I recently started a thread about a great deal I got on an MXT. I love this detector and have found quite a bit of change but...the 950 coil might as well be 30". Places that I thought were clean are now harder(noisier) to hunt. I believe this is because detectors I've used in the past had multiple tones and the ability to notch out certain signals. I think the best way to deal with this is a smaller coil. I'm in Northen CA about 100 miles north of Sacramento with pretty mineralized soil. The First Texas machines I've used seemed to work best here with DD coils. I know the G2 I had was designed to work best with DDcoils but I'm not sure the MXT is the same(I'm not an electrician). I'm tempted to grab a 5.3 eclipse because it's so highly recommended here, but then so is the 8x6 SEF. Then I saw the 5x10 SEF which was the size of one of the best coils for the G2. I cant buy lots of coils so I'd like some input from those who've had exprience with these coils. And(kind of a technical question) did the DD coils work best before because of the mineralization or the detector. Thanks
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Smaller coil options
- Thread starter rrw
- Start date
ramairnut
Member
I have an MXT Pro with the 950 and SEF 8x6 coils. I really like the 8x6. I am in southwest Ohio and I hunt a lot of schools and parks. The MXT Pro with the 8x6 works great. The MXT and MXT Pro both have fast response and recovery when swinging over trashy areas and the 8x6 works like a sniper to pick out good signals. Don't let the size of the 8x6 lead you to believe that it can't go deep. I don't know about the soil where you hunt but here I have dug dimes at 6-8". My next coil is going to be the SEF 12x10.
plidn1
Member
The 5.3 is the best coil you could own for the MXT.
All the rest are just site / situation specific.
I use my 5.3 95% of the time, and maybe even in your back yard!
I posted this a while back in another thred :
People have the impression that DD coils eliminate masking. They do not. Often times
they are vulnerable more so to masking then a concentric.
Another misconception of DD coils is that they are better in hot ground.
This is a maybe. If you are using a small DD it can help. But in the same ground, using a small concentric will work as good if not better.
In order to compensate in the depth loss of a DD vers a concentric, you have to go to a larger coil.
When you do this you are now reading more ground increasing the problem with hot ground.
By going to a larger coil, you also increase the problem of masking.
Larger coils also have the tendency of ignoring smaller objects.
Using a DD also decreases your ability to pin point and discriminate.
If you add all this to a new detector with a rather sever learning curve, you are compounding problems that you could eliminate with the right coil.
Most VLF detectors derive there best performance from a 6" to 7" coil on coin and jewelry type targets, in most hunting situations, at moderate depths.
All other size and type coils, larger or smaller, are designed for nitch hunting situations.
These are special applications for your hunting style or area conditions. Use of these coils create trade offs in performance in many different ways
Unless you are very experienced in using YOUR detector, you should only learn with a 6 or 7" coil.
Learn the detector first. Get a usable coil first to learn with. Once you have done this, you will be able to determine what other coil you may or may not need.
I have a long hunting history with detech coils and they are not to be sold short. In places where their particular strength is applied, they cannot be topped.
They are top notch performers that fill different nitches that the MFGs can't (or won't) provide.
For coin size and larger deeper targets, the 8x6 is very hard to beat.
But if you are looking for small gold (nuggets, chains, earrings, earring backs, tiny rings, pendants, etc.) I have found it tends to ignore them.
Especially on the surface.
The smaller coils are much more sensitive to these higher value targets.
The small, 5.3 concentric excels in performance.
Of all the coils I own for the MXT, the 5.3 is still the best all around coil I have to work with.
It is the coil I use when I am serious and not just out playing..
All the rest are just site / situation specific.
I use my 5.3 95% of the time, and maybe even in your back yard!
I posted this a while back in another thred :
People have the impression that DD coils eliminate masking. They do not. Often times
they are vulnerable more so to masking then a concentric.
Another misconception of DD coils is that they are better in hot ground.
This is a maybe. If you are using a small DD it can help. But in the same ground, using a small concentric will work as good if not better.
In order to compensate in the depth loss of a DD vers a concentric, you have to go to a larger coil.
When you do this you are now reading more ground increasing the problem with hot ground.
By going to a larger coil, you also increase the problem of masking.
Larger coils also have the tendency of ignoring smaller objects.
Using a DD also decreases your ability to pin point and discriminate.
If you add all this to a new detector with a rather sever learning curve, you are compounding problems that you could eliminate with the right coil.
Most VLF detectors derive there best performance from a 6" to 7" coil on coin and jewelry type targets, in most hunting situations, at moderate depths.
All other size and type coils, larger or smaller, are designed for nitch hunting situations.
These are special applications for your hunting style or area conditions. Use of these coils create trade offs in performance in many different ways
Unless you are very experienced in using YOUR detector, you should only learn with a 6 or 7" coil.
Learn the detector first. Get a usable coil first to learn with. Once you have done this, you will be able to determine what other coil you may or may not need.
I have a long hunting history with detech coils and they are not to be sold short. In places where their particular strength is applied, they cannot be topped.
They are top notch performers that fill different nitches that the MFGs can't (or won't) provide.
For coin size and larger deeper targets, the 8x6 is very hard to beat.
But if you are looking for small gold (nuggets, chains, earrings, earring backs, tiny rings, pendants, etc.) I have found it tends to ignore them.
Especially on the surface.
The smaller coils are much more sensitive to these higher value targets.
The small, 5.3 concentric excels in performance.
Of all the coils I own for the MXT, the 5.3 is still the best all around coil I have to work with.
It is the coil I use when I am serious and not just out playing..
vito
Well-known member
rrw said:
The MXT was developed around the 10x6 inch dd elliptical eclipse. So THIS is the coil of choice if you're asking Dave Johnson, one of the engineers of the MXT.
Still using this coil with very good results. But I have to say the new designed 950 coil is also very good.
For the other aftermarket coils I cann't speak as I've no experience with, but hear good things about them.
And yes, learn the detector. The MXT is a great starter, but it can be noisy in special case.
So read the manual when to lock in the ground and when to raise disc.
Most of the time the MXT here is used in [Archeologist] Mixed Mode (MXT-manual pg. 28/11).
Wayfarer
Member
I would go with the 5.3 Eclipse (really a 6 1/2" concentric). While the 6x8 and 6x10 are also great coils, the 5.3 will be a little easier to use, more stable, especially with VDI numbers. It balances great on the MXT too. The next one I would recommend is the 6x10 DD. It's like a big windshield wiper and has great coverage with the sacrifice being somewhat less depth. However, for those spots where you are looking for good coverage but depth is not important (like searching ballfields for recently lost jewelry), the 6x10 is great. But for now, I'd recommend the 5.3.
OregonGregg
Well-known member
As everyone else said, I would get the Eclipse 5.3 If I could only have one coil to use on my M6 and MXT Pro, the Eclipse 5.3 would be the one. The SEF's 8x6 and 5 x 10 are great coils, but at the end of the day I felt I got better performance from the 5.3
vito
Well-known member
Nancy-IL said:
Hi Nancy,
still get all the info about detectors I'm interested in from the WEB and read and reread all the stuff which can help to get more out of the machine.
When I got the MXT in 2003 I also bought the 10x6 DD Eclipse and it was no comparison to the 950 stock coil as it was way better.
Never felt to go back to the 950 or using a smaller concentric. So I think it is every ones personal opinion AND experience what works best for her/him.
When I heard the new design stock 950 coil was way better than the old FLAT one I decided to buy this and give it a try. And yes, it IS way better and it is a lot of fun to swing this coil.
Some of the stuff I read to get some info is Knowing the rules about links to other sites I only can say, if it is objectionable please delete and sorry for this.
May be there will be some new informations to you and other MXT-user, too.
Read in the cold, dig in the warm. Just my 2cent.
I really like the SEF coils and they stay on my detectors most of the time. The 6X8 on the M6 and the 10X12 on the MXT. I have been using the 5.3 quite a bit lately and find that it does ID bottlecaps better but if the area is not littered with them the 6X8 is my go to coil. I have the 4X6 DD but only use it in real heavy trash where max separation is a must.
Thanks for all the great info. My wife and my son both have birthdays this month so I have to wait a little longer. My instincts tell me to go with a DD because they worked so well on other detectors I've owned but, those were other detectors. I've read so many good things about the 5.3 eclipse I'm going to pick one up as soon as I can. Maybe get an SEF sometime down the line. Thanks