Thinking of buying a T2

[Jason in TN]

I have or have owned one of every kind of top end detector out there. I have been hearing alot of bad and good on the T2. I have a chance to buy one at a great deal from a local detector dealer. I have a Minelab Explorer DFX and a shadow X5 plus a few other detectors right now. Don't really need another detector at this point but I think I may buy one just to do some comparing to my other detectors. Is the T2 a slow detector like the mine lab or a fast machine like the X5 or some where in between? All of my detectors I use I like different ones for different sites. Also has any one tried the T2 in the wet stuff at the beach? I use all of my detectors and like all of them for different reasons. The X5 for competition and relic hunting the DFX is awesome in the wet stuff at the beach the mine lab goes deep but you have to swing it slow. How about some info and thoughts on the T2 from you guys.

 

[LilloEsquilo]

If you check the past posts, most of your questions have been answered. But to sum up, it's more of a fast machine than slow it has very quick response/recovery. I've not used it at the beach but Teknetics says it will work fine there.

I don't know what bad things you've heard on it but if you are hearing "Aw that is just another Bounty Hunter, a cheap toy" then you are hearing from someone who has probably never used one. No offense intended but people who swing White's seem to be the most inclined to bash everything else from what I've seen anyway.

I've owned an Explorer II as well as most of the other Minelabs, and my current and only detector is a T2. The only true weakness is lack of notch discrimination. Some people complain it doesn't remember your settings after you turn it off. Personally I don't mind this as it's VERY easy to setup and I prefer to set it up for each site I hunt anyway. Some also want to see a backlight.

It goes very deep in mineralized soil, can get the goodies next to junk if you don't overdo the discrimination as well as anything out there, is very easy to pinpoint with unlike most DD coil machines, is lightweight and well balanced (unlike the Explorer), and is very simple to learn and to operate (unlike the DFX and Explorer). I've been very pleased with mine.

 

[Dean (Whitby Canada)]

I agree, If I can learn to use this machine in 4 hours, and have not bought another machine for 15 years, it shows how easy this is to work with. It is very light so you can swing all day..and it lets you know whats in the ground!!!

Dean

 

[Jason in TN]

Thanks for the info I will most likely get one. I am glad to hear that it is a fast detector as I am not thrilled with my Explorer because to get the deep stuff you have to go so Slow. Would still like to hear how it does in the wet sand on the beach. Any one tried one there yet? I buy about Two new detectors a year I keep the ones I like and the others go to Ebay. I am thinking the T2 may be one of my choices this year. The notch discrim would not be a problem for me as I like to hear and in this case see everything and then decide to dig or not. I set all of my machines up for the spot I am hunting so the memory would also not be a problem.

 

[LilloEsquilo]

One other thing (two actually) I should mention. First you may get some electrical interference in areas with it. I've had to be near a power generating station to pick it up. If this happens just bump down the sensitivity.

Second thing is that this is basically made to get goodies from iron in mineralized soil, it excels at this. Keep your discrimination to a minimum in these places to avoid masking (you mentioned you do this anyway) and keep in mind that the visual id isn't as important as what you hear. Use 2 tone mode to help. You will find stuff in the iron that other machines won't hit well on.

It should also be a great competition hunter as you can slightly adjust the frequency, and combined with light weight and fast response time, should be great for that.

 

[Jason in TN]

OK Thanks for the responses. Curiosity has gotten the best of me and I called my buddy today and my T2 should be on the way soon. I can not wait to take it for a spin. I have to say that when it first came out I said that I can not believe that a bounty hunter could possibly be as good a machine as some of the top end models. But after hearing all of the talk good and bad I have to try one out and see for my self.

 

[John in Florida]

I haven't heard a lot of 'bad' about the T-2. Well, maybe one thing. It won't receive e-mails.

 

[don wyo.]

Have been getting some hrs. in on my T-2 here in wyo. and also made a trip into neb. and it is proving to be a one of a few top detectors. at least where I've used it so far. no detector will satisfy everybody but in my opinion the T-2 will satisfy many. I have the new version and to me it's pretty good. have found coins in the 8" to 9"
depth so far. on a few of the deep ones I would get a solid but higher ID, but solid tone ID. the new dp tone seems to work well but haven't used it that much.. have compared it to some other top detectors and if you can crank the sens. in the area you hunt, you can get some serious depth. but in some areas you can only crank so much, but even at lower sens. you get good depth. good battery time and only 4 aa's. Don't really agree with the comment THAT THE ONLY TRUE WEAKNESS IS LACK OF NOTCH DISC. to me that doesn't prove the strength or weakness of any detector, it is just another bell or whistle many would like to have including me, same as the backlight or in our area we hunt some large places so it would be nice to be able to shut it off and have it retain the same settings. do I really need it... nope. there are several things on the T-2 other detectors don't have. but none of the bells and whistles make a detector weak or strong doesn't matter what detector it is. maybe a little more enjoyable,If I ruffled any feathers no ruffling intended. just my opinion..........

don wyo

 

[LilloEsquilo]

Glad to hear your opinion, Don, and that you are enjoying your T2 as much as I'm enjoying mine.

I would consider it a minus rather than a plus, let me explain why. With notch, if you are in an area that has a certain troublesome trash item, you would be able to keep the overall discrimination low to avoid masking issues, while still knocking out the trash item.

Is it the end of the world or does it make the T2 less than great? Nope, I agree, it doesn't, but it would definately be useful in some areas I have hunted. So probably weakness wasn't a good choice of word I used for that!

I agree with you, it's a wonderful machine. Maybe on the T3 they will add that as well as a backlight and we'll be a little bit closer to our dream machine. As it is, the T2 is as good as I've seen out there.

 

[LilloEsquilo]

Well I've used the Explorer, which is a machine that if you know it you can put up against literally anything, and I really prefer the T2 overall for its many plusses. The discrimination abilities of the Explorer are second to none, but in every other way I can think of the T2 matches it or beats it.

I really think you will like it. If you have any questions once you get it ask away! But it's pretty easy to use, it won't take you long at all to really get to know it considering you've used a DFX which has a lot higher learning curve.

 

[don wyo.]

I agree with you buddy, I wouldn't mind having notch either, and after 35 yrs of detecting don't really need an explanation on how notch works...well maybe I do... maybe like you say, on some of the new models that come out we will have some of these features on them. don't feel bad about you choice of words. man sometimes mine are real bad. am glad you like your T-2 and keep up your posts as we can all learn from everybody's posts.....

don wyo

 

[Jason in TN]

I agree in the depth department that the Explorer is hard to beat but it is a little slow for me to land hunt with. I took mine apart and made a water machine out of it. I have to go slow in the water anyway so it works great there. I look forward to comparing the T2 to the other detectors I have used.

 

[Spiff]

The mode where it sucks nickles (and a few gold rings) up into the high-tone area, basically covers all I'd want for notch-discrimination. It brings the most attractive below-copper "notch" up and treats it as a good find.

 

[don wyo.]

Your right, myself I really like the high tone on nickles. also the other tone ID'S and visual ID. but if it did have a notch on it I wouldn't complain either. some may use it some may not. the T-2 works good the way it is, but in some areas some may want to notch out certain targets that are giving them fits. so just like any of the bells and whistles, most you can live without but sometimes they can come in handy for certain situations. can see why some may like it. like the old saying.. different strokes for different folks...

don wyo