Need to make a decision

[Jeff in Pa]

Hello all,

I am looking at buying another detector. Now I know this is THE Explorer forum room but... Here it is, bout 5 years ago I got out of detecting and sold my best detector at the time. Had the EXII, stock coil, Sunray probe, 8" Minelab and 5" Sunray... so I was pretty well stacked with it. Well I got out of it and sold the EXII. Now I was still learning after almost a year and I wasn't very good compared to my buddy who had the XS but many more years of detecting with it. Honestly he was a "Master" with it. Well here I am looking at the E-Trac and thinking should I or not. Or should just go back to the Explorer. I want some opinions from people who have used both extensively, if ya don't mind. I am sure this has been beat to death and I have read some of it but is there anyone who would like to comment please. I am only able to get one or the other and would probably look for a used machine but used works the same as new. I would definately get a small coil for the trashy places I hunt. Oh and I like using the digital I.D. if that helps

Thank You for anything you can tell me,

Jeff

 

[EtracTom-AdirondacksNY]

I had an Explorer 2 but got along right from the get go with the Etrac and it has digital id as well as the cursor too all on the same screen. I had been struggling with the Explorer with the verticle smart screen and kept going to the digital id screen. I had been a whites guy and so had been used to a horizontal screen cursor and that is what the Etrac's screen is a horizontal reading screen. It has easier menu navigation and you only have to push one button once to go back and forth between discrimination screen and open quick mask screen so you can have 2 levels of discrimination set if you like to double check on iffy's. The 11" DD is a great coil and works fantastic a lot lighter compared to the heavier old style 1050 coil. I tried the pro coil on my Explorer just before I sold it and it made a big difference but I had already fallen for the Etac so I sold the E2. Running it in Auto sensitivity it will self adjust to the ground conditions either higher or lower and is quieter running too. I'm sure there are a couple of other things I forgot to mention but you won't be dissapointed. Oh and it can be swept a bit faster too when hunting.

 

[Jeff in Pa]

Thanks Tom,

Anyone else have any comments on either or both?

 

[Hotcz70]

I was asked many times about which machine I felt was deeper and which machine they should get (explorer vs. E-Trac)...this was my reply:....

I have found 11" deep dimes with the Explorer 2...SE...and the E-Trac...so there is no difference in depth for me.

The following few statements apply to some hunters (not all). They are my OWN personal opinions and I am not trying to "start" a debate...so I hope it doesn't turn into one.

What I am stating comes from 1000's of fairly successful hours on the explorers training my ears to listen for only ONE thing....DEEP coins.

NOT jewelry...relics...trinkets....or even nickels (they aren't on my coin list)...etc...ONLY deep coins...more specificlly... the sound of deep silver and injuns'.

For some people I feel that if you really never got over the "hump" and broke into the 10" deep coin barrier with the Explorers or over the hump of finding deep coins masked by iron...then the E-Trac seems like the "answer".

IMHO it is smoother than my SE and might ID visually at depth slightly better when hunting with some iron mask...which might give that same explorer user what seemed to be perceived as "more depth".

However IMHO my SE ID's better by sound at depth than my E-Trac.

The key to success at finding deep or previously masked coins with the Explorers is 100% SOUND...and sound alone.

If a person somewhat "mastered" the deep silver sound of the explorers...and finds the deeper and older coins in the 10" to 11" range...then the E-Trac won't do as much for you as it did the explorer user who truthfully just never was able to learn the sounds and language it spoke over deep and masked coins. It comes ONLY with experience and 1000's of hours at different sites...in different conditions...with different iron levels...and different trash levels...etc.

Many people try too much too fast...this setting...that setting...instead of just getting out there...having fun...experimenting over deeper targets...and just plain old learning the machine.

Do I feel I have "mastered" my machine?....NO WAY. I feel I learn something each time out.

Me personally and honestly...YES...I have found some deep and walked over coins with the E-Trac that I myself missed at some of my pounded sites with my SE and EX2.

WHY??...possibly because in some spots the E-Trac ID'ed better visually at depth at those particular sites.

The flipside....I have also found deep, walked over coins with my SE that my E-Trac missed.

WHY??...because for me it ID's better by sound than the E-trac...and because of the RAW power it has..which I run pretty much maxed with high gain and highest possible sensitivity for that particular site.
ALSO...because I have spent a gazillion hours training my ears to listen for deep coins in iron and trash...more particularly to discern deep coins hiding in iron FROM deep iron falses and chirps.

Is it foolproof?....NOPE I dig my share of iron...but I also find my share of seated and older coins.

Anyway...my opinion of the E-trac being deeper than the explorer is what it is. I do not feel it is deeper...and I did the best I could to explain my personal opinion.

IMHO...no way the E-trac gives me that same unmistakable high pitched "silver warble" that I get with my SE....and as I said...sound is the key to the explorers success.

What I do feel is that the E-Trac does a slightly better job ID'ing coins in iron and also has a much shorter learning curve.

I have used the E-Trac since day 1 of it's release...and do well with it even though I rarely post my coin finds on that forum.

I do love the E-Trac and it is a GREAT machine...However the SE is my #1 machine and weapon of choice...hands down....and for the reasons I stated above.

 

[Jeff in Pa]

Thank You Bryce,

I have been reading and watching everything I can and yes the E-trac is an awesome machine but so is the EX SE Pro. Well I should say all of the EX models. I am leaning more toward the Pro. I now hunt the Vaquero and that is all about sound but those sounds are just small differences from one to the other. I remember the calliopee of sounds that the EX II made and at the time it was overwhelming but I think now I could do better with the EX. I want a machine for silver, don't care alot about what goes alongh with it just silver and the EX is great at it.

Jeff

 

[Marc in Va]

Get your hands on another EX 2. You will find the same amount of deep silver as any of the others and you will save some money.

Marc

 

[Jeff in Pa]

Thanks Marc,

I must confess though I have really been eyeing up the E-Trac. Either way it will be a Minelab. I am kinda hoping for this mysterious new release from Minelab to free up some used E-Tracs in hopes of getting my hands on one at a good price.