minelab quattro mp or Whites MXT for first detector

[yogaguy]

Hi. I am not totally new to using metal detectors, since I've rented them in the past. But I would still consider myself an "amateur" especially with the higher-end models. I am interested though in purchasing my first metal detector. I have done "alot" of internet research, and have talked with all the dealers. Now I should first say that I will mainly be using the detector in large open farm fields, with a high likelihood of mixed to high mineralization. I will also be doing some searching by some old homes, but mainly open fields. My uncle still plows these fields I speak of, so I'm assuming the soil is of good mineral quality. I have been struggling between either purchasing the Whites MXT, the Minelab Quattro MP, and even possibly the Fisher CZ Pro. I have heard alot of good things on all these machines. But I have decided for one that I'd definetly like a machine that automatically "ground balances" accordingly to the varying soil conditions. I don't wanna have to keep adjusting for this as I hunt. The one thing I'm also confused on is the "multiple-frequencies" that Minelab has on their units. I've been told that this supposedly gives "the best" depth of any detector? Again I'm no expert, so I was wondering if anyone could explain this further and if it even really matters, because I will most likely being running the detector in "all-metal" mode anyways in the fields. (I like to dig everything). So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank-you. Randy

 

[Rick(ND)]

First thing is the MXT and the Quattro are good detectors and both have a learning curve. The MXT is a easier learning curve, you can swing the coil faster and the detector will signal with a beep. Now the Quattro will have a steeper learning curve because of the tones it will make as this is the detector talking to you and you will have to learn its language. Being this is the case it you will have to go slower with the coil to hear everything it is telling you and for it to see everything. Now with these tones and meter reading you get you will be deciding whether to dig or not, not the detector.
I mainly used the Minelab Sovereign and the Explorer and decided to try a MXT and was very impressed with the way this detector worked and was fun to use. I found it to be the best Whites I have ever used and decided this was a good detector for my wife to use when I was using my Minelabs. She will get more coins than I do, but I seem to get the deeper ones and the ones close to trash as the Minelabs will see each target separate where as the MXT will average them out more. I think why the Minelabs will see each separate is because you have to go slower.
I used a Quattro last fall when they first came out and seen it was a little different then what I was used to. The tone was too high for my hearing and couldnt be adjusted like the Explorer is. I found the recovery was a little slower too and if it locked on to a good target any other metal item would sound the same unless you let the threshold reset which was no problem. I would get a good signal and would raise the coil so it seen no metal and let the threshold reset, then go back to where I got the good target and see if the tone was the same, if it was then it was one I would dig, if it nulled then i knew it was iron and if the tone was different I knew that was the tone of that target. Being the recovery is slower I find it could lock on to deeper targets that were good. I was impressed and so was by buddy with the Explorer how well it could lock on to a deep target. I feel in ground that has not been disturbed, or not for the last year or 2 the Quattro will work great, but freshly disturbed ground you will not get the depth you normaly would have.
If you want to go slow and learn the tones of the Quattro it will do well, but if you want to go fast and cover a lot of ground the MXT will work better.

Rick