I have used both and find them both to be excellent detectors. In my first years of detecting, I did not mind not having a screen. "Thumbing the disc" with just about any Tesoro worked well eliminating unwanted trash, but took some time developing an ear for slight tone differences. I really took to screens and multiple tones. When I first got a MX5, I had tried every Whites detector made. The MX5 looked like the cheaper Whites detectors, but I quickly found out it was one of my favorite Whites detectors.
I like hunting with audible threshold and the MX5 checks that box. I like having a pleasing tone id and the 5 has multiple options and all sound crisp and clear. To be honest, it was the near perfect detector for me. Where I detect, the older silver coins seem to be found at 7-8 inches. My XLT's and DFX's could some times do alright at those depths, but the MX5 was better than either. I started paying attention to really deep signals and found a quirk that the MX5 possessed. The coin like number will flash, the threshold will break, and an quick, slight high tone will be heard. I had walked over many of those signals before I found out what they could be. Many of these were deep coins(8+ inches).
If you haven't figured it out, I really like the MX5. It is my favorite Whites detector. I used it with just enough disc to break up or eliminate iron. I used 8 tones, audible theshold, and 3/4 sens. Great battery life and deep. For the record, I ditched the 9 inch concentric for a 10x12 SEF coil. Very well balanced and DEEP! I sold my setup to a friend and he now has unlocked it's secrets. We often compare signals and the MX5 hears just about everthing I hear with my SE Pro.
When the MX5 came out, one of the designers called the 5 and MXT on steriods. He also called the design a MXT "hyper circuit" Don't let the looks fool you. I saw one last week that was nearly unused for 225.00. Bargain of bargains!
