Etrac II and Minelab 2016

[cashmole]

That got your attention didn't it? LOL

But seriously has anyone heard of any news about any new Minelab machines coming out in the near future?





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[CBAILEY IN GA]

Who's selling now and how much?

 

[~ACE~]

Haven't heard a thing. I really don't think minelab will put out a new etrac, at least in the near future. They brought out the CTX and the go-find series as their high end and entry levels respectively, so for them to upgrade their mid-"higher" end product I don't think is feasible. It would be sooooooooo nice if they did though!!!!!!

 

[cashmole]

Thanks. I suppose when you have a winner why go and replace it as long as its making money. An Etrac II that was slightly tweaked would be nice. This would also let them sell it for another 8 years...lol

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Everyone's been asking for a lighter weight - auto + 5 sens. - no glare screen - etc. - "E-Trac 2" for years now - the mfg. just never pays attention to what we really want !

 

[kt]

If they didn't do a thing other than put a better screen on it I would probably save up for a new one. By far my biggest pet peeve with mine is that weak, washed out screen.

 

[masterjedi]

I love my Etrac

 

[masterjedi]

We all do not want everyone to have an Etrac do we? LOL I don't....

 

[ironsight]

cashmole, i see you only have 8 posts. There's been a bunch of eTRAC-II wish list/rant threads here in the past. All falling on deaf ears over at Minelab.
They meaning the Minelab suits don't get it and probably never will - knuckleheads IMO!... letting a eTRAC-II cash cow walk on by. 'They' put all their marbles in the CTX and now this new intro detector.

I think the best we can hope for at this point (and its a stretch too), is a CTX-lite with a lower price tag. No waterproof, no gps, no trick battery pack,etc.
That is something they should of done in the beginning with that CTX project. Might of called one model the CTX-lite and the other the CTX-pro or something along those lines.
Having said that, i would not buy any FBS-2 detector with its proprietary coil scheme due to the fact there are no low price 3rd party coils available at this time....as with the venerable eTRAC. That might change after a while.

 

[hershey1]

Put a WOT on it. HH

 

[Southwind]

Really I see no need for a "E-Trac II". Yes I love my E-Trac but my experience with the CTX was better. All but the audio, but them that is because I am so used to the sounds of the E-Trac. I felt the CTX was superior in every way to the E-Trac over than the audio which again I say was just different. I can't see any reason Minelab would be motivated to produce a detector that would basically fall between the E-Trac and CTX.

Now, bring that CTX proce down and I think you'd see the end of people asking for a E-Trac II.

 

[floodplaindetector]

I know this topic has been beat to death but audio is everything to me and that is why I made the jump back to the Etrac after owning a CTX.
In the sun I cant see the FE/CO numbers half the time anyway because of my scratched up washed out and weak display screen.

Really I see no need for a "E-Trac II". Yes I love my E-Trac but my experience with the CTX was better. All but the audio,
Now, bring that CTX proce down and I think you'd see the end of people asking for a E-Trac II.

 

[Southwind]

audio is everything to me

Agreed! That is why I still have the E-Trac. Now that being said, I still thought the CTX was a tad deeper, deeper on accurate target ID'ing and Better balanced so it felt lighter. The screen did have the same issues as the E-Trac. If you wipe it with a dusty hand it covers the screen and makes it hard to see. A Zagg screen protector eliminates that issues completely. I did like the tone bins once I got them figured out. The tones of the E-Trac just make it so easy to cherry pick. We all see people complaining about those who "cherry pick" but let's be honest here, the E-Trac is so popular because it makes cherry picking the deep copper and sliver so easy.

 

[ironsight]

.......The screen did have the same issues as the E-Trac. .....

This is a good example of Minelab NOT listening to their customers apparently giving a rat's arse regarding customer feedback.
How long has the eTRAC been around? How many have complained about the screen glare here and and on other forums?
eTRAC screen glare has been and still is the number one complaint.
Strange that some other much cheaper detectors don't have the glare issue. My ATPro has much much less of a glare problem compared to the eTRAC.

Yet when Minelab had a golden opportunity re-engineer the screen with the CTX... same ol sheet!

 

[cashmole]

Im actually thinking to replace the Etrac I foolishly sold awhile back. I have an AtPro as well but sold the Etrac thinking I only needed the AtPro. I kept having this feeling that I was missing silvers although the Atp did find me a lot. Plus I like having a backup detector. Im actually thinking about just getting a Safari with a few different sized coils as an option.

 

[Nuke em]

I do see a need for a new E.Trac 11 , if anything just to upgrade it to FBS 2 . But not make it the same menu as the CTX , just leave the menu as the old ET with a few extra functions .
A few design changes , new style 3 piece stem losing the middle "metal" stem and metal stand and the brittle arm cup .

If minelab did make a new ET then i would buy one and probably more than one in the long term. The CTX is not right for everyone or this ET thread and this ET forum would be dead as a Dodo by now !

 

[ironsight]

..I do see a need for a new E.Trac 11 , if anything just to upgrade it to FBS 2..

You do realize the investment some of us have with NEL, Sunray, Detech, etc. 3rd party coils are INcompatable with FBS2 technology.
In addition, based on the high costs of proprietary FBS2 coils, the price would have to be raised substantially for a FBS2 eTRAC-II.
Might as well just take out a mortgage and buy a CTX.

A better glare resistant high contrast screen, custom pattern tones and a faster processor along with keeping FBS1 is all i'd need for a start.

 

[Nuke em]

..I do see a need for a new E.Trac 11 , if anything just to upgrade it to FBS 2..

You do realize the investment some of us have with NEL, Sunray, Detech, etc. 3rd party coils are INcompatable with FBS2 technology.
In addition, based on the high costs of proprietary FBS2 coils, the price would have to be raised substantially for a FBS2 eTRAC-II.
Might as well just take out a mortgage and buy a CTX.

A better glare resistant high contrast screen, custom pattern tones and a faster processor along with keeping FBS1 is all i'd need for a start.

Yes i know and its the same for me , but in the end the ET does have issues that need to be resolved and a few of the things that the CTX has can only be added to the ET by changing to FBS 2 .
A lot of people have more than 1 machine and if a new ET came out i would buy it and keep my older ET too, why not !
If the CTX was like the ET in design or similar i might have kept it but the price and certain other things made it a white Elephant . I still need a new ET , or maybe if they could put the CTX things i want on the ET 1 ? that would be fine but i think they are going to scrap the ET soon anyway , sales are few and far between here compared to say 2012 when the CTX came out. Minelab is run by people that dont seem to be seen to be listening even if they do they seem to ignore ? Its what i see here and on other forums , and they are becoming the butt of the joke at times , people are giving up on Minelab and switching to other models and makes . For me the ET is almost exactly what i want and need but with Minelab moving from FBS 1 to 2 there is no choice but to go with the flow or it will mean Minelab investing in old tech which is alien to their management and will only appeal to a certain few people that want to stick , they will look like other companies that have stood still for years and years . Laser , Tesoro , C. Scope , Viking , Whites and Garrett even ! in certain ways . Minelab thought the CTX was the answer , didn't they get that one wrong ? i think so , and what about their latest the Go Find ! Yuk.

 

[Grunter]

Seems to me like I saw a picture of the CTX control board sometime back and it was stamped Etrac II.

 

[Nuke em]

Then they must put it into an ET 1 .