More depth than Silver uMax for around the same price?

[BlackX]

Was out detecting today with a friend and I got a really sweet signal on my Explorer that turned out to be a large copper at about 8". Before I dug it, I called my friend over to check the signal and he couldn't get a peep out of it with his Silver. Now I'd had a Sidewinder uMax--which I understand is a pretty similar model--as my first detector and I never could get much depth out of that either. Around here most of the wheatheads or better seem to be 6 or more inches down and I hate to see him miss out on the older coins.

Before he picked up the Tesoro after using mine, he'd been talking about an Ace 250, which most folks seem to be pretty happy with and I've seen some real nice finds posted from Ace users. Also wondering if a Fisher F2 might not be a good option too. (I see both have depth indicators which I personally really like--a lot of the time I just want to dig the deeper items.) But I don't have any experience with those two or others in the same price range since I went the Sidewinder->used Sovereign->used Explorer route.

What would you suggest as a replacement machine and why? (He needs to keep it in a pretty similar price range without spending too much more ($40 max?) with a trade of some kind.) What machine gets the most depth in that price range? Other pros or cons?

Thanks.

 

[Wayne/TX]

Rich, the F2 & Garrett 250 are both great units and both have many
good features, including tone-ID & depth meter. Of the 2 though, I'd go with
the 250 for it's larger coil, for one. Both are available at discount from
most online dealers, with the 250
@ about $212 & the F2 @ $199. I believe that both will beat the
Silver in depth, imo. Oh, does your friend use good headphones to
hear the fainter signals? Remember too, that the degree of
mineralization the soil might have is always an influence on any
VLF detector, so allow for that in any search.
..W

 

[BlackX]

n/t

 

[Boris]

I agree with Wayne, my ladyfriend has an Ace-250 and I have been impressed with it.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I had a Silver Umax and Ace 250 a while back and used these two units to cross check each targets.The ground conditions in both parks gave the depth advantage to the Tesoro.The Fisher 1236X2 is a performance step-up has good depth and easy to use,but will fall short of the Explorer.In my opinion the F2 and Ace 250 isn't going to have any better performance depth wise over the Silver,and will lead to disappointment.A CZ or Sovereign will be a big improvement but again will still be outclassed. The Explorer is still the benchmark for metal detectors for deep coin searching.My suggestion buy an old XS Explorer.

 

[BlackX]

n/t

 

[Ron from Michigan]

You didn't say what coil was being used.He may want to consider a different coil.The Silver should be able to find a large copper coin at eight inches.I used a Troy X2 based on a Silver Umax the eight inch copper wouldn't be any problem for my ground.The Silver is a nice unit each detector has advantages and disadvantages.Have your friend swing the Explorer for a couple of hours and then try the little Tesoro his back will notice the difference.The learning curve is a lot more on thIis Minelab,suggest he download a manual and start to study.