IDX Pro any value now adays?

[Elton]

If I think back to my progression in metal detecting,I believe the most valuable thing about the IDXPro,since it was my first machine,is that it is simple enough for the beginner to use and understand,while still being capable of finding coins at good depth. It still took me 3 years to get really good with it,but it wasn't so difficult to learn that I hung it up and went on to some other hobby. If I had started with an Explorer or VX or some other more complicated machine the results may have been very different. I owe ALOT of enjoyment and comraderie to the IDXPro,and it continues even to now. A simple,capable machine with plenty of intelligent help from forum members has made for a great hobby,one I wouldn't trade for anything.

What a nice post !

 

[Wayfarer]

If I think back to my progression in metal detecting,I believe the most valuable thing about the IDXPro,since it was my first machine,is that it is simple enough for the beginner to use and understand,while still being capable of finding coins at good depth. It still took me 3 years to get really good with it,but it wasn't so difficult to learn that I hung it up and went on to some other hobby. If I had started with an Explorer or VX or some other more complicated machine the results may have been very different. I owe ALOT of enjoyment and comraderie to the IDXPro,and it continues even to now. A simple,capable machine with plenty of intelligent help from forum members has made for a great hobby,one I wouldn't trade for anything.

What a nice post !

Totally agree. The IDX has a great easy-to-use vs performance ratio. There are machines that will get slightly better performance but at the cost of MUCH more difficulty. The IDX is special too because it can get that depth at a slow sweep, letting beginners have to time to process what they are hearing (and experts sneak in between the trash!). I still regret selling mine and am on the lookout for a nice one to buy and keep forever.

 

[Seakin]

Another IDX Pro fan here.
I bought mine very gently used and was astounded by its performance. It came stock, black max loop and no mods... in NW Virginia red iron soil it hits dimes at ten inches consistantly.
At VA. BEACH in wet/dry sand it hit rings, quarters and crushed cans at two feet. Saturated sand and salt water, overwhelmed it but that's why I took the trusty 4900/D Pro Plus.
The IDX Pro is a freak...it way out does any projection stats I've come across. I'll never get rid of this machine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seakin
Virginia Mountains

 

[Hombre]

Another IDX Pro fan here.
I bought mine very gently used and was astounded by its performance. It came stock, black max loop and no mods... in NW Virginia red iron soil it hits dimes at ten inches consistantly.
At VA. BEACH in wet/dry sand it hit rings, quarters and crushed cans at two feet. Saturated sand and salt water, overwhelmed it but that's why I took the trusty 4900/D Pro Plus.
The IDX Pro is a freak...it way out does any projection stats I've come across. I'll never get rid of this machine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seakin
Virginia Mountains

Welcome to the Forum...My IDX Pro is modified by Mr. Bill, this was back when he was doing that mod. I have most of the coils for this machine and the outside Threshold and Ground Balance controls comes in handy. Do you ever mess with the GB control located inside of the case under the 'Made in America' decal? I have found that once set the GB rarely needs adjustment until you change coils. I also found the Holy Grail coil for it...the little 5½" concentric made by The defunct Discovery Electronics corp. It is called the Ferret Hot Head coil....for such a small coil it goes deep and gets inbetween the iron trash. This is a great relic hunting combo, last time out with it I scored a Barber dime and an IH ¢.

 

[lytle78]

One of the new things about the IDX pro – once you have the ground balance adjustment Modh installed – is that you can use a couple of amazingly interesting coils.

I'm talking about the products of the guy that used to call "the wizard of the loop". Jim Karbowski - May God rest his soul.

May God rest his soul.

He designed and marketed - mostly through Jimmy Sierra - and also whites -na series of coils - the best-known of which is the famous "big foot". This 18 x 3" monster call is a regular coin vacuum scooping up shallow targets a hell of a rate.

Lesser-known is another coil he made called the gold foot cord ash it also had another name but I can't remember at the moment. It was sort of a mini big foot 9 x 2".

The Bigfoot was made for the old whites 6.59 kHz detectors call me also for the newer ones like the IDX and then later for the DFX - those will also call work on the V3 and even the Prizim.

Now the big foot for the DFX and later machines is very sought after - if you've got a clean one you canprobably get $400 $500 for it on eBay. The big foot for the earlier machines runs around $200 to $250.

Of course the big foot is for clearing large areas it but surprisingly on my IDX Pro it goes about as deep as the 8" coil. The goal foot however is a razor - it's slices and separates better than almost anything I have ever used.

You need to adjust the ground balance pretty radically however to use these with the IDX pro. You need to adjust the ground balance pretty radically however to use these with the IDX pro. they don't ground balance anywhere near the point that the standard coils to and if you don't adjust the ground balance you'll find that the ID skews radically and a silver half-dollar won't be detected a they don't ground balance anywhere near the point that the standard coils do and if you don't adjust the ground balance you'll find that the ID excuse radically and a silver F dollar won't be detected at all.

Great fun of course - but I probably need to get rid of my whole rig. I'm "deployed" at the moment – working on a US Air Force contract in Abu Dhabi in the UAE. But when I get home sometime in May I probably have to put the whole mess up for sale. So many detectors – so little time.

 

[Herb Jones]

Idx pro rigged with a Blue max snooper is One Of My favorite Combos... I know The rule Of Depth equals coil
Diameter... but I get much better depth than that... 6-7" all day in my matured test bed, and i have yet to tweak the GB pot.
If you have an idx pro ... get the little snooper... it has become one of my favorite machines in a short time.

 

[DonM]

I have had over the years just about every top of the line detector made......I am now down to only one the IDX Pro (with 3 coils)......it may not be the deepest detector but it is easily the most fun to use....if there is a coin in the 6" to 8" range - and your are passing the coil over it ......it does not leave you trying to figure out what the digital number really means...it will simply tell you that there is a likely coin down there.......what more can you ask for.

 

[lytle78]

I sure made a mess of my original post. Tried to do it on a phone - after dinner.

I still have my IDX Pro with mods. Excellent machine. Very reliable discrimination in junk. I run AM as long as I can, with target size and the flicker to iron on the meter giving rusty tin, old bottle caps, nails and wire away.

 

[Herb Jones]

Any Suggestions as to When to use the black Sand mode?

 

[lytle78]

This poorly named control is White’s way of giving the user the option to extend the discrimination control “downwards” so that all metal targets are accepted. In the normal position, the discrim control goes down to a certian level, but that level is above the ground balance point. In the BSsand position, the discrim knob will allow you to go all the way down to accept all metal target signals.

Tom slick gives a good explanation in thei thread from 2010

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?31,1157933

 

[Herb Jones]

I have not adjusted the GB pot... I know On My vaquero the depth is increased by running just a tad negative.... is this the same with the idx
Pro ??? I Have read on other Forums that a little positive is the way to Go... I usually run the small Snooper if that matters.

 

[lytle78]

I find that either spot on or very slightly negative gives best results. Just a touch - when full power gives chatty ground noise in AM, you’re too negative.

 

[Herb Jones]

I have a stock 950 black max and a small Snooper coil... are there any others I should keep an eye out for? I really like the performance of both,... it's ironic that if all my machines this was almost the least expensive. $150, and another $35 For the snooper Coil...The display was installed upside down,... the guy Didn't think it was worth fixing (flipped the screen and presto.... so one of. my least expensive machines brings in some of my nicest finds... seems as though there are a few older machines that were exceptional... and the IDX PRO was one of them... I think it's a keeper...

 

[DW-BGW]

I'd watch for a 5.3 bullseye is a Nice coil to have. HH Don

 

[Monte]

See a nice looking IDX pro on local carigs list, any value to this? Did a quick search of the form and don't see anything posted for any time frame.

For many there can be a 'value' to owning and using the IDX Pro, depending upon how often they get out detecting, the sites hunted, coils used, and how demanding the owner might be in wanting modern flashy features and such. Looking at your signature I see only a DFX and Coinmaster GT in which case I would much rather own an IDX Pro with modifications and make sure I had a 6½" Concentric coil for most detecting chores, a 4½" 'back-up' for trashy areas [size=small](the 'Snooper' Blue Max 350)[/size], and maybe an 8" or 950, if you prefer, for wide-open areas.

I have a stock 950 black max and a small Snooper coil... are there any others I should keep an eye out for? I really like the performance of both,... it's ironic that if all my machines this was almost the least expensive. $150, and another $35 For the snooper Coil...The display was installed upside down,... the guy Didn't think it was worth fixing (flipped the screen and presto.... so one of. my least expensive machines brings in some of my nicest finds... seems as though there are a few older machines that were exceptional... and the IDX PRO was one of them... I think it's a keeper...

I seldom had a use or need for the 950 coil. If hunting a very open, sparse-target area such as a large grassy park or beach, I preferred the Royal 800 8" Concentric coil. Still, that 8" or 950 coil saw much less use because most of the time I worked trashier areas and wanted a smaller size coil. Besides, the 6½" Concentric can provide really decent coin depth.

I would suggest getting one of the 6½" Concentric coils for most every-day detecting, especially if sites are trashy or brushy. It's light weight and balances quite well. All the same 6½" diameter configurations, but early-on in white plastic then changed to black-plastic, those Concentric coils used the names of: Blue Max 600, 5.3 Black Max and 5.3 Bullseye. I also kept the 4½" 'Snooper' coil on a spare lower rod for use in the nastiest of trashy sites.

Any Suggestions as to When to use the black Sand mode?

The 'Norm' and 'Black Sand' toggle has nothing to do with the color of the ground or the texture you're detecting in. It isn't part of the Ground Balance circuitry, either, and was simply a poorly named adjustment function.

In the 'Normal' setting the IDX Pro, and Classic III SL have a Discrimination adjustment range very similar to the Classic ID. At the minimum setting the detector will be accepting some iron range targets but will also be rejecting a good amount of ferrous trash. When toggled to 'Black Sand' ([size=small]which maybe should have been named 'Enhanced Disc.' or 'Expanded-Disc' range)[/size] it is just an adjustment for the lower-end of the Discrimination range. When at the minimum setting there is essentially no rejection and the detector is in a silent-search, motion-based, all metal accept function to respond to any metal, ferrous or non-ferrous.

Typically a Disc. setting in the Black Sand function at about the 9 o'clock to 10 o'clock position will just barely be rejecting iron nails. The upper-end of the Discrimination range is not supposed to be effected beyond about where modern US Zinc Cents would just reject. It is only an enhanced adjustment of the Discrimination for the lower and mid-level conductivity range.

I have not adjusted the GB pot... I know On My vaquero the depth is increased by running just a tad negative.... is this the same with the idx
Pro ??? I Have read on other Forums that a little positive is the way to Go

You do not want to have the Ground Balance set negative in the All Metal mode on the IDX Pro, or most any Classic series models, as that will cause falsing in the silent-search Discriminate mode.

Most Tesoro models, by design, have a more positive off-set for the Discriminate mode than the All Metal/Pinpoint mode's GB reference. Because the Disc. mode is offset a bit positive, in some cases you can experience impaired performance if the manual or internal GB is set too positive. Matter-of-fact, a slightly negative All Metal mode GB will get the Disc. mode's GB close to 'proper' for enhanced performance.

The Coinmaster Classic series, that morphed into the Classic's in the slim-line housing, were designed by Wm. 'Bill' Lahr to provide a model to compete with the Tesoro line which, at the time, had a lot of demand in the silent-search, quick-response and fast-recovery market, and White's 'Classic' series made an excellent competitive product. His circuitry design with regard to the internal Ground Balance trimmer setting was more in-line with what I would prefer. The Disc. mode's GB references is either spot-on to just slightly negative to the All Metal mode's GB adjustment, and that means you are better off to have the All Metal /Pinpoint Ground balance set to be just slightly 'positive' to get full performance out of the Discriminate mode. If adjusted negatively, the Disc. mode can be too negative and falsing will really annoy you.

I find that either spot on or very slightly negative gives best results. Just a touch - when full power gives chatty ground noise in AM, you’re too negative.

The All Metal GB should be 'spot on' or very slightly 'positive' with the Classic series in order to not have falsing from the Disc. mode

... I usually run the small Snooper if that matters.

It can matter with any of the standard Classic series detectors with regard to Ground Balance and field performance. When you change search coils on the Classic, it can also result in a change in what the Ground Balance setting is and, therefore, require adjustment to have a 'proper' and functional Ground Balance for the search coil in use.

My brother used to use a Classic II with only the standard 8" coil so we made sure the GB trimmer was tweaked for a workable GB wherever he hunted with it. I did the same for a friend of mine as she uses two Classic II's with only their 8" coils. I have another friend who uses the Classic ID and mainly the 6½" Concentric coil, but at times does swap to either the 4½" Snooper of the Royal 800 8" Concentric coils, but they don't have any detector modifications. So we sat down with all three search coils and some tough 'bad ground' samples and tweaked the internal GB trimmer so that specific Classic ID and those specific three search coils were all going to work in almost any change of detecting site regardless of which coil is mounted.

I was fortunate to get the first Classic III SL that 'Mr. Bill' Crabtree modified [size=small](other than his own)[/size] and from that point on I only wanted to keep a 'Mr. Bill' modified Classic II SL, Classic ID or IDX Pro in my working detector battery. I have enjoyed many White's detector models through the years ... many years ... since my first Ghost Towner BFO, and there is a small number of all-time favorite White's models that I had. My favorites among that group are the XLT, the 6000 Pro XL [size=small](that was renamed the XL Pro)[/size], and the IDX Pro with 'Mr. Bill' modifications.

Today, none of those three are in my current arsenal, but I am keeping a sharp eye open for any one of them, in pristine condition, to add back into my 'favorite oldies' collection of working detectors. Mine will be a modified IDX Pro, guaranteed, which allows me to quickly calibrate the GB setting for the search coil in use. In your case, hang onto that 4½" Snooper or I might snap it up when I find another IDX Pro as a good coil to complement the 6½" Concentric that will see most use.

Also, double check all of the search coils you have to make sure all are going to work satisfactorily on your particular IDX Pro. If needed, the internal GB can be tweaked to establish a working Ground Balance for all coils. It might be that your IDX Pro and complement of coils are all working just fine and no 'tweaking' is necessary.

Enjoy a great White's detector as we go through 2018!

Monte

 

[Fisherfinder]

Opinions on the 4X6 shooter coil?

I have plenty of coils for my ID Classic, and IDX Pro.
Is the 4X6 a must have?
I am in soil and sand with high iron content.


Thanks

 

[Monte]

I have owned all of the Coinmaster Classic and newer Classic's in the slim-line housing. Quite a few of some of the specimens, and every coil they made for the Classic series. There were some favorites amongst the group of coils, such as the 4½" Blue Max 350, the 6½" of several names like Blue Max 600, 5.3 Black Max and 5.3 Bullseye, and the thin-profile 8" coils such as the Royal 800.

Then there were coils I didn't care for.

Opinions on the 4X6 shooter coil?

This was the least favorite coil I ever used on any Classic model or other 6.59 kHz units, like the XLT, 5900 Di Pro SL, XL Pro, etc. Not only did that elliptical DD never match the field performance I got from any of the 6½" Concentric coils, but it didn't even perform as well as the 4½" round Blue Max 350 Concentric coils.

I have plenty of coils for my ID Classic, and IDX Pro.

I think the #1 coil any Classic owner should have is one of the 6½" Concentric coil. A #2 pick would be a thin, flat-bottom 8" Concentric like the Royal 800 or Pro Scan 800. I prefer the 8" to the 950 offerings. My #3 coil, if I wanted to have an additional coil to hunt in more confined spaces or closer to building rubble, would be the Blue Max 350.

Is the 4X6 a must have?

No, I think it is a must NOT have coil. That same size Eclipse coil for the MXT series works better than the 'shooter' coil for the 6.59 kHz models, but even then the 6½" Concentric is a better all-purpose search coil.

I am in soil and sand with high iron content.

Honestly, the soil content and mineralization doesn't play a major factor in search coil selection for the Classic series. What it does, however, is make it necessary to use a slower and more methodical sweep speed. In heavy mineralization and/or pea gravel to rocks and the like, using a faster sweep speed can have a negative impact of performance and detection depth.

Monte

 

[Fisherfinder]

Thank you Monte.

I have the bases covered with the coils you mentioned.
And I am very happy with their performance, very happy.

The 4X6,......I will be taking a pass on that one.

The modded Classic ID was a gift, but it came without a coil.
The first coil I purchased was a flat 950.
It was fun, and worked well. But I saw right away that I needed something along the lines of an 8" coil.
I hunted down a Royal 800 and It is a terrific coil, it gets the most use.
Next, because of the locations I hunt, I looked into what coils there were that were smaller than 8".
The Blue Max 600 and the 5.3 were on the list, I found one of each and tested them.
Both were very good, identical in performance.
I kept the 5.3 for it's color, and recently sold the 600.
An Eliminator coil popped up. I was out bid on the first one, managed to get the second one listed.
The last coil I picked up was the Snooper 350.
Very hot little coil, much hotter than it's size would lead you to believe.