Lets talk: Best All Around Metal Detector- High End Level

sssmiller

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Apr 16, 2018
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Ok, Let the feathers fly!
I'm wanting to hear what and why you guys love your high end machines.
The machines in question are the most popular, all around machines. Please dont enter specific use machines like prospecting ones.
Please be kind of others, but also state factual flaws or lack of features other machines have as well.
This doesn't have to be defined as "high dollar". If you feel your machine worthy to stand against the elite, bring it on.
Just remeber, this not necessarily a "bang for your buck" comparison. This is an all out, drag race, if you will.
Lets see whats under the hood of these Monster Machines from the drivers themselves.
Above all, lets have fun bragging about our better half, and pictures are more than appreciated.
What do say??

David
 
I think it is pretty clear that the CTX 3030 is the top dog.

It gets very muddy after that. The etrac is very good machine as well. Equinox 800 would be #2 for me though as the next best all around versatile machine. I am sure many will argue the xp deus may be #2. Then there is a hole mess of decent machines that are all very similar in tech and depth capabilities.

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I think it is pretty clear that the CTX 3030 is the top dog.

It gets very muddy after that. The etrac is very good machine as well. Equinox 800 would be #2 for me though as the next best all around versatile machine. I am sure many will argue the xp deus may be #2. Then there is a hole mess of decent machines that are all very similar in tech and depth capabilities.

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Those are good choices Ben, but I'm moving up from the 3030, if we're drag racing, I'm going with GPZ7000.
 
Made my best find with a Fisher F22 but seriously it depends on where you hunt and what your looking for. I like to hunt very old sites that arent contaminated with much modern trash but can be full of iron. I dig it all so I like fast and lightweight. Deus for me. Equinox a contender being waterproof and ability to use in saltwater but its a little heavier. If you like to cherrypick trashy parks only bending over to dig a deep 12-45 or so then etrac/ctx
 
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If the CTX didn’t require me to hire someone to swing it for me I’d have one. I think it’s capabilities are well documented. Sticking with Deus because it performs good enough and I can swing it all day.

I did get the chance to pick up a Nox this past weekend and see it in action. It seemed to have a little better depth than my Deus, but I saw zero difference in picking targets out of iron/trash infested site. When I picked it up I was expecting it to be competitive with the Deus in weight and feel, but it wasn’t even close. Way to unbalanced. I scratched it off my list. That thing needs a lighter stock coil. Deal breaker for me. JD had the same reaction and he swings T2SE.


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Made my best find with a Fisher F22 but seriously it depends on where you hunt and what your looking for. I like to hunt very old sites that arent contaminated with much modern trash but can be full of iron. I dig it all so I like fast and lightweight. Deus for me. Equinox a contender being waterproof and ability to use in saltwater but its a little heavier. If you like to cherrypick trashy parks only bending over to dig a deep 12-45 or so then etrac/ctx

^This



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These two, hit the nail on the head.

Not only is the what you hunt for important, the where, is equally important.

Get a lower to mid price machine, do some hunting and find out what you think you will like to hunt for and if you enjoy what you are doing.

By the way there really is no clear cut perfect machine.
 
These two, hit the nail on the head.

Not only is the what you hunt for important, the where, is equally important.

Get a lower to mid price machine, do some hunting and find out what you think you will like to hunt for and if you enjoy what you are doing.

By the way there really is no clear cut perfect machine.

Agreed on all. Passion turns certain people into zealots. Experience,research and knowing your quarry turns other people into repetitively successful detectorists.
 
I know the variables are almost endless to actually decide the top condender, just thought it would be fun for everyone to "strut their stuff" so to speak. 😁

You have a wide variety Big Treble. CTX, Etrac, V3i, which one would you keep if you could only have One? 😳
 
Ctx for hunting parks and yards and a Deus for the real trashy sites... I have owned multiple Etracs, they are awesome but not on the same level as the ctx in my opinion. No lag, color & brighter easier to see screen, better balance, target trace ect, combined mode Ect...
 
I know the variables are almost endless to actually decide the top condender, just thought it would be fun for everyone to "strut their stuff" so to speak. 😁

You have a wide variety Big Treble. CTX, Etrac, V3i, which one would you keep if you could only have One? 😳

That’s like choosing a favorite child... you can’t! Lol
 
Etrac for most places. The Sunray probe gives it an advantage over the CTX, unless you want to play in water.
 
I had the V3i, the CTX 3030 and the Deus all at the same time (last year) V3i since 2012...the only one I didn't sell was the Deus, it spanked the other two in all of the old yards I hunted....I did get the 9 inch round HF coil for it and that put the rest on the shelf. This last week I cleaned up on a civil war field that has been hunted repeatedly by the locals for over 40 years. The Deus is the real deal with the HF coil and some custom programs.
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Based on the posts on this website in the past month, I feel obligated to say the following:

Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND! Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND! Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!Equinox 800 IS THE BEST DETECTOR AROUND!

In all seriousness, I think the CTX-DEUS combo was the best (not for gold). It might be CTX-NOX800 now though? Give it a couple more months of widespread use and reviews.
 
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