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White's vs. Minelab....Convince me
- Thread starter Mojoman58
- Start date
I think you have to convince yourself. I think both are good machines and if you could try them from friends, or a local dealer, or a local club, then you should convince yourself on which to go for.
I'd be happy with either machine, and if for unseen reason I wasn't, well then get rid of one and get the other.
I'd be happy with either machine, and if for unseen reason I wasn't, well then get rid of one and get the other.
Doctorcoinz
New member
These are just my own honest personal opinions of the whites dfx and minelab explorer detectors , anyone thinking of buying one of these detectors should try before buying. Try which one you like like the feel of best.. I will start with The DFX...
BEACH :- I prefer the DFX -E SERIES on beaches because it covers big area's of sand faster than the explorer models and goes deep enough to please me. Hour for hour the Dfx will usually beat the Explorers on finds rate because it is -fast!.. On inland coin shooting sites the dfx works great as well the tone ID is pretty good. SE- On farmland i have to admit i have a feeling the Explorer SE is nulling way too much in the iron , i feel i am missing alot of the smaller targets. Some depth tests i have done on buried coins in the depth test garden convince me that the dfx can out gun the Se by an inch on a coin at least. When conditions are wet the SE is crap and i wont bother taking it out anymore when hunting wet grass. It totally hates the wet!.. Never dip your Se coil in the sea or you will get problems with falsing.On depth alone i can't honestly say which is deeper Se or DFX as it is a pretty close call.. On farmland and beaches the DFX has pulled more good targets out than has the SE. The reason is simple - the Whites detectors are fast and have a wide sweep because of the clever way whites design the detector to cover more land in a given time.. The explorer s seem to be ok for short hunts only because of the weight hunting long periods of time is uncomfortable .. I have been working farmland lately with the dfx and am pleased with the way it performs compared to the se it seems to do better usually.. Anyone who hunts farmland with an explorer will know just how quiet the detector seems to go! You get the feeling you are missing stuff , it does seem to go quiet honestly . i don;t know if this is in my imagination or whether it is really missing good stuff but i guess others who have used the explorers on farmland will know what i am on about here..The only way to reduce the nulling is to hunt in all metal with the SE but then this is a noisey mode of operation for long hunts it can drive you nuts.. Credit to the explorer SE I have dug some genuine 10 inch Deep coins with the black beast SE but have to admit i had no idea if the target was going to be good or bad as accurate target id is close tonon existent at this depth on a coin target id seems OK down to about 6 - 8 inches past that coins sound like junk iron.. Like i say if you are willing to dig crappy signals you will dig coins out at close to 9 -10 inches no problem.
My honest opinion on which detector is the best all round hunter will honestly have to say i prefer the DFX. A DFX once mastered is an awesome detector and takes some beating in my opinion its more than good enough to get good results.. . Explorer 2 - wow what a detector for raw depth! it will beat the SE and works better in iron on bigger targets than SE= it thrashes the SE by an inch on deep coins.. The explorer 2 seems to do really well on medium to large sized coins but it is in no way as sensitive to small targets as is the SE.. 8 out of ten for whites DFX. Call it 7 out of ten for the Se & 8 out of ten for the explorer 2.. Summary Dfx for large area's of beach you can move fast and recover more targets faster than the slower explorers including the SE. DFx will suck those small nickels and rings out of the picnic spots and riverbank coin shooting sites.. Summary Explorer Se - Nippy in the trash and sensitive to gold rings and nickels same as the dfx but no good for long hunts and no good in wet grass or on iron loaded sites ... Summary Explorer 2 and XS - Deep & smooth and suck silver coins out like no other - fantastic on silver , really good on silver.. Not as good as the Se or Dfx though on tiny targets.. I hope this helps others get an idea of what to expect when you buy one of these great whites or minelab detectors..
BEACH :- I prefer the DFX -E SERIES on beaches because it covers big area's of sand faster than the explorer models and goes deep enough to please me. Hour for hour the Dfx will usually beat the Explorers on finds rate because it is -fast!.. On inland coin shooting sites the dfx works great as well the tone ID is pretty good. SE- On farmland i have to admit i have a feeling the Explorer SE is nulling way too much in the iron , i feel i am missing alot of the smaller targets. Some depth tests i have done on buried coins in the depth test garden convince me that the dfx can out gun the Se by an inch on a coin at least. When conditions are wet the SE is crap and i wont bother taking it out anymore when hunting wet grass. It totally hates the wet!.. Never dip your Se coil in the sea or you will get problems with falsing.On depth alone i can't honestly say which is deeper Se or DFX as it is a pretty close call.. On farmland and beaches the DFX has pulled more good targets out than has the SE. The reason is simple - the Whites detectors are fast and have a wide sweep because of the clever way whites design the detector to cover more land in a given time.. The explorer s seem to be ok for short hunts only because of the weight hunting long periods of time is uncomfortable .. I have been working farmland lately with the dfx and am pleased with the way it performs compared to the se it seems to do better usually.. Anyone who hunts farmland with an explorer will know just how quiet the detector seems to go! You get the feeling you are missing stuff , it does seem to go quiet honestly . i don;t know if this is in my imagination or whether it is really missing good stuff but i guess others who have used the explorers on farmland will know what i am on about here..The only way to reduce the nulling is to hunt in all metal with the SE but then this is a noisey mode of operation for long hunts it can drive you nuts.. Credit to the explorer SE I have dug some genuine 10 inch Deep coins with the black beast SE but have to admit i had no idea if the target was going to be good or bad as accurate target id is close tonon existent at this depth on a coin target id seems OK down to about 6 - 8 inches past that coins sound like junk iron.. Like i say if you are willing to dig crappy signals you will dig coins out at close to 9 -10 inches no problem.
My honest opinion on which detector is the best all round hunter will honestly have to say i prefer the DFX. A DFX once mastered is an awesome detector and takes some beating in my opinion its more than good enough to get good results.. . Explorer 2 - wow what a detector for raw depth! it will beat the SE and works better in iron on bigger targets than SE= it thrashes the SE by an inch on deep coins.. The explorer 2 seems to do really well on medium to large sized coins but it is in no way as sensitive to small targets as is the SE.. 8 out of ten for whites DFX. Call it 7 out of ten for the Se & 8 out of ten for the explorer 2.. Summary Dfx for large area's of beach you can move fast and recover more targets faster than the slower explorers including the SE. DFx will suck those small nickels and rings out of the picnic spots and riverbank coin shooting sites.. Summary Explorer Se - Nippy in the trash and sensitive to gold rings and nickels same as the dfx but no good for long hunts and no good in wet grass or on iron loaded sites ... Summary Explorer 2 and XS - Deep & smooth and suck silver coins out like no other - fantastic on silver , really good on silver.. Not as good as the Se or Dfx though on tiny targets.. I hope this helps others get an idea of what to expect when you buy one of these great whites or minelab detectors..
jackintexas
New member
I love my XLT. It has done well for me. But if you compare finds on each forum you will find hands down the Minelab Explorer forum post by far the most of the better finds than any other forum. I think there must be a reason for this......Jack
migolddigger
New member
Wow I love hot topics like this!!!
I have used a Whites DFX for 2 years and I have used a Minelab Explorer II for 3 years now. Minelab wins hands down. I have used both and feel I know both very well. I have hunted with Steve Leheto when I used my DFX, and used the DSM program. I have also been posted on Whites web page 3 times and have also had stories in Western and Eastern Treasure Magazine. Now that being said you can take what I'm going to say to the bank. First off, forget air test as a way of determining depth of a detector. If your doing this, your wrong. Especially if you do this inside your house or building when doing the test. Electronic interference like TV, radios, microwaves electronic current will cause this test to be false one. Next what most people don't know is, the technology in Minelab Explorer, is different, and is the same as in the Whites DFX.( LOL). Whites used the duel frequency technology and had to pay MineLab on patent infringements. I know this will upset you DFX users but its true. Now lets get back to the depth issue. I have tested both in the outdoors side by side in a test garden. They were both tweaked to the best of there ability's for depth and Identification. (Yes the other detector was turned off while the other was being tested). The Whites DFX was ground balanced and the Minelab Explorer noise Cancel. The Whites DFX using the DSM and pre amp of 4 correlate, accept +94 to-40, and the Minelab Explorer II sens 28 manual, deep on, iron mask -16 and ferrous tones. The Minelab was able to pick up a dime at 10 inches no problem and The Whites DFX couldn't even hear it. Conditions, soft wet dark farm soil that a barber dime has been packed flat over 6 years now. Now, I will admit after I put the hot shot 12" coil on the DFX, I got a slightly broken low signal. This was especially upsetting to me, because I wondered how many times I passed up a good target with the DFX that made that noise. As with many avid metal detectorist, I like to hunt by tone ID. So this was really was upsetting. OK back to air testing. The reason an air test is nonsense is because, Minelab doesn't use ground balance to determine depth. They use what is termed a Time Domain and a computer to send and receive the signal of a known target. They also use Noise Cancel to block out all electromagnetic interference such as cell phone towers, telephone lines, and other detectors etc. This is the primary reason in mineralized ground conditions why the Minelab is deeper than the Whites DFX. It has the ability to block out the magnetic interference and mineralization.
The Whites DFX uses ground balancing, and in real bad soil stinks. The Explorer in Ferrous tones will make all your Iron targets sound low and all conductive targets like copper silver sound High. So in a nail and iron infested area or trashy area, the Minelab Explorer will out gun the whites DFX hands down. The Whites DFX will just null away on those nails. Here's what the strange part is,that I don't understand. The Whites DFX uses a convex coil.Meaning a cone shape pattern signal is emitted from the coil. Common knowledge is that this is supposed to go deeper than a DD coil that emits a straight line pattern. So why is this happening??? The answer is easy. Ground balancing in bad soil areas, or with any other type of interference is downfall of the Whites detectors!!! Seriously look at how many times you have to ground balance and in bad soil areas and have had a hard time doing So?? Sometimes it wont even do it. Thats my honest opinion on that issue.
The Mine lab Explorer II has the ability to change what the sound sounds like. Coins can be made to sound longer and wider while junk targets sound short and choppy. You can't do that with the DFX!!!. Also, you can control the strength of the signal response and separate the surface targets say 1-5 inches sound strong while the 6-12 sound a little fainter. Yes you can look at the depth indicator if you believe it, but thats not always accurate on the Whites DFX .By using this the Minelab Explorer lets you cherry pick sites for just the deep targets by hearing them rather than watching the screen. You cant do that with a DFX. What impressed me the most about the Explorer is the depth. You can honestly still hear the high pitch sound of silver when its deep say 10 -12 inches. It doesn't turn into a constant low sound like it does on the DFX. This is what makes the Minelab Explorer a better choice. I will be happy to show anyone this if they want. This is a fact. I hated this when I first found out. I couldn't believe the tone ID was really that bad on the DFX after 6 inches. Yeah the weight issue is a problem with the Explorer II, but the balance in the detector is pretty good for the average person. When you dig more deep targets your spending more time digging than swinging anyway so it's not an issue for me. Like others have said, if your going to dig 1-5 inches than get the DFX and be a clad farmer. If going to find deeper silver Indian head pennies and Barber dimes, Seated coins at 6- 12 inches, then get the Explorer from Minelab and a deep shovel. Oh one more thing, if your ever in Michigan look me up or PM me and I'll show you this is a fact, you might not like it, but I'll show you free of charge. I'll take you to some great hunting spots and you can see this for yourself. I know this will stir up the pot a little, but it's not about opinion, it's a fact. Your older finds will more than double.
Tom
I have used a Whites DFX for 2 years and I have used a Minelab Explorer II for 3 years now. Minelab wins hands down. I have used both and feel I know both very well. I have hunted with Steve Leheto when I used my DFX, and used the DSM program. I have also been posted on Whites web page 3 times and have also had stories in Western and Eastern Treasure Magazine. Now that being said you can take what I'm going to say to the bank. First off, forget air test as a way of determining depth of a detector. If your doing this, your wrong. Especially if you do this inside your house or building when doing the test. Electronic interference like TV, radios, microwaves electronic current will cause this test to be false one. Next what most people don't know is, the technology in Minelab Explorer, is different, and is the same as in the Whites DFX.( LOL). Whites used the duel frequency technology and had to pay MineLab on patent infringements. I know this will upset you DFX users but its true. Now lets get back to the depth issue. I have tested both in the outdoors side by side in a test garden. They were both tweaked to the best of there ability's for depth and Identification. (Yes the other detector was turned off while the other was being tested). The Whites DFX was ground balanced and the Minelab Explorer noise Cancel. The Whites DFX using the DSM and pre amp of 4 correlate, accept +94 to-40, and the Minelab Explorer II sens 28 manual, deep on, iron mask -16 and ferrous tones. The Minelab was able to pick up a dime at 10 inches no problem and The Whites DFX couldn't even hear it. Conditions, soft wet dark farm soil that a barber dime has been packed flat over 6 years now. Now, I will admit after I put the hot shot 12" coil on the DFX, I got a slightly broken low signal. This was especially upsetting to me, because I wondered how many times I passed up a good target with the DFX that made that noise. As with many avid metal detectorist, I like to hunt by tone ID. So this was really was upsetting. OK back to air testing. The reason an air test is nonsense is because, Minelab doesn't use ground balance to determine depth. They use what is termed a Time Domain and a computer to send and receive the signal of a known target. They also use Noise Cancel to block out all electromagnetic interference such as cell phone towers, telephone lines, and other detectors etc. This is the primary reason in mineralized ground conditions why the Minelab is deeper than the Whites DFX. It has the ability to block out the magnetic interference and mineralization.
The Whites DFX uses ground balancing, and in real bad soil stinks. The Explorer in Ferrous tones will make all your Iron targets sound low and all conductive targets like copper silver sound High. So in a nail and iron infested area or trashy area, the Minelab Explorer will out gun the whites DFX hands down. The Whites DFX will just null away on those nails. Here's what the strange part is,that I don't understand. The Whites DFX uses a convex coil.Meaning a cone shape pattern signal is emitted from the coil. Common knowledge is that this is supposed to go deeper than a DD coil that emits a straight line pattern. So why is this happening??? The answer is easy. Ground balancing in bad soil areas, or with any other type of interference is downfall of the Whites detectors!!! Seriously look at how many times you have to ground balance and in bad soil areas and have had a hard time doing So?? Sometimes it wont even do it. Thats my honest opinion on that issue.
The Mine lab Explorer II has the ability to change what the sound sounds like. Coins can be made to sound longer and wider while junk targets sound short and choppy. You can't do that with the DFX!!!. Also, you can control the strength of the signal response and separate the surface targets say 1-5 inches sound strong while the 6-12 sound a little fainter. Yes you can look at the depth indicator if you believe it, but thats not always accurate on the Whites DFX .By using this the Minelab Explorer lets you cherry pick sites for just the deep targets by hearing them rather than watching the screen. You cant do that with a DFX. What impressed me the most about the Explorer is the depth. You can honestly still hear the high pitch sound of silver when its deep say 10 -12 inches. It doesn't turn into a constant low sound like it does on the DFX. This is what makes the Minelab Explorer a better choice. I will be happy to show anyone this if they want. This is a fact. I hated this when I first found out. I couldn't believe the tone ID was really that bad on the DFX after 6 inches. Yeah the weight issue is a problem with the Explorer II, but the balance in the detector is pretty good for the average person. When you dig more deep targets your spending more time digging than swinging anyway so it's not an issue for me. Like others have said, if your going to dig 1-5 inches than get the DFX and be a clad farmer. If going to find deeper silver Indian head pennies and Barber dimes, Seated coins at 6- 12 inches, then get the Explorer from Minelab and a deep shovel. Oh one more thing, if your ever in Michigan look me up or PM me and I'll show you this is a fact, you might not like it, but I'll show you free of charge. I'll take you to some great hunting spots and you can see this for yourself. I know this will stir up the pot a little, but it's not about opinion, it's a fact. Your older finds will more than double.
Tom
And unless the ML FBS stop transmitting, thus giving the eddy currents in the ground time to decay, I can't see how the BBS/FBS detectors would accomplish this particular feat. Instead of rehashing a bunch of old news, one can search through the archives for the relevant posts (the upshot being that the BBS/FBS detectors are not operating on the time domain, albeit they are multifrequency). ..Willy.
[quote flynndfx40]here what i found with my dfx and love it[/quote]
Here what I found one hunt last week with the Explorer 2 and 12" Excelerator coil
Here is a link to that post...Ex 2
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?26,619382,619382#msg-619382
[attachment 74766 th_RAIDERZSKULL.jpg]
Here what I found one hunt last week with the Explorer 2 and 12" Excelerator coil
Here is a link to that post...Ex 2
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?26,619382,619382#msg-619382
[attachment 74766 th_RAIDERZSKULL.jpg]
love to dig
New member
Wow! After reading your take on the DFX I want to throw mine in the trash. Funny no others mentioned any of this here that I can see..... anyone else feel this opinioin of the DFX is correct? Seems eveyone has an opinion but where rae the facts? Just saying some company put your email on their site doesn't make what you say fact right? So... how does one get the real facts? thanks
Pirate John
New member
How much does Minelab pay their customers to buy all those silver coins and find them at such depths 
? Just kidding, I think that Minelab technology is very good I just don't like the quality. As far as being better than a DFX, I don't buy that for a second. Depth on silver coins, I think the Explorer might squeeze an extra half inch over the DFX if that. Don't count out the DFX it's an awesome detector in the hands of someone willing to put the time into it. Either one you buy you won't be sorry, but I would rather deal with Whites customer service anyday that is where one detector will out shine the other by a mile.
? Just kidding, I think that Minelab technology is very good I just don't like the quality. As far as being better than a DFX, I don't buy that for a second. Depth on silver coins, I think the Explorer might squeeze an extra half inch over the DFX if that. Don't count out the DFX it's an awesome detector in the hands of someone willing to put the time into it. Either one you buy you won't be sorry, but I would rather deal with Whites customer service anyday that is where one detector will out shine the other by a mile.its funny, no matter where you go there you are. the same is true when your metal detecting, no matter what detector you have its the same person operating it. its also funny i dont care which forum you go to, they all have great finds, and are totally sold on their detector. that great use what makes you happy and you believe what finds something and leave it at that. but i dont know why people spend so much time fighting
about whats the best, as if the detector was the only factor. happy hunting
about whats the best, as if the detector was the only factor. happy huntingrandyalbin
Member
n/t
I use both the DFX and a Exp II, past summer I used the super 12" coil in a hunted out park thinking a few silver's would show up. I spent two weeks and every day of it hunting this place. It was great on the buffalo's and a few deep wheats but NO silver. Since it showed that coins were still at depth I returned with the Exp II and worked the same area SLOWLY in five hours four mercs , standing lib quarter and three sil washington's along with four silver rings. I still like the DFX and it is the machine I always use to start a area because it is fast and light, then I change over to a few other detectors to try to clean out the spots.Also at the beach there is NO comparison the Epl II had me laughing because of the difference it made on the beach, simply got tired of digging coins.And for that matter of whick is better, in a part of woods (same park) I found a spot that gave up a 1/2 real and four or five large cents along with decent period artifacts using both the DFX and Exp II over a period of about 10 days off and on. I had simply forgot to hit the place with the GTI 2000 and went back there afew weeks ago and got plenty of coins both other machines missed so go figure.
Low-Boy/LCPM
Active member
Just get tthe fisher F75 and you will never look back
I to would like to hear more. I've still got Whites and Minelab, kept a T2 but sold my F75.
So much is going to be down to soil type/mineralisation and bear in mind "Scars" post below which doesn't surprise me at all. I would give the edge on many sites to the Explorer but only if used slowly. If access time to an area is limited then I'd rather cover more ground to less depth with the Whites and find the hot spots if any.
Really to do a thorough job one detector still doesn't cut it. Two or more are needed with a range of coil sizes and types.
So much is going to be down to soil type/mineralisation and bear in mind "Scars" post below which doesn't surprise me at all. I would give the edge on many sites to the Explorer but only if used slowly. If access time to an area is limited then I'd rather cover more ground to less depth with the Whites and find the hot spots if any.
Really to do a thorough job one detector still doesn't cut it. Two or more are needed with a range of coil sizes and types.
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
I have kept out of this because I don't want to convince anyone of what detector is better. I DID have to agree with UK Brian though 100%. My DFX is the detector of choice for me in every aspect of hunting, except for one. In MY hunting grounds, the Explorer does have the depth advantage. I am using the XS for going over, at a snails pace, the yards I have hunted with the DFX, to pick up what was left. I'm not finding much, but no one machine does it all.
BarberBill
New member
Seems to me that one might purchase either, try it for a while and if they like it, never look back. If they don't like it, trade or sell it and move on to another. No matter which machine is used it won't find everything, every time imo.
HH
Bill
HH
Bill