AT-Pro vs CTX 3030

At max will be out in a couple weeks? Wait for it.

I've got the Xterra 705 so I know what you're going through. I love the 705, it's been so good to me. But I'm also looking for a water machine and since I know the Minelab, I think I'll go for the CTX. More money but a much better machine than the ATPro. If the 705 was waterproof, I'd take it over the ATPro every day. Good luck in your decision.

X-Terra70 said:

My question, to anyone who's owned both or have had experience with one of these machines, is the CTX really worth the $1500 more?? I know you can log your finds/places on the CTX, but do I really need that?

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Sounds like you're leaning toward the ATpro. Since it's the cheaper of the two, why not go ahead and give it a try to see if it works well for you? If you don't care for it you could always sell it and get most of your money back. Worst case scenario you're out a couple hundred bucks.

FWIW, yeah, CTX is worth the extra beans to me but might not be to you. It has a lot more going for it than just the find logging feature. Heck I've never even used that feature. IMHO it's one of the best machines available for picking good targets from spots loaded with modern trash. This is due in part to the very accurate TID, the separation modes, the way you can set up DISC patterns, and the Target Trace feature.



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I agree with rattlehead,both good machines but why not go with the at pro,it's cheaper.If you then decide to move up to a 3030, the at pro will hold its value for a trade in.Ive been looking at the 3030 myself but cannot justify the expense,I'm just wise with my money not cheap.

Sounds like your best choice would be the AT Pro for your hunting. But let me put this out there, the CTX 3030 and the AT Pro are not in the same class. The CTX is far above the AT Pro in every way.

Yes I have owned and used them both.

AT pro for the hunting you describe. Tried the ctx, couldn't justify the expense, always worried my next trip would be to Minelab repair.


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I'm going to be the odd man out here and say just wait till you can afford the CTX unless of course you just want the at pro that bad. The only real benefit I can see is the water hunting ability of the at pro. If I was land hunting only I would feel the xterra and at pro ability overlap quite a bit and with the xterra you have the ability to change frequencies, something that the at pro just cannot do.

The CTX is expensive but was well worth it for me. I am getting a detector that has amazing TID depth and water hunting abilities. Like everything else your gear will be dependent on how well you take care of it, but I dont do things like leave my detectors in a hot vehicle or a place where they are stored with lots of humidity. As far as the CTX inspecting the O rings and keeping the machine clean to me are a must and just part of the maintenance.

If you have to have the AT Pro just wait for the at max. You will then be getting wireless and a backlight.

AT MAX


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Thanks for everyones feedback!
I'm still not yet sure which detector to buy, but I'm definitely thinking of getting a new one, especially because I don't want to be restricted to the land, and also because over the past year, I've noticed the detector is having difficulties with communicating to the coil (I think there's something wrong with the connector pins).

Until I save up the rest of the money, for which ever detector I decide for, I'll probably be heading to the banks (with the money I have already saved), to do some more coin roll hunting.

Detector said:

Sounds like your best choice would be the AT Pro for your hunting. But let me put this out there, the CTX 3030 and the AT Pro are not in the same class. The CTX is far above the AT Pro in every way.

Yes I have owned and used them both.

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I currently have, and use both machines alternately...

What I mean is, I use both machines almost equally, and maybe even lean more towards the AT PRO for "most" detecting spots that I hunt the most often, such as parks, schools, swimming pools, gathering places like festivals etc... In Those types of areas, I am USUALLY looking for freshly dropped targets, coins and jewelry.

I use the 5x8 coil on my AT PRO, and In MY opinion the 5x8 ATP coil combo is killer when I need a fast machine that gives me great target separation, isn't affected by nearby metals AS MUCH (if at all) as the 11 inch coil(s) would.

Once a person learns the tones and NUANCES to those tones with the AT PRO, your internal target ID pre dig is fairly accurate once you train your ears to what you are hearing. That can be said for any machine, but there is a lot more going on with the tones than just beeps and bloops... decipher those, and you will quickly realize that the AT PRO is truly an ALL TERRAIN detector that you can take almost ANYWHERE and pull good targets, consistently!

The CTX 3030 can and does all of that and more! When I need the extra ground coverage of the larger coil, or extra depth of the FBS technology, or mind blowing multiple feature target ID Pre-dig then I grab the 3030.

With the 3030 I mostly seek out silver and other coins... the many ways the 3030 identifies and displays a targets ID, along with Target Trace that allows me to in effect see more than one target under the coil at the same time, in relation to each other and color coordinated, makes it possible for me to pluck target's out of iron that most machines couldn't even see. I KNOW the iron is in there pre dig, but the 3030 also unmasks targets very well, to the point that I have dug MULTIPLE different targets out of the same hole, many times iron, along with silver coins! Ask any 3030 owner and they will tell you that is common to pull 3 nails out of a hole with a deep silver coin!

My first Barber quarter awhile back was in with a nail, an aluminum token, a piece of fencing and a Barber quarter, and on the 3030 display on screen, the target was in upper right quadrant of screen, number was high 40s, tone said silver all day long... yet all of those targets were in there together, the 3030 saw and told me the silver was down there.... Not trying to insult when I say this, but my detecting partner who was using an AT PRO was walking in front of me as we walked along a fence line... he missed that Barber quarter, one way or the other, but he just walked over where the same spot I found the Barber...

BOTH machines are great, in their own rights, but there IS a difference in the features you get for the money you pay. They both have their place in your arsenal, both capable machines... but not even in the same class of detectors if I am being honest.

It depends on what you want out of a machine, but if you can afford the 3030 and enjoy being able to walk into HARD hit areas and pull the deep keepers that are left or missed by others, the 3030 is without doubt worth every penny.

If you are a more casual hunter that enjoys park hunting, and a straight up sniper of coins and jewelry, the the AT PRO will not dissapoint.

If you can swing it, get both they compliment each other and you will be prepared for detecting anywhere!

I love both machines, and they both bring a smile to my face time and time again, if possible I will ALWAYS have both in my arsenal.


Having said all of that, both machines can be used in 98% of your detecting environments and are very capable machines that will find most targets we seek.

Hope that made any sense...lol

Great post ND,

Like you mentioned, the ATP has a "secondary" language that might take 500 hours of really attentive listing, and digging, deeper, junky sites to begin to understand..

It's almost like a third mode, there are sounds that most people would either passively ignore, or actively choose to not dig.. But it's those sounds that make up the third mode.. After learning that, I'm finding a lot more buffs n injuns..

CTX is a better deep silver seeker, as it should be.. I hunt around plenty of them, everyone does well. The ATP does better in water, CTX takes the land, generally speaking.

<°)))>{

You're comparing a mid ranged semi-beginner machine to a high-end top of the line.

Its clear why the Minelab CTX is a $2000 machine with all of its options. When you fully understand a modifiable machine like a high-end detector you will see more results than a basic turn on and go.

If you want to keep it simple and turn on and go. AT Pro all the way. This machine is great with the 5x8. It's just not a high-end detector nor meant to be

Both require you to spend countless hours learning its foreign language and can be very successful

But the deus is better.

Being able to assign what ever tone you want to a custom range of targets is just one of the huge pluses with the 3030.

If your looking for a step above the at pro, but not trying to spend all that cash on ctx. Look at the mx sport or the at max.

Its clear why the Minelab CTX is a $2000 machine with all of its options. When you fully understand a modifiable machine like a high-end detector you will see more results than a basic turn on and go.

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Agreed Barracuda.

Yes a Jetta and a Cadillac both have ashtrays that put out a cigarette just as well as the other. Other than that there is little to compare.

See NectarDetector's post. That's about as good a composition as you'll read about both detectors. My buddy who has both uses his ATP a lot more than his 3030. If you however , hunt salt water the 3030 will blow away an ATP. And like most here say , wait for the Max. It has the little things you're looking for along with some added abilities compared to the ATP.

Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for all your help! Well, I think I've made the decision to do save up to the 3030.

The At-Pro does seem nice, but I do like how Nectar described that the CTX can differentiate very well between junk and 'treasure', and how has it has good depth, and I think the CTX would also be a good choice, especially because I have a few parks on mind which could have the potential to bear some deep silver coins.

I think for regular playground hunts, I'll use the X-Terra, (I'll just have to figure out a solution to my coil-connector pin issue). IMO, using the CTX seems a bit overkill for playgrounds, but I'll definitely use it on old parks.

I think all I can do now is do some more research on the CTX to familiarise myself with it, and to spend a lot of time clad hunting, because I'm still about $1900AUD short!

ctx is a super machine, covers a lot of bases.

X-Terra70 said:

Thanks for all your help! Well, I think I've made the decision to do save up to the 3030.

The At-Pro does seem nice, but I do like how Nectar described that the CTX can differentiate very well between junk and 'treasure', and how has it has good depth, and I think the CTX would also be a good choice, especially because I have a few parks on mind which could have the potential to bear some deep silver coins.

I think for regular playground hunts, I'll use the X-Terra, (I'll just have to figure out a solution to my coil-connector pin issue). IMO, using the CTX seems a bit overkill for playgrounds, but I'll definitely use it on old parks.

I think all I can do now is do some more research on the CTX to familiarise myself with it, and to spend a lot of time clad hunting, because I'm still about $1900AUD short!

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I did the same and couldn't be happer. Don't forget the CTX is no slouch in the water and contact a sponsor for the beast deals, you just might be surprised