New Coinmaster - I don't get it?

[d1g1man]

Hi everyone. I received the flyer in the mail as many of you have informing me of the new White's Coinmaster.
I have read some of the posts floating around here and other forums. It has basically been called a stripped down Prizm 3.
I have never put hands on a Prizm, but they look like decent machines. If it is a stripped down Prizm 3, would that not make it a 1 or a 2?
I am shopping for a backup machine, and yes the ACE 250 is in the lead. I have not found any information about the coinmaster, so I thought I might ask here in hopes that someone might know.

Does it have notch discrimination? Or is it linear like say, an XL PRO.
Is the ground balance factory set, or does it automatically adjust itself?
Is it superior to the ACE 250 in any way, or at least equal? If not, then how could it possibly compete?

Thank you in advance!

-Ken

 

[khouse]

Hi everyone. I received the flyer in the mail as many of you have informing me of the new White's Coinmaster.
I have read some of the posts floating around here and other forums. It has basically been called a stripped down Prizm 3.
I have never put hands on a Prizm, but they look like decent machines. If it is a stripped down Prizm 3, would that not make it a 1 or a 2?
I am shopping for a backup machine, and yes the ACE 250 is in the lead. I have not found any information about the coinmaster, so I thought I might ask here in hopes that someone might know.

Does it have notch discrimination? Or is it linear like say, an XL PRO.
Is the ground balance factory set, or does it automatically adjust itself?
Is it superior to the ACE 250 in any way, or at least equal? If not, then how could it possibly compete?

Thank you in advance!

-Ken

It's a stripped down P3. But not in the electronics or coil. Those are exactly the same except for the color and the name Coinmaster on the front. The difference is there is no arm strap or cam lock on the rod.

It has a progressive notch. Not a full selective notch like the 250.

Coinmaster as with all Prizms except the 6T has a factory set GB just like an Ace

Coinmaster runs on 2- 9volt batteries. 250 runs on 4 AA's

You'll have to figure out what is better for you or post your questions on the general detecting forum.

 

[Monte]

Ken, I like to have a simple-to-use TID model on hand for a "loaner" for a property owner to join in the hunt when I gain permission (it helps to achieve it, too).

I like to grab a simple-to-use detector on occasion for tot lots or quickly checking a site.

With 9 kids and 18 grand-kids (#19 due in February) who occasionally might like to join grand-pa for some fun , it's nice to have an easy-to-use detector on hand.

Also, for the occasional friend or inquisitive encounter.

I mainly use an XLT or MXT or, from time-to-time, a modified Classic model or the Spectra V3. Like many, I viewed the Garrett Ace 250 as serious competition for the dollar against all makes and have owned three of them. They filled the needs I listed above, but do have their shortcomings, as I'l note below, and the new Coinmaster was just the unit I was hoping for to fill that need in my arsenal. Now the only Garrett I own and use is the only one they make that beats a White's offering, and that is the Garrett Pro-Pointer. Perhaps the future will bring a change to that, too, and ALL my main-use detecting equipment will be branded with 'White's?"

I received the flyer in the mail as many of you have informing me of the new White's Coinmaster. I have read some of the posts floating around here and other forums. It has basically been called a stripped down Prizm 3. I have never put hands on a Prizm, but they look like decent machines. If it is a stripped down Prizm 3, would that not make it a 1 or a 2?

There wasn't a Prizm I, the Prizm II was discontinued, and currently there is a Prizm III, IV, V and 6T. Too many Prizm choices, in my humble opinion. I've bought a couple of Prizm IV's and a Prizm 6T, and have used the rest of them.

None were as good as my modified Classic ID's or IDX Pro's in the iron-infested sites and for all-purpose performance, but I am a loyal believer in the Classic SL circuitry and excellent performance. Also, at the time I bought all of those Prizm's, the smallest coil available was only an 8" and the coil options were minimal. I prefer a smaller-than-stock coil most of the time.

The Prizm series are 'OKAY' detectors, but I prefer the performance I get from an XLT, MXT, XL Pro or Spectra V3 for most of the types of sites I hunt. Still, I liked them for what they offered, but like many, I shop for 'price-point' especially when looking at the lower end. The Ace 250 had been the one I kept on hand more than any of the Prizm models, mainly due to cost, and also because they could be had with a 4" coil.

By "stripped down" they are referring mainly to the fact that the Coinmaster does not come with an arm-cup strap or the friction rod-lock. No big deal! As for performance? The Coinmaster does very well and has all the same Prizm-based power and capability and shares the same search coils.

I am shopping for a backup machine, and yes the ACE 250 is in the lead. I have not found any information about the coinmaster, so I thought I might ask here in hopes that someone might know.

As I stated, the Ace 250's were my budget-buy loaner units that filled the slot until the Coinmaster was released.

Does it have notch discrimination?

No, it has progressive segment discrimination of the first 5-of-8 discrimination segments. Notch, per se, allows you to reject a particular mid-range of targets, such as pull tabs. The drawback to this approach, however, is that too many good targets, such as gold rings and other jewelry, high-reading nickels or some trade tokens, fall in that same "notch" segment. personally, I never use 'notch' rejection.

Or is it linear like say, an XL PRO.

The XL Pro, like the Classic series, uses a variable discrimination that rejects targets linearly, progressively, from lowest conductive (iron) thru annoying screw caps or zinc cents. The new Coinmaster also allows you to increase or decrease the discrimination from iron to zinc cents/screw caps, but it isn't a variable progression, instead being 'segmented' like the Ace 250 and many other models on the market today.

Is the ground balance factory set, or does it automatically adjust itself?

Way too many manufacturers advertise that their detectors have "automatic ground balance" which is an incorrect description. Most of those detectors are quick to get into action because the Ground Balance is factory set. preset. In some cases, such as the Classic series or even the Prizm models, the operator does have limited access to tweak the settings. With other offerings, such as the Ace 250, the manufacturer tells you there is no internal GB adjustment. The circuitry does NOT have any auto-tracking capability in the Ace 250, or the Prizm/Coinmaster series except for the Prizm 6T.

Is it superior to the ACE 250 in any way, or at least equal? If not, then how could it possibly compete?

It competes quite well!

Both the Ace 250 and the Coinmaster are designed as "turn-on-and-go" detectors for simple operation. Both feature notch discrimination segment rejection. There are some plus and minus points with either of them:

The suggested retail:

$249.95 for the Ace 250
$179.95 for the Coinmaster

So, with a difference of $70 in suggested retail, lets see how they compare:

The Ace 250 and the Coinmaster do not have a friction rod-lock.

The Ace 250does have an arm strap.

The Ace 250 does have turn-off memory of last settings used, but how hard is it to press a touchpad a couple of times to set the rejection for the site you plan to hunt?

The Ace 250 does have notch segment rejection, however I, for one, never use notching so it has no purpose for me. Too many good targets are in a range they typically suggest for pull tabs, and that's really for the older-style ring-pull designs because most of the modern rectangular pry-tab designs (used for a couple of decades now) somewhat duplicate a US 5

 

[d1g1man]

Thank you khouse and Monte for your reply.

Monte:

I am still not clear on this, perhaps you would be kind enough to set me straight.

When I watch the video for the ACE 250, you are able to use "custom" discrimination, in other words you can for instance only discriminate out tabs.
Does the Coinmaster discriminate the same way? Or are you only to increase the disc starting with iron and gradually increasing it. (Inable to disc out only one range, like tabs).

Thank you again.

 

[khouse]

You can't pick and choose any or all notches on the Prizms or Coinmaster except the 6T. It is progressive. Meaning if you notch out tabs everything there and below are notched out as well.

 

[MSG Hoff]

Does the new Coinmaster have a 1/4" headphone jack? Can't find this information on White's web site - pictures or the manual.
J.R.

 

[khouse]

The coinmaster's head is exactly the same as a Prizm 3. Except it says Coinmaster on the front and it's red. It has the 1/4 inch jack.

 

[MSG Hoff]

Thanks.

 

[d1g1man]

Thank you everyone for your comments. As much as I like White's detectors, the Coinmaster simply can't compare to the ACE 250 in my book. If it doesn't have notch disc, then it's just an overgrown pinpointer.

Perhaps if Whites were to come out with a scaled down 6T, then that would most certainly get my attention.

Thank you khouse for your honest opinions.

 

[Dan-o]

Does it have notch discrimination?

No, it has progressive segment discrimination of the first 5-of-8 discrimination segments. Notch, per se, allows you to reject a particular mid-range of targets, such as pull tabs. The drawback to this approach, however, is that too many good targets, such as gold rings and other jewelry, high-reading nickels or some trade tokens, fall in that same "notch" segment. personally, I never use 'notch' rejection.

In the end, for a savings of $70 when you compare the suggested retail, I found the new Coinmaster to be the better value, providing me a unit that looks better, feels much more comfortable, gets better depth, provides for better bad-ground handling, has better/cleaner audio responses, and also has the better small coil option. Heck, the Shooter coil for this unit will end up being a most-used coil and the stock 9" spider will be mounted for beach hunting, open park hunting, etc.
Monte

Gotta agree with Monte here on the Notch Rejection. I used to own a Garrett GTA1000 that had 24 notches and that wasn't nearly enough. I would only notch out the first 3 or 4 segments and leave the rest. Had I notched out the pull tab area I would have missed several good targets, tokens and jewelry. The Ace 250 only has 12 notches. Your better off only notching out the iron and leaving the rest which is the same as using progressive disc. Now if you had 100 or more notches I could maybe see the benefit. But when your using a metered machine, you can decide whether or not if your going to did the target.
For me the notching capability of the Ace isn't worth $70 extra.

Dan

 

[Monte]

Thank you everyone for your comments. As much as I like White's detectors, the Coinmaster simply can't compare to the ACE 250 in my book. If it doesn't have notch disc, then it's just an overgrown pinpointer.

I wish you would/could visit a local dealer who carries both the Ace 250 and Coinmaster and check them out, side-by-side, on some in-ground targets. Even 2" to 4" deep targets would let you hear the differences in audio response in the motion Discriminate mode, the Pinpoint mode, and the All Metal mode (which the Ace 250 doesn't have). You're correct, the two don't compare in all respects because the Ace 250 will let you reject some mid-to-upper range segments, and the Coinmaster won't. However, heck the depth, and the audio quality in all modes between the two, and the weight/balance.

I like the Ace 250 for the dollar, and I feel it is one of Garrett's better value detectors, but I like the Coinmaster better because it feels and works better.

As for notching, you can employ audio notching with the Ace 250 and not hear a hit from targets in a very broad "segment", but both models provide you will VISUAL notching. This lets you know a target is in the area and you make the call whether to pay any attention to it or not. I like this approach better and I only use enough discrimination to knock out the most annoying nail/small iron at a site. Then, as I search, if I should get a hit that registers in the "pull tab" range, for example, I can ignore it and continue on, but I can also do a little quick sweep around it to see if there is a nearby target that could be masked by the undesired pull tab.

Besides, I never like to assume. Never! I will hit a site and recover all solid and iffy hits for the first 30-60 minutes. After I have an idea of the amount of targets present, and the specific type of abundant trash there is to deal with, THEN I make a decision to increase my rejection level or no (I seldom do) and I will then be able to make a more educated "guess" as the located target by way of the visual display. I know what's there, the target masking potential of a site, and the predominate type of small trash, then I just ignore some of those responses based on their TID.

The Coinmaster is far from a "pinpointer," and note that this is coming from someone who has NOT been a big fan of the Prizm series. I've owned them, they are OK for what they are and what they compete with, but for the dollar I felt they were still not competitive on the low end. With the Coinmaster that opinion has changed, making this new entry level unit a 'companion' for my other detectors.

I really think you ought to compare the two, then make a decision.

Just an opinion.

Monte

 

[CROCK of COINS]

>>I really think you ought to compare the two, then make a decision.

Just an opinion.

Monte<<

Monte, Thank You for taking your time to give us info!

Jerry