Back in the 90's the go to machines for coin hunting was XLT,Fisher CZ's, or maybe even a Garrett Grand Master. Now it seems it's VX3, F75,T2,MXT's Etrac,or maybe a Garrett AT Pro. Probably missed other considered mid range to top of the line machines. Now for my question for the people who have used good machines from the 90's and recent detectors for coin hunting. How do you feel for coin hunting have there been improvements in discrimination,ID and depth? I kind of feel a lot of the newer machines have to be pushed with boost or so hot that you have to listen to a lot of static to get great depth. As far as discrimination I feel some of the older detectors did a very nice job. Just wondering how most feel about the new technology vs 90's machines? Please compare in mild soil, discriminate mode, comparable coil size for coins and jewelry hunting. I personally like a coin machine that runs smooth, ID's well, gets good depth and is balanced well. Lets have some opinions but no wars please just some fun talking about new vs older detectors. Thanks Joe
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Question for the Experts on Coin Hunting Detectors
- Thread starter JaWi.
- Start date
I am no expert but i have been detecting for a long time.
I have used mainly mid priced detectors my whole career. I am currently using a Fisher CZ70 Pro. It performs better for me than any newer detector that I have used. I have used the T2, Omega 8000, AT Pro to name a few.
If I had the chance I would like to try one of the minelab multi frequency machines like the Safari or the Etrac I would like to. But the technology in the the CZ series, at least the one I am using, will compete with anything out there in my OPINION.
It is sad to see manufacturers all hop on the gold and relic bandwagon. I mean I understand that the market sways production, but for those of us that ONLY hunt coins, it would be nice to see a company make a strictly coin machine that is affordable.
I don't understand the logic in abandoning the CZ line aside from the 3D, I think they stepped back 5-6 steps with their current machines. I am not bashing anyone who uses them, just giving my personal OPINION.
I have used mainly mid priced detectors my whole career. I am currently using a Fisher CZ70 Pro. It performs better for me than any newer detector that I have used. I have used the T2, Omega 8000, AT Pro to name a few.
If I had the chance I would like to try one of the minelab multi frequency machines like the Safari or the Etrac I would like to. But the technology in the the CZ series, at least the one I am using, will compete with anything out there in my OPINION.
It is sad to see manufacturers all hop on the gold and relic bandwagon. I mean I understand that the market sways production, but for those of us that ONLY hunt coins, it would be nice to see a company make a strictly coin machine that is affordable.
I don't understand the logic in abandoning the CZ line aside from the 3D, I think they stepped back 5-6 steps with their current machines. I am not bashing anyone who uses them, just giving my personal OPINION.
I would say the depth really has not improved since then. But what has improved is the ability of detectors to ID targets better at depth. We all want visual displays and the detector companies have improved the ability to ID targets because of it. Another area of improvement is the ability of detectors to unmask targets. When I had the Eagle Spectrum I would run from iron. I would actually go to a cleaner part of the yard. Not anymore. With tone adjustments and really fast recovery speeds hunting in iron or trash has produced many great finds. Unmasking is more important than depth to me. We also are now in the age of all terrain detectors. Using the AT Pro or Minelab CTX in rivers, streams or just the rain has opened up more hunting opportunities. I once read where metal detectors have reached the end on detecting deeper. I guess some day an entire new technology will come out offering obscene depth. During those years you mentioned it was the bigger the coil the deeper you go and the more you find mentality. Remember the Magnum Force coils? Now it seems to me that the ability to pull a target out of the crap and identify it correctly is the philosophy.
HaroldILL.
Active member
In my ground which is moderate the Explorer/E-trac and Fisher CZ's are king when it comes to depth on coin's. When it comes to I.D. at depth or in trash E-trac. But pure raw depth a CZ-3D Properly tuned is hard to beat. JMHO.
All the detectors mentioned are very good machines that will get the job done most anywhere. Great machines are the ones with an experienced user holding it. What ever machine you decide on take time to learn all you can about how that machine reacts in your ground and you will be pleased. That said take a long look at the MINELABS. Good luck and HH 
If your soil is mild the X-Terra 705 is a very good machine for coinshooting, jewelry and relics. It is very well balanced and runs smooth even when I hunt under power lines. The Etrac is a great machine and very smooth but the balance is not as good as the 705 and quite a bit heavier with much more of a learning curve. The Etrac may give slightly better target ID on deeper targets, but not sure the extra weight is worth it. Neither machine has to be "ran hot" to get good depth, but I find the 705 to be stable even when pushed to 28 out of 30 on sensitivity.
One old machine that i really like using over here in the UK on say roman and saxon sites are the Tesoro Silver Sabre 11and also the Arado 120b both these detectors has some of the best discrimination's for coin hunting and mine maybe 30 years old,they are great as site detectors especially roman that can have have alot of trash on the site,but the detector usually will only give a signal when its a good target and of course large iron as it will with all detectors.
So basically a 80/90s detector can still keep with the more modern machine to a certain extent,does the more modern detector beat the older machines for coin hunting overall i would say 'YES' and the reason is the extra depth that you can gain from these machines.I do still use the early machines on special sites and sometimes switch on and go detectors can be more enjoyable as well without all the hassle of so many control of modern day detectors.
The detectors that i shoot from the hip the most these days are the DFX,T2 and a Pulse,these 3 machines with all the many coils that i have cover all that i needs and scenarios.
The bottom line is what you are happy with,and i still say its not what detector you own its the operator,buying the latest and most expensive detector on the planet does not make you find any more or make you a better detectorist.
So basically a 80/90s detector can still keep with the more modern machine to a certain extent,does the more modern detector beat the older machines for coin hunting overall i would say 'YES' and the reason is the extra depth that you can gain from these machines.I do still use the early machines on special sites and sometimes switch on and go detectors can be more enjoyable as well without all the hassle of so many control of modern day detectors.
The detectors that i shoot from the hip the most these days are the DFX,T2 and a Pulse,these 3 machines with all the many coils that i have cover all that i needs and scenarios.
The bottom line is what you are happy with,and i still say its not what detector you own its the operator,buying the latest and most expensive detector on the planet does not make you find any more or make you a better detectorist.
If your ground it more mineralized you will want the gold package on the 705, it works well but will have to run the sensitivity in the 18 to 22 range other wise you will get splash back to the coil and it will sound off constantly. Great machine just takes some time to learn.
As far as detectors being better now than in the 90's i still say that the detector that you have a lot of hours in and trust is the best one out there!!
As far as detectors being better now than in the 90's i still say that the detector that you have a lot of hours in and trust is the best one out there!!
I agree with Digger that the best machine is often the one you get the most hours in with.
There's lots of rose tinted glasses being worn when it comes to how detecting really was even with the best of the old classics. I kept the best from Fieldmaster, Arado, Discovery, Whites, Location Technology/Pulsepower Developments (Eric Fosters old company) and the only machines that can still compete today are my old Nautilus DMC's (though when do you see the finds that are supposed to be being made?) and Deepstar P.I. (though Eric did upgrade that for me). Both detectors are no longer produced but directly production stopped people started moaning about not being able buy them.
Weight, drift, poor balance were major problems. Funny that today they seem to have reintroduced weight/balance as a drawback with some of the latest/expensive detectors.
There's lots of rose tinted glasses being worn when it comes to how detecting really was even with the best of the old classics. I kept the best from Fieldmaster, Arado, Discovery, Whites, Location Technology/Pulsepower Developments (Eric Fosters old company) and the only machines that can still compete today are my old Nautilus DMC's (though when do you see the finds that are supposed to be being made?) and Deepstar P.I. (though Eric did upgrade that for me). Both detectors are no longer produced but directly production stopped people started moaning about not being able buy them.
Weight, drift, poor balance were major problems. Funny that today they seem to have reintroduced weight/balance as a drawback with some of the latest/expensive detectors.
Southwind
Well-known member
The ability to handle heavily mineralized ground, iron infested sites and better target ID has increased depth. In clean ground, if you ever find any, depth would be about the same as that technology hasn't changed. In 1991 I bought a White's Eagle Spectrum, which in my experience was a bit deeper than the XLT, and the Eagle opened up a whole new layer of old coins, but the E-Trac added another 3" or more to the depth I could get in the same sites.
Glad someone recognises that the Spectrum had the edge over the XLT. Bit smoother, bit deeper. It did lack the extra programme slots of the replacement model and was bigger/heavier but a nice machine that could be bought very cheaply when the fashion followers "upgraded" to the XLT.
No....and what extra functions does the XLT have over the longbox Spectrum ? My XLT went back to Whites twice in an attempt to beat my old Spectrum. All supposedly right on spec. I finally demonstrated the XLT at the Newbury Rally to the general manager of Whites and he took it back to the factory himself and the performance was improved but still lagged a little behind the older model.
