Is my MXT defective?

[Bajanick]

All I hear is praise for the MXT but mine is almost unusable. It makes very erratic noises all over no matter how I adjust the gain or threshold. Its not that old and it has not been abused.
I am thinking of sending it in to whites for theyre opinion and/or purchasing a M6 because I hear that it is silent search with no threshold.
What should I do?

 

[Treasure Mike]

The MXT is a very sensitive machine and it picks up on the smallest of metal targets. I hunt in the relic mode with the mixed mode audio. Low tone for targets below where you set the discrimination and high tone for ones above it. In heavy trash areas the MXT sounds off quite a lot so I just pay attention to the high tones. The MXT should not make any unusual sounds unless you are experiencing interference from a strong power source such as high tension wires. There is one site that I have to avoid which is near overhead high voltage transmission lines. My MXT is so erratic there that it is unusable. Other then what I have mentioned all you should hear are the targets and a slight threshold hum. I hope this helps. Mike

 

[Treasure-Hunter]

Mike hit the nail on the head. The Relic Mode is the deepest and most stable mode to operate in. Follow his advice and be sure to properly ground balance before you hunt. Run your Gain below Preset until you get the feel for how the MXT responds. You can lower the Threshold to just below audible without losing depth if you think it will help you get used to the machine. If it still seems too erratic, you can lock the ground balance. Sometimes this will make a big difference.

The MXT is a very powerful and sensitive detector. I have used one for several years and have never been able to run it at full throttle without it being erratic. There is really no need to crank it too high as it gets great depth at lower more stable settings. I suppose there are soil conditions where you could crank it up, but not in my area. Have you tried a different coil? Sometimes a coil can cause a lot of noise.

Be patient and work fairly slow, especially in trashy areas. I thought I had a problem when I first used one too, but one day it all came together and I understood what a great machine I had.
Jim

 

[bill(de)]

Metal detecting is a hobby and meant to be enjoyable and for certain reasons some detectors aren't for everyone no matter how good they are. If you don't know anyone with an MXT to compare yours to then perhaps Whites could make sure your MXT is functioning properly.

I never used an MXT but have the M6 and is a pleasure to use.The MXT is most likely going to have more extreme depth capability but the M6 is certainly no slouch and noticed you asked a few times whether the M6 is silent search non threshold based.. YES IT IS Silent Search . Only you can decide what to do but first and foremost is to enjoy the hobby and many of us have bought sold more than a few detectors to better suit our hunting needs and temperament. Good Luck. HH Bill

 

[clondike clad]

I had the MXT and now the M6 and yes the MXT is a very talkie detector.
BUT THE MXT IS VERY DEEEP DETECTOR.
SET YOUR GAIN VERY LOW AT FIRST TO LEARN THE DETECTOR.
OR GET THE M6 TO COMPLIMENT THE MXT.
I have the XL PRO and the M6 as my dream team for coins.
As for relics the MXT is hard to beat.

 

[Bajanick]

I do hear a hum when I set the threshold but I cannont get it sounding stable, it always sounds like im getting multiple targets when I am sweeping the coil. Kinda hard to describe, When I switch to relic mode the erratic sounds go away but then I lose the VDI for coins. Maybe I should post a sound file so yall can hear it, LOL.

 

[Old California]

Before you sell the detector and buy the M-6, Send in the MXT to Whites.

Sounds like it's not working correctly, You're better off with the MXT.

Paul (Ca)