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CTX 3030 Waterproof, Wireless & color display

N

Neil in West Jersey

New member
Based on what I see it is waterproof like an AT Pro. Not an Excalibur!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_0o9j2UhiE&feature=related
 
I wonder what the FBS "2" means?
 
Read my rant here....Don't want to re-post the critical things I had to say. Not just me. Others are let down too in the various threads floating around. I was hoping for a BBS Sov/Excal hybrid (using BBS because that would hold the cost down, and BBS is just as deep as FBS anyway from my experience with my Explorers and also testing against my friend's Etrac) that was cheap and waterproof to compete with the price of the AT Pro, which is light enough and with it's LCD screen just as useful to use on land as in the water. That would have been killer, and they could have got rid of the GT and the XCal because a light enough machine with these features would have eliminated the need for both of them. That machine is way too much money, and has some very questionable features in terms of usefulness like GPS. I think Minelab priced themself out of the market and it's going to be a fish out of water. Not quite a land machine. Not quite a water machine....But too expensive to justify it's abilities to do both. It's also heavy at over 5 pounds. That's heavier than an Etrac, and trust me an Etrac aint light.

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?63,1692326,page=3
 
Interesting that I'm seeing people say they're disappointed and no one has even used it or know for sure what it can do. Is the price confirmed? I do understand that weight issue and agree, to some level, but I'd pay $3,000 for a lead brick on a stick if it does what the others can't. For me I think it is a bit early to be disappointed.
 
Southwind said:
Interesting that I'm seeing people say they're disappointed and no one has even used it or know for sure what it can do. Is the price confirmed? I do understand that weight issue and agree, to some level, but I'd pay $3,000 for a lead brick on a stick if it does what the others can't. For me I think it is a bit early to be disappointed.
Click to expand...
I wholeheartedly agree Southwind. I will give my honest opinion when I can physically swing it for myself if the price is right.
 
There are a few things we do know that you can sort of base an opinion on, but yes of course nobody really knows everything until they've used one. But away....First being weight. It's over 5 pounds and that's heavier than an Etrac, which you know is already heavy if you've used one like I have. Price? Don't expect it to be only a few hundred dollars more than an Etrac. That would hurt Etrac sales too much, so expect something in probably the $400 to $600 range more expensive if not more. That's just too much money for a lot of people, even Etrac or SE Pro guys who had to struggle and justify coming up with enough money for even one of those.

Then there's the fact that it looks to be using the 11" Pro Coil. If it had a bigger coil then I'd expect it to automatically be deeper, because that's about the only way you can push VLF technology that's already maxed out in performance on a Minelab any deeper. VLF still follows the limits and laws of the rules of physics, which pretty much comes down to either increasing the coil size or increasing the power to the TX winding in the coil to create a field that will get deeper in the ground. It might be very well able to handle even rougher mineral conditions than the current Minelabs, and so in that respect get deeper in some rare ground situations, but probably wouldn't show an increase in depth over the existing Minelabs (so long as they are using the same sized coil) in most moderate to even heavy common minerals that the existing machines can already handle with no problem.

That's of course all speculation. Maybe the reason for the extra large battery is that it is burning the extra power to increase the voltage to the TX winding so it indeed gets deeper? On the other hand, I've already read one guy say that GPS is very power hungry and that's probably why it has such a large battery on it.

Time will tell. I just know there are a lot of people out there who feel a bit let down in what they expected. Just surf the posts in the various forums and you can see that.
 
Well I'd agree about the price but just look at the SE and E-Trac which I've never understood. The E-Trac is just a few hundred more than the SE Pro. Why would anyone buy a SE Pro when they could have the E-Trac for just a bit more?
 
Because some prefer the SE Pro. Depth of both machines is pretty much an even match because they are using the same coil (and that's where any real advancement in depth is done these days on these VLF machines, especially Minelabs which are maxed out in VLF technology. In fact, I don't see any difference in depth between my friend's Etrac an my GT with 12x10 on undug targets...or in unmasking ability.) It's the coil that's the key, and since this new machine uses the same 11" Pro Coil from the looks of it I bet it won't be pushing depths any further.

The main difference is the SE, like the old Explorers, has better audio on silver at depth with the classic Explorer "flutey" tone on them, while the Etrac is said to have a bit better VDI at depth. Some prefer one of those over the other. Also, some (including me) don't like the way the Etrac's VDI system is set up versus how it is on the Explorer. I have a friend who owned an Etrac for a while and even made some real nice finds with it, but went back to the SE Pro. I've got two other friends who both own Etracs. One of these guys used to have an older XS Explorer but he likes the Etrac better. Different strokes for different folks. If it was my choice, having used an Etrac here and there and owned Explorers in the past, I'd opt for an SE Pro over the Etrac myself. But that's me.
 
Many didn't like the Sovereign when it came out and sold them only to try one later and loved it. Now when the Explorers came out many switched to it and I think there was more post hating it then liking it and seen so many for sale, but after some spent the time to learn them and people seen the results some went back to it and decided to learn it. Now with the new CTX 3030 is coming out people already are not liking it and no one has even used it yet. I expect it to surpass the Explorers and E -Tracs once people start using it and learning what it can do as every Minelab that has come out people hated it as it was different, but those that learned what these detectors can do seem to well with them, so lets wait and see what it can do before we form a opinion if good or bad. I do know it will cost more and feel it will be over $2000 and less than $3000 and looks to be not a detector for those that are new to detecting, but those that are serious and want the best even though it too will have a learning curve to it.
Looks like a big battery, or is it a counter weight to balance it so well that it will feel light even though it is 5 pounds?? I am hoping for the best and have faith in Minelab to bring us the best of the best.

Rick
 
I like the GPS , make sure you cover all , and dont re cover same spot the weight , no problem in the water it will be light , really not a land machine, but i would like to see how it performs, as far as on land I would go for the blisstool . and i bet this thing is going to be lots of money.
 
I don't think they are done yet for the 2012 offering, I believe that they will introducing yet another new machine on or before the May 19Th big Minelab event "National Metal Detecting Day"! They are making such a big deal over this National Metal Detecting Day that they almost have to have something else new to offer
 
GPS as far as I know (?) can only put you within 10 to 50 feet of a spot, so it won't be useful to say water hunt and make sure you don't miss any spots. Many phones have GPS in them these days so don't see the point of having it in a detector out in the woods or something to find your way back. One guy said probably the reason for the big battery is GPS sucks down tons of power. I feel GPS is a Gimmick on it to catch the customer's eye and that's about it.
 
The SE/ SE Pro/ Explorer/ Explorer II has high ferrous tone and high conduct tone but the ETrac has no high ferrous tone only high conduct tone..
 
No, I'm pretty sure you can change the Etrac's tone to base it on ferrous or conductivity? In fact, I'm 99% sure of that because I believe my friend switched from one of those to the other on his Etrac so the iron wouldn't give him high tones.
 
Southwind said:
, but I'd pay $3,000 for a lead brick on a stick if it does what the others can't. For me I think it is a bit early to be disappointed.
Click to expand...

I have one for sale that I guarantee that wont do anything that any other detector does....I'll ship it free too.
 
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