OregonMike
Member
Hey, everyone,
It's now about 90 days since I got my VISION (now known as the V3)
I'm no expert, so my opinions may not be worth much to anyone, but here they are on the V3 so far:
The GOOD (in no particular order)
*I really like the color bars and the analysis screen. They have told me to dig where I was uncertain, and where not to dig when the signals were confusing. I'm learning to tell the difference between junk and "the good stuff." I still get fooled every now and then, but every hour out with the V3, I'm learning more about what it's trying to tell me.
*It's incredibly easy to change settings. When I decide it would be a good idea to bump something up, or back something down, I can do it in just a few seconds, on the fly.
*This machine is a BEAST when it comes to copper. Old copper just bangs on the V3. I have found more than 70 wheat cents in the past three months. It's better on nickels, too, than the XLT that I had for the last couple of years. A couple of my V3 detecting friends are finding gold jewelry. I'm not, but then again, I don't like digging those low "foil" tones very much, so, unlike my friends, I'm not giving myself that much of a chance to find gold. As for silver, I think that when I'm over it, I find it. The challenge is just to find places that have it. Yesterday I got a 1951 Rosie, though, so that broke my recent silver slump. My deepest silver coin so far is a dime at 7 to 8 inches.
*The 5.3 coil is fantastic. It's light and deep, and the trash separation and pinpointing are great. I find myself using it way more than the 10DD. I'm still thinking about picking up a 9.5 though, for larger areas, as I just seem to like the concentric coils better.
*I didn't know if I wanted the cordless headphones at first, but now I wonder how I would do without them (kind of like the color screen!) They permit easy setting down and picking up the detector, reaching for tools without getting tangled in the cord, and switching hands. They're comfortable and don't give me the ear fatigue that some of my other headphones have given me in the past. Changing batteries is quick and easy.
*Finally, as just about everyone agrees, there is no substitute for the outstanding service that White's gives people. From the person who answers the phone, to the people who work on the detectors, the engineers, and the others that I've met, all of them have been incredibly friendly and helpful. I'm lucky enough to live less than an hour away from the Sweet Home factory, and I know that if I take my detector in, I get service beyond any other company I've ever dealt with in any way. I've had the opportunity to go detecting with one of the engineers (don't know if he wants me to say who) and he is one of the nicest and most helpful guys there is. The service alone makes the detector worth more to me than any other brand.
THE BAD
Hmmm, I'm not sure what I can say in this category. The one thing I wish were different would be that there would be a far more in-depth owner's manual than the one they have provided. For example, just yesterday, I learned some things about ground filters that are not in the manual. I got my knowledge by reading this forum! I realize there's no way they can put everything into a book, but I guess I'm ready for a more thorough resource than the current owner's manual. Maybe by Christmas???? In the meantime, this forum is a great way to pick up knowledge that goes beyond what is in the manual.
THE UGLY
Since I got my V3, my old detecting friends have stopped calling me and inviting me to join them. This really hurts my feelings! They go on their "road trips" knowing that I enjoyed those trips as well, but now I'm not invited. One time I sort of just showed up, but they pretty much ignored me. I got the message. They all have Minelabs. To me, that shouldn't be an issue, but for some reason it seems to be an issue to them. I've quit going to the local club meetings because of the hurt feelings, and I'm not going to beg to be included in the outings. Instead, I've made some new friends and we will continue to have good times detecting.
So here's the bottom line for me after 90 days:
If you like detecting with serious power, having the best on-screen information, the easiest changes of settings, the convenience of color read-outs and cordless headphones, the V3 is definitely worth considering. Yes, it takes time to learn how to use it. I'm not sure mine is totally fine-tuned yet to the conditions that exist in my part of the world. I'm still playing with it. If playing with your detector's settings is part of the challenge and fun for you, the V3 is an easy one to like. I highly recommend it!
Thank you, Whites, for making the V3, and thank you, all you forum contributors, for helping all of us to understand and enjoy our new detectors. We have yet to discover the limits of the V3. Every day is a new opportunity to see what our detectors can do. I hope that as people make their discoveries about settings, and about how various settings combine to give even more power and/or accuracy, they continue to post them so we can all learn.
Thanks for reading this; I look forward to your responses.
Mike
It's now about 90 days since I got my VISION (now known as the V3)
I'm no expert, so my opinions may not be worth much to anyone, but here they are on the V3 so far:
The GOOD (in no particular order)
*I really like the color bars and the analysis screen. They have told me to dig where I was uncertain, and where not to dig when the signals were confusing. I'm learning to tell the difference between junk and "the good stuff." I still get fooled every now and then, but every hour out with the V3, I'm learning more about what it's trying to tell me.
*It's incredibly easy to change settings. When I decide it would be a good idea to bump something up, or back something down, I can do it in just a few seconds, on the fly.
*This machine is a BEAST when it comes to copper. Old copper just bangs on the V3. I have found more than 70 wheat cents in the past three months. It's better on nickels, too, than the XLT that I had for the last couple of years. A couple of my V3 detecting friends are finding gold jewelry. I'm not, but then again, I don't like digging those low "foil" tones very much, so, unlike my friends, I'm not giving myself that much of a chance to find gold. As for silver, I think that when I'm over it, I find it. The challenge is just to find places that have it. Yesterday I got a 1951 Rosie, though, so that broke my recent silver slump. My deepest silver coin so far is a dime at 7 to 8 inches.
*The 5.3 coil is fantastic. It's light and deep, and the trash separation and pinpointing are great. I find myself using it way more than the 10DD. I'm still thinking about picking up a 9.5 though, for larger areas, as I just seem to like the concentric coils better.
*I didn't know if I wanted the cordless headphones at first, but now I wonder how I would do without them (kind of like the color screen!) They permit easy setting down and picking up the detector, reaching for tools without getting tangled in the cord, and switching hands. They're comfortable and don't give me the ear fatigue that some of my other headphones have given me in the past. Changing batteries is quick and easy.
*Finally, as just about everyone agrees, there is no substitute for the outstanding service that White's gives people. From the person who answers the phone, to the people who work on the detectors, the engineers, and the others that I've met, all of them have been incredibly friendly and helpful. I'm lucky enough to live less than an hour away from the Sweet Home factory, and I know that if I take my detector in, I get service beyond any other company I've ever dealt with in any way. I've had the opportunity to go detecting with one of the engineers (don't know if he wants me to say who) and he is one of the nicest and most helpful guys there is. The service alone makes the detector worth more to me than any other brand.
THE BAD
Hmmm, I'm not sure what I can say in this category. The one thing I wish were different would be that there would be a far more in-depth owner's manual than the one they have provided. For example, just yesterday, I learned some things about ground filters that are not in the manual. I got my knowledge by reading this forum! I realize there's no way they can put everything into a book, but I guess I'm ready for a more thorough resource than the current owner's manual. Maybe by Christmas???? In the meantime, this forum is a great way to pick up knowledge that goes beyond what is in the manual.
THE UGLY
Since I got my V3, my old detecting friends have stopped calling me and inviting me to join them. This really hurts my feelings! They go on their "road trips" knowing that I enjoyed those trips as well, but now I'm not invited. One time I sort of just showed up, but they pretty much ignored me. I got the message. They all have Minelabs. To me, that shouldn't be an issue, but for some reason it seems to be an issue to them. I've quit going to the local club meetings because of the hurt feelings, and I'm not going to beg to be included in the outings. Instead, I've made some new friends and we will continue to have good times detecting.
So here's the bottom line for me after 90 days:
If you like detecting with serious power, having the best on-screen information, the easiest changes of settings, the convenience of color read-outs and cordless headphones, the V3 is definitely worth considering. Yes, it takes time to learn how to use it. I'm not sure mine is totally fine-tuned yet to the conditions that exist in my part of the world. I'm still playing with it. If playing with your detector's settings is part of the challenge and fun for you, the V3 is an easy one to like. I highly recommend it!
Thank you, Whites, for making the V3, and thank you, all you forum contributors, for helping all of us to understand and enjoy our new detectors. We have yet to discover the limits of the V3. Every day is a new opportunity to see what our detectors can do. I hope that as people make their discoveries about settings, and about how various settings combine to give even more power and/or accuracy, they continue to post them so we can all learn.
Thanks for reading this; I look forward to your responses.
Mike
