New Whites Vision Spectra

[Cherry Picker]

I guess in a since I am looking for a miracle machine. My DFX does as good as I've had so far, and it will a miracle to find what I'm looking for.

I've mentioned it many times before, but my miracle place is our city park. From 1991 to 2001 my White's Eagle Spectrum cleaned out a bunch of good coins down to about 8-9". At that point, knowing there is still plenty left, I started looking for a deeper detector. I tried the XLT for 2 years and while a great detector, it didn't get me any more depth. I bought the DFX in 2004 and it started pulling coins again from the park down to about 10", but after 4 years it started to dry up again.

I know there are coins as deep as 24" in this park. This I know for a fact. In one huge area the mud has filled on a ever deeper slope where on the south coins are only around 6", to the north where they are 24". The slope allows me to work my way from the south to the north finding ever deeper coins until I reach the limits of a detector. So far I'm mid-field with my DFX digging coins from the 1930's-1940's at 10". To get back to the 1800's, which are there on the bottom, I need to get deeper in this mid-field, I'm guessing the 1800's will be another 3-6" here, but even 1" will start it producing again. Its a very big area.

As you know I tried the Explorer SE, which didn't fair much better than my DFX, the Minelab Sovereign GT, which was deep but a major pain in this 125 year old trashy park, and the X-Terra 70 which failed to be my miracle as well. So my search continues. I'm hoping I will see reports of the Vision reviving those worked out sites, but I'm not seeing it yet. Of course it will take some time before the new Vision users become proficient enough to make that call.

 

[Rudy]

Detector,

I don't think the Vision will give you a dramatic increase in depth over other VLF detectors with equivalently sized coils. In low mineralization grounds, the Tx boost may give you an extra inch or two, but I wouldn't expect more than that.

You may however get better ID of deeper targets than with the DFX. "May" is the operative word here. We've all seen how, in medium to strong mineralization, deep targets undergo a VDI phase shift that causes deep silver to read as ferrous, etc. I haven't seen good reports yet on how, or if, the Vision does a better job under these circumstances.

If I had a spare $1700, I'd buy one in a flash, to play with it, but I don't, so I'll wait for tangible, credible, evidence, that the Vision does overcome these long standing deficiencies of previous VLF machines.

 

[Cherry Picker]

My thoughts exactly Rudy.

I'm sure the Vision is a fine detector, but I already have a fine detector. I need something extraordinary, and time will tell if the Vision fits the bill.

 

[Cherry Picker]

Oh you know me. In the last 2 years I've gone through a Minelab SE, a Minelabs Sovereign GT and a X-Terra 70. I will buy the Vision when I get the chance, and if it doesn't do the trick, I'll sell it and keep looking. But from what I've seen so far I'm sure I'd sell my DFX and keep the Vision.

 

[Rudy]

If you were in my shoes -- looking to get something in the very near future, not wanting to wait for months down the road for 'definitive' proof that the Vision is $700 better than the DFX, what would you do at this point?

I'd buy an MXT and some DD coils, what else?

Actually, the arrival of the Vision has depressed the prices of previously owned DFX/XLT/MXT, as owners have been trading them in to pay for a Vision. Its a buyer's market right now for the above mentioned detectors.

 

[jcham]

No question this detector has pushed the prices of the DFX and XLT to bare min. Four years ago I had no problem getting $500 for my one year old xlt in todays market Id be lucky to get $200 as my DFX wont sell above $500.

Even on well known Auction sites highest price for a used DFX was no more than $600 and lower.

Oh well Whites has never let me down dont see them starting now. Although I have an achillies tear I'll be in the parks this weekend giving the Vision a go. Might work out ok maybe less digging and with the new boot they put on my leg I'm hopfull.

Sorry if I offended anyone as of late I'm having the hapiness of the Vision running through my head and the pain of my achillies not running at all.

Jamie

 

[mega]

Thats what I am doing with the Vision, going over places I have been going over for the last 3 years now. I'm just getting started with the Vision and we will see if I have missed anything at depth. Good hunting Detector!

John T.
John's Detectors

Will you be doing side by side comparisons on these sites?

 

[West Texas John]

Hi Mega, I believe I could do something like that but I am going to be very busy for awhile, I will try to do this in time. Ok Mega have a good hunt and be safe.

John T.
John's Detectors

 

[West Texas John]

The Vision is certainly a sensitive detector and the VDI is not erratic unless you get into some bad ground conditions, but even then it does well. I like the tone ID better than the DFX also. I still am not able to report of any deep finds in beat to death patches so far. Ok Friendlies good huntimg!

John T.
John's Detectors

 

[kickback]

John
I'm not going to buy a Vision unless it has a faster processor than the DFX and an increase in the depth of detection of coin sized objects with proper ID.You come up here to Montana and I'll take you to at least 2 places that still have deep silver coins.Just before it froze up late last fall we had a hunt(while it was snowing) where we were digging Mercury dimes at 8 to 9 1/2 inches in a super nasty(trashy,high mineralized ground).We also found Indianheads,V nickels,1 Standing Liberty Quarter,a Walking Liberty Half.Lots of Wheaties also.Checked the hole after taking a dime at 6 inches,got a weak coin signal,6 more inches was a one of a kind token for this area.I was using an SE with Pro coil and my friend an XLT.He is surgical with the XLT.Bill

 

[BountyHunter]

Could you ...

Hello Kickback,

I figured you had a Minelab when you described your ground and the depth you were reporting

Could you add more info on how your buddy is doing with his XLT, like reporting the average depth, quality of signals and kinds of finds he is hitting with it?

Thank you for your time,

BH

 

[West Texas John]

Hi Bill, I'm not going to come up there when I have such wonderful weather here in West Texas, no but I wish I could and I would not only coinshoot but I would be gold prospecting. Bill I'm not trying to push people to buy anything as I stated earlier. I am just posting info on what I am finding here and how the Vision works in West Texas. There is yet a lot to be learned about this really neat machine and what it has to offer. I am rather slow at metal detecting and so Maybe I'm not one to judge recovery speed. But the reason I am not in a hurry is so I can be sure to catch those passed over deep targets, ehh. I for one am glad that some of the detector companies aren't sitting on their laurels and keep refining and developing the technology. Ok I hope you keep finding those deep old coins up there and you know me, I love Minelab also. Good luck Bill!

John T.
John's Detectors

 

[norbert]

I have the vision. Still learning machine. I can say this After using the DFX for a few years this machine has some things I really like. Very easy to switch programs while detecting. I like to do this to see what comes up different. In fact you can change about any setting you want very easy. With the DFX I have to search the long menu to find something. You guys with the DFX's know what I am talking about. I have got some deep targets as well. I am not just a coin shooter, so I dig a lot of iffy VDI's and I have come up with the smallest of targets pretty deep. Found a button at eight inches the other day. As I remember It had a VDI in the 40's.
Can do that with the DFX too, (Maybe). I course I have the d2 coil on my DFX too. But as time goes by, I will get to know the Vision better and I think at this time I will be using it more then My DFX. Just my current thoughts

 

[NiagracountyNY]

Im a minelab user..The E trac cost just under the price of the Vision..I was saving for the E-trac..But with the options the vision has..I will be saving for the Whites ..I use the explore se now..Alot of people said the etrac was too expensive..But the machine is well worth the price..I think the vision from what i have been reading,,is well worth the 1600 bucks.I have 1700 bucks into my se with my sun ray probe and a few coils..So ..too me its worth spending the extra money to get the best gear..I hate leaving a site thinking i missed something a Better machine might have picked up.I love this hobby so for the amount of time i spend doing it ,,That is a cheap price for all the fun i have.Keep on Diggin!

 

[txcoindigger]

Norbert

Please keep us posted on how you are doing with your new machine. I just purchased my dfx and like you have been pretty impressed with it. I apprecate your input and the comparisons you are discovering.
I doubt I will be able to make another machine purchase any time soon, but I am interested in both increased depth and target id ability with the new vision. TX

 

[kickback]

BountyHunter
My friend runs the stock coins program alot.He uses the standard coil also.The last 2 days he has been running preamp up to 4 and AC sensitivity to 72.Yesterday he pulled 2 Mercury Dimes,one Wheatie and a clad quarter from a place we have both pounded to death.He also found a token that has been burned and is trashed.He only hunts with the XLT.He doesn't have another detector.He knows it well.He has been digging more "iffy" signals lately.He's dug a little more trash but also more silver coins with trash on top or right next to it.He consistently finds silver coins at 8 inches.He sometimes uses coin and jewelry,beach and relic mode.
I had a SE until 2 hours ago.I did some horse trading and I'm getting a DFX.Wanted a DFX for a long time.I really didn't like the SE.Yes I found stuff with it but nothing my F 75 didn't hit also.At the end of a hunt I almost always dug more coins,new and old with the F75/F70.The 6.5 inch concentric coil on the F75/F70 is amazing.
John I wasn't insinuatating you were pushing people to buy a Vision.I was just giving you my perspective on what I would look for in a new detector.I hope I didn't offend you.I don't live in gold country(nuggets) that's the other end of the state.I do have a friend that has a gold mine in the family.He told me I could hunt it and the camp and tailings piles anytime I want to.One problem.it is smack dab in the middle of Grizzly bear country.2 out of 3 trips in there bow hunting elk he has seen grizzlies.I'll hold the .375 H&H mag while you detect then we'll switch.I hope you can shoot.Bill

 

[Electro]

Bought one

Got it, Like it...Still learning it but like it so far! Wave form analysis coupled with user changeable tone ID. The ability to send more juice to the coil. It's the future of metal detectors.

 

[norbert]

Got it, Like it...Still learning it but like it so far! Wave form analysis coupled with user changeable tone ID. The ability to send more juice to the coil. It's the future of metal detectors.

All good points

 

[West Texas John]

The analysis display is really neat whether you are working a single frequency or 3, it can be very helpful. Ok Friendlies enjoy!

John Tomlinson,CET
John's Detectors

 

[West Texas John]

Hi Friendlies, in case your wondering how well the Vision pinpoints, it does a great job! What is cool it has a graph with 3 bars, one for each frequency after you pull the trigger switch under the display. As you get closer to the center of the coil then each bar will show the signal strength for each frequency and fills each bar with it's assigned color. Of course the strongest frequency bar will indicate the most signal strength by extending further than the other 2 bars. It is very easy to use and I think most will like it. Oh also the audio gets louder as the center of the coil is approached. I hope this is helpful to you all. So good hunting and take care Friendlies!

John T.
John's Detectors