Big Boys Hobbies

V3I vs Etrac... Which would you buy?

MikeSD said:
The one (and only) difference I'm seeing comments on, between the etrac and the V3i, is silver detection.

Is there any way to configure the V3i to have as good a detection capability? It's pretty configurable. Or is it completely a function of frequency, for which the minelab has higher frequencies that can't be duplicated on the Whites?

Curius
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Lower Freq. would work better for silver. The v3i has a deep silver program which just runs on the 2.5 Freq. You get additional depth running single Freq. vs. 3 due to all the power being put through that one Freq. You can't base the V3i depth off of stock programs, most are basic tame setups that should be adjusted to your location. My v3i goes deeper than my Explorer and F75 (non se), and this is considering I have much less time on the V3i than the other two. Don't let all the adjustments fool you, only a few adjustments actually affect depth, most are just personal preference such as colors, tones, display. You basically want to go to the sens menu and bump up RX gain and disc sens, you will also want to run a lower filter like 5, and slow down recovery, and you're good to go. You can also run TX boost if the location permits it which will give you another inch or so in depth. Don't forget that the E-trac has a larger coil (11in vs. 10in), it would be like throwing a 12in coil on the V3i and comparing it to a E-trac with the stock 11in coil. The slightly cleaner deep signals people seem to get on the Minelabs could very well be due to the slightly larger coil. :?:
 
Damianicus said:
Can you download settings for the V3i like you can the E-Trac? It seems like a pretty complicated MD in a good way, but wondering if you could easily install other people's proven settings.
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You use to be able to wirelessly "beam" your settings to other users on the early models, for some reason they've done away with that with the latest software updates. You now have to manually copy them in.
 
well they each have one of my favorite detector features.

Auto Noise Cancel(E-trac) and 3 frequency pin point(V3i)
 
MikeSD said:
Detect vs Discriminate

I read a lot of people who say the e-trac finds silver better. But is that on the detecting side or the discriminating side?

By that I mean, if someone digs everything with a detection, will they both find the silver the same. Or does the Whites just not trigger on silver as well as the e-trac. Or to put it another way, is this silver edge for e-trac, based on discriminating or detection such that it identifies silver as silver, better than the V3i?
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Dont believe me or any other poster. Look at the folks who are finding sliver and look what machine they are using.

Once you hit silver and hear it with an E-Trac a few times you get the fever. I am really bad about ignoring all signals in search of that "silver" sound they make. It will stop me dead in my tracks and make my heart race! lol
 
Big Boys Hobbies said:
Dont believe me or any other poster. Look at the folks who are finding sliver and look what machine they are using.

Once you hit silver and hear it with an E-Trac a few times you get the fever. I am really bad about ignoring all signals in search of that "silver" sound they make. It will stop me dead in my tracks and make my heart race! lol
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Yep me too...:yes:
 
Bart is right about the E-Trac and silver. If ever there was a single detector to be dubbed the silver king it would probably be the E-Trac. Even to the point where many find themselves ignoring many other signals because they can cherry pick silver so easily with the E-Trac. Now, if silver is what you mostly hunt for, the E-Trac is your machine, otherwise, the V3i can fit the bill as an all-around machine.

The V3i hits fine on silver its just not as easy to cherry pick the silver like with the E-Trac. You will dig more junk with the V3i but with that junk comes some goods the E-Trac doesn't do so well on.
 
Like all 3

Etrac, F75se & V3I, most recent purchase was a V3i , I like it so far , all 3 machines are nice , V3i I like the color screen, presets that you can alter easy, gives you a lot of target info, I think it will ID gold better, as for the etrac the ID is usually dead on, not as jumpy as the V3i, as far as depth I really cant compare because I am new to the V3i, But I would bet the F75se is the deepest , but only single freq, keep in mind the F75se comes with a 11dd, the etrac comes with a 11dd, the V3i comes with a 10dd coil, this might make up a little depth difference with 1 more inch coil size, hunting with different machines might not be the best thing, but I sure like the choice, when I go hunting, good luck with your choice, for strictly coin I would lean towards the Etrac, coins , gold, jewelry V3i , relic , coin, F75se, Earl
 
Etrac= Easy out of box, good on silver, ok on coins, horrible in iron, super slow machine, very boring, plenty of features, not great on relics, heavy, transferable warranty, crappy customer service, dime a dozen

v3i= harder out of box, ok on silver, ok on coins, better in iron, fast machine, faster processor, sloppy vdi numbers, not as boring, plenty of features, great on relics, heavy, transferable warranty, Best customer service, not as many on hand

THESE ARE MY OPINONS ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No cry babys

I am not a silver hunter. I could care less about Rosies and Mercs. Ill let the minelabs guys scoop them up. Im a relic hunter. Yes I too have had both machines. Ive had 1 ctx and 2 etracs. The whites was a upgraded software vx3. For what I do hands down zero questions asked Whites v3i all the way. But if I wanted silver like crazy than the etrac. Id take the etrac over the ctx any day. Again another personal preference.
 
hunter081 said:
Etrac= Easy out of box, good on silver, ok on coins, horrible in iron, super slow machine, very boring, plenty of features, not great on relics, heavy, transferable warranty, crappy customer service, dime a dozen

v3i= harder out of box, ok on silver, ok on coins, better in iron, fast machine, faster processor, sloppy vdi numbers, not as boring, plenty of features, great on relics, heavy, transferable warranty, Best customer service, not as many on hand

THESE ARE MY OPINONS ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No cry babys

I am not a silver hunter. I could care less about Rosies and Mercs. Ill let the minelabs guys scoop them up. Im a relic hunter. Yes I too have had both machines. Ive had 1 ctx and 2 etracs. The whites was a upgraded software vx3. For what I do hands down zero questions asked Whites v3i all the way. But if I wanted silver like crazy than the etrac. Id take the etrac over the ctx any day. Again another personal preference.
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Out of curiosity...have you ever really used an E-trac?
 
yes, I have had 2 etracs. Would you like pictures? I have made some finds. Any reason you doubt? I express my opinion and you question me? In fact I bought my last etrac on here and sold my last etrac on here. If you go to my stats you too will see that.
 
Hunter81... It seems i remember you having an etrac and not understanding it. Having alot of questions and thinking of getting a v3i. I think i told you that if yogu didnt understand the 4 numbers on the etrac then stay away from the v3i because its alot harder for most to understand. I told you the etrac was alot easier to use. So now your an etrac hater?? ;)
 
basstrackerman said:
Hunter81... It seems i remember you having an etrac and not understanding it. Having alot of questions and thinking of getting a v3i. I think i told you that if yogu didnt understand the 4 numbers on the etrac then stay away from the v3i because its alot harder for most to understand. I told you the etrac was alot easier to use. So now your an etrac hater?? ;)
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yes. I did struggle a little. Thank you for asking or calling me out. Everyoe has struggles. You may be better than I am. Congrats
However using a whites mxt-pro and vx3 I find it easier. some things to some people are easier to grasp. Got it!!! Good
 
basstrackerman said:
Hunter81... It seems i remember you having an etrac and not understanding it. Having alot of questions and thinking of getting a v3i. I think i told you that if yogu didnt understand the 4 numbers on the etrac then stay away from the v3i because its alot harder for most to understand. I told you the etrac was alot easier to use. So now your an etrac hater?? ;)
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Also the title of this post is etrac vs v3i which would you buy. so do I have a right as a member on here to express what I would buy?

Thanks ;) p.s.s im saying this in a nice friendly tone. Not as a argument :)
 
Lighten up frances ;) Ok hunter Be sure you can give a good honest opinion on how they compare apples to apples ... If you are not sure how to use the etrac fully then i would not even say anything to compare the two Thanks have a nice day ;)
 
basstrackerman said:
Lighten up frances ;) Ok hunter Be sure you can give a good honest opinion on how they compare apples to apples ... If you are not sure how to use the etrac fully then i would not even say anything to compare the two Thanks have a nice day ;)
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After hunting with two other etrac users and scoring some finds. Well I did use it quite well. Fully well no probably not. I don't think anyone is good enough to fully use the capability of a higer end unit that can be tweaked and created on many different levels.

I did give a good honest opinion above. I have the rite to and let me rephrase that again it was MY opinion, it was not the worlds truth or a stated fact IT WAS A OPINION, some people don't get it. I bet if I had mentiod just how glorious the minelab etrac was you wouldn't have chimed in. Who knows, maybe you would have.

Opinion again try and get that.
Thanks you too have a nice day. Its crazy good weather out today and yesterday we recovered some great artifacts and looking for a good score later this afternoon.
 
Hunter i only replied to this thread about you because i remember you having difficulty understanding the etrac Thats it If you owned an etrac for a year or two and was good i would have never said a word I used whites since 1978 and most all brands too i use a fisher f70 now for my main unit I also own an etrac and some whites, mxt mxtpro etc so im not brand loyal I like to switch it up ;)
 
basstrackerman said:
Lighten up frances ;) Ok hunter Be sure you can give a good honest opinion on how they compare apples to apples ... If you are not sure how to use the etrac fully then i would not even say anything to compare the two Thanks have a nice day ;)
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Do you have both? Or rather have you used both?
 
Yes ive used both For me the etrac is easier if you want a deep seeking detector for coins, not just silver but honestly the etrac loves round things like buttons and coins and you dont want alot of adjustments then the etrac is for you Or at least one of the detectors for you The v3i is great too and deep but there is a learning curve that may take longer for you to get the full potential from it I like simple so between these two... The etrac can turn on and find goodies better in my opinion If you like tech and love making adjustments then maybe the v3i would be better Both are deep and built very well ..
 
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