How does the SE really stack up against the II?

[Big Fang Coin Biter]

I have been using the SE for a year now. I have done pretty good with it. One of the main reasons that I bought the new machine is because of it's advertised "handles iron better". To me it seems that just the opposite is true. Shortly after learning the SE I noticed that, unlike the XS and the II, the SE will give a nice high tone off of iron trash in two directions (initially and when turned 90 degrees). As I said, this is something that the other versions never did - or at least very, very rarely. I have resorted to using ferrous tones and very little or no discrimination (in iron mask). This works good but is annoying to listen to, plus I hate having to try to ID a signal using the display. In the conditions I hunt, with lots of iron trash, the cursor is usually stuck somewhere. I have to do a little dance with the machine to get an estimate of where it falls on the screen (if lucky). I bought the thing for the conductive tone ID.

I am going to pull the Explorer II out of retirement and start using it again, just to see if my suspicions are correct. Anyone else used both versions enough and see the same thing? Maybe I am doing something wrong? I did lower the gain setting a notch and that helped but not much.

Just to clarify, I usually use the SR X-8 coil, using conductive sounds, gain 6, iron mask with a little less than a quarter inch of iron knocked out, and manual sensitivity from 28 through 32. I have in three years experience on both the XS and the II.

I know the newcomers love the SE, what about the seasoned guys?

Thanks in advance - Robin (MI)

 

[mattockman]

n/t

 

[finderfrank]

Ive had my my se for over a year. My se has a lot of the symptoms that yours has or maybe its just me,This my first explorer.I also use the x8 most of the time.My se also will sound / id good from both directions only to be chasing iron.Lately ive been using the factory coil trying to get a little extra depth,this makes matters worse.I am going to try a x 12 or a exp II coil if I can find one.


Frank

 

[sangamon]

yeah, i get a lot of "wrap-around" falsing on nails, bolts & wire, but i've noticed a certain clipping or chirping sound at the end of the tone that i don't hear with copper or silver targets.
i chalk it up to high SENSITIVITY vis-a-vis high trash. usually, i'll switch to IRON MASK and if it nulls, i won't dig. i think that helps, but i still end up digging a lot of nails!

my DFX did the same thing, by the way, but i find more silver with my SE

 

[Big Fang Coin Biter]

Someone mentioned that it is possible Minelab tweaked the SE to compensate or for the coil problem. Man, I hope this is not the case. I think the only real answer I can get is by comparing the two models I have (the II and SE). Unfortunately this should never have been an issue.

Shame on Minelab for putting out a $1000+ machine with a less than a perfect coil. Shame for putting out an upgrade that I have to question works as well as previous version.

I noticed this falsing-on-iron issue soon after I bought the machine. I decided to give it a fair shot and used it for a season. Part of the problem is that I have lost some of the confidence I had in my machine.

I took the Explorer II out yesterday for a couple hours. I was hunting a field home site so I used all metal and ferrous tones. The II may have had a little less falsing. The true test will be when I get to a site and use conductive tones and IM.

I must say the SE pinpoint is a nice feature to have (not $1000 worth though).

HH - Robin
Loyal ML user for seven years.

 

[Big Fang Coin Biter]

The previous versions only hit two ways (initially and at 90 degrees) on bent nails or something similar. Even on a bent nail it was usually hard to get it to sound good in two directions.

I wonder what happened to all the old-timers that use to post on this site? Surely there is someone that has a couple years use on the E II and now owns an SE.

Com'on tell me I'm wrong!

BF

 

[AU MARC]

Hello
I have 500+hrs. on my EXII and only swung an SE one afternoon,I was not overly impressed.I love my EXII and will stick with it.I can say 100% sure it is deeper,I have video evidense that proves this but I can not post this as I did not film it...but it heard a silver dime(Barber)that was not dug yet and we had both machines with identicle settings and the EXII repeated in both directions,it was soft and DEEP but it did repeat.The SE struggled with the signal and left you with the feeling do I DIG OR NOT?.Both units had the stock coils newer(SE SLIMLINE) and older stock Explorer coil.The coin came up from 9" and was a beauty.This 1898 was ex fine and partially on edge but the EXII would have made you DIG???so there ya go the EXII won out on this test!They are both great units but the EXII still wins on depth.
Cheers
Marc.

 

[sangamon]

...after using the DFX for 2 years, there is no contest there.

white's VCO pinpointing is incomparable. i guess i was spoiled with it.

i only use the pinpointing on the SE when using the X-1 probe.

it is without a doubt my biggest complaint about the SE!

 

[BAMofNH]

I'm new (July) at this hobby, granted I bumped into Charles (Upstate NY) on the beach, got a lot of great pointers from him, and hunted a lot together. I'm guessing your detecting in the dirt. If that is true, I don't think you can beat an X-1 Probe. I am manly digging on the beaches and sometimes I hunt at night. I can dump out a scoop of sand, run my SE pinpoint back over the pile, left/right, up/down, and then stick my index finger and thumb into the sand and pull out the target. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I can consistently put my finger on it. I just love my SE had to speak out in a positive note. Its all ways dead center of the coil...when I do a criss cross pattern. Again, I Love my SE

 

[Big Fang Coin Biter]

I appreciate your input.

Finally I tried my E II in conductive/IM mode yesterday. It was like visiting an old friend! My confidence returned and only one iffy target turned out to be iron. The rest were coins! I guess I learned a costly lesson; Just because it is new and improved does not mean it's better. I just cannot believe ML would do this. Maybe my unit is faulty. I really do not want to spend one more dime on the thing though.

Take care and HH - Robin

 

[DFXer]

Robin,
I'm relatively new to the SE but experienced with the CZ20, DFX and the XLT. I'm having the same issues that you describe with the SE. It works great on the beach but near a cellar hole the false high tones from iron and hot rocks make it a user unfriendly metal detector. I've tried all possible combinations of audio, sensitivity, discrimination and all-metal to no avail. Unfortunately, the frost is closing in and experimentation will be over within a few days. I bought the SE based on its alleged superiority in iron but, so far, that is not the case.

I'm giving the SE the edge in depth over the DFX at the beach but that's about it. The DFX is winning in other categories such as pinpointing, recovery speed and stability in iron.

After spending $1200 on the SE I'm determined to make this thing work. A smaller coil might be the answer.

Paul

 

[Wesley]

[size=medium]Robin,

I do not own a SE, but I have been hunting with a XS and II for about 4 years now. I did buy a Tesoro Tejon about a year ago due to some weight issues with my bum shoulder (I have now issues with the Tesoro, it is a fine machine and deep too!) I mainly hunt Civil War relics since I live in Southeast Virginia by-the-way. I am glad that I read your posting because I was close to buying an SE. Just yesterday I was hunting a crica 1750 home site with ties to the Rev War (British Campsite) and the area was littered with small iron and my Tesoro went nuts and it was getting frustrating until i went back to the truck and pulled out my trusty Explorer II and the iron was no longer an issue and i picked some nice coins (one flying eagle 1857) and roundballs out of all the iron. If i would have spent $1200.00 and getting the same results as you....well i would be quite p***ed! The Explorer II does a great job around iron and i never have had a problem with it except in deep woods with some false signals when the coil strikes small saplings and twigs and my Tesoro does not do this? The depth is about equal, but the Tejon is a bit deeper. Overall, I will keep my Explorer II until I hear more positive news from the vetern users.[/size] Well, thanks for the great posting and please keep up the results of your testing.

Wes

 

[John - Maryland]

The SE and Exp II are both great! SE turns on faster, otherwise they are the same machine.