the ACE. We were all making our own creative versions of a water proofed ACE. And they were all unique.

Well, Garrett finally listened and did an outstanding version of the water proofed ACE, one that went way beyond our expectations!

 

[Mike Hillis]

n/t

 

[jbow]

n/t

 

[khouse]

I wonder if any of our waterproof Ace machines will end up in the Garrett museum?

 

[slingshot]

Yeah-I love ALL these posts. Monte was one of the reasons for the sniper coil on my Ace.

 

[John-Edmonton]

They should

 

[skippers]

n/t

You can get them on eBay. I would leave you a link to the guy, but I don't know if it's allowed. They are called Garrett Gizmos. Skip

 

[Jason in TN]

Got one on order hope to get it and try it out soon.

Jason

 

[Uncle Willy]

They will if you donate them. I sent Vaughan one of my silver SACS some years back and he said he was going to stick it in the museum. Don't know if he did for sure or not.

Bill