Find's Treasure Forums
Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!
You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.
Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.
Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.
Click here to register!
Need Support Help?
Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you
Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.
BEST COIN DETECTOR
- Thread starter onbrake
- Start date
I live in Wisconsin I own a XLT Minelab and IDX.I hunt mostly parks and all we hunt for is coins.I need something lighter that hunts well in Wisconsin soil.When I get out I want to hunt at least 4 hours with the heavy machines I get tired.All people hunting with me four of us have minelab explorers we all tire out after about 2 hours.Why cant they make a light machine with good depth.Anyone familiar with Wisconsin soil and knows what machines work would like your advice.thanks
It looks like you own some nice machines. With both the Whites for sure with target ID. So I will suggest a Garrett 250. It has target ID and is very light and has a killer 4.5 inch sniper coil. If you want to stay with the Whites brand then the Prizm 2 is the best buy. But none of the Prizms can keep up with the Ace 250.
[quote khouse]It looks like you own some nice machines. With both the Whites for sure with target ID. So I will suggest a Garrett 250. It has target ID and is very light and has a killer 4.5 inch sniper coil. If you want to stay with the Whites brand then the Prizm 2 is the best buy. But none of the Prizms can keep up with the Ace 250.[/quote]
What makes the Ace 250 so much better than the Prizms?
What makes the Ace 250 so much better than the Prizms?
The 250 has 12 segments for target separation. The Prizms has 8. The Prizms have an 8 and 9.5 coil. The 250 has 3 with a nice 4.5 inch sniper. The 250 coils cost a lot less than the Prizms also. The 250 runs on 4 AA cheap batteries. The Prizms run on 2- 9 volts. The 250 has a true selective notch. The Prizms don't. The 250 costs just 200 dollars. The Prizms are much higher (range 200 to 500). That's some of the reasons. I have used both. The Prizms are nice - don't get me wrong. But compare the features and dollar for dollar the 250 gets my vote. You would have to compare the p4 or p5 with the ace 250 but those are 400 to 500 dollars. Now if the P4 was 200 dollars then that would close the gap. But the P4 or 5 would still have only 8 notches and no small reasonably priced small coils and no true selective notch.
[quote khouse]The 250 has 12 segments for target separation. The Prizms has 8. The Prizms have an 8 and 9.5 coil. The 250 has 3 with a nice 4.5 inch sniper. The 250 coils cost a lot less than the Prizms also. The 250 runs on 4 AA cheap batteries. The Prizms run on 2- 9 volts. The 250 has a true selective notch. The Prizms don't. The 250 costs just 200 dollars. The Prizms are much higher (range 200 to 500). That's some of the reasons. I have used both. The Prizms are nice - don't get me wrong. But compare the features and dollar for dollar the 250 gets my vote. You would have to compare the p4 or p5 with the ace 250 but those are 400 to 500 dollars. Now if the P4 was 200 dollars then that would close the gap. But the P4 or 5 would still have only 8 notches and no small reasonably priced small coils and no true selective notch.[/quote]
Hmmmm....So your saying I should have got the ace instead of the prizm 4, well you could have told me this sooner.....
Oh well, I have alwasy liked Whites machines, my bias got the best of me. 
Hmmmm....So your saying I should have got the ace instead of the prizm 4, well you could have told me this sooner.....
Oh well, I have alwasy liked Whites machines, my bias got the best of me. Jackpine Savage
Active member
See if you can try out the Fisher ID Edge in your ground. If you like the IDX you will love the Edge. I could never go back to analog Whites detectors after using it. There are 3 coil options available for it now but, the stock coil is really all you need to handle most conditions.
Tom
Tom
Don't get me wrong. The P4 is a nice detector - But not worth twice as much as the Ace 250. That's really my point. If Whites would have retailed the P4 for 250.00 like the Ace 250 detector they too would be building a new plant and hiring 120 people. Now Whites is trying to play catch up. Also Whites should have made a true notch machine out of the Prizms.
[quote khouse]Don't get me wrong. The P4 is a nice detector - But not worth twice as much as the Ace 250. That's really my point. If Whites would have retailed the P4 for 250.00 like the Ace 250 detector they too would be building a new plant and hiring 120 people. Now Whites is trying to play catch up. Also Whites should have made a true notch machine out of the Prizms.[/quote]
Oh yea, I agree. Whites should eliminate a couple of the prizms, there should just be 2 of them, a very basic budget model for beginners then a bit better one then the M6, but I do think the M6 is over priced as well.
Oh yea, I agree. Whites should eliminate a couple of the prizms, there should just be 2 of them, a very basic budget model for beginners then a bit better one then the M6, but I do think the M6 is over priced as well.
I agree also with you on the 4 models of one detector. Sell a P2 for 150.00 and a P4 for 250.00. The Garrett has just 2 models of the new Ace series and have done well. Whites builds very nice and sturdy machines - no doubt. Can't wait to see Whites and Garretts new models.
How is you new P4? I think it has just the right amount of tones.
How is you new P4? I think it has just the right amount of tones.
Jackpine Savage
Active member
When you first pick one up it may feel just a tad coil heavy (fisher builds them solid), not bad tho. Once adjusted to a proper rod length it feels almost like nothing there and swings great.
Tom
Tom
Tom, the EDGE seems to be your detector of choice and it is one that I have not tried. I hate to say this, but I am cheap and if I do try one, it will have to be used. The problem is you don't see many used ID Edge's for sale. I just bought another detector last week and I have already broke my new years resolutiion to quit buying detectors. I think that I will have to come up with a new resolution for 2007 and that is I will try an Edge. In all honesty, I have followed your posts on many of the forums for years and I value your opinions. Keep on posting because we have a very long winter to endure. R.L.
Jackpine Savage
Active member
You know what they say about resolutions! 
Like you, I have tried a bunch and for the most part they all are very good at what they do. There are very few "bad" detectors out there and by reading the forums its easy to see that they all do very well at what they are designed to do, find metal.
Is the Edge perfect? Heck No! but for handling my particular needs it come the closest to "covering all the bases". While not the deepest on coins or the hottest on small jewelry its close enough on both counts to be worth its price and give some of the "specialized" detectors a run for the money.
Tom
Like you, I have tried a bunch and for the most part they all are very good at what they do. There are very few "bad" detectors out there and by reading the forums its easy to see that they all do very well at what they are designed to do, find metal.
Is the Edge perfect? Heck No! but for handling my particular needs it come the closest to "covering all the bases". While not the deepest on coins or the hottest on small jewelry its close enough on both counts to be worth its price and give some of the "specialized" detectors a run for the money.
Tom
Mike Hillis
Well-known member
From what I've read about your dirt, you consider 6" a deep coin.
That leaves out all the preset machines or those that are chip controlled like the higher end Garretts that don't have enough range. Though I have heard that Garrett is now offering a new GB chip for the upper level machines that extends the ground balance to handle the tougher soils. Course you would more than likely wind up hipmounting the battery packs. The notches look attractive until you notice a third of them are in the high coin side.
The CoinStrike does really well in that type of mineralization. Its 3-1/2 pounds but its also hipmountable so that can help.
The Cortes should do ok in the no-motion all metal mode. Good slow motion hunter as you still have target id. There was a field test done in your dirt. Look at the American and UK field reports. Actually quite a nice machine.
There is the Shadow X5. 2.5 pounds and very adjustable as far as ground conditions go.
I thought they made a hipmount kit for the XLT. That would make your unit lighter and allow you more hunting time if you didn't mind being attached to a wire.
Good luck.
Mike
That leaves out all the preset machines or those that are chip controlled like the higher end Garretts that don't have enough range. Though I have heard that Garrett is now offering a new GB chip for the upper level machines that extends the ground balance to handle the tougher soils. Course you would more than likely wind up hipmounting the battery packs. The notches look attractive until you notice a third of them are in the high coin side.
The CoinStrike does really well in that type of mineralization. Its 3-1/2 pounds but its also hipmountable so that can help.
The Cortes should do ok in the no-motion all metal mode. Good slow motion hunter as you still have target id. There was a field test done in your dirt. Look at the American and UK field reports. Actually quite a nice machine.
There is the Shadow X5. 2.5 pounds and very adjustable as far as ground conditions go.
I thought they made a hipmount kit for the XLT. That would make your unit lighter and allow you more hunting time if you didn't mind being attached to a wire.
Good luck.
Mike