Personally I prefer a setting of 8 as iron just is just a more shrieky sound for lack of better words and as far as wheatie or indian head audio is just a hair lower and sticks right out for me. Bryce prefers a setting of 10 and heck whatever works as we all have different hearing and many have trained ears from hours in the field and well some guys just never figure out the audio whether it be inexperience or perhaps their tonal hearing abilities. Experiment guys and once you find what works for you stick with it and thats why Minelab gives us so many settings. I am sure many excell with the Explorer series and if I made a post to have one post their individual settings you would find many variances between individuals and honestly no stock answer only what works for a particuiar individual in his neck of the woods.
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Variability settings???
- Thread starter Dan-Pa.
- Start date
sgoss66
Well-known member
Dan, very true -- it's whatever works for an individual, their hearing, and what they are used to. And you are right, that's why Minelab made it adjustable -- to fit the preferences of many, rather than few.
One thing I will say, though, is I'm pretty sure the "warble" that many talk about listening for on a deep, old coin will be less pronounced, or even non-existent, as you lower variability. After all, it's the "variability" of the tones that allows that rapid, tonal "up one pitch, down one pitch" that is referred to as the "warble" or "tinkle," to occur. Reduce the number of available pitches (which is what reducing variability does), and -- running conductive sounds -- what you are doing is lumping more and more CO values into fewer and fewer pitches -- such that eventually, you won't hear that rapid up-and-down pitch change -- i.e. warble.
While I do run mine at 10 (max), I know of the shrieky sound you speak of on iron, Dan...it may be more pronounced at "8," I'm not sure, but I do hear it at 10...
I do agree though that different tonal setups will work better for different people.
Steve
One thing I will say, though, is I'm pretty sure the "warble" that many talk about listening for on a deep, old coin will be less pronounced, or even non-existent, as you lower variability. After all, it's the "variability" of the tones that allows that rapid, tonal "up one pitch, down one pitch" that is referred to as the "warble" or "tinkle," to occur. Reduce the number of available pitches (which is what reducing variability does), and -- running conductive sounds -- what you are doing is lumping more and more CO values into fewer and fewer pitches -- such that eventually, you won't hear that rapid up-and-down pitch change -- i.e. warble.
While I do run mine at 10 (max), I know of the shrieky sound you speak of on iron, Dan...it may be more pronounced at "8," I'm not sure, but I do hear it at 10...
I do agree though that different tonal setups will work better for different people.
Steve
Steve, you are correct saying the "silver warble" is more pronounced with a setting of 10. When I started using Explorers, I used the factory setting of 8 and I never changed that particular setting. I am now so used to a setting of 8 that when I try upping it to 10 I feel uncomfortable. When I did change it to the higher setting of 10, I immediately noticed the warble was back. Some people think the Explorer is somewhat complicated, but in my case, I only change the gain, variability, and either the fast or deep. With that said, I think it is a very easy detector to understand and use effectively.
sgoss66
Well-known member
Exp --
I have to agree with you on "deep=on." I have seen basically zero improvement in terms of deep targets, when having deep on.
However, you say that "Fast" is a "filter" that "slows response down..." I certainly don't know for sure, as I never run fast=on. HOWEVER -- my understanding is that fast=on is supposed to re-set the tones (and maybe the ID numbers?) quicker -- such that in a "dense target" environment, you hear more "separation" (from a "time" perspective -- due to the shortened/abbreviated tones) between the responses over each target. In theory, separation should be "better," if not truly a faster-response setting. Again, I have no idea, as I don't use fast=on, but I was surprised to hear that the "fast response" setting might actually be "slower."
Steve
I have to agree with you on "deep=on." I have seen basically zero improvement in terms of deep targets, when having deep on.
However, you say that "Fast" is a "filter" that "slows response down..." I certainly don't know for sure, as I never run fast=on. HOWEVER -- my understanding is that fast=on is supposed to re-set the tones (and maybe the ID numbers?) quicker -- such that in a "dense target" environment, you hear more "separation" (from a "time" perspective -- due to the shortened/abbreviated tones) between the responses over each target. In theory, separation should be "better," if not truly a faster-response setting. Again, I have no idea, as I don't use fast=on, but I was surprised to hear that the "fast response" setting might actually be "slower."
Steve
Maybe the word filter is a bit mis-leading - I'll replace it with the word process.
Anything you ask the Explorer to do slows done the response time - now this may seem to be a contradiction of terms because you are telling the Explorer to react quicker (process) if "fast" on - my experience is broken signals,(and for all I know missed) that with "fast" off are clearer.
Audio response I have set at normal - once again because I can here the iron and the non-iron if close together, using Audio 1 will combine the 2 signals and Audio 3 it's even worse even though Minelab use the word "filter" in the instruction book - as though blurring the signals is better?
I'm sure that using no Iron Mask is behind most of my findings so if your into "Discrim Patterns" it may not work for you.
I've had over 12 years with the Explorer and some of my posts may seem a little basic to some - I just like to throw the odd curved ball now and then to test some of the Gurus out there...
Anything you ask the Explorer to do slows done the response time - now this may seem to be a contradiction of terms because you are telling the Explorer to react quicker (process) if "fast" on - my experience is broken signals,(and for all I know missed) that with "fast" off are clearer.
Audio response I have set at normal - once again because I can here the iron and the non-iron if close together, using Audio 1 will combine the 2 signals and Audio 3 it's even worse even though Minelab use the word "filter" in the instruction book - as though blurring the signals is better?
I'm sure that using no Iron Mask is behind most of my findings so if your into "Discrim Patterns" it may not work for you.
I've had over 12 years with the Explorer and some of my posts may seem a little basic to some - I just like to throw the odd curved ball now and then to test some of the Gurus out there...
Actually if you just use quickstart and change the sens to manual and bump it up into the 20's while still keeping a stable threshold you have a potent faster unit that will go deep.
I realize many learn to use the setting well but the next time out use the above and it might surprise the heck out of you as an Explorer is only as easy or hard as you want it to be and just as a plumber tightens one pipe and loosens another improper settings or combo thereof can certainly hurt more than help and indeed a lot depends on your neck of the woods..
I like to think Kiss means Keep it simple sir...rather than other definitions as we sure have many talented individuals that really excell with Explorers that make many excellent changes to the quickstart that certainly makes it a better unit and each individual has their own way to make a good unit even better...
I realize many learn to use the setting well but the next time out use the above and it might surprise the heck out of you as an Explorer is only as easy or hard as you want it to be and just as a plumber tightens one pipe and loosens another improper settings or combo thereof can certainly hurt more than help and indeed a lot depends on your neck of the woods..
I like to think Kiss means Keep it simple sir...rather than other definitions as we sure have many talented individuals that really excell with Explorers that make many excellent changes to the quickstart that certainly makes it a better unit and each individual has their own way to make a good unit even better...
Just a generalization but most are looking for depth and surely will run with deep on , use some fancy patterns, iron mask and disc. functions not knowing change one facet and it affects another etc. which will affect the units operation. As stated originally many experienced users tweak their unit to max. efficiency for their area but again many do not and can hinder the units operation...Just for kicks run your units like you usually do and then put it into quickstart and you might find Minelabs quickstart may indeed be faster or even deeper. Super unit but overtweaking in many instances can hinder rather than help especially in untrained hands as I have hunted with Explorer users and proficient Explorer users kind of analogy....
Again Quickstart is just the beginning and some changes make it a better unit and well some do not...
Again Quickstart is just the beginning and some changes make it a better unit and well some do not...
After reading the responses did some testing and indeed the variability set at 10 gives a more pronounced higher warble and may work for many..Set it back to 8 and at least to me I can tell the difference between iron and perhaps that elusive silver coin a tad better. Again whatever works and do some experimenting as what works for one may not work for another...and thats why Minelab gives us the choices to fine tune for individual preferences.
MNCoinhunter
Active member
Dan-Pa. said:
When you say to switch from our normal settings back to quickstart, are you referring to the factory coins mode ? I have been running Bryce's settings from almost day 1, and I often wonder if it is not appropriate for our soil. I am absolutely certain that there are big differences.
McDave basically what I am saying the factory coins mode quickstart is a good starting point as Minelab thru testing has found it to be a good all purpose mode in most areas and many have added a tweak or two to make the Explorer series to perform quite well...Gee Bryce does quite well with his settings but what works for one does not always work for another. Unfortunately some settings hinder rather than enhance and its up to the individual to tweak for his area and believe me don't get fancy as an Explorer can be as easy or hard as you want it to be...
MNCoinhunter
Active member
Thanks Dan ... I have done pretty well with those settings up to this point. But somehow I feel like I am not getting to the deeper stuff, as I have never pulled a coin from more than 8 inches. It could be that there just is'nt anything that deep where I am hunting. So many variables to consider. I may try factory coins on one of my outings just to see what the difference is. I'm sure it will be considerably quieter. I was also thinking of dabbling with Ferrous/All Metal in some of the spots I have hit hard already. I've got nothing to lose by trying ..