JJames1610, I am sure you will, get a variety of 'opinions' so just remember that is what you asked about ... personal opinions, and those can vary based upon physical packaging likes and dislikes, former 'brand loyalty' issues, and maybe even some open minded conclusions after really evaluating them. Also, keep in mind that the search coils used can make a difference, but I'll share my personal opinions from hands-on experience.
JJames1610 said:
Want to ask the guys here with experience on this. How does the Racer 2 stand up to depth wise with say a T2se - f75ltd - f70. I am only asking about the deep modes on these detectors, nothing else.
I live in Eastern Oregon, and primarily hunt older, rural and out-of-the-way sites like ghost towns, homesteads, pioneer and military encampments, stage and railroad depots and sidings, etc. I do, however, work some urban parks, private yards, old and long-vacant lots, sports fields and the like when I can't get away to where I prefer to hunt.
Some of these locations have moderate mineralization and fairly decent ground texture and make-up, but others are highly mineralized with a lot of iron and hot rocks and challenging rocks and black sand that I refer to as 'intense mineral bodies.'
I have owned and used 2 of the earlier Teknetics T2's with the stock 7+X11+ DD [size=small]
(BiAxial)[/size] coil, and 2 of the latest T2 'Classic' models with both the standard BiAxial coil and the small 5" DD coil. I have owned 2 Fisher F75's, but only the Ltd and not the latest revamped versions, and had both the standard BiAxial and 5" DD coils. I owned all of these after the 'original' Racer was released, and I had 1 F75 and 2 T2's after the Racer 2 prototype was in my hands, so I have used them for evaluation side-by-side afield as well as in some field-test scenarios I use.
JJames1610 said:
Only compare the racers deep mode with the other detectors deep modes.
I compared ALL Discriminate modes on the Racer and Racer 2, especially, with the T2 and F75 modes that they had available.
JJames1610 said:
I know this is a tricky question because of different ground conditions. But let's say for this its mild to moderate ground for all of them. Which would you give the edge to.
Yes, ground conditions can have an impact on any make or models, and that's why I like to evaluate detectors with comparable featured top-end models afield to shake out any strong or weak points I might see.
Which did I give the 'edge' to? A very good question, and since you had two models to compare the Racer 2 against, I am going to take the liberty of including two other models you didn't mention. This might help better explain my answer and clarify what I look for in a detector and performance afield ...
for my wants and needs.
• Between the T2 and F75, I preferred the T2. While their weight and balance is the same with matching coils, I liked the T2's Discrimination and target ID breakdown better. I also had better performance afield in trashier sites that presented a lot of iron debris.
• I didn't like the TID 'lock-on' of either the T2 or F75 on mid-depth and deeper targets compared with the White's MX5 and MXT All-Pro that I used to use as it was 'jumpier' or more erratic.
• That said, I liked to use the T2 more than those two models due to the better weight and balance from day-long hunting.
• In January of last year I switched from the MXT Pro, which had been my #1 all-purpose detector use, to the Nokta FORS CoRe, That was due to the better weight and balance, but especially due to the much better adjustment features and handling in densely iron littered sites.
• In February of last year I incorporated the Makro Racer [size=small]
(original)[/size] in my personal arsenal and soon sold off my MXT Pro, MX5 and all other brand detectors other than the FORS CoRe .... AND I kept one of the T2 'Classic' models on-hand because I still liked the balance and feel and had it as a 'loaner unit' for friends or family.
• I
gave the 'edge' to the FORS CoRe and original Racer over the T2 [size=small]
(and naturally the F75)[/size] because preferred the weight and balance of the CoRe, but mostly liked the field performance I got from the CoRe and Racer combined with the available search modes and adjustment functions. Also, my then #1 and #2 favorites, using a close-to-the-same 7X11 DD sized coil, gave me better TID lock-on than the T2 overall on mid-depth and deeper targets.
• I preferred the FORS CoRe over the original Racer mainly due to the feel and balance due to the Racer's grip angle and feel, but in January of this year I made another shift in my full-time carry detector battery. The new FORS Relic stepped into the #1 all-around detector position, and the new Makro Racer 2 was right there, virtually tied with the Relic. My 'original' Racer became a unit I let others use, but the FORS CoRe remains as a constant-carry detector I still use a lot. At that time, and after a few weeks of Relic Hunting old barns and other outbuildings at farms and ranches, then doing some urban Coin Hunting, I sold off my T2.
• Today my primary-use detectors include my FORS Relic's with 5½" DD, 5½X10 Concentric and 5½X10 DD, and standard 7X11 DD for open areas, my FORS CoRe with the 4.[size=small]
7[/size]X5.[size=small]
2[/size] DD
'OOR' coil most of the time, and my Racer 2 hunting with its 4.[size=small]
7[/size]X5.[size=small]
2[/size] DD
'OOR' or round 5½" DD, a 5½X10 DD, and in more open, sparser-target places the standard 7X11 DD. The
'edge' includes their weight and balance, the adjustment features, the TID and Tone ID are more consistent from surface to deeper targets, the factory search coil selections are better, and in sites where I have encountered mid-depth to deeper targets the CoRe, Relic and Racer 2 just seem to sound off better for me.
JJames1610 said:
I know the racer 2 is fairly new so I will see what happens to this. Maybe some bought the racer tried it then got ride of another detector, or maybe they got rid of the racer and kept there old unit because they liked it better.
I would like to hear from the users that have experience in this area, thanks.
So, there you go. I have owned and used both the Teknetics T2 and Fisher F75 and smaller and standard search coils, and of them preferred the T2, but in the end I let it go in favor of the CoRe, Relic and Racer 2. I will add this however. I have added a Teknetics back into my personal detector arsenal that I have mainly to offer as a 'loaner-unit' because I won't have to loan out one of my Nokta or Makro models that could cause EMI when hunting in close proximity.
It is also the Teknetics model that I really preferred over the T2, or F75, for my Urban Coin & Jewelry Hunting, and because I had better TID response and lock-on to mid-depth and deeper targets over the T2 that I used to own and use when I had it, and that is the Teknetics Omega 8000. I had 4 of the version 4 Omega 8000's and they provided me better overall results than the T2's. I sold my last one anticipating the Omega 8500 might be a noteworthy new improved detector, but it was a flop. So, I have acquired a Version 5 Omega 8000 that I will keep a 5" DD affixed since it will be used in trashier sites almost all the time. It won't match what the CoRe, Relic or Racer 2 provide me or do for me, but I will be a good Teknetics to loan out to friends and family.
If you currently own and use either a T2 or F75, and if you are comfortable with them, then I encourage you to try the CoRe or Relic, or in this case especially the Makro Racer 2. Use it in-the-field enough to get comfortable with it, then check the performance against what you own. At that point you can form your own 'opinions' about the Racer 2, but dollar-for-dollar the Pro Package Racer 2 with 2 coils is a very tough detector to beat for all-around hunting needs.
Monte
An important PS: I forgot to specifically mention the Racer 2's 'DEEP' mode. This is an excellent performing 2-Tone search mode, but I know some people use a too-fast sweep speed and that can hamper the performance of the Racer 2 overall, especially when using the 'DEEP' mode. This mode, especially in more mineralized ground, is at-its-best with a more deliberate slower motion sweep speed.
