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White's DFX v Garrett 2500

They are different, the ML will not show so much info w/ the smartfind thingie.


While the White's signagraph will use bars which can "build up" or scatter etc all over the graph area, they can even build up "clusters" (aka multiple bars close to each other)

Also based on the height of the bar(s) the signal strength can be guessed.

The signagraph has also sections like the VDI the more to the left the greater chance it is that it is iron the more to the right the greater chance for it to be copper, silver. (high conductive metals)

Note that some hot rocks can mess with the detector/discrimination etc.

The ML smartfind will show ferrous content/properties(?) and conductivity.
 
That's pretty much how I see it.
Your help has been terrific and has opened my eyes to what the Signagraph is about and I'd just like to take the time to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
Sorry for hijacking your thread Davlin. That wasn't my intent, but it seems that a lot of good information has come to light. Mind you, it is old information to the converted.
Cheers to all.
Mick Evans.
 
stay with the DFX. 4 years ago I had the same decision to make. I bought both and tested them. this was before I knew anything about forums and there was a lot of help out there. The 2500 is heavy, clunky the stem moves when swinging back and forth, the buttons will lock up when pressed sideways a little. the audio speaking feature would be great if you were blind. no pun intended. the DFX is much faster and lighter you wont go wrong.
 
I owned the Garrrett 2500 and truely hated it. Don't get one. Very few coarse disc notches was really terrible. I have never owned the DFX but it would be hands down for me to chose the DFX over the 2500 for sure. The DFX is more surgical and refined and would be much better.
 
If the stem moves on the GTI you only swinging way to fast nothing wrong with the machine.

the 2500 disc might be fine for the US or Canada but else I can't see much of any place where it would be beneficial.

Mick glad to help:beers:
 
I don't know about the DFX but my XLT kills the GTI2500. I was a GTI 2500 owner for 5 years, I got tired of all the butt whipings from Mr.Nautilus (Jim A)
& Mr.Whites.Things I liked about the green thing were the belltone, the target size & depth imaging, ok to 6", the all metal mode that goes down to the
devil. Things I don't like are no tone id, the battery tabs,real fingernail breakers,it will lock up on you under 25 degrees, & this will really make you
mad when you have a buddy (Jim W) with his xlt digging large cents,barber dimes & a 2 cent piece. I almost slamed it against a tree.That was the
last straw. It was hard to change detectors but it was the best move ever. In a trash area- I don't know of anything that can beat the xlt & my small coil.
Now the fields & other such areas the Nautilus is king.
 
"Warning, Will Robinson". DFX will take you 6 months to half way understand how to set it up, and the factory presets are terrible. For example, power is only 50% (2 out of 4 amps). Once understood, the DFX is a good machine, but the MXT is just as good as a DFX and is a turn on and go machine. The 2500 is also almost a turn on and go machine. Both MXT and 2500 are easier to use for at least 6 months. The DFX will drive you nuts unless you are a techy and like electronic gadgets. I own all 3 machines plus a CZ20 water machine. MXT is the better White's unit IMHO, unless you like gadgetry. HH
 
The DFX runs at full "power" all the time, in milliwatts, not Amps. The DFX can be a real good turn on and go machine too with the pre-loaded programs and upping the Preamp (receiving circuit) one or two notches. As good as the MXT is, it is not as good as a DFX, unless the DFX is not set up right, then any detector could be better than a DFX. It does take time to learn everything about the DFX. I have had mine 8 years and I still don't know everything about it, but it does what I want it to quite well. The DFX is a top of the line, fully adjustable detector and is NOT for everyone. If you want an easy to use detector, then the MXT is a fantastic choice.



DFX Forum Moderator
 
I agree. It doesn't take six months to get the machine up and running well, unless you leave it in the closet for 5 of those months.:rofl: The DFX can be a very powerful machine by just adjusting 4 controls. Pre amp, sensitivity, sweep speed and discriminator pattern. Round 2 improvements would be recovery rate, filters, bottle cap rejection and hot rock rejection. As a matter of fact, I highly recommend not tweaking all of the controls at first. Start with those 4 and add some in later. Always do an AIR TEST to confirm out of ground depth results. No offence to the MXT people, because it is a very good out of box machine, but there is a real reason why the DFX is White's top machine. It finds things deeper than any other White's machine in the most diverse conditions. It is harder to use if you want to get intricate with it, but it can be a very simple to run machine. If anyone is afraid of adjusting just 4 controls, then maybe the DFX would not be their best choice. But I know that some of my best finds were found under conditions that required the capabilities only found on the DFX, and I've found some pretty good finds over the last couple of years. Just my opinion though. HH
 
I needed 2 months to know most settings and what they do.

I highly recommend that you read all books you can get as it will help very much.

I can't agree when you say that the DFX will drive you nuts; it is a machine and needs to be learned to be used correctly.

Do it as easy or hard as you want as you don't need to adjust it all, if you don't want to.
 
As I said, the DFX is a fine machine, and is one of my favorites. But it isn't very simple to LEARN to use it. If you use the factory settings, you lose half the pre-amp power (2 instead of 4), so it's hard for me to see how a novice could ever learn the machine if he/she didn't put in his/her own (or somebody else's) programs. THE FOUR KNOBS: there are no knobs on the DFX, and you must learn which computer CHOICES to make, and how to make them, in order to make the right adjustments for your targets and ground.

I've been doing this MDing since the late 1970's, and I can tell you without equivocation, that this machine is the most difficult to learn to program-though one of the best performers- of any I have ever used! Period. Exclamation point. I do still like it, anyway, and still find some awesome stuff with it. I wish White's would add the "imaging" feature like Garrett's 1500 and 2500 have.

With my back condition and 64 years of age, I sure do want to avoid digging the beer and soda cans which give off a sound like a big 'ole silver dollar. No intent here to run the machine down, as I own one and like it, but for a novice to get a DFX could be something he might second-guess later. Unless the novice really, really likes figuring out computer stuff and metal detector stuff with Foster's book and internet support, he might ought to consider the MXT or Garrett 2500. I will use all my machines to the best advantace, and NO, I'm in no way a metal detector seller or have any ulterior or profit motive. I'm just calling it as I really see it. Thanks, everyone
Reggie
 
Wow Reggie. Sounds like you take offense to my opinion. Nothing was intended badly towards you. I've been detecting since 1972, a long time like you. I don't get the Four Knobs comment, since I didn't mention any knobs. But what ever the case, I stand by my statement. Just scroll through this forum and any beginner will be able to get excellent advice, from a lot of kind people, and have that DFX programmed in a snap. But that's only if opinions are still allowed here any more? I never believed in scarring anybody out of a machine. Who knows what the person's capabilities are? So my opinion, along with yours, and everyone else's is what makes his decision easier. If the DFX is difficult for you, then so be it, for me it's not that hard, for the next person --- who knows. But good luck to you.
 
No, buddy, no offense taken. The DFX is one of the best machines out there. It is just very complicated for some of us to learn. I am getting to know it better after a year's use, and I do like it's features now that I can make some basic adjustments. One of the things that stumped me on a trip to the Atlanta Campaign battle field was why I wasn't finding anything, while my Buddy with his MXT was finding bullets and buttons. It turns out that I had activated "audio discriminate", which took it out of all metal mode and put it into discriminate mode. So I wasn't going as deep as I should have been. In addition, I did not have a DD coil like my Buddy. In mineralized, or iron rich ground, a DD coil will go deeper than the standard concentric coil. Being out of my own state had thrown me a surprise, and so did my bad choice to use audio discriminate. I thought I could discriminate in all metal when it was in an all metal program, but the A.D. took it out of all metal. Surprise, surprise, ...you get the idea. I'm very fortunate to have copied Dave's relic program, Larry's coin program and some others so I can hunt with it without understanding all I know about it. But I'm still learning, so that's a good challenge! HH everyone.
 
Hi Reggie.:detecting:

There is a small trick with our dear DFX, it's very simple and could help you to not dig to many cans.

Here is how step for step:

1. Locate the target and make sure it COULD be worth digging
2. Pinpoint the center of it with VCO on
3. Then find one corner and do a "+" over it
4. Listen how wide the tone is, a can is bigger then a coin and should hang in there longer then a coin

Quick tip 1: I have noticed that a Pull tab will "drag" a weaker tone long while a coin will drop dead in it's tracks when over the edge. (again when doing the "+" over it)

Quick tip 2: When you're having a "jumping signal" (aka the disc is jumping all around) pinpoint the target then stomp on it.

Also as a can often is big you can raise your coil, the can should register higher then a coin.

Hope it helps.

HH,
Eu:detecting:
 
The 2500 now has a chip added for mineralization. They will install it for you or your friends for free. It works!
 
With the DFX you can teach the machine to respond to anything just by going through the learn program ( or reject program) on the DFX, and you will be surprise at what the machine will or will not respond to.
 
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