Xcal and Sov

[dewcon4414]

Im starting to really enjoy the Xcal and when i do a little dry sand hunting my Exp SE seems chattery to me now. I was wondering ..... is the SOV as quiet to run on the wet and dry sand as the Xcal? Am i gaining anything over the Xcal.... like tweaking or depth?

Dew

 

[tiggar]

I don't have an Excal to compare it to, but my Sov. GT is the same in wet or dry sand, no chatter.....

 

[goodmore]

You are gaining a few things.

Unless you have a modded Excalibur

Your gaining the ability to switch coils depending on the conditions
Your gaining more comfortable headphones
Your losing some detector weight
The ability to switch to all metal is easier and safer for the detector. That switch on the Excal will wear out.
The All metal mode has a wider field to me. There is a pinpoint setting that narrows it.
Silent search is an option even though I have never used it.
Iron mask never did that much for me on or off. But the switch is there.

The Excal is king of the water
The Sovereign is king of the beach
JMHO

I hunt Jersey the most. We have narrow windows with the tides to hunt the water. I see guys with Excals never get wet all the time. Plus up here you are hunting the water a limited time of the year. I know there are dry suits and things like that. But I don't like the idea of being in freezing water by myself. So to me the Sovereign became my choice for beach hunting.

 

[tomcatpl]

i hunted dry sand yesterday with my excal ..beach to sanded in... and it was just fine

 

[dewcon4414]

Tom im not having a problem with the Xcal at all.... but everyone seems to swear by the SOV on wet/dry sand. The workings seems to be the same so i was wondering if i have the Xcal would the money be better spent on a PI or a Sov? Id forgotten about some of your points Goodmore.... especially the coils and head phones. Those two seems to be the advantage for depth and sensitivity. Now ill have to figure out if a PI in the water the way the conditions are is a better buy than a wet/dry sand detector based on possible finds.

Dew

 

[ML]

I own both. The Sov GT is my favorite hands down. It runs smoother and you can change coils.The Excal II only comes out of the car if it's raining hard or I'm stepping into waist deep water.

 

[tiggar]

I had a PI years ago and just got tired of wasting time digging holes for bobby pins & other tiny iron objects....

 

[OldBeechnut]

..My sovereign is water proofed and the only difference I can see is it's maybe a little deeper then the excalibur in discriminate mode on the wet sand...but I do like the excalibur for a couple reason over the sovereign.. .. I'm a adjuster, excals knobs are right there, anytime..... Plus I don't like being limited on my hunting area if I'm out with any detector, you just never know the conditions until you are right there, on the spot.

As far as a PI, I think everyone that has a WP/VLF should have a WP/PI. Deep In the salt water you can't bet the depth.

 

[dewcon4414]

OBN kind of my thought on it as well. I know you have made some changes to your Xcal thou ... like head phones, ability to change coils.... which i believe in a MAJOR need, an amp and PP switch. I can see why a PI is a better investment for you. In my neck of the woods out of the water is being hunted to death by everyone with a detector. Not that they get it all.... but jewelry targets are far and few. So im spending more time in the water, which im enjoying. Also.... how many people dig a ring at a foot deep in the dry sand? Everything ive ever found on the dry sand jewelry wise isnt that deep.

Dew

 

[goodmore]

Based on what you just said I would get a PI before a Sovereign. A PI in the water is just great. All the Sovereign will do is put you in the crowded sand.

 

[stpauli914]

Dewcon,

I had the same question as you a month ago. I had been swinging my Excal II for 6 months and it paid for itself 3 times. I bought a Sand Shark during that time and after using the Excal, I found the SS a pain in the butt. All the junk I had to dig made me feel like I was wasting my time instead of concentrating on the better targets. I did want a little more depth than your average Excal user though. Thats when I got the Sov. GT and a 15" WOT! I have 2 shafts set up, one with the WOT and one with the 10" Tornado so i can just switch the box back and forth. I also hipmount the box when i swing the WOT. I opted for a set of new Gray Ghost phones and wow! Night and day difference over the stock Excal II phones. After hearing the Sovereign with the G.G. phones I am hooked! I have halfway paid for the Sovereign GT already($500 melt value of gold found with it in 4 weeks). The one thing I will tell you is that in DISC, the Excal is much easier to pinpoint than the SOV. Unsure why, but it just is. I was suprised though at how well I could pinpoint with the WOT. I am looking to pick up a couple SEF coils to try out as well. If you need any more info, just shoot me a PM.

Aaron

 

[ML]

Pick up the 15" x 12" SEF and you won't look back.

 

[dewcon4414]

Thanks Aaron.... let me know how that SEF works out. I have a 10X12 on the Exp SE..... great coils. My only concern about going bigger is what you loose on the small end of gold. I think head phones and coils have been the best jump forward in detecting. A good pair or headphones makes the world of difference. Been thinking on the PI..... the way the sand is currently im not certain a PI will get the additional depth in the deep sand. Then when the sand moves..... you will be picking up everything that floats. Sooo Sov or SE with a differ coil... ill have to see.

Dew

 

[seahunter34]

I find the most gold in the water with an Excalibur 800. My Garrett Infinium hits deeper, but I still find more gold in the sea with Excaliburs. I'm going to get a WOT coil to try on my Sovereign XS for on the beach, because I've been told to expect targets 18 to 24 inches in the wet sand with such a rig! I do not think my Infinium with 14 mono would hit that deep?

I also found on line an older post where a side-by-side test was done at a tough salt beach, to see which detector could hit gold coins the deepest. Overall the Excalibur and Sovereign did the best, even detecting the coins deeper than 2 well known PIs! So do not automatically believe a PI is deeper! Despite that many like to repeat those words!

I've been told by 2 serious PRO hunters that the Sovereign/WOT combo is the best detector at the beach. Both said they've tried them all and if there were a better machine, they would use it! I know Excaliburs love gold in the water and am quickly concluding that on the beach, the Sovereign is the way to go! I just had the In Sight meter installed in my XS and love it! I do not know which Sovereign is best, but have to believe any Sovereign is great!

When I get the WOT, I will test side-by-side in wet salt sand, my Sovereign XS/WOT, Infinium/14 Mono, Explorer XS/Pro and NEL coils on a larger gold band. I predict the Sovereign will hit it the deepest, but there is only 1 way to find out.

 

[Rob in (Ca)]

I have owned both and only notice that the Gt ran better in AM

Also I did not like the Excal being so fragile. One wrong tug of a cable ls a
Costly repair and down time.

Where the Gt seems self destructible

 

[old lobo]

Rob, are you sure that your last sentence is correct? My GT has been undestructible, not self destructible.

 

[old lobo]

I should have used spelling check. My GT is indestructible not undestructible.

 

[David]

Until they invent a true discriminating PI, then the BBS-FBS machines are the best to use in wet saltwater sand in trashy areas. To make up for the little less depth of a BBS-FBS machine as compared to a PI, then use a bigger coil being a WOT or 12x15" SEF.

1)--But does the Safari FBS go deeper than a Sovereign GT(or Excalibur II) BBS in wet saltwater sand, or not.??

2)--Also there is always difference of opinions of what coil is the best to use, the WOT or 12x15" SEF.??