Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Delta 4K / Advice please?

E

EPGolfs

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
59
Location
Conway, NH
Ok, so here's the deal:

Bought a new F2 on 8/1. The thing is an absolute coin killer (About $35 in clad so far ~ not bad), also found a beautiful gold & sterling ring, so I KNOW that though it might not be a great detector - I feel like I'm using its capabilities.

My son seemed to be having fun with it too, so I decided I'd step up & get a second detector. After researching several detectors in the $250-$400 range, I decided to go with the Delta 4K. Bought it on 8/24.

I've posted about how I'd been struggling with learning the detector & was a bit confused about the reviews I'd been reading. Folks talking about fast response time, ease of use, accurate VDI, etc. This had NOT been my experience, but I figured I'd give it a fair shot & really try to figure the machine out.

Well ~ It's been a month. I've put in an EASY 30+hrs into this machine & I don't think I'd be exaggerating to say I've found less than $3 in clad with it. Went back over a couple of the SAME areas with the F2 afterwards & found a good $5 in clad, plus a sterling pendant & sterling earring. (Is it possible I simply missed that much due to technique? I doubt it. I'm VERY conscientious about overlap & grid patterns.)

I've used every mode there is to use, air tested, ground tested (which, although successful ~ I wasn't impressed with.) So NOW what? Is it possible I got a bad unit? It WORKS - but IMO, it just doesn't work well. (On my 3rd battery, which they say will last 20-25hrs, so I'd say my 30+hrs is a VERY conservative estimate.)

OR - is this machine just not very good? Do I send it back to Kellyco for repair or diagnostic? Do I send this POS back & get credit towards an AT Pro? (Can I even do that?)

I'm confused. Disappointed. Hoping for some advice. :?:
 
"Even though I know it might not be a great detector..."


Kidding right?
The F2 is one of the best at it's price range, it seems to think it is way better than what it costs in the way it works and abilities possesses.
Extremely fast recovery speed and great target separation and mine found me 5 times it's cost in just clad and another 5 times it's cost if not more in silver and gold in three years use...not to mention the older coins and everything else.

That 4000 is good too, but pretty much a sideways move from the F2 and way slower...as you seemed to have found out.
That fast response review is wrong but most of the other stuff usually holds true if you slow down your swing speed.
If you have not done that it could be your problem right there.
Going from the F2 to this one calls for an adjustment in thinking but it still should find stuff.

Could you have a bad unit...maybe, it is rare but it happens.
Sometimes you just don't "click" with a certain detector or brand too, that has happened for many of us.

Now with the new generation Bounty Hunters like the Land Ranger Pro, the new entry level Fishers like the F22 and F44, the still pretty popular Euro Tek Pro with iron audio and other low priced but feature rich entry level units coming on line in my mind the Delta and even the F2 is older technology, not the best bang for your buck choices when you consider what is available now.

Still they are good and capable metal detectors, they all find metal and can work well if you learn them...If they are working and behaving properly.

Call Teknetics and talk to someone there and explain how yours works.
They might determine there is a problem and will take care of it.
If it is fine slow down your swing speed and see if things get better...every user that has done well with this one mentions a slower swing speed is imperative.

In good soil they both should get decent depth and good ID's, in bad soil performance might suffer a bit but they should still find plenty.

If you want to increase your performance levels in the future you might not need to go all the way up to the flagship lines, sometimes a whole lot of the most expensive features don't always translate to phenomenal jumps in performance but consider at least moving to mid level, there are many out there that can amaze you.
There is usually a pretty good jump in power, features and abilities when you move from entry level to just midrange in most brands.

My Vaq can do more than my Compadre, my F70 can do so much more in almost any site under any conditions good or bad than my F2 but that is to be expected...Even in this business you usually get what you pay for if you do your research.
 
Last edited:
By the way, you seem to have supreme confidence in your abilities you have gained so far which is great, but overconfidence can hurt you.

Going over sites with other detectors and finding more targets is common, going over sites with the same detectors and finding a whole lot of new targets is also.
No matter how much you grid and overlap, no matter how careful you think you are it is always more than possible to miss something.
I have probably a couple thousand more hours in this biz than you and I constantly go back over sites time and again for that reason.
You might be shocked at what you can find on different hunts.
Changing machines might make a difference, changing coils can too and if you haven't tried a sniper coil on that F2 yet you might be shocked at what might still be hiding at sites you think you totally drained with that thing and a bigger coil.
I was...still am.

Sometimes a simple thing like hunting after a decent rain can help to uncover more targets and even just changing directions or slowing down can amaze you in sites you thought were totally hunted out.
I have studied grid patterns, you can't truly say you have done it efficiently 100% unless you hit any given piece of dirt from at least 4 directions, north, south, east and west...slow and close.
Honestly you need to consider adding the diaganals into that too so there are many more than just the basic four.
I can't count how many targets I found from one direction that were invisible from another, coins on edge for instance, and I am pretty good at this stuff I think.

It took me several hundred hours to unlock the true potential of that F2, I did very well along the way from the beginning but when I got deeper into understanding it's behavior and a second more hidden language I discovered I found more than you might believe...mostly at sites I had visited many times before.

All detectors are like this I believe, they all have one language and set of behaviors and another as you continue to swing, listen and observe, even that Delta.
I have hundreds of hours in my F70 now going on almost 3 years and even though I have done better than I ever dreamed possible with it, better than with with any detector I have ever used for that matter, I believe I have barely scratched the surface of its true abilities.

Learning detectors well takes time...Learning them better than well takes way more time but it can be a fun and very productive journey all along the way.

You have been doing this since August first and have done well, with that F2 anyway, but what you can accomplish with more time spent with that one or even the newer one can floor you if you realize that in the grand scheme of things you are still pretty much a newbie at this stuff.
Learning never ends in this hobby, even hunters with years and decades of experience using their tools might consider themselves pretty great with them, more than just proficient and find and post many amazing things consistently, but ask the smartest and best ones if they consider themselves a complete master of any given machine and most of them will say no...There is always that one more insight, behavior or technique to learn that might give you an edge.
 
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If you already don't like it and can't get it to adapt to your hunting, ditch it! Either see if you can return for credit or sell it, because I think you'll just continue to hate it. While detectors don't really "adapt" to our particular hunting styles, there are plenty of others available that are good for each type of style.

I'm new and I hunt fast, probably way too fast but it keeps my interest. If I had a detector right now that required me to go very slow, it would annoy me. There will come a time where I'm sure I'll want to hunt slow and be completely thorough, but that's not now. I'll do that once I'm ready and get the proper detector for that type of hunting then, don't let the detector limit you to what you don't enjoy...there are way too many other detector options that can compliment your type of hunting.
 
I would contact Teknetics Support if you feel unit is defective.

Phone: 1-800-685-5050

You could also contact Kellyco to see what they can do but being that long and used that much I would suspect you can't return.
 
DIGGER27 said:
"Even though I know it might not be a great detector..."


Kidding right?
The F2 is one of the best at it's price range, it seems to think it is way better than what it costs in the way it works and abilities possesses.
Extremely fast recovery speed and great target separation and mine found me 5 times it's cost in just clad and another 5 times it's cost if not more in silver and gold in three years use...not to mention the older coins and everything else.

That 4000 is good too, but pretty much a sideways move from the F2 and way slower...as you seemed to have found out.
That fast response review is wrong but most of the other stuff usually holds true if you slow down your swing speed.
If you have not done that it could be your problem right there.
Going from the F2 to this one calls for an adjustment in thinking but it still should find stuff.

Could you have a bad unit...maybe, it is rare but it happens.

Now with the new generation Bounty Hunters like the Land Ranger Pro, the new entry level Fishers like the F22 and F44, the still pretty popular Euro Tek Pro with iron audio and other low priced but feature rich entry level units coming on line in my mind the Delta and even the F2 is older technology, not the best bang for your buck choices when you consider what is available now.

Still they are good and capable metal detectors, they all find metal and can work well if you learn them...If they are working and behaving properly.

Call Teknetics and talk to someone there and explain how yours works.
They might determine there is a problem and will take care of it.
If it is fine slow down your swing speed and see if things get better...every user that has done well with this one mentions a slower swing speed is imperative.

In good soil they both should get decent depth and good ID's, in bad soil performance might suffer a bit but they should still find plenty.

If you want to increase your performance levels in the future you might not need to go all the way up to the flagship lines, sometimes a whole lot of the most expensive features don't always translate to phenomenal jumps in performance but consider at least moving to mid level, there are many out there that can amaze you.
There is usually a pretty good jump in power, features and abilities when you move from entry level to just midrange in most brands.

My Vaq can do more than my Compadre, my F70 can do so much more in almost any site under any conditions good or bad than my F2 but that is to be expected...Even in this business you usually get what you pay for if you do your research.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, Digger ~ I LOVE the F2! I only say that because I've seen a lot of lukewarm comments on it. I've been VERY happy with it! The response time between the F2 & 4K isn't even in the same ballpark. Yes, I've slowed the swing down to the point where if I'm going any slower, it can't be called a swing. More of a DRAG. I've actually found coins consistently DEEPER than I usually do with my F2, but it takes 5x longer.

I think you're right - maybe a call to Teknetics is in order.
 
detectingMO said:
I would contact Teknetics Support if you feel unit is defective.

Phone: 1-800-685-5050

You could also contact Kellyco to see what they can do but being that long and used that much I would suspect you can't return.
Click to expand...

Just getting back to MD'ing after MANY years away - but it's a 30day old detector in IMMACULATE condition.. :?:
 
EPGolfs said:
Thanks for the reply, Digger ~ I LOVE the F2! I only say that because I've seen a lot of lukewarm comments on it. I've been VERY happy with it! The response time between the F2 & 4K isn't even in the same ballpark. Yes, I've slowed the swing down to the point where if I'm going any slower, it can't be called a swing. More of a DRAG. I've actually found coins consistently DEEPER than I usually do with my F2, but it takes 5x longer.

I think you're right - maybe a call to Teknetics is in order.
Click to expand...

Having fun is the aim in this hobby, sometimes we can have way more of that with one unit or brand over another no matter how well you learn them.
Have it checked out and see where you stand, if it is ultimately not to your liking there are plenty more out there to choose from.
If you liked that Fisher, it sounds to me you just seemed to "get it"...and boy I sure loved mine, one day maybe look into the upper lines like the F5, F70 or F75 if you decide you want to take the hobby to the next level.
 
DIGGER27 said:
By the way, you seem to have supreme confidence in your abilities you have gained so far which is great, but overconfidence can hurt you.

Going over sites with other detectors and finding more targets is common, going over sites with the same detectors and finding a whole lot of new targets is also.
No matter how much you grid and overlap, no matter how careful you think you are it is always more than possible to miss something.
I have probably a couple thousand more hours in this biz than you and I constantly go back over sites time and again for that reason.
You might be shocked at what you can find on different hunts.
Changing machines might make a difference, changing coils can too and if you haven't tried a sniper coil on that F2 yet you might be shocked at what might still be hiding at sites you think you totally drained with that thing and a bigger coil.
I was...still am.

Sometimes a simple thing like hunting after a decent rain can help to uncover more targets and even just changing directions or slowing down can amaze you in sites you thought were totally hunted out.
I have studied grid patterns, you can't truly say you have done it efficiently 100% unless you hit any given piece of dirt from at least 4 directions, north, south, east and west...slow and close.
Honestly you need to consider adding the diaganals into that too so there are many more than just the basic four.
I can't count how many targets I found from one direction that were invisible from another, coins on edge for instance, and I am pretty good at this stuff I think.

It took me several hundred hours to unlock the true potential of that F2, I did very well along the way from the beginning but when I got deeper into understanding it's behavior and a second more hidden language I discovered I found more than you might believe...mostly at sites I had visited many times before.

All detectors are like this I believe, they all have one language and set of behaviors and another as you continue to swing, listen and observe, even that Delta.
I have hundreds of hours in my F70 now going on almost 3 years and even though I have done better than I ever dreamed possible with it, better than with with any detector I have ever used for that matter, I believe I have barely scratched the surface of its true abilities.

Learning detectors well takes time...Learning them better than well takes way more time but it can be a fun and very productive journey all along the way.

You have been doing this since August first and have done well, with that F2 anyway, but what you can accomplish with more time spent with that one or even the newer one can floor you if you realize that in the grand scheme of things you are still pretty much a newbie at this stuff.
Learning never ends in this hobby, even hunters with years and decades of experience using their tools might consider themselves pretty great with them, more than just proficient and find and post many amazing things consistently, but ask the smartest and best ones if they consider themselves a complete master of any given machine and most of them will say no...There is always that one more insight, behavior or technique to learn that might give you an edge.
Click to expand...

All good points & advice ~ thank you. Didn't mean to suggest at ALL that I feel I've achieved expertise in ANY area of MD'ing - simply that based on the experience I do have with these 2 machines, the methods I'm using has resulted in my having a REAL bad experience with the 4K (Heh - did I explain that any better?) All told, probably close to 10yrs MD'ing, but with a looong break of about 20yrs from my old analog Garretts & Fishers. Loving the new stuff, but regretting not waiting a bit for a second machine & going with the AT or a higher end Fisher (Always been a Fisher fan.)

Edit: On a side note ~ just got permission to hunt a train station & property built in 1872. I'll be taking my F2. ;-)
 
You could have a bad unit in the delta. If your swinging over the same place that you did with the f 2, you may have already dug the majority of the targets. I know this though, if you could add the 11" dd coil to the delta it will be a vast improvement. If your still not happy and want to go another route, I would suggest a eurotek pro by teknetics with the 11 inch DD coil. Those are very good units and will perform alongside high dollar units. Don't give up. Maybe you should try another fisher as well. They are great machines. Good luck
 
DIGGER27 said:
By the way, you seem to have supreme confidence in your abilities you have gained so far which is great, but overconfidence can hurt you.

Going over sites with other detectors and finding more targets is common, going over sites with the same detectors and finding a whole lot of new targets is also.
No matter how much you grid and overlap, no matter how careful you think you are it is always more than possible to miss something.
I have probably a couple thousand more hours in this biz than you and I constantly go back over sites time and again for that reason.
You might be shocked at what you can find on different hunts.
Changing machines might make a difference, changing coils can too and if you haven't tried a sniper coil on that F2 yet you might be shocked at what might still be hiding at sites you think you totally drained with that thing and a bigger coil.
I was...still am.

Sometimes a simple thing like hunting after a decent rain can help to uncover more targets and even just changing directions or slowing down can amaze you in sites you thought were totally hunted out.
I have studied grid patterns, you can't truly say you have done it efficiently 100% unless you hit any given piece of dirt from at least 4 directions, north, south, east and west...slow and close.
Honestly you need to consider adding the diaganals into that too so there are many more than just the basic four.
I can't count how many targets I found from one direction that were invisible from another, coins on edge for instance, and I am pretty good at this stuff I think.

It took me several hundred hours to unlock the true potential of that F2, I did very well along the way from the beginning but when I got deeper into understanding it's behavior and a second more hidden language I discovered I found more than you might believe...mostly at sites I had visited many times before.

All detectors are like this I believe, they all have one language and set of behaviors and another as you continue to swing, listen and observe, even that Delta.
I have hundreds of hours in my F70 now going on almost 3 years and even though I have done better than I ever dreamed possible with it, better than with with any detector I have ever used for that matter, I believe I have barely scratched the surface of its true abilities.

Learning detectors well takes time...Learning them better than well takes way more time but it can be a fun and very productive journey all along the way.

You have been doing this since August first and have done well, with that F2 anyway, but what you can accomplish with more time spent with that one or even the newer one can floor you if you realize that in the grand scheme of things you are still pretty much a newbie at this stuff.
Learning never ends in this hobby, even hunters with years and decades of experience using their tools might consider themselves pretty great with them, more than just proficient and find and post many amazing things consistently, but ask the smartest and best ones if they consider themselves a complete master of any given machine and most of them will say no...There is always that one more insight, behavior or technique to learn that might give you an edge.
Click to expand...

Great post as always Digger!
 
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