Ready to upgrade from IDX Pro to MXT -DFX ?

[btnmoneymover]

I have had the IDX Pro for some time now and I think it is time to upgrade to a better machine I am looking at the MXT and the DFX both look like great machines MXT looks like simple operation like my old IDX Pro the DFX looks little techy . I do like the MXT for Gold prospecting how does the DFX compare on that point of looking for gold with the dual Frequency?

I do want to know how old is the MXT technology compared to the DXF technology and which one has a advantage over the other as far as finding items? I will take all your input Thanks
] Brian Everett,WA

 

[mrowdy]

DFX doesn't have to be "techy". It's a wonderful start-up-and-go machine. In fact, I prefer mine to my newer V3.

 

[bowser]

i have had 2 idx's one modded and one stock, both are excellent detectors,i have upgraded to an mxt and i find the noise from it a little annoying but i do expect to have more significant finds as the machine is highly regarded on most forums.It has small learning curve. The DFX is more expensive and harder to learn. myhop is mxt.good luck jim

 

[btnmoneymover]

Thanks for the reply. How would my IDX Pro compare to the present Whites detectors actual performance ? I dont care about bells and whistles.

 

[PennyFinder]

The MXT is a better prospector by a long shot, I wouldn't consider the DFX for prospecting although it will find nuggets as most general purpose detectors will.
My XLT has a prospecting mode in it, but would grab my MXT any day of the week over it, unless I was looking for native silver.


FoilFinder

 

[Hunt4Fun]

You asked about the technology age difference between the DFX and MXT. Both detectors were in development by different engineering teams at the same time. The DFX was in production before the MXT. How much before, I do not know. According to the MXT Engineering Report the MXT was introduced in the summer of 2002.

The DFX is a highly adjustable and very versatile detector. All adjustments are made using a menu system. It can be used as a turn on and go machine when using the factory installed programs. To get the most out of the machine the adjustments must be learned. The DFX can be tuned to work well in a wide variety of environments. Most consider mastering the DFX a long and fairly steep learning curve. The DFX has many more features than the MXT such as tone ID and notch discrimination. On a saltwater beach the 2 frequency DFX makes the transition from dry to wet sand and back seamlessly. An MXT handles dry sand very well but has trouble with wet saltwater sand.

The MXT has a relatively small set of adjustments and is also a very versatile detector. All adjustments are made with 3 knobs and 3 switches allowing on the fly adjustments to be made very easily. Most consider it easy to learn and use. Some that are accustomed to silent search machines consider the MXT noisy. In time most become accustomed the background threshold sound and gain a lot of valuable information from it. It has a very fast automatic ground balance system. The MXTs long suits are simplicity and high sensitivity. An MXT is much better at gold nugget hunting than a DFX.

People that like using one of these detectors often do not like the other one. If possible, visit a local dealer or club and get some hands on time with both detectors before making a decision.

Good luck ... Bob

 

[btnmoneymover]

Thanks for the reply. How would my IDX Pro compare to the present Whites detectors actual performance

 

[Hunt4Fun]

Hi Brian,

Like the Classic models that came before it, your IDX Pro is a truly great slow sweep fast recovery machine. It has very good discrimination and it will search quite deep. Where it really shines is in high trash environments. Equipped with a small search coil and worked slowly it will find good targets in trash that many much higher priced detectors cannot.

An IDX Pro and most of the Classic models can be improved with some relatively inexpensive modifications. The mods include the addition of a knob to manually adjust the ground balance, a knob to adjust the threshold and a tweak to increase sensitivity. Run a search for Mr. Bill

 

[PaulMBurgess]

Don't give up your IDX Pro its a great machine if you got moola go for DFX if not MXT

 

[Critterhunter]

I have my reasons for not liking the DFX or dual field. They remind me of the XLT and I found it and the DFX had less depth on coins than the Whites QXT Pro. From what I've seen the DFX do in the field I'm fairly confident you can probably beat it in depth if you set up an MXT/M6 the right way as well, or at least with the right size coil. I know for a fact it didn't seem to have as good of depth on silver/copper coins than my QXT, and with the bigger coil options for the M6/MXT you can push them deeper if you had to to beat it even if they aren't doing it with the stock coil (which they might).

But then again, like the XLT, the DFX has so many adjustments that I'm sure with proper tweaking it can get down there pretty good in certain places. Personaly I feel that if I'm going to spend the kind of money it takes for a DFX I'd rather opt for a Minelab Sovereign GT, Explorer, or Etrac. All three of these are pretty even in depth and there is no doubt about the depth they have with far less things to have to tweak in order to achieve it.

Some of the things I've heard about the M6 have convinced me that it's the only Whites currently being made I plan to buy. The MXT would be the other but it's not got the features for my style of hunting (coins/rings) that the M6 has that I feel are better for me, Such as the higher number of tones. Either one of these machines with the right coil can get to some very impressive depths from what I've read. In fact, I think with the right larger coil they might just beat a Minelab with it's stock coil on coins/rings. That would be only in certain types of grounds though, because any of these Minelabs will get down there further in mineralized ground than other machines on the market.

Bottom line for me is that I'm fairly confident that the M6 or MXT would make a great machine to sit along my Sovereign GT, and I feel confident in passing up the XLT and DFX to make that purchase. Can the DFX/XLT get to some amazing depth? Yes, in certain situations and if they the adjustments are set properly, but it's far more work and far more specific to a given site than any of the top three Minelabs. I don't want to rely on the perfect adjustment of every little control and the planets lining up just right to always do that. With something like the M6 or MXT and the right coil selection I'll bet money you'll be keeping up with the big boys (Minelabs) in most situations, at least if the Minelabs are only running a stock coil and the ground isn't really bad.

That's my opinion and I'm sure some high end Whites users will disagree. It's based on my experience with these machines but I've only read about the M6/MXT depths with various coils thus far and done a little air testing with a friend's M6, so that may change when I buy one for myself or have more time on his in the field. We plan to do some GT/M6 depth comparisons as we find undug targets.

It'll be interesting if the M6 with his V Rated 10"DD coil can keep up with the 10" Tornado on my GT. I'm willing to bet it can in some locations and might even surprise me more than that. Even if it can't I'd sure like to see what the M6 does with one of the larger Excelerator coils such as the 10x12 against it. In that case it might have the upper hand in some ground conditions, but then here's me picking one of those up for my GT to beat him again if that happens.

Another thing I'm very curious about is these two machines going head to head on gold rings, since they both have a reputation as being king of the hill in that respect. Since the M6 is based on a good higher frequency to hit harder on gold, but the GT also has multifrequencies in that range, I'd expect that the M6 might hold it's own on rings better than it would say on coins against it (which prefer a lower frequency like the lower ones the GT also has available). Again, I'm sure the M6 will hold it's own in certain ground conditions but might have trouble with others.

When we get around to doing these comparisons we'll throw up some field testing info...

 

[Old Katz]

What kind of condition is your IDX Pro in? You going to keep it or sell it?
Katz