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Sov xs2-pro / Sov GT
- Thread starter ToniSteve
- Start date
The XS-2 Pro is 12yrs+ old and has the old HEAVY style BBS-1000 coil which is HEAVY and not up to snuff with the newer Tornado series of coils coming on the new GT's. And did I mention that it is HEAVY? The XS-2 also has the old "S" style searchrod / handle.
The XS-2 Pro also uses the old style of battery configuration with 2- 4 AA cell holders and the goofy little connector board. There is a rechargable battery available, but it is the old NICAD style. The battery door has a reputation of not staying closed tight.
The batteries and compartment were restyled with the predecessor of the GT, the elite. Much better arrangement.
As for controls;
The GT allows you to shift frequencies if you are getting interference between detectors or from other sources. The XS-2 Pro does not.
The GT allows you to 'Silent Search' without a threshold sound. The XS-2 Pro does not.
The GT allows you to turn off IRON MASK, the XS-2 Pro does not.
The GT allows you to track, set and lock the ground balance of All Metal mode. The XS-2 Pro does not.
Other than cost, the GT is all bonus.
Rich
The XS-2 Pro also uses the old style of battery configuration with 2- 4 AA cell holders and the goofy little connector board. There is a rechargable battery available, but it is the old NICAD style. The battery door has a reputation of not staying closed tight.
The batteries and compartment were restyled with the predecessor of the GT, the elite. Much better arrangement.
As for controls;
The GT allows you to shift frequencies if you are getting interference between detectors or from other sources. The XS-2 Pro does not.
The GT allows you to 'Silent Search' without a threshold sound. The XS-2 Pro does not.
The GT allows you to turn off IRON MASK, the XS-2 Pro does not.
The GT allows you to track, set and lock the ground balance of All Metal mode. The XS-2 Pro does not.
Other than cost, the GT is all bonus.
Rich
moderntimber
New member
Hi Steve,
Are you new to the hobby? I am, and owned both detectors, although admit that I don't have many hours logged with each one.
I started with a Bounty Hunter Land Star which is great for $200, then moved to the XS2 Pro which costs twice as much (used) but was so much better. I was able to learn it quickly and got to finding coins almost "right out of the box" as they say. It had the S-curbed shaft but with the behind-the-elbow extension mount for the unit, which made it extremely well balanced and did not seem heavy at all. But soon after (I think I logged about 12-14 happy hours on the XS) I came across a well priced GT so I got it, and at nearly the same time found a buyer for the XS. Well, I wish I had not done the trade so fast. For a beginner the GT is not quick and easy to learn. I have not had time to go out much with it, but lets just say the first hunt was not... fun. When they say you have to "take your time and learn it" it is very true. Even the seller told me he is a Whites user and tried the GT to see how it is, and said something like "its just too much for me"
All in all, I think the GT has too many bells and whistles for a newbie like me. I sure wish I would have kept the XS and upgrade only after I felt that I explored all what the XS had to offer. Specially knowing that it uses the same technology to find metals. I would say the XS with the 10" Slimline coil is a great combo for a beginner.
I am now so busy that am not sure when I'll have time to go and continue to learn the GT. I feel this keeps me from enjoying the hobby, because if I would still own the XS I would have been out a few times since. This is not to put down the GT as I'm sure its a great detector with so many options, but I felt you are just getting into the hobby since you asked which of the two to get, and I just wanted to share my experience.
Good luck either way!
Chris
Are you new to the hobby? I am, and owned both detectors, although admit that I don't have many hours logged with each one.
I started with a Bounty Hunter Land Star which is great for $200, then moved to the XS2 Pro which costs twice as much (used) but was so much better. I was able to learn it quickly and got to finding coins almost "right out of the box" as they say. It had the S-curbed shaft but with the behind-the-elbow extension mount for the unit, which made it extremely well balanced and did not seem heavy at all. But soon after (I think I logged about 12-14 happy hours on the XS) I came across a well priced GT so I got it, and at nearly the same time found a buyer for the XS. Well, I wish I had not done the trade so fast. For a beginner the GT is not quick and easy to learn. I have not had time to go out much with it, but lets just say the first hunt was not... fun. When they say you have to "take your time and learn it" it is very true. Even the seller told me he is a Whites user and tried the GT to see how it is, and said something like "its just too much for me"
All in all, I think the GT has too many bells and whistles for a newbie like me. I sure wish I would have kept the XS and upgrade only after I felt that I explored all what the XS had to offer. Specially knowing that it uses the same technology to find metals. I would say the XS with the 10" Slimline coil is a great combo for a beginner.
I am now so busy that am not sure when I'll have time to go and continue to learn the GT. I feel this keeps me from enjoying the hobby, because if I would still own the XS I would have been out a few times since. This is not to put down the GT as I'm sure its a great detector with so many options, but I felt you are just getting into the hobby since you asked which of the two to get, and I just wanted to share my experience.
Good luck either way!
Chris
Critterhunter
New member
The GT is about as basic as a detector gets in setup and use. The majority of machines on the market are much more involved, even ones not using a computerized display. How hard or easy it is to setup and use depends on you. The majority of dials/switches will never be changed once put in the proper place for 90% of your hunts. The only real thing to do is turn it on, adjust the sensitivity, and hunt! That's about as easy as it gets, yet it will clean the clock of pretty much anything on the market, regardless of how much tweaking you do on another machine.
To answer the original question between buying a XS2 Pro and a GT depends.I would buy any older XS unit that has a few extras with a good price over a GT.Any working condition XS Sovereign with a Sunray meter,Sunray S-1 probe,either of the Tornado coils mounted on a straight shaft yes.If the price is low enough to buy the add ons over the GT again yes.Sovereigns I have owned one Original, three XS units,two XS2,one XS2-PRO,one XSa-PRO,one Elite and three GTs all good units and simple to use.Sovereign's most important add ons my priority order the meter 180 or 550, 2nd a good straight shaft, third Sunray S-1 probe and a Tornado coil the 800 or 1000.A Sovereign without out these add ons isn't complete or at full potential including the GT.
moderntimber
New member
Hey crazyman, sorry for the delay - I just got back in town after being away for the weekend...
Well, as I've said above, my overall experience with the XS-2 PRO has been great. I was able to find stuff shortly after swinging it, and then only minimally having to adjust anything. I was finding coins at twice the depth of my first detector, the Bounty Hunter Land Star. Then I got the GT and headed in the same vicinity. Man, this thing was going crazy. It was nulling almost with every swing (iron) and now and then you could hear a chirp but when I went back to it only nulling was present. Occasionally I would get signals for other metals like alum. I begun adjusting everything and with increased Disc and lowered Sens the machine calmed down a bit, but then I was thinking what I'm missing out on. Feeling like I haven't done my homework on all the adjustments this machine has (and I admit I have not, I expected it to be like the XS-2 pro) I called it a day since it was getting dark out too. After about 40 minutes of this frustrating stuff, I came away with 3 pull tabs, 1 gum wrapper, 1 penny which was nearly at the surface, a toy car axle with one wheel still attached to it, 1 nail and 2 bottle caps (i decided to dig the little cirps at the end of nulling, just to make sure i'm not missing something. the cirps did not repeat after swinging over the area again, but dug anyway. I think I swung too fast the first time)
Haven't had time to go back; after that first experience I felt like I would need a handful of hours just to learn every option on this unit. But I did email a friend (fellow GT user that I met online, and is also a member here) and after explaining what happened he said the place is just very very trashy and I would need to use a small coil. That immediately made sense. But why was I able to comb this area just fine with the XS and same wot? This GT is either more sensitive or I did not properly know how to adjust everything.
Anyway, this was my experience so far with the upgrade from XS-2 PRO to GT. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but any thoughts from experts like you, critterhunter, ron... etc. would be appreciated.
Well, as I've said above, my overall experience with the XS-2 PRO has been great. I was able to find stuff shortly after swinging it, and then only minimally having to adjust anything. I was finding coins at twice the depth of my first detector, the Bounty Hunter Land Star. Then I got the GT and headed in the same vicinity. Man, this thing was going crazy. It was nulling almost with every swing (iron) and now and then you could hear a chirp but when I went back to it only nulling was present. Occasionally I would get signals for other metals like alum. I begun adjusting everything and with increased Disc and lowered Sens the machine calmed down a bit, but then I was thinking what I'm missing out on. Feeling like I haven't done my homework on all the adjustments this machine has (and I admit I have not, I expected it to be like the XS-2 pro) I called it a day since it was getting dark out too. After about 40 minutes of this frustrating stuff, I came away with 3 pull tabs, 1 gum wrapper, 1 penny which was nearly at the surface, a toy car axle with one wheel still attached to it, 1 nail and 2 bottle caps (i decided to dig the little cirps at the end of nulling, just to make sure i'm not missing something. the cirps did not repeat after swinging over the area again, but dug anyway. I think I swung too fast the first time)
Haven't had time to go back; after that first experience I felt like I would need a handful of hours just to learn every option on this unit. But I did email a friend (fellow GT user that I met online, and is also a member here) and after explaining what happened he said the place is just very very trashy and I would need to use a small coil. That immediately made sense. But why was I able to comb this area just fine with the XS and same wot? This GT is either more sensitive or I did not properly know how to adjust everything.
Anyway, this was my experience so far with the upgrade from XS-2 PRO to GT. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but any thoughts from experts like you, critterhunter, ron... etc. would be appreciated.
Something isn't right! Try using it in Auto (all the way clockwise until it clicks) and zero notch, just keep nickles in with the disc (around 10-11 0'clock) and set the threshold until you can barely hear it, then flip the switch to "silent" search. Sweep slow and if you are still getting all that racket, change coils, the WOT may have a short somewhere. I can hunt fire pits with my GT with the sens at 10-11 o'clock and it doesn't act like you are saying. I hunt mostly beaches now and I always use silent search and adjust the sens to the conditions. Even with all the racket that the coals make, I can still pick out the coins. Same goes for getting close to the sea walls with all their rebar, it's noisy, but you can still pick out the good stuff. Maybe, using a background threshold is noiser than with silent search, I don't know, I never use a background. Oh, and I prefer a smaller coil like the S-8 because I don't like to dig fox holes! I have an S-12 and had a 15x12, but they went too deep for me. I would rather recover 100 shallow targets than dig 10 fox holes and be tuckered out.
Plugger
Plugger
Critterhunter
New member
If you are getting that kind of falsing then something is wrong, either with your settings or with the machine or coil. My first guess would be that sensitivity is too high. Drop it to 2 O'Clock or less (clockwise causes it to go down so go that way). But first I'd run it in Auto and if it smooths out then you know that's the problem. Hunt in auto for a while to see how the machine is supposed to act, then adjust it in manual if you want to mimic that. At a spot that bad Auto is probably going to be best, though.
moderntimber
New member
good advice - that's exactly where I hunted, and still when I went away from the fire pits the machine was still unsettled although it got a bit better. I also own the original bbs 10" coil and also the Slimline 10", and I will have the Slimline replace the WOT but do not have time to head out. I will try those settings in a few weeks since I'm away at the moment. thanks for the advice!