XLT ? for those inclined

[spittenred]

Here goes nothing,
I have been relic hunting for about 8 yrs and have only ever had two machines the entire time. First was a 6000 DL pro(which I still have) and a Spectrum XLT. Got the XLT about 4 yrs ago, and aboslutley love it, not that i had any problems with the 6000, just came across a good deal on the XLT and bought it! I have been rather successful with both machines in my endeavors and have unearthed some of the rarest buttons known and for that I am thankful! I also realize that simply putting the coil over the target is the key!!! Surprises me still to this day how few get that point. Anyway.... my question.... All I have ever used was the stock 9.5 coil that came on the machines and thought I was doing the right thing by doing so! I have read Montes tips and use his relic program on my XLT and swear by it when I'm in hot soil. Lately though,with all my buddies buying F75s,T2s and Nautilus's I cant help but to notice that I am gettin my butt kicked especially by the F 75 and T 2... Both seem to "dig" a little deeper and in trashy areas ( old house sites) they by far have better seperation than I can muster outta my XLT. OK... I went and bought a Blue Max DD Shooter 3.5x6 (I think thats right size) just for the trash, and sure nuff it does seperate better,but gee whiz my depth in non existant now!!So if any of you here have some field knowledge of coil size and depth retention for my type of hunting habits I'm all ears! I do very little open field type hunting. Most of it is camp or home sites! I live on the Carolina coast just so you know my soil types!! Thanks in advance, and sorry to be asking what I'm sure is the same ol same ol question, but I feel as though Ive either gotta get a better coil/program setup or look into one of them F 75s which I DONT wanna do!!!

 

[Elton]

You can use 5.3 coil, 8" coil or DD's..but you still may be a little short on keeping up with your friends.
The XLt is getting along in years and the new technology thats hitting the market now is out shining our XLTs.
I know,! I didn't want to hear it either..but truth is truth....... The new stuff is deeper..and better operational in different soil conditions.. So like me you may want to consider a new detector soon..and lets hope Whites gets on the band wagon and develops something new, better, deeper, like the other companies are doing..Otherwise I just may have to decide on something thats a different colored machine this time around.

 

[Monte]

[quote spittenred]I have been relic hunting for about 8 yrs and have only ever had two machines the entire time. First was a 6000 DL pro (which I still have) and a Spectrum XLT.[/quote][size=medium]You probably mean 6000 XL Pro, and that tells me you have what I consider to be the two best 4-filter type detectors White's has ever built. [/size]


[quote spittenred]Got the XLT about 4 yrs ago, and aboslutley love it, not that i had any problems with the 6000, just came across a good deal on the XLT and bought it! I have been rather successful with both machines in my endeavors and have unearthed some of the rarest buttons known and for that I am thankful![/quote][size=medium]Congratulations on your success so far. I hope it continues for years to come. Naturally, that means you'll have to work quality locations with potential.[/size]


[quote spittenred]I also realize that simply putting the coil over the target is the key!!! Surprises me still to this day how few get that point.[/quote][size=medium]Yep, and it should be the right size and type of coil for the conditions and to achieve your goal. Also, and this is important, the coil needs to be presented at a proper sweep speed ... both for the site conditions and for the model in use.[/size]


[quote spittenred]Anyway.... my question.... All I have ever used was the stock 9.5 coil that came on the machines and thought I was doing the right thing by doing so! I have read Montes tips and use his relic program on my XLT and swear by it when I'm in hot soil. Lately though,with all my buddies buying F75s,T2s and Nautilus's I cant help but to notice that I am gettin my butt kicked especially by the F 75 and T 2... Both seem to "dig" a little deeper and in trashy areas ( old house sites) they by far have better seperation than I can muster outta my XLT.[/quote][size=medium]Okay, a quick observation here. You are using two 4-filter type models, and that means that ... generally ... they will require a moderate to faster sweep speed than what we call a 2-filter design. The F-75 & T-2 are slow-motion, 2-filter types by comparison and that means they can be swept at a slower sweep speed and will have a quicker recovery time. The result is that they can ... generally ... do a little better job in very trashy sites.


So, what you need to do are use a smaller-than-stock coil, and run the detector with the highest gain possible w/o chatter. Trust me, this will definitely help! As for my Relic Program with the XLT, that means using the best factory coil for it, a 6

 

[PaulWv]

Where I live only 4 filter machines will work and ID coins at some places.We have tried alot of different machines including the Sovereigns and Explorers as well as the T2,But all the 2 filter machines will ID coins as iron on some ground.Even a coin on top of the ground will ID as iron with any 2 filter we have tried.Some people think the Sovereign and Explorer are better in bad ground..But NOT here.....The T2 wouldn't even Ground Grab but had to manual ground balance it then the coins would read as iron some places.....Now there are some places that a 2 filter will work and ID coins right but not any deeper.
As for the XLT being outdated I don't think so....Not where I live...I have had alot of XLTs and a few DFXs but I like the Eagle 2 SL 90.5 the best and it is just as deep and its 18 years old,and in our soil its still the best.The XLT is lighter but I like the 14 touch pads on the Eagle.
When someone says the F75 or T2 is better it might be in their soil but don't forget some of us has soil that 2 filters will not work.I wish they would because all the manufactures seem to be making all 2 filter machines.If it wouldn't be for Whites and the 4 filter machines they make we would have to search in all metal.
PaulWV

 

[Elton]

I hear what you are saying..and believe me Sir I am truly an XLT fan...All I am saying is with all the new stuff hitting the market there are some great strides in detecting equipment. I have experienced several outings with friends who are using the latest things out and they were deeper and able to find coins that my trusty XLT just didn't find in the ground......I did not say nor would I that the XLT isn't good..it's very good and I really mean that..But the truth is technology is passing up our old and trusted units.. Some good things are being made out there and they work very very well..I just acquired another Eagle II SL 90 and like you say it's awsome for it's age but it too is getting on the back side of technology...IE: look at the Xterra 70..Look at the F75...look at the SE.........All I am saying is Whites needs to look at some newer tech things for some better results.....Not knocking the XLT for sure.I have one and will always have one...But I am looking forward to the next thing from Whites to be better and deeper.....Aren't you ???

 

[spittenred]

You probably mean 6000 XL Pro, and that tells me you have what I consider to be the two best 4-filter type detectors White's has ever built.
Sorry that was my mistake,but its the 6000 DI pro/SL, hope you still consider it a good machine!!
Unfortunately, the 3x6 Blue Max 'Shooter' coil is a terrible performer and isn't even in the same class of service as the same-size 3x6 Eclipse Shooter for the MXT & M6. A good friend of mine got the little BM Shooter Double-D when it was released, with the typical belief that it would be just the right tool, and was saddened by the performance. She started out detection with the XLT several years ago and that was her first small-coil accessory.
So does that mean your not interested in purchasing my brand new dd shooter? I will let it go at a great price!!
Well, if you get another detector, perhaps a Classic ID or IDX Pro would be the way to go. You'd have the slow-sweep performance for those times it would come in handy, and it would use the same coils as the XLT and XL Pro. Also, by going with one of the 6

 

[Elton]

It took C batteries.and had a volume control on it.

 

[Monte]

[size=medium]I just personally favor the smaller, lighter-weight 6000 Pro XL, which was simply renamed the XL Pro. The 5900/Di Pro SL was my main-use detector unit the release of the XLT in the spring of '94. It's the same as your 6000/Di Pro SL except for having manual GB.

Monte[/size]

PS: Nope, I don't need a Blue Max 'Shooter' coil. I'm quite satisfied with the 4" Snooper and one of the 6

 

[spittenred]

After paying full retail(149.00) for the dd shooter, I sure wouldnt mind finding a 6" at a bargain price!! Any suggestions on where to look??
Thanks in advance

 

[nc-joe]

Two things, #1 the detectors your friends are using have large DD coils that get very good depth. #2 there is no large DD coil available for the XLT/6000 (except the BigFoot/GoldFoot are kind of like a DD coil, but again, they are limited in depth to about 8 inches).

I have and Eagle Spectrum, and I do use the Black Max 5.3 alot, but for the reason you stated, I recently bought a DFX. The Excelerator 4.5x7 DD is very deep and seperated trash extremely well. the Excelerator 10x14DD is relatively deep and again, cuts through the trash. Plus I have the stock concentric coil and the Super 12 concentric. An added bonus, I can adjust the number of filters from 1 to 6 and adjust the recovery speed and sweep speed to meet both my needs and the soils needs.

You can either find a good Blue Max 600, Black Max 5.3 or similar 6 inch concentric coil on either this forum or others for around $50-75 shipped. But have you considered selling off one detector, or both, and getting a DFX with some optional coils? (If you do, most do not like the White's 1400DD, they prefer the Excelerator 10x14 for the larger DD coil) and I believe the performance of the Excelerator 4.5x7 is much better than the Eclipse 4x6DD.

I did have a Minlab Soveriegn for a while..... I was a great beach machine, but I did not like it on dry land. The Explorers are nice, and a little deeper, but you pay for it in the headphones, they are noisy. I have not tried the F75, but have seen them in action, they are impressive if you can get your hands on one the works right. (seems alot have been sent back to the mother ship for repairs)

I also considered at T2, but I am waiting, the jury is out. They are not as deep as the F75, not as many options, and are plagued by the same problems as the F75. Plus, the secondary market has settled on a price yet for the T2, they seem to drop in value like a rock, so there are very few available, since most don't want to take that kind of loss.

I like the XLT, but the DFX is far better for a variety of areas, plus the DFX can run 3kHz, 15kHz or both at the same time, which makes it that much more useful.

 

[spittenred]

Site been hit hard....but not hard enough!!!

 

[Va Dave]

setup in "Mixed Mode". MM definitely offers more depth in most conditions, and allows a very slow sweep speed compared to the XLT's discriminate mode only. You'll here all targets(all metal) which is annoying to some, but the dual tone setup certainly helps with that, especially against the masking of good targets by bad ones. If I remember Monte's Relic program correctly, Mixed Mode won't allow those high PreAmp settings in most ground, but on average runs well at AC -75, DC-55, PreAmp 2-4. I've been Relic hunting with XLT' s for 15 years, and if you want to get an edge on a Nautilus or F 75 user, which I dig beside often, Mixed Mode will be a must. Besides its the best feature offered on all Spectrums if ya asked my opinion.

As for better seperation, get one of the coils Monte mentioned. Also an increase in SAT Speed, as high as "10", at these trashy sites is a great aid for better seperation, though the manual doesn't mention this. Also in those busy sites, I'll use a recovery speed from 20-30.

HH,
Dave