looking at mxt and mxt pro detectors unsure of differences

[donaldl]

I'm currently using a Garrett 250 Ace and wish to upgrade. Trying to decide between AT Pro, MXT and MXT Pro. I'm guilty of trying to get by for less money and often regret my choice and end up spending more money in the long run. I enjoy my 250 but want more. The VDI would be important. I've researched the previous posts and didn't really find my answer. My main interests are coin and relic hunting. I doubt I would ever search for gold nuggets. Any help would be appreciated. The Mxt and Mxt Pro are quite a bit more in cost but I don't want to again short change myself. Thank you. Don

 

[Aarong81]

I think you can find a used mxt for around $400 and an mxt pro for $500-$600. I paid quite a bit more for my mxt pro since it had several coils and a DX-1 probe, a seperate pin pointer and some other extras. Whites is really good about satisfying their customers if there is a problem even after warranties are gone so a used whites is worth the savings. You should find someone locally that has an MXT or the mxt pro and try it out for yourself. I think most Whites dealers would let you play with them to see if you like it. The MXT is best suited for coin/jewelry and relic modes, it has a prospecting mode too but I don't hear much about nugget hunters using the mxt. I tried mine out in Colorado with the 5.3 coil and I think the coil was still too big for small nuggets, but with a smaller 'shooter' coil it may work pretty good.

I do think that you will have to pay for quality, if its cheap you will end up with a cheap detector. But inflated prices don't guarantee a machine you will like. I think nearly everyone that has owned an MXT would recommend it, unless they were just used to another brand and didn't spend the time to learn another machine.

 

[donaldl]

Both prices you entered would be within my range. Do you consider ebay to be a reliable source or would you stick to the forums? Sounds like the Mxt would suit me fine. I think if I would go with the Garrett At Pro and I would be in the same shape again. Whites seem to have a loyal following.

 

[dan93]

I haven't used an AT Pro but I have an older MXT and M6 both are great detectors. There are lots of coil choices both Whites and SEF coils available. The MXT Pro comes with the 12" coil which is not suitable for most coin hunting so you would have to get a smaller coil for coin hunting unless you got the MXT which comes with the 10" coil. I don't have a X-Terra 750 but would recommend looking into this detector too it seems to have alot of positive reviews and Coiltek coils are available and it is in the same price range.

 

[khouse]

The MXTpro has some great usable features over the regular MXT. You can also buy the MXTpro950 that is cheaper and comes with the 950 coil. But you said that you were not going to prospect with it. So I suggest the M6.

 

[widebody]

[size=medium]some pros & cons i found using both. now i had the MXT PRO. really liked the D2 DD coil and back light butttttttt. when it comes time to notch out targets the AT PRO did a better job. maybe it's just me. if you want to notch out pull-tabs on the mxt then you lose the nickels and alot of gold. not so with the atp. your coil selection is greater with the mxt.one quirk i found out about was the mxt doesn't do as well after it gets below 10 v. suppose to lose abilty. i didn't hunt enough with mine to be able to say for sure but experts did confirm this when someone else brought it up. i would have to say Nancy would be the one to know. as for relic hunting i would say the mxt has the best reputaion for it for now. the mxt and the atp should be equal in nugget hunting but i never nugget hunted. i'm selling off my machines except the atp. it is now my go to machine but before ,my mxt was my go to machine. regret selling it. my big master plan for a V3i fell apart.
you did touch on a familar feeling. no matter what you get you'll regret not getting the other machine instead. the mxt is proven in the field for years for relic hunting so if you're gunna get serious and can handle heaveir coils then get the mxt. if you find enough treasure you can buy any machine you want later. jmho

HH[/size]

 

[donaldl]

Thank you for the reply. I've been very happy with my 250 ace but realize I don't have some of the nice options available on the atp and mxt such as target id number. Depth is an important concern and I had read about the exceptional depth of the mxt and had read some concerns about the atp. What are your thoughts on depth. Price wise the atp is great but didn't want to short change myself. Again the ace has been great. Thank you and hope to hear from you. Don

 

[widebody]

[size=large]one can only comment about depth according to what one has found and how deep it was. with the D-2 coil on my mxt pro i for sure found a franklin half at 8" and really felt because of how loud the signal was that more depth was there if needed. that has been my deepest coin to date. the mxt can do much better just because one can get bigger coils for it. Concentric and DD. not so for the ATP as far as i know for now. if you're going to just parks and sport fields then the ATP will find the majority of targets as well as the MXT will. my hunting buddy really outdid me constantly with his ATP against my MXT PRo but was it the machine or the person behind it? just how deep are your targets REALLY going to be? for me the depth issue has been mostly hype for my kind of hunting. if relic is yours then i for one am convinced the MXT is the machine cause you're hunting really old and probly deep and heavy metal targets. for coins i feel both machines will get to at least 10". there's been too many claim that depth for both machines for it not to be true. the mxt should get that with the 950 concentric coil. once again. ya get one and wish you had gotten the other. i enjoyed my mxt. just as much as my atp.

HH [/size]

 

[khouse]

Don,
Being on a Whites forum and asking about other brands puts a damper on some of us to give you our true views. You'll get better answers on the general forum when comparing different brands.

 

[donaldl]

I pulled the trigger and went with the mxt. I felt comfortable with the choice and wont second guess myself. I realize there is a learning curve with all machines and time in the field is the solution. Thanks for the experienced comment and I will post after I try it out. Don

 

[Nancy-IL]

You won't regret it. It's a good true machine. HH, Nancy