Not another Comparison Question...Well, Sorta

[davidtn]

How many E-Trac users are former White's users? If you switched from a White's, how come? What do you like about your E-Trac that your White's unit didn't have?

I'm just doing some thinking about what my next detector is going to be and would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks.

 

[Ohio Coinhunter]

Hi David,

I'm an E-Trac user. I was a die hard White's user for over 25 years. I started out with a 6000D Series 2 in the early 80's, then it was on to the DiPro with the target ID meter, Quantum XT, Eagle Spectrum, back to the 6000 XL Pro and then the DFX twice. Sold the 1st DFX and went the the XL Pro for a few years, sold the XL Pro and went back to the DFX again. My buddy had the Explorer II and hunted with me and my DFX at an old school built in 1917 a few years back. We were hunting the back sports field and he got a strong Quarter signal at about 8-9" deep. He called me over to check it out with the DFX. I couldn't even get a signal. I played around with the settings and still couldn't get a signal. Anyway, he dug it and it was a 1921 sterling silver track medal from the school. It was just a hair bigger than a Quarter. I couldn't believe it! I heard the strong audio from the EX II with my own ears and could not believe that I could be missing deep targets like that with my Whites. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Whites detectors and found plenty of coins with them over the years including lots of silver. I used to have 5, 6, 8 and 10 silver coin days when hunting back then. They are good machines.

Anyway, my buddy got into a cash crunch and wanted to sell his EX II w/Sunray Probe. Instead, I sold my DFX on Ebay and used that money to buy the EX II from him. Absolutely no regrets. I have found Barber coins(never found any with a Whites), deep silver, wheats, etc going back to every site that I had pounded with the various Whites machines the last 25 years. I was in a crunch once, sold the EX II and then bought a Quattro. Sold that and bought an Xterra 70. Sold the Xterra 70 and bought a nice used E-Trac this year. My set up now is the E-Trac, Garrett Pro Pinpointer, 8" Sunray coil and the Grey Ghost Headphones. So far this year I've got about 20+ hours on the E-Trac and have found over 200 clad coins, 2 silver Roseys, 1 1935 Merc, 28 Wheats and 2 sterling silver rings. ALL FROM WORKED OUT SITES!

I did go through a period where I felt that I picked the wrong detector with the E-Trac. My problem? Swinging too fast. I've slowed down considerably and find I am pulling coins that I missed with my other Minelab detectors. As far as the new Whites V3, it looks to be a great machine so far. Someday I may try one out. But my experience has proved that the E-trac or any FBS detector is the way to go for the deep coins. As far as discrimination, I pretty much dig everything anyway as I am going after the gold rings. I have been far too lazy in the past to dig all those pull tab signals faithfully.

No problems with the Whites, but I like the Minelabs better (E-Trac)

 

[davidtn]

Coinhunter - Thanks so much for taking the time to write a detailed explanation of how you came from Whites to own an E-Trac. It is very helpful to read what you wrote and again, thank you for taking the time to write it. Most folks would not have spent the amount of time that you just did.

 

[Ohio Coinhunter]

No problem, glad I could help.

 

[go-rebels]

Someone with an Etrac and Vision will eventually post results of testing done on deep known targets (==> 'Testbed') and shed some light on the Vision's real depth. My perception after going the Whites --> Minelab --> Fisher route in over 30 years of detecting has been that Whites was always a little short on depth.

Uh, oh.... now I've started it!

 

[spdnj]

If there is anyone in NJ who is willing to meet up with me at a hunted out trashy site to test both units side by side I will be glad do do this. I own the ETrac and the Vision and would love to hunt them side by side in a real world environment, not in a house or even in a test bed. Until something like this is done everything else is just opinion. Even then having the units setup properly for the site could come into play. I have done some testing already on the the NJ beaches against another model ML and flat out the Vision could not touch it's depth. With that said they did have a larger coil on their unit so it was not apples to apples. Also I do not think the beach is where the Vision is made to excel, although it is very stable in beach mode the 10" coil is somewhat small especially for this time of year in NJ (or anytime for that matter). The customization and discrimination in the V unit I feel will make it a stronger contender inland (key words "I feel")
Remember the Etrac has a larger coil stock, that will make a difference in testing. Having someone who knows how to set the units up and hunt them properly will also be a major factor.
I have hunted several White's units including the XLT, DFX and Vision to name a few. I started detecting with White's. I hunt Minelab mostly now. Although I HATED all of the tones and the Explorer/Etrac is much more difficult to master I agree with go-rebels (uh oh I'm in it with you now too ), that the White's "seems" to be a bit short on depth. A stock V against a stock Etrac is not apples to apples because they have different coil sizes. What I really want to know is how well they separate and identify targets in trash. I can purchase a larger coil for $200, target separation is where the tire meets the road.
So anyone who is up to it let me know!

 

[ashdigger]

I left a DFX and haven't ever looked back, the depth is far better that any other machine I've ever used, no regrets. Good Luck!!

 

[Ray-Mo.]

I did just a few deep very iffy target tests the other day with Vision & E-Trac.I would have done some good target test but none were found in the first 30 minutes of hunting and I moved to a location where I did not want to leave one of the machines laying out while searching with the other.Anyway they were all over 8" deep and sounded like iron and ended up being very rusty cut nails.Both machines hit on all targets and both told me the target was more than likely junk and both were correct.Not much of a test but the best I have done so far,Ray.