My First Field Test with the New Explorer SE

[Erik]

I've been using an Explorer XS since its introduction - so I have a few years experience with it. After the spirited debates last week on the new SE I decided to put my money where my mouth was and I ordered the SE (Jerry in Bristol (JBM) said I was not marching ahead with the new technology and I was also flamed by a few others here for my opinions of the SE before I decided to actually buy one and try it).

Well it arrived on Friday and I finally had a chance to take it out today for a couple of hours. I sucessfully attached my X-1 from the Explorer XS to the new SE even though the color of the rod doesn't match (I can't detect without the X-1) and it doesn't have the 45 degree cut.

Anyway, the weight differential is negligible - I can't feel any difference. Balance also feels about the same as the XS - perhaps a little better than the XS, but not by much.

I have cleaned out a 15' x 15' area of a local park recently with my XS and decided to try out the new SE to see if it would find anything the XS missed. Bottom line is that it didn't find anything else there at all! I had really hoped that it would have found at least one or two items that I could not locate with the XS.

The screen seems to update a little faster and it also seems that the cursor is a little more stable. Hard to say for sure, but it seems that this is the case. The machine definitely turns on faster and the menu structure is a little better.

The new pinpointing that is touted as an improvement I don't like at all. It changes pitch and kind of screams in your ears when you're over the target...the pitch change is very unpleasant to listen to and must be bad for your ears! I had trouble pinpointing a couple of times as it did not seem to easily lock onto the target when there was another one nearby. I like the pinpoint on the XS MUCH better - it's much easier to listen to and I almost always get it to lock on. I don't see any benefit to the new pinpoint at all and wish they had just left that the way it was - I hope someone here will educate me.

The new slim profile coil is nice, but I miss the old nub in the center that indicates the exact center of the coil...I now have to use the Minelab logo which is much bigger.

The falsing on the new SE seems to studder more than the XS and I'm still getting used to the change in sounds - can't explain it, but it's different for sure.

The target separation seems to be a little better with the SE - I didn't have my XS there to compare it to (maybe next time I'll bring it with me).

I really wanted to be able to come here and say I was totally wrong and the SE blows away the XS, but I can't do that at this point. In fact I really dislike the new pinpoint and I don't understand why some have had problems with the old one. I will continue using the SE and try to get used to it...it certainly doesn't seem that any features have been depricated other than (my opinion of) pinpoint.

I did find a 1907 IH cent and a neat old printing plate which has been broken into at least 3 pieces (I found two of them), but I would have found these with my XS. I did not locate any super deepies in the hour or two that I had to detect. I hope to find some next time to really put the SE through its paces.

Anyway, hope this helps provide some more info on the new SE.

 

[christopher-ohio]

Thanks for the very informative honest post. My biggest concern about the changes to the SE was the pinpoint. Personally, I never had a problem with it as well...my preference is still the EXII because of this...others may welcome the change and do well...everyone has their personal likes and dislikes about any machine...just my humble opinion. Keep us posted...HH

 

[Erik]

You're welcome. I've tried to be as unbiased as possible now that I have both machines. I hope that with more time in the field I'll see some other features of the SE that impress me. It should be interesting to see what others say about the new pinpoint. I saw at least one other guy that does not like it so far. I think the aestetics - i.e. the sound they chose was a poor choice - very unpleasant sound and harsh on the ears.

Oh, I forgot, the headphones they include are much nicer than the phones they included with the XS - though I wish they had a volume control on them. Also they don't include the car charger any longer.

 

[Boony]

Hi Erik,
Being a Explorer II owner for the last fourteen months I was very interested in upgrading to the new SE, I thought that the new pinpointing mode may have been a big plus (like you with the XS I have never found pinpointing a problem with the EX II) however the way you described it I don't think I would like it at all. The other features I have read about so far really don't interest me very much, and while I always use the advanced smart screen to hunt I think it was a mistake to take off the coin, ring, pull tab logos etc from the digital screen, I have always found the numbers big enough including the logos. Anyway thanks for a good report and I look forward to the next one when you have a few hours under your belt with the SE.
All the best......Boony

 

[JM]

Having used the SE for about 30 hours now ,not unduly impressed,they have set the gain at preset 8 to high on a lot off sites ,of course you can lower it to suit ,also found the digital can be wrong and you have to be carful thin foil can come in the same numbers has a tiny gold coin here in the UK ,small thin gold rings can come up the same ,do not rely on it .Minelab had a golden chance to reduce weight ,6 grams is the difference between it and the explorer 2 and only because of a smaller standard coil.the settings for, normal, smooth, and the others, are not that good and I stick with normal,I have found that reducing sensitivity on some fields to about 20 to get running smooth Ilose depth ,anyone with the ex11 ,your not gaining a lot by upgrading to the SE ,just a quick start up ,and a one press digital thats not very good, no I'm afraid all these years and not a lot gained

 

[Erik]

Hi JM,

Just out of curiosity what is your opinion of the new pinpoint mode, which seems to be the biggest change between the SE and XS (or II)? Thanks in advance.

 

[JM]

Hi Erik ,pinpointing depends on ,depth off target and size but generally a big improvement over the ex11, not an issue with me I use the cross method .

 

[islandchips]

Aloha
Thank you for your review on the Explorer SE. I think I see some vulture's circling over the classifieds waiting for the first used Explorer SE to be listed for sale LOL. Boy I'M sure hungry, I still want to get one and try it out. Good luck to you and happy hunting.
Paul (Island Chips)

 

[Erik]

Hi, I'm assuming that the Ex II has the same pinpoint mode as the XS...what do you feel are the advantages with the SE pinpoint? I found the dramatic change in pitch to be very harsh on my ears and a very unpleasant sound. Oddly enough I caught myself instinctively moving the coil away from the location of the highest pitch to stop the noise which is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing, before I caught myself. I was using the stock phones which do not have a volume adjustment, so I turned the max volume down to 4 or 5 on the detector. I did not have the Grey Ghost cans I usually detect with. The XS changes the frequency of the beats as opposed to the pitch which I find much easier to listen to. What is your opinion of the pitch change?

 

[JM]

I agree with your post ,one point I cannot understand, why no volume control on the Koss headphones ,I wonder if you will miss low sounding targets ,if you reduce the volume on the SE to much

 

[Erik]

n/t

 

[BuckeyeBrad]

I use Troy and Sunray headphones, so with both having volume controls, I don't experience the loudness or harshness that some others have complained about. I have many detectors and I primarily use the Explorers to go after DEEP "park silver" type targets. I'm talking 8" to 13" and at that depth, the pinpoint on my XS and II was/is pretty much useless. The one on the SE is much more functional (as in IT'S AUDIBLE)not to mention the bonus of getting some ID info while in the pinpoint mode. Bottom line, I think it's a marked improvement.

 

[SoCalJohn]

Erik, just raise the coil a liitle off the ground and it will not be as loud. Works fine for me. John

 

[Tony Hunt]

So I reckon one of you guys might want to sell me an SE cheap, how about it john

 

[JM]

sorry Tony but you still have the ex11 stick with it buddy, wish I could praise the SE but I cannot .4 years in the making and a serious let down ,starting with the weight of it .in the trade we call it a make over ,and basically thats what they have done .

 

[Cody]

Erik I think somewhere in all this it is overlooked that the VCO is MODULATED. Turn the GAIN down from 8 to 5 or less in those areas where there is a lot of shallow or surface trash targets. Also, I never pinpoint those shallow target anyhow.

VCO MODULATED is the best pinpoint method we have if used properly. If you want to pinpoint that shallow or surface trash then simply lift the coil higher above the target and let the modulated gain of the pinpoint reduce the frequency of the VCO. As you know a higher frequency sounds louder than a low one even if the volume is the same due to the non linear nature of the human ear. This is the only drawback to VCO modulated pinpointing I know of.

However a tremendous plus is the constant updating of ferrous and conductive reading which you don't mention at all in your first take on the new SE. By the way I am so impressed with the much needed modest improvement I have ordered an SE. I almost never will do this on any detector that just hits the market. However with the Explorer being a very mature product I have no problem upgrading.

I see a new Fisher is getting ready to be unveiled and look for a new DFX by Christmas. I think the SE has started the curtains coming down on the new or updated models by the other manufactures. I said this to say that has nothing to do with me forking over a lot of money for a new SE simply because it is a mature product. I was thinking of also getting a new T2 simply because it was designed by a really great engineer but it is going to be hard to beat Bruce Candy and his Minelab designs. Anyhow I will have a new SE in a couple of days and then about Christmas a new........someting else to go with it.

Well enjoy and I look forward to your observations.

 

[Erik]

Hi Cody,

Always interesting to read your posts - thanks for your reply. Ralph at SunRay and I were chatting yesterday and he also recommended turning down the gain to 5 - I will try that next time I get out.

I don't have the theoretical electronics expertise to fully understand what is meant by "modulated" - I'm assuming that VCO means voltage controlled oscillator - the oscillator changes pitch relative to the input voltage, right?

My biggest problem with the new pinpoint is the aestetics of the aweful sqeal that it makes. I'm assuming that there are many ways to modulate a signal and the current pinpoint is just one of many. I have some knowledge of music theory and I feel that the Minelab engineers could have borrowed a page from that book to make the pinpoint more pleasing to the ear. I hate to say this, but to me the sound it makes is something you might expect hearing on a Radio Shack detector. Another observer here likened it to the sound of "a UFO flying overhead" - with my X-1 in pinpoint mode it sometimes sounded like the noise a mosquito makes when it's very close to your ear - which didn't help me at the time as I was being bitten by those vile insects.

If the new pinpoint is a modulated VCO - what did they use for the old pinpoint that I liked so much and what exactly was wrong with it that it needed to be improved?

By the way, where are you located Cody?

 

[JBM]

Hi Erik well done getting out and buying the SE.

Oh yes why not spoil yourself on a birthday mine seem to come around very quickly of late.

I have used Explorers since day one and have had various backups which generally sit in the corner.

I like the SE but if someone cant afford one at the present time then stick with the MKII.

Mr Minelab has listened to the seasoned users and has implemented a number of our suggestions.

I intend to run mine with the platypus coil attached for even more sensitivity.

I do like the feel of the SE and the improved pinpointing.

The screen seems easier to read as these days I wear bifocals.

The only gripe I have is they are still a little on the heavy side.

Pitch Hold is interesting and I may use it more often instead of Normal.

Well time for another coffee keep on posting.Jerry.JBM.Bristol.

 

[Erik]

Hello Jerry!

Well you guilted me into it so I think I will name my new detector after you - I'll call it Jerry! I've only got about 2 hours on the SE and hope to log a little more soon, but working in NYC and owning an English-style Tudor house that needs at lot of TLC leaves me little time for more pleasurable pursuits. BTW, I did come across my 1698 James II Crown "Gun Money" the other day so I'll send you a scan of it soon. Hope you're getting along well with the new machine and hope to hook up with you when we get back to Bath.

Best, Erik

 

[JBM]

Hi Erik,

I only have a tatty Half a crown in that category.Jerry.