Detector testers.

Deus 2 is deep sucker in wet salt sand.
Videos I posted aren’t rigged either.

You know, we have been accustomed to seeing slight detector performance gains with new releases. Seems Xp broke this mode with Deus 2. And folks are in disbelief. Normal behavior. But reality will eventually set in.
 
Deus 2 is deep sucker in wet salt sand.
Videos I posted aren’t rigged either.

You know, we have been accustomed to seeing slight detector performance gains with new releases. Seems Xp broke this mode with Deus 2. And folks are in disbelief. Normal behavior. But reality will eventually set in.

How mineralized is the sand at your beaches? Socal beaches are filthy in some areas and equinox cuts it pretty good. I've got a D2 on order so looking forward to testing it out. I did see the video of it cutting through the orange/ difficult clay-dirt, which is a good indicator.
 
If I were to buy a Deus 2 I’m sure it would be a great machine. But, just because it’s better than another machine it doesn’t mean I’m gonna go out to my old sites and just clean house,like no one has ever been there.. Everyone said that about the nox too, and it just didn’t happen..Now, I will admit i found a few keepers here and there that were missed for whatever reason,and It could be the nox is just better than prior machines..But the nox is affordable,,the Deus 2 is not affordable for many.. and although I’ll agree the Deus 2 is probably good I doubt it’ll run through a area the Deus 1 was at and clean house like it was a new site. I’m a common sense person, I know the Original Deus is a great machine,, I just don’t see the upside of spending even 1350 on a Deus 2 when I have a Deus 1.
Most guys can’t stand the audio on the Deus, read that a lot. I like it,but I’ll admit it sounds like a strangled duck... Lots of reasons guys won’t buy one,and lots of reason guys will buy one.. I think it’s gonna come down to dollars,,and that’ll be the failing point on this unit. Maybe 5 years ago guys woulda spent that,,but performance is a lot cheaper now,and I just not seeing the rewards coming from overspending on the Deus 2
 
If I were to buy a Deus 2 I’m sure it would be a great machine. But, just because it’s better than another machine it doesn’t mean I’m gonna go out to my old sites and just clean house,like no one has ever been there.. Everyone said that about the nox too, and it just didn’t happen..Now, I will admit i found a few keepers here and there that were missed for whatever reason,and It could be the nox is just better than prior machines..But the nox is affordable,,the Deus 2 is not affordable for many.. and although I’ll agree the Deus 2 is probably good I doubt it’ll run through a area the Deus 1 was at and clean house like it was a new site. I’m a common sense person, I know the Original Deus is a great machine,, I just don’t see the upside of spending even 1350 on a Deus 2 when I have a Deus 1.
Most guys can’t stand the audio on the Deus, read that a lot. I like it,but I’ll admit it sounds like a strangled duck... Lots of reasons guys won’t buy one,and lots of reason guys will buy one.. I think it’s gonna come down to dollars,,and that’ll be the failing point on this unit. Maybe 5 years ago guys woulda spent that,,but performance is a lot cheaper now,and I just not seeing the rewards coming from overspending on the Deus 2

I agree on just about everything you said. Especially the part about taking a new detector on old sites that you have hit hard before and getting a bunch of new finds. Not gonna happen. At least not a bunch of finds like it’s a virgin site. There’s a finite number of finds at every site so sooner or later it won’t give up any more. However, like the nox when I first got it, I at least hope the deus II will get one or two more good finds that are either too deep or too highly masked that the nox couldn’t get it. At least that will bring some excitement back to those old sites that I’ve pounded. BUT, maybe the nox did clean everything out of that site. You never know till you try.

The one thing I disagree on is your definition of affordability. Affordability is highly variable from person to person. When you say the nox is affordable, it may be affordable to you, but to someone on a fixed income or a person who is working but doesn’t have a large income saving $950 may take years. $1350 is a LOT of money to me. I had to sell some items from other hobbies to save up that much. But considering my passion for metal detecting and the fact that metal detecting has the ability to give you a return on your investment. I think it’s worth it.

I’m excited about the new deus… just like I was with the nox and maybe even more so as I hear more and more glowing reports on it. I guess it all boils down how much it’s worth to you.
 
The one thing I disagree on is your definition of affordability. Affordability is highly variable from person to person. When you say the nox is affordable, it may be affordable to you, but to someone on a fixed income or a person who is working but doesn’t have a large income saving $950 may take years. $1350 is a LOT of money to me. I had to sell some items from other hobbies to save up that much. But considering my passion for metal detecting and the fact that metal detecting has the ability to give you a return on your investment. I think it’s worth it.

I think affordability will be a big factor with the Deus II. I have a nice income, however I'm also within a few years of retirement and I try to stay on a budget. I'll be watching the Dues II closely when the first of the preorders arrive and videos show us more, but it will take a lot for me to justify such a purchase.

Still I've only been detecting for 3 years and I'm excited about both the Deus II and Legend coming out. I'll be watching both with interest and I will likely purchase one of them sometime this year.
 
I agree on just about everything you said. Especially the part about taking a new detector on old sites that you have hit hard before and getting a bunch of new finds. Not gonna happen. At least not a bunch of finds like it’s a virgin site. There’s a finite number of finds at every site so sooner or later it won’t give up any more. However, like the nox when I first got it, I at least hope the deus II will get one or two more good finds that are either too deep or too highly masked that the nox couldn’t get it. At least that will bring some excitement back to those old sites that I’ve pounded. BUT, maybe the nox did clean everything out of that site. You never know till you try.

The one thing I disagree on is your definition of affordability. Affordability is highly variable from person to person. When you say the nox is affordable, it may be affordable to you, but to someone on a fixed income or a person who is working but doesn’t have a large income saving $950 may take years. $1350 is a LOT of money to me. I had to sell some items from other hobbies to save up that much. But considering my passion for metal detecting and the fact that metal detecting has the ability to give you a return on your investment. I think it’s worth it.

I’m excited about the new deus… just like I was with the nox and maybe even more so as I hear more and more glowing reports on it. I guess it all boils down how much it’s worth to you.

When I said the nox being affordable and affordability I meant the 600, I didn’t clarify that. I have a 600 and used they are even cheaper, so that’s where my mindset was.. A guy can spend $400 and buy a used 600 or $1500 or $1350,and buy a Deus 2.. I have no first hand knowledge of the Deus 2 but I’d be willing to bet it’s not gonna find much more than the 600...
 
When I said the nox being affordable and affordability I meant the 600, I didn’t clarify that. I have a 600 and used they are even cheaper, so that’s where my mindset was.. A guy can spend $400 and buy a used 600 or $1500 or $1350,and buy a Deus 2.. I have no first hand knowledge of the Deus 2 but I’d be willing to bet it’s not gonna find much more than the 600...

I know you don’t have a lot of faith in Calabash’s tests, but he’s not the only one testing. There’s another guy in Europe putting up videos with the same results and the deusII is the clear winner.
 
I know you don’t have a lot of faith in Calabash’s tests, but he’s not the only one testing. There’s another guy in Europe putting up videos with the same results and the deusII is the clear winner.

Oh no, I honestly believe calabash test results. It’s hard to argue with it when it’s in black and white on video.. And I believe the Deus 2 is all that ..I just don’t see where I’d benefit by buying one, I mean if I were a hard core retired guy swinging 5 hours or more a day I’d say I’m in. But I’m More of a weekend warrior lately,and couldn’t justify the price. I got enough in my PayPal alone to pull the trigger if I wanted to, but it’s more of a want than a need for me if I bought it.
 
Oh no, I honestly believe calabash test results. It’s hard to argue with it when it’s in black and white on video.. And I believe the Deus 2 is all that ..I just don’t see where I’d benefit by buying one, I mean if I were a hard core retired guy swinging 5 hours or more a day I’d say I’m in. But I’m More of a weekend warrior lately,and couldn’t justify the price. I got enough in my PayPal alone to pull the trigger if I wanted to, but it’s more of a want than a need for me if I bought it.

I can see your point. For me it’s also more of a want than a need, but in my case I’m getting one. Ever since I took up metal detecting I’ve been intrigued by the deus: it’s sleek, lightweight design and how everyone that owns one says how great they are in iron. And then you have Gary Blackwell’s videos. I never broke down and bought one though. Now after almost four years with my nox I’m ready to try this new and improved deus II.
 
I’ll be glad to see these Deus 2 machines getting into the hands of users,and hearing and seeing they’re results tho..New releases are not only fun,but they give incentives to the hobbie,and lets us know the companies listen to the users. Almost like the USA usto be,they usto listen to the people..lol.
 
I’ll be glad to see these Deus 2 machines getting into the hands of users,and hearing and seeing they’re results tho..New releases are not only fun,but they give incentives to the hobbie,and lets us know the companies listen to the users. Almost like the USA usto be,they usto listen to the people..lol.

X2
 
If I were to buy a Deus 2 I’m sure it would be a great machine. But, just because it’s better than another machine it doesn’t mean I’m gonna go out to my old sites and just clean house,like no one has ever been there.. Everyone said that about the nox too, and it just didn’t happen..Now, I will admit i found a few keepers here and there that were missed for whatever reason,and It could be the nox is just better than prior machines..But the nox is affordable,,the Deus 2 is not affordable for many.. and although I’ll agree the Deus 2 is probably good I doubt it’ll run through a area the Deus 1 was at and clean house like it was a new site. I’m a common sense person, I know the Original Deus is a great machine,, I just don’t see the upside of spending even 1350 on a Deus 2 when I have a Deus 1.
Most guys can’t stand the audio on the Deus, read that a lot. I like it,but I’ll admit it sounds like a strangled duck... Lots of reasons guys won’t buy one,and lots of reason guys will buy one.. I think it’s gonna come down to dollars,,and that’ll be the failing point on this unit. Maybe 5 years ago guys woulda spent that,,but performance is a lot cheaper now,and I just not seeing the rewards coming from overspending on the Deus 2

I can tell you for a fact the Equinox found many silvers that the Nokta Impact I had before it could not find. Not just a couple either. At one park I believe it was like 15! At other places yes it was only a few. Some places none, but when I say a few if you add up the places I re-hit it came out to be a bunch.

I have a Deus II on pre-order, but I doubt it's going to re-open previously hunted places the way the Equinox did.
 
Getting back to the subject of the thread, and that was "Detector Testers". We used to have 'Testers' and we had 'Product Reviewers'.


'Testers' usually worked for, or generally with, manufacturers to evaluate units or samples during the design and development stage and/or to check out a 'prototype' near or at the final stage. This was done to get some final input as to whether the device needed some fixing or maybe an addition in this modern era, and when the manufacturer got the thumbs-up, production and distribution started. Sometimes there were NDA's and sometimes it was just an understood trust in the person/people selected as 'Testers'.

Now, this is how it used to be in the "pre-internet" days when the primary source of information was via 'Treasure Magazines' and back when there were a lot of detector makers, especially here in the USA, and a lot of metal detecting Clubs, detector Distributors, and a lot of Local Dealers. When a manufacture was close to product production, they would get a new detector or two out to the 'regulars' who checked out a new model and wrote the article for the magazines.

Most often the article was first submitted to the detector manufacturer who proof-read it, made desired corrections and eliminated negative comments, then they sent it on to the magazines. Typically, there was a 3 to 4 month lead-time for them to have any ads or articles before pubilication. There were those who did a write-up and sent it directly to the magazine.... but they also knew better than to point out any negatives, too.

Since '74 I have been a 'Tester' to evaluate initial R&D projects all the way to Proto-Type and production-ready detectors. Some I signed an agreement but most I didn't.

In our modern era of Internet Forums and so many Video links, things have changed. Manufacturers still use 'Testers' to help developers new products, and their information is shared between them.

In other cases, a manufacturer might feel they are at or very close to a final production unit and put it in the market or even provide specimens for people to handle and promote via videos, etc. Talk them up on Forums or in a group / show presentation, etc. I've been given 3 units from Minelab, 4 from White's and 9 from Nokta or Makro or the combined Nokta/Makro. Those from Minelab were new model entries, 2 of the 4 from White's were new model releases they just brought out and the other 2 I was also involved with as a 'Tester', and 4 of the Nokta and Makro units I was also 'Tester' for. There were others but I am referring to the past couple of decades.

Buying Decisions: This is the tricky part because $$$ enters into the decision making, and what we mainly have to go on are YouTube and other videos. The problems there are overboard claims, such as some particular new model is THE BEST for Relic Hunting or Beach Hunting, etc. There's were I have a problem because the individual should clarify their statement, such as:

"This is the best detector I have ever used for -------

"For ME, this detector works the best for handling iron or for hunting in trashy parks."

I don't mind anyone telling me THEY like a particular detector, or that it works well for THEM where THEY hunt, but I don't like it when someone tries to tell me such and such detector is better than anything I use or any other detector I might consider for my wants and needs.

Matter of fact, I have been spending a lot of daytime and nighttime hours watching many Tou Tube detecting videos, one after the other after the other, by quite a few individuals or groups of 2 to 7 people. Doing actual hunts for native, naturally lost targets, using a good number of detector models from Garrett, Minelab, Nokta/Makro and XP ... some individually and others done as a side-by-side comparison ... I've not only become more sure of the detectors I currently own and use, but have considered getting two or three units other than another XP.

And it's all based on the modern day concept of Testers, Reviewers, Videos, Updates or potential for them, etc.

I see some merit to the new Deus II, for example, but I am not so sure now if it will provide me with enought change or newness to really benefit me for what time I am going to be able to get afield come spring and summer.

Monte
 
Good info Monte.

Is it not true that when a new detector is given out to testers, for testing, they're not allowed to make it public a new detector is being tested?

Then the public testers are the ones allowed to talk about the new detector in public?

My observation is I have yet to read a bad review. Doesn't that sound a bit biased? I know of many detectors that have hit the market with obvious issues that were never revealed by the testers. It is as if they're instructed that if you have nothing good to say, then say nothing, but find something good to say.

I can understand the motivation to only talk about the good stuff, it is why they got a test detector in the first place, but what about reputation? Once the detector hits the user's hands and the flaws start being found, does it not reflect back on the testers?
 
Good info Monte.

Is it not true that when a new detector is given out to testers, for testing, they're not allowed to make it public a new detector is being tested?

Then the public testers are the ones allowed to talk about the new detector in public?

My observation is I have yet to read a bad review. Doesn't that sound a bit biased? I know of many detectors that have hit the market with obvious issues that were never revealed by the testers. It is as if they're instructed that if you have nothing good to say, then say nothing, but find something good to say.

I can understand the motivation to only talk about the good stuff, it is why they got a test detector in the first place, but what about reputation? Once the detector hits the user's hands and the flaws start being found, does it not reflect back on the testers?

To some degree, sure. But I'm willing to bet the "loss in reputation because they come across as a shill" is a worthy cost for maintaining good relations with the metal detecting company.
 
I only have use for two kinds of product reviews/tests:

1. Let me see the machine, demonstrate the features and how to access them through the menus, and let me hear the machine in different settings on different hunting grounds.

2. Compare the machine's features as objectively as possible to other machines, preferably with direct comparisons over real world targets.

I have no patience for when they review a machine, find a signal, and then say or even imply that other machines couldn't have found the signal. "I've pounded this spot to death!" is not evidence. I have no problem with somebody making it clear that a place has been heavily detected. That's good to know. But, we've all detected after ourselves with the SAME machine and found more. Let's not get carried away drawing unsubstantiated conclusions. The hobby is already full of anecdotal evidence and selective memory.

It's not like somebody snuck up on them and started filming. They planned the footage to post online. They hoped to get some signals to show. They didn't think to bring another machine, but still want to draw comparison conclusions? Ridiculous.
 
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