Lets get things honest and straight here.

[filternozzle]

My point is I am looking for a machine to match the performance of my Nautilus DMC IIB. Now I know the Nautilus outperforms the CTX3030 because I owned one for six months and a good machine it is but for sheer depth and discrimination it cannot outperform the Nautilus. The Nautilus company seems to be having problems and repairs is a problem. Although my Nautilus is working well at the moment there will come a day when the coil goes etc. when that happens I want to use another machine which gives similar (Matching) or better performance on depth and discrimination. The V3i on paper looked a good candidate. I received an email on this forum in which the sender said: 'I have two other deep detectors, a CZ6a and Minelab SE. My V31 beats my CZ and matches my Minelab'.

Now my understanding is that if a machine MATCHES another then its the SAME performance. I am looking for a machine that will MATCH my Nautilus. The Nautilus OUTPERFORMS the Minelab. So why would I want to purchase a machine that only MATCHES the Minelab?

I am not disgruntled and I am not twisting any words.

If you own or have owned BOTH the V3i and a top end Minelab then let me or the forum know what your opinion is with regard to performance on DEPTH & DISCRIMINATION.

 

[therover]

Opinions you get will be based on conditions the hunter is in where that hunter hunts....and it's not where YOU hunt.

Want an easy answer. Get a quarter and two little pieces of paper that you can tape to each side. Write V3i and one piece and CTX on another. Tape the pieces on each side of the coin. Flip the coin.

Whatever unit name is facing up, since you seem to still be skeptical, buy the other unit.

 

[filternozzle]

Opinions you get will be based on conditions the hunter is in where that hunter hunts....and it's not where YOU hunt.

Want an easy answer. Get a quarter and two little pieces of paper that you can tape to each side. Write V3i and one piece and CTX on another. Tape the pieces on each side of the coin. Flip the coin.

Whatever unit name is facing up, since you seem to still be skeptical, buy the other unit.

Try re-reading my post!

 

[ecoast]

any thoughts offered to you are OPINION

you need to make your own decision; no one knows how well any machine will work next to your god-like nautilus

 

[therover]

n/t

 

[Larry (IL)]

If you want things to be honest and straight.............OK....... you must be a little........


If the V3i is not for you, why are you even here asking for advise that you don't want to hear?

 

[filternozzle]

If you want things to be honest and straight.............OK....... you must be a little........ Why??


If the V3i is not for you, why are you even here asking for advise that you don't want to hear?

You seem to forget or choose to ignore the fact, that my decision not to go ahead with the V3i, was taken as a result of feedback received to my questions.
So many thanks to all who posted or sent emails to me.

 

[Overvoltage]

filtern...Since you like them so much (I hear they are good machines), why don't you just buy a couple more Nautilus DMC IIB machines so you have some spares. Then you wont have to worry about getting a machine that doesn't live up to your expectations when yours dies. You obviousely like it and know how to use it. You can post all of your finds with them on the Nautilus forum. HH

 

[burlbark]

If you do a little research on the SE you will find that it uses a different frequency algorithm and sampling when compared to the FSB etrac/ctx technology.

It is to this day, said by many, to be the deepest coin getter ever made by Minelab.

So if the v3i is being compared to that I would consider it a complement. I would recommend you get an CTX 3030 and really get to learn it, they seem to be going for about half retail now on the bay.

That goes for Martin also, just buy a ctx3030 and see if you are missing something, or just buy another detector? Any other brand should do.


If the ctx3030 fails to perform after a couple months sell it and lose a $100. Thats more than worth it to satisfy curiosity, and what if it opens the doors to the silver coin universe?

 

[burlbark]

I may have to buy a ctx3030 and put this all to rest for myself and whoever else needs to know. I am aware that the ctx3030 may get up to 2" more depth on silver coins using a comparable coil than the v3i, in certain conditions.

I think most people need more than one detector.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Burlbark, I don't think the CTX would be his answer in the UK. He is most likely looking for hammies, very small silver (low conductor area), gold coins and relics that are deep, and the ground is probably littered with age old iron.

If I were going hunting in the UK with my V3i, I would have it set up with Stereo Mixed Mode with the SAT set to 0, single frequency 22.5 KHz. I would also set the Gain quite low and turn on the Boost and speed up the recovery speed to 60 or 65. I would have to experiment with the ground filters to see what would work best but I would think that setup would be a good start.

But that is just what I would do.

 

[burlbark]

Burlbark, I don't think the CTX would be his answer in the UK. He is most likely looking for hammies, very small silver (low conductor area), gold coins and relics that are deep, and the ground is probably littered with age old iron.

If I were going hunting in the UK with my V3i, I would have it set up with Stereo Mixed Mode with the SAT set to 0, single frequency 22.5 KHz. I would also set the Gain quite low and turn on the Boost and speed up the recovery speed to 60 or 65. I would have to experiment with the ground filters to see what would work best but I would think that setup would be a good start.

But that is just what I would do.

Thank you for that Larry. In the UK, I would then most definitely recommend the v3i with the utmost certainty. I routinely find those itty bitty levis rivets made of copper at 4-6" and the propointer wont detect them at greater than a half inch away. I would recommend a 10x12 sef for the coil, in white of course. And of course my track record for gold has been great with the v3i.....

 

[Mega]

I did use a V3 for a while over here in the UK as well,but off loaded it very quickly,i will admit i do use a DFX and have done for a long time and the next logic step was the V3 but after trying it out i feel from a personal view its more suited to the US detecting style than the UK conditions.

These are of course just my personal opinons,if it is a detector that works for you and your style of detecting then thats really all that matters,dont personally think it was right to jump on someone just because they had been asking questions regarding the possible purchase of one of these detectors,as i see it the detector that he was looking at getting a replacement for the Nautilus can be of the ultra fine tuning type of detector that requires constant tuning of the coils from the makers of these detectors but in recent years as i understand it the makers of the Nautiles brand name have nearly folded so hence no further support for his current brand name.

The V3 range of detectors has the potential to be not only a very deep seeking detector but also a very flexible detector as well due to the vast amount of controls that you you have access too,but also saying that the people who have owned them here in the UK including my self they have all said the same thing that because its too complicated this they feel is partial the main reason why its not sold in vast number sales wise.

Whites are great detectors and my DFX is one of my all time favourites,no single detector does it all that is why i also have some other brand name detectors and a wide spectrum of coils to cover most of my detecting requirment over in here in the UK with all our fantastic history that we have.

 

[Rob (IL)]

I wish we could put this to rest. I don't like to close topics. I don't think the problem was he would rather use a Nautilus, but how he went about it and comments that were made on the Nautilus forum.