will I be forumless on findmall?

[jimz49]

Sevn, thank you for the detailed reply. I'll take a look at the manual as you suggested. Are there AKA dealers located in Canada? And if not, where do you place an order?

 

[Sven]

Sevn, thank you for the detailed reply. I'll take a look at the manual as you suggested. Are there AKA dealers located in Canada? And if not, where do you place an order?

No dealers in N. America, order direct from Igor in Russia.

 

[azsh07]

I have owned and tested the Condor,Sorex,Signum,Berkut...I think Sven owns my Berkut..but not sure who I sold it to. I also translated the Signum and Berkut manual although the BErkut is a bit rough...it was not fun to do...woof.

But I will say all around the Sorex is the best machine for all around use ignoring though saltwater beaches. I have compared it to the Signum side by side as I had all four at the time and for most applications it is as deep. The Signum has Turbo mode which pumps the current up going to the coil which is fine in very mild soils but with any kind of mineralization the depth is same as the Sorex.

Now the three current machines out each have unique feature sets that the others dont which can make it tough to decide on especially if you have used em all. The Berkut has the ability modify way more tone and ID options than the other two So if you hunt in areas where extreme trash is not an issue and you want UP TO 91 tones then it is the tops in that area. Also there are so many filters in it to choose from. Not ground filters but rather the ability to filter out large ferrous targets or small ferrous targets or falsing from minerals or hot rocks...kind of gets to be too much sometimes but it has way way more of that stuff than the other two.

Now the Sorex and the Signum are very similar in audio and menu's as well as general performance with the Signum having more power with the Turbo mode as well as more filter options to deal with ground issues but neither have the wide range of tones and some of the Whites like ability to edit individual VDI numbers like the Berkut. But the Sorex and Signum handle trash a bit better.

I could not explain all the feature sets in an hour if I had the time. I know all these machines inside and out but still have to go back over some of the features in the Berkuts menu from time to time. Now I should point out the Condor is the older version of the Berkut which I still have the Condor..sold the Berkut but they are the same machine just BErkut is newer and way lighter.

Irregardless the main feature that rocks is the Hodograph. It basically traces the VDI plot from the time the target breaks the minimum thrshold requirement until it falls off again. This is a function of VDI range and amplitude throughout the entire time the target is responding. While it confuses some people at first it is the most informative meter I have ever seen. I got to the point I could tell what most targets where before I dug them. You will NEVER get fooled by a piece of rusty tin again. I don't care what it sounds like in the audio the hodograph gives it away. Same with targets that are next to each other but read as one...you can easily see the ferrous structure separate from the non ferrous if you learn how to sweep it properly.

Which one is best..tough to say...but I default to the Sorex as it will do a lot. If you have extra coin and want the Signum it is a great machine but wont get you much in depth. The Berkut...well its a Berkut...think a Whites XLT type on steroids.... by this I refer to the depth of menu options...you can fiddle until the cows come home...sometimes too much. But it is similar in that you can edit in and out individual VDI numbers whereas you cannot on the other two. They have a different method for VDI edits. Also the Berkut just has more audio editing options..the Equalizer is another nice feature. The other two have a different way of editing these that are not as complex and individualized but works just as well. But the Berkut you could create a notch window but not so on the other two if that kind of explains it.

Also all three machines can operate on 3 different frequencys by changing the coil out to that frequency ( operate on one frequency at a time not three at once...think Minelab Xterra).

I have not talked to Igor in a year since I nearly paid the piper after my surgery last year. But he is a good man...hopefully the drop in the Ruble makes em cheaper.

Scott

 

[azsh07]

Hey Sven...how do you like the newer 2016 Berkut version. There were a few quirks they probably fixed in it. I still use the Condor which is it's older brother. A smoother machine IMHO than the first berkut but all in Russian. Makes the menu a real pig to navigate in the field.

 

[azsh07]

It is very similar to the Signum MFT which I wrote that manual. While not perfect it is way better than others. I would downlaod the Signum MFT manual and use that along with SuchMuch MFD addendum. The MFD is the MFT with an added deep mode and looks like a couple options in some of the tone modes. But 99% of the MFD operations are explained well in the MFT manual and I labored over that manual for close to 80 hours or more..took two months. Sucked...but not as bad as the Berkut.
I still have all the original MFT manual versions

 

[rbholt80]

Well I'm ready to get mine in and and apply my hunting style with it.

 

[Sven]

Hey Sven...how do you like the newer 2016 Berkut version. There were a few quirks they probably fixed in it. I still use the Condor which is it's older brother. A smoother machine IMHO than the first berkut but all in Russian. Makes the menu a real pig to navigate in the field.

I like it, seems somewhat more smoother, hodograph seems more precise, a few new menu features. Seems deeper, said to match the Sorex.
Had it out once a few weeks ago for a few hours with the 6" coil, works great, couldn't be happier.

Per SuchMuch:

Berkut 5 Firmware History Log Change
Probably some menu dialogs like "Throughout Menu", "Search" were not translated correctly, I'm not a b-5 detectorist. It would be great if metal detector Berkut 5 users point me wrong translations.
Version 5.17 (dd 04 December, 2015)
1. Once you've started GB procedure Gain is set on 20 automatically. This is done in favour of GB process.
2. Economy mode could be switched on in static mode
3. Screen lighting could be switched on/off in static mode
4. 1 tone sound scheme had 2 tones by fact in previous versions. Fixed
This version has not been tested with old Berkut 5 versions. Once tests are performed firmware will be available to download

Version 5.16 (dd 23 April, 2015)
1. New filter added: EMI Filter. it's located in menu "Search"
2. Target's rating added. it's located in menu "Display"
3. PIN code security feature added. PIN code should be entered in order to switch detector on
4. Reseting to defaults will be done after user confirmation only
5. Once coil is adjusted exiting GB mode leads to automatic save of all coil settings
6. Gain is set on higher in GB mode
7. Entering GB mode sets EMI Filter on 3 in favour of GB process and then is restored back once GB mode is switched off

Version 5.15.2 (09 September, 2014)
1. Reset to default didn't lead to reset of settings "Throughout Menu" and "Language" in firmware versions older than 5.15 (dd 16 January, 2014). Fixed

Verdion 5.15.1 (dd 04 July, 2014)
1. Click sounds in headphones and speakerphone whilst detector is being switched on. Fixed
2. Default settings were slightly changed. Now they correspond with manual

Version 5.15 (dd 16 January, 2014)
1. Berkut 5 can work with coils running up to 25 kHz now
2. Amperage levels corrected for 3F coils to make process of frequency switching more stable
3. Coils running with frequencies over 15 kHz are indicated as «V» (Very High) now
4. Brightness of lighting on maximum (9) is increased by almost 2x times
5. Minor corrections in English language
*New firmware requires all the coils to be readjusted

Version 5.15 (dd 02 December, 2013)
1. Hodograph visualization & Hodograph ratio visualization are enhanced
2. Backlight brightness changed
3. English language added
*New firmware requires all the coils to be readjusted if previous firmware was 5.13 or earlier

 

[Sven]

Thanks for your input, it will educate the guys taking a look at the AKA's.
I sold my (your) Berkut last spring before surgery. Regretted it at the time. No longer, since I have the latest version.
I thought for sure Mike Hillis was going to get a Berkut for his type of coin and jewelry hunting with all its audio options,
since he did show a lot of interest.

Your the resident expert and I think we all thank you for translating the manuals......................must have read the Berkut manual 100 times during my lunch breaks at work during the winter months after getting your Berkut.
Then playing around with all the menu settings on the bench during the winter, I truly found out how amazing this detector is and what it was capable of. I am currently going thru the relearning process this winter.
I did duplicate the two coils I bought from you with the new Berkut and just added the 20khz 6x10 coil.

Good to see you back on the forum.

 

[NIBBLER]

I have 2 of the sorex pro's.Very ,very good machines.

 

[rbholt80]

the aka intronic will be the real game changer when they release it. but at least aka is a company that likes to use new things it learns with prototypes to create upgrades to older model detectors. one of my huge disappointments with most other detector brands. its a function of greed i suspect.

 

[azsh07]

Those are some much needed upgrades for the Berkut. Might get another one now. Like you sold off everything before surgery...then spent a year recovering it seemed.

 

[Mike Hillis]

Sven, I really wanted a Berkut. Had every intention of getting one. I sold some good units to fund the purchase. Had the money in hand but it was just too difficult to order. I couldn't get a English faceplate, I couldn't get the 3F coil I wanted. He said he'd look at some other dealers and see if he could find what I wanted but after 10 days of listening to the crickets I told Igor to forget it. I'd moved on.

Kind of a drag as I'd been following the development of the hodograph since I first saw it on Geotech in 2005. Maybe someday they'll get more popular and it will be easier to order what you want.

In the meantime I'm going back to the V3i for my visual presentation needs.

HH
Mike

 

[azsh07]

Why they did not have an English faceplate for the Berkut. I discussed this with Victor and Igor...told them it was a big mistake but they said at that time it was not in the works. Oddly I have seen an English version.
The 3F coil was hard to get a year ago..not sure about now. I also gave up waiting...and I was like their US tester.

 

[rbholt80]

Igor couldn't get me the MFD or the harness that comes with the detectors that have the deep program added. I had to find different guy named Stefan.

 

[Sven]

Sven, I really wanted a Berkut. Had every intention of getting one. I sold some good units to fund the purchase. Had the money in hand but it was just too difficult to order. I couldn't get a English faceplate, I couldn't get the 3F coil I wanted. He said he'd look at some other dealers and see if he could find what I wanted but after 10 days of listening to the crickets I told Igor to forget it. I'd moved on.

Kind of a drag as I'd been following the development of the hodograph since I first saw it on Geotech in 2005. Maybe someday they'll get more popular and it will be easier to order what you want.

In the meantime I'm going back to the V3i for my visual presentation needs.

HH
Mike

Sorry to hear that.
I know they don't have the new Russian faceplate made in English yet. Igor was able to get me the 2016 Berkut from the factory with the older English faceplate installed.
Maybe I got the last one, they had kicking around?

 

[julieamy001]

maybe the page didn't be transferred successfully, you could refresh it again. good lucky!