XP Deus and what it means for Minelab

Did some research and my E-Trac has nothing to worry about. Not as heavy as the E-Trac but also not as deep. The old silver is deep and I can't give up a couple of inches for a little less weight.
 
Xp duece is fast lightweight and portable. Utilizing Bluetooth offers some problems to the user as everyone will soon discover. I am a fan of wireless but from an engineering and practical use for a detector there are limitations. The display that is held onto the detector shaft with a magnet, not a good design. I cant imagine how many times guys will lay their detector down and the detector will fall over on its side and the magnetized display will have to be constantly adjusted.

Deus doesnt use Bluetooth, it uses 2,4 ghz radio wave. In the latest Deus 2.0 model sold in Europe and Usa, there no longer any magnets holding the remote in place, it is now using a Remote clip mounting, that holds the remote well in its place.

As of me, i have been very happy with this detector and it is so pleasure to swing around too.:grin:
 
Did some research and my E-Trac has nothing to worry about. Not as heavy as the E-Trac but also not as deep. The old silver is deep and I can't give up a couple of inches for a little less weight.

It is not always about the depth. If you have an old iron filled places to detect, where iron is masking the good stuff, the depth is not the problem, the iron is and this is where the Deus excels.

If you could afford both of these top-end detectors, E-trac and Deus would make a really nice pair.
 
I have been using the Deus since May of 2011. I’m neither a dealer for XP nor any other brand, so I have nothing to gain or lose. I originally posted this on another forum but there seems to be plenty of interest here also…..so…..here’s my opinion on a few things, both positive and negative.

Depth- I have heard of people questioning the depth of the Deus. The machine can certainly lose depth if not programmed properly. I know of someone who uses an Explorer SE Pro, an F75 LTD, and a Deus. He has compared all three machines and states that both the Explorer and F75 are deeper, but it’s “close.” I’m not sure what coil he was using on the Deus for the comparison. I’ve never done an in-ground depth comparison of my current machines but I believe that the Deus with stock 9” coil is pretty even with my 1021 CZ3D with 8” coil. If I had to bet on one I just might pick the CZ, but again, it’s close. That being said, the Deus seems to give a more accurate audio signal on targets “at depth” than the CZ, making the Deus my choice for hunting deeper targets.

VDI- It’s been said that the Deus has a “jumpy” VDI. Keep in mind, this is a sensitive machine with a fast processor; it’s reporting what its seeing. Oddly shaped items or combinations of different metals (like pulltabs and other trash) tend to jump around more. Coins give a much more solid, stable ID. One thing that buyers should be aware of -and this has been reported by others- the VDI may not give a reading on some deeper targets; for instance: in air tests it will give a positive, accurate audio signal on a dime at 12” or more, while visual ID is pretty accurate to about 8&1/2 – 9” then it blanks out. Maybe XP chose to do this on purpose rather than give the user a potentially inaccurate visual ID on the deeper stuff. That’s fine with me, I hunt more by sound than by site, and the audio can be very accurate. For those that rely more on visual Id however, it could be a bit of a turn off.

Target separation- This IMO is where the Deus excels. By increasing the reactivity level (via the reactivity control), targets that had been masked begin to show themselves. Not sure if this is accomplished through an increase in recovery speed, or by narrowing the coil’s footprint. I just know it has increased my ability to pick through trashy sites and hear targets that I was not picking up before. No, it hasn’t made my old sites “seem like new,” but it has resulted in some nice finds in places that I thought were pretty much dead. Keep in mind, increasing the reactivity level will result in some loss of depth.


Weight- This was the number one reason why I bought the Deus. I’d had enough of swinging heavy machines but I didn’t want to compromise performance. It was a choice between the Deus and the F75LTD. I chose the Deus because I’d heard that it handles EMI pretty well (it does). With the 9” coil it feels like I’m swinging a compadre, although some have complained that the larger coil makes the detector feel “nose heavy.”

Frequencies- 18kHz is great for tiny objects and lower conductors. It will not go as deep on most targets in the copper/silver range, nor will it ID them as well as one of the lower frequencies. The lower frequencies tend to widen the higher end of the conductivity scale giving a more accurate ID on most US coins. They will also give a little more depth on coin sized (and larger) targets in that range.


Build quality- The coil, stem, and handle are very sturdy. There have been some reports on the UK forums of “stem cracking,” probably due to the constant flexion of the stem when hunting over stubble on farm fields. I believe that issue has been fixed. The control box should survive many seasons in the field, I’ve dropped mine on hard ground and banged it pretty hard with my lesche knife on a number of occasions and it still works fine. As long as you don’t step on it or sit on it, you shouldn’t have a problem. The wireless headphones are awesome, but they are poorly made. The electronics are fine but build quality is cheap. XP needs to come out with a pair of headphones that does the machine justice.

Price- the current price is a lot to pay for a VLF. I got mine straight from the factory through a discount that XP was offering to American buyers at that time. The price I paid was more in the Etrac/V3i range. I believe that’s where it should be for the US market. Even so, the Deus is a great machine. There a lot of positives that I haven’t touched on though I will try to do so in the future. If you want one, get it. You’ll probably love it as much as I do. Here’s a tip: if cash is a problem and you have a buddy who wants one too….just buy an extra coil and find something to mount it on. Then you can use one with the control box and one with the headphones.
 
Minelabdealer does not what he is talking about, hi does not know even a proper name, does not know that there is on Bluetooth and that there is no magnet since ca. 1 year etc. A lot of nonsense and no wonder why.
 
I've been wondering why all detector LCD technology is still stuck in the late 80's. You would think with the cell phone market today they could use some of that technology and give us large, easy to read, clear color displays for fairly cheap. Touch screen would also be nice as well as button conrols.

Thank you!! I have wondered the same thing. The only thing I like about Whites Detectors is the color screen, but then again my old Nokia cell phone from 2001 had the same screen resolution. Minelab seriously needs a mug better display for the next Etrac.

We spend so much money on these high end machines and the least they cold do is put a decent color screen and menu system in it. Toss in some cellular tech into the display and you would have a lot of happy consumers.
 
Thank you!! I have wondered the same thing. The only thing I like about Whites Detectors is the color screen, but then again my old Nokia cell phone from 2001 had the same screen resolution. Minelab seriously needs a mug better display for the next Etrac.

We spend so much money on these high end machines and the least they cold do is put a decent color screen and menu system in it. Toss in some cellular tech into the display and you would have a lot of happy consumers.

Why doesn't Xp Deus use color screen... because it uses more power, than a regular black and white screen.
 
Why doesn't Xp Deus use color screen... because it uses more power, than a regular black and white screen.

Still, the same could be said about a color cell phone but with battery technology today even with a crystal clear color display you should have no problem getting in a few days of hunting on one charge, maybe not as long a B/W display but more than enough time to get in plenty of hunting before needing to charge it. The benefits far outweigh the cost IMO especially since the displays today are no better than the displays we had on XLT's over 15 years ago yet the cost continue to rise while depth and technology have not advanced much at least since the 90's. Most detectors just get a fresh coat of paint and some new stickers and are marketed as a new cutting edge machine.
 
Deus doesnt use Bluetooth, it uses 2,4 ghz radio wave. In the latest Deus 2.0 model sold in Europe and Usa, there no longer any magnets holding the remote in place, it is now using a Remote clip mounting, that holds the remote well in its place.

As of me, i have been very happy with this detector and it is so pleasure to swing around too.:grin:

They must have changed since I last held one glad to hear they fixed the problems... Uses 2.4 gigaherts radio waves hmmm same as a cordless phones ? I hope customers don't hunt in the inner city, will most likely cause reception and falsing issues. Only time will tell As I said I am no expert but can size up a detector pretty quick and given that fact of the astronomical price in my opinion its lacking for that price point ....

As long a your happy thats all that counts... To early here in the states for U.S. feedback I am sure we will read more about in in the future...
 
Minelabdealer does not what he is talking about, hi does not know even a proper name, does not know that there is on Bluetooth and that there is no magnet since ca. 1 year etc. A lot of nonsense and no wonder why.

I am glad they changed the magnet system as I said It was a while ago before I have held one. As for bluetooth maybe I was confused by the blue light the XP manufacturers added to MIMIC Blutooth ,had me fooled, good job... If it is using Radio frequencies it would have been better off with trying to use bluetooth. Radio frequencies only will have interference issues. Again never said I was an expert and the last one I used was awhile ago . I am glad they fixed the magnet issue as that was not a good design..

If you like the detector buy it .. all I am saying is it is wayy to much money for what they are offering you. That's the real gripe, if it was considerably less in price then I can maybe look past the issues. That pricing will get me going every time for what they are offering . I am sure as it sells here in the states more ,you will see more good and bad about this detector I think most people will have the same conclusion as I do. Just my thoughts and opinions...
 
Really solid and honest review probably the best one I have seen so far.

Good Job thanks for posting !!


I have been using the Deus since May of 2011. I’m neither a dealer for XP nor any other brand, so I have nothing to gain or lose. I originally posted this on another forum but there seems to be plenty of interest here also…..so…..here’s my opinion on a few things, both positive and negative.

Depth- I have heard of people questioning the depth of the Deus. The machine can certainly lose depth if not programmed properly. I know of someone who uses an Explorer SE Pro, an F75 LTD, and a Deus. He has compared all three machines and states that both the Explorer and F75 are deeper, but it’s “close.” I’m not sure what coil he was using on the Deus for the comparison. I’ve never done an in-ground depth comparison of my current machines but I believe that the Deus with stock 9” coil is pretty even with my 1021 CZ3D with 8” coil. If I had to bet on one I just might pick the CZ, but again, it’s close. That being said, the Deus seems to give a more accurate audio signal on targets “at depth” than the CZ, making the Deus my choice for hunting deeper targets.

VDI- It’s been said that the Deus has a “jumpy” VDI. Keep in mind, this is a sensitive machine with a fast processor; it’s reporting what its seeing. Oddly shaped items or combinations of different metals (like pulltabs and other trash) tend to jump around more. Coins give a much more solid, stable ID. One thing that buyers should be aware of -and this has been reported by others- the VDI may not give a reading on some deeper targets; for instance: in air tests it will give a positive, accurate audio signal on a dime at 12” or more, while visual ID is pretty accurate to about 8&1/2 – 9” then it blanks out. Maybe XP chose to do this on purpose rather than give the user a potentially inaccurate visual ID on the deeper stuff. That’s fine with me, I hunt more by sound than by site, and the audio can be very accurate. For those that rely more on visual Id however, it could be a bit of a turn off.

Target separation- This IMO is where the Deus excels. By increasing the reactivity level (via the reactivity control), targets that had been masked begin to show themselves. Not sure if this is accomplished through an increase in recovery speed, or by narrowing the coil’s footprint. I just know it has increased my ability to pick through trashy sites and hear targets that I was not picking up before. No, it hasn’t made my old sites “seem like new,” but it has resulted in some nice finds in places that I thought were pretty much dead. Keep in mind, increasing the reactivity level will result in some loss of depth.


Weight- This was the number one reason why I bought the Deus. I’d had enough of swinging heavy machines but I didn’t want to compromise performance. It was a choice between the Deus and the F75LTD. I chose the Deus because I’d heard that it handles EMI pretty well (it does). With the 9” coil it feels like I’m swinging a compadre, although some have complained that the larger coil makes the detector feel “nose heavy.”

Frequencies- 18kHz is great for tiny objects and lower conductors. It will not go as deep on most targets in the copper/silver range, nor will it ID them as well as one of the lower frequencies. The lower frequencies tend to widen the higher end of the conductivity scale giving a more accurate ID on most US coins. They will also give a little more depth on coin sized (and larger) targets in that range.


Build quality- The coil, stem, and handle are very sturdy. There have been some reports on the UK forums of “stem cracking,” probably due to the constant flexion of the stem when hunting over stubble on farm fields. I believe that issue has been fixed. The control box should survive many seasons in the field, I’ve dropped mine on hard ground and banged it pretty hard with my lesche knife on a number of occasions and it still works fine. As long as you don’t step on it or sit on it, you shouldn’t have a problem. The wireless headphones are awesome, but they are poorly made. The electronics are fine but build quality is cheap. XP needs to come out with a pair of headphones that does the machine justice.

Price- the current price is a lot to pay for a VLF. I got mine straight from the factory through a discount that XP was offering to American buyers at that time. The price I paid was more in the Etrac/V3i range. I believe that’s where it should be for the US market. Even so, the Deus is a great machine. There a lot of positives that I haven’t touched on though I will try to do so in the future. If you want one, get it. You’ll probably love it as much as I do. Here’s a tip: if cash is a problem and you have a buddy who wants one too….just buy an extra coil and find something to mount it on. Then you can use one with the control box and one with the headphones.
 
I think like anything, durability will be the determining factor for the life of any product. From the outside looking in and only hearing about this product after seeing this thread, my first impressions are it looks cheap and reminds me of a Heathkit with a cheap looking LCD control box.

I would love to actually see one for real and see if I was right or completely wrong about the product. I love technology but I am not a fan of injected plastic period so I'd cross off a lot of the new detectors just based on that fact alone. This is just my unbiased opinion, again looking from the outside in.
 
They must have changed since I last held one glad to hear they fixed the problems... Uses 2.4 gigaherts radio waves hmmm same as a cordless phones ? I hope customers don't hunt in inner in the inner city will most likely cause reception and falsing issues. Only time will tell As I said I am no expert but can size up a detector pretty quick and given that fact of the astronomical price in my opinion its lacking for that price point ....

As long a your happy thats all that counts... To early here in the states for U.S. feedback I am sure we will read more about in in the future...

Yes, the same as the cordless headphones and the detector will automatically tune in to the most quietest channel available (Wireless digital link, multichannel automatic 36 channels).

I have not had any falsing or reception problems in the city or anywhere else i have hunted, this detector wireless system works superb.
 
I think like anything, durability will be the determining factor for the life of any product. From the outside looking in and only hearing about this product after seeing this thread, my first impressions are it looks cheap and reminds me of a Heathkit with a cheap looking LCD control box.

Everything else in this detector is very well build, only the band of the headphones are a bit on the flimsy side.:cool:
 
It's funny how the guys from Europe are so quick to say the Deus XP is the best machine ever, when they probably have never swung an Etrac...

Just because it's made in Europe, doesn't mean it's the best...

Looks like a Teknetics G2/Gold Bug DP (Specs)... with wireless and 3x the price...

I'll pass...
 

Attachments

  • new_explorer_setup_ssss_202[1].jpg
    new_explorer_setup_ssss_202[1].jpg
    37.7 KB · Views: 732
Not to be a dork, but isn't Bluetooth just a proprietary protocol that operates on the 2.4 Ghz bandwidth? So even though it may not be using the Bluetooth protocol, it's still going to be susceptible to the same limitations and issues as BT.
 
It's funny how the guys from Europe are so quick to say the Deus XP is the best machine ever, when they probably have never swung an Etrac...

Just because it's made in Europe, doesn't mean it's the best...

Looks like an average machine to me (not top notch), with weight and wireless the only things going for it... I wouldn't even call wireless a plus... Charging $1,000 more than it's worth just because it's wireless, is just crazy...
hi :clapping: dont be so silly lol minelab are well used and respected any where in the world, xp,s r just quicker with audio,signal seperation and recognition in tough ground which is a + :cheers:
 
Back
Top Bottom